ST. CLOUD – Park Rapids’ Ashton Clark posted a 5-9 record at 125 pounds for the St. Cloud State University wrestling team this season.
The redshirt junior opened the season by placing fifth at the Dakota Wesleyan Open at Mitchell, S.D., on Nov. 12. Clark won his first three matches by defeating St. Thomas’s Stephen Moreno 4- 2 in overtime, Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Clayson Mele 10-4 and Northern State’s Jack Schoenhard 3-0. Clark was edged by Briar Cliff’s Seth I’nama 3-2 in the semifinals and suffered a 17-2 technical fall loss to Nebraska-Kearney’s Bishop Murray in the consolation semifinals before being rewarded fifth place with a no-contest win over Northern State’s Brenden Salfrank.
At the Chadron (Neb.) State Duals on Dec. 4, Clark posted a 1-2 record in three matches. Clark posted a 6-5 decision over Devin Gomez in SCSU’s 29-6 win over No. 16-ranked Western Colorado, dropped a 3-0 decision to Quade Smith in the Huskies’ 40-7 victory over Chadron State and dropped a 6-2 decision to Zach Wright in SDSU’s 26-16 win over San Francisco State. The Huskies entered the season rated No. 1 among NCAA Division II teams.
Clark wrestled the first match as SDSU won the NWCA (National Wrestling Coaches Association) National Dual Championship at Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 6-7. The No. 3-ranked Huskies used Clark’s 5-3 overtime decision over Billy Smith to defeat No. 18 Mercyhurst 32-9. SDSU defeated No. 9 Upper Iowa 28-7, No. 11 University of Mary 26-6 and No. 1 Central Oklahoma 19-16 to win the title.
Clark dropped all four matches in the five-wrestler round-robin bracket to place fifth at the North Country Open at St. John’s University on Jan. 22. Clark was defeated by NDSU’s Zach Silvis 7-5, St. Cloud State’s Archer Heelan 6-4, Iowa State’s Caleb Fuessley 15-4 and Iowa State’s Conor Knopick 9-1.
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In his final match of the season, Clark was defeated by Mele 4-3 in SCSU’s 34-6 win over MSUM on Jan. 27.
The Huskies’ lone loss in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference duals was a 20-19 loss to Wisconsin-Parkside, which finished with a 9-0 record in conference matches. SCSU was second with an 8-1 record. Following were University of Mary and Upper Iowa at 6-3, Northern State and Augustana at 5-4, Minot State at 3-6, Minnesota State Mankato at 2-7, Southwest Minnesota State at 1-8 and MSUM at 0-9.
SCSU concluded the season by compiling 130.50 points to win the NCAA Division II Super Regional V tournament for the seventh year in a row and by placing third at the NCAA Division II Championships with 64.50 points as No. 1-ranked Central Oklahoma won the national title with 121 points and No. 2 Lander finished second with 78 points. The Huskies entered nationals rated No. 5.
Clark improved his career record to 17-16 after going 6-4 as a redshirt in 2019-20 and 6-3 as a redshirt sophomore last season.
Dravis wrestles for MSUM
MOORHEAD – Park Rapids’ Cody Dravis competed in two tournaments for the University of Minnesota Moorhead wrestling team this season.
Dravis, who missed the beginning of the season with a foot injury, made his season debut by placing sixth at 165 pounds at the North Country Open at St. John’s University in Collegeville on Jan. 22. Dravis was pinned by North Dakota State University’s Landon Johnson in 1:43 in the first round before pinning Concordia’s Elija Hart in 2:10 in the consolation round. Dravis lost his next two matches, being pinned by Iowa State’s Caden Schmidt in 2:04 and dropping a 7-0 decision to NDSU’s Alex Kowaldyk.
Dravis concluded his junior season by wrestling at 165 at the NCAA Division II Super Regional V tournament at Aberdeen, S.D., on Feb. 25. Dravis dropped a 26-9 technical fall in 6:41 to Parkside’s Shane Gantz in the quarterfinals and was pinned by Minot State’s Brenden Barnes in 2:03 in the consolation round to end the season with a 1-5 record.
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The Dragons finished the season with a 1-10 overall record in dual meets.
In his four seasons for the Dragons, Dravis has a 13-13 overall record. Dravis went 6-4 at 174 as a redshirt in 2019-20, 1-2 at 197 in 2020-21 and 5-2 at 174 last season.
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