Top-seeded University of Minnesota wrestling defeated No. 3 seed University of Missouri, 26-7, in the finals of the 2012 Mat Mayhem National Duals Regional Qualifying Tournament at Rutgers University at Piscataway, N.J. Saturday.
With the win, Minnesota is the first of four teams to advance to the Championship Round to be held the weekend of Feb. 20-21 at a location to be determined. The other three Regional Qualifying Tournaments will be held Sunday, Feb. 12 at Cornell University, Iowa State, and Oklahoma State.
As No. 1 seed, the Golden Gophers drew a bye in the first round. In the semifinals, Minnesota beat fourth-seeded Kent State, 35-3, to face Missouri in the Rutgers Regional finals.
To get to the finals, the Tigers topped sixth-seeded Cal Poly in the first round, 24-6... then upset No. 2 seed Michigan, 21-12, in the semis.
In the finals, Minnesota won eight of ten bouts, earning bonus points on back-to-back major decision victories by the Dardanes brothers, Chris at 133 pounds, and Nick at 141. Missouri's Brent Haynes got a major decision at 197.
Finals Results -- Minnesota 26, Missouri 7
- 125: Zach Sanders (Minnesota) dec. Alan Waters (Missouri), 8-6
- 133: Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) maj. dec. Nathan McCormick (Missouri), 15-5
- 141: Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) maj. dec. Brandon Wiest (Missouri), 15-7
- 149: Dylan Ness (Minnesota) dec. Kyle Bradley (Missouri), 8-6 OT
- 157: Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) dec. Daniel Zilverberg (Minnesota), 6-4
- 165: Cody Yohn (Minnesota) dec. Zach Toal (Missouri), 6-3
- 174: Logan Storley (Minnesota) dec. Dorian Henderson (Missouri), 2-0
- 184: Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) dec. Clarence Neely (Missouri), 6-0
- 197: Brent Haynes (Missouri) maj. dec. Sonny Yohn (Minnesota), 10-0
- Hwt: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) dec. Devon Mellon (Missouri), 4-1
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