Huskers Claim Cliff Keen Invitational

The Nebraska wrestling team captured its first team tournament title since the 1999 Billy Sheridan Invitational by winning the 2003 Cliff Keen Invitational, Saturday night

Nebraska rolled to the team title racking up 139.5 points, six points in front of runner up Michigan. Missouri followed in third with 114 points, while Arizona State earned a fourth place finish with 102.5 points, and top-ranked Illinois finished fourth with 102 points.

Top-ranked Jason Powell defeated ninth-ranked Mark Moos of Michigan, 4-2 in the finals of the 125 pound weight class. The individual championship by Powell was his first one since winning the 2000 Big 12 Championships as a redshirt-freshman. Powell, 9-0, is now seven wins short of becoming the 15th wrestler in school history to record 100 career victories.

"Jason had a really good tourney," Head Coach Mark Manning said. "He had a tough match in the finals against the wrestler from Michigan but he was able to outlast him to win the match."

At 149 pounds, seventh-ranked Travis Shufelt improved to 11-0 on the season with his pin on Jeremy Spates of Missouri at 5:29 mark in the third period. The pin by Shufelt was his third of the invitational and fifth of the season.

Travis Pascoe continued his impressive start to the season as he scored a major decision over eighth-ranked Blake Kaplan of Ohio State, 13-5 in the finals of the 184 pound weigh class. With the victory, Pascoe improved to 10-0 on the season. Junior Matt Murray’s run to the title came to an end as he suffered his second loss of the season being upset by unseeded Robert Becker of George Mason, 6-3 in the finals of the 141-pound weight class.

After dropping his semi final match to Emmett Willson of Montana State-Northern, 6-5, sophomore B.J. Padden bounced back to record a third-place finish over Matt Monteiro of Cal State Bakersfield, 4-2. Senior Nathan McClain earned a sixth-place showing after dropping his match to Mike Benke of Illinois 3-2.

Redshirt-freshman Matt Keller earned a seventh-place finish as he defeated Caleb Schaeffer of Montana State-Northern, 12-6. During the two-day event, Keller won six matches and added to his team lead in victories with 12.

"These guys are really starting to believe in themselves right now," Manning said. "It all starts in the practice room and it is now starting to show on the mat."

The Huskers will next return to action on December 22, 2003 when they place host to Nebraska-Kearney, Dana and Chadron State at the Nebraska Duals.

Championships Match
125-Jason Powell (NU) by decision over Mark Moos (MU), 4-2
141-Robert Becker (GM) by decision over Matt Murray (NU), 6-3
149-Travis Shufelt (NU) by fall over Jeremy Spates (MU), 5:29
184-Travis Pascoe (NU) by major decision over Blake Kaplan (OSU), 13-5

Third-Place Match
197-B.J. Padden (NU) by decision over Matt Monteiro (CSB), 4-2.

Fifth-Place Match
HWT-Mike Benke (ILL) by decision Nathan McClain, 3-2

Seventh-Place Match
133-Matt Keller (NU) by decision over Caleb Schaeffer (MSN), 12-6

TEAM STANDINGS (out of 43)
1. Nebraska -
2. Michigan -
3. Missouri -
4. Illinois -
5. Arizona State -
6. Ohio State -
7. Minnesota -
8. CS-Bakersfield -
8. Purdue -
10. Cal Poly -
11. Edinboro -