March 20, 2008

NCAA Championship Bracket | Team Standings | Intermat Live NCAA Championship Stats

Contact: Gene Natale, Jr.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Marcus Effner (165 pounds) and Rashard Goff (285) each followed first round losses with consolation bracket wins at the NCAA Championship on Thursday at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

"We got a couple of wins at the big show, it's real awesome," head coach Jack Effner said, "I'm real proud of both of them to come out and get some NCAA wins."

Following a tough loss in the first round, Marcus Effner (27-12) was first to get on the winning side with a 4-2 decision over UNC-Greensboro's Bryon Sigmon. After a scoreless first period, Effner got on the board first with an escape early in the second, and increased his advantage to 3-0 with a takedown. Sigmon followed with a reversal to pull within one, 3-2, and Effner answered with another escape in the third period to secure the win.

"Marcus wrestled a tough kid, a real slippery guy," Coach Effner said, "He did a real nice job, stayed solid, and put the guy on his back for three points. After that he just held on and got the W."

Goff (21-12) followed Effner's win with one of his own, a 9-0 major decision victory over Brown's Levon Mock. Goff went right on the offensive in the first period and scored an early takedown and near-fall to run out to a 4-0 lead. Goff would go on to record two more takedowns and add a riding time point to secure the major decision win.

"Goff looked like a monster," Coach Effner continued, "He wrestled real tough and beat a wrestler much bigger than him."

The 165 pound Effner faced #2 seeded Mark Perry of Iowa in the first round. Perry was last season's national champion at 165 pounds and is a three-time All-American. Effner went on the offensive right away, getting in deep on Perry, but Perry was able to turn the tables and cradle Effner for a pin in 2:14.

Goff also had a difficult first-round matchup, losing a close 3-1 decision to the #7 seed, Wisconsin's Kyle Massey. After a scoreless first period, Massey chose to begin the second in the down position, and he opened the scoring with a two-point reversal. Goff was able to manage an escape in the third to get on the board and close within one, 2-1, but Massey maintained his riding time advantage to finish the match and win 3-1.

"Both of our guys have got to win three more matches to win All-American status," Coach Effner said, "We're gonna take them one at a time, and we look forward to tommorrow. So far I'm proud of our guys and how well they have represented themselves and the school."

Both Effner and Goff will wrestle on Friday morning. Effner will face Liberty's Chad Porter (27-18, 2-8 against NCAA qualifiers) in the 165 pound consolation bracket, while Goff will take on Joshua Wine (9-3, 1-3 against NCAA qualifiers) of VMI in the 285 consolation.

Friday's action of the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship is slated to begin at 11:00 a.m. CST, with live stats available at www.intermatwrestle.com, and bracket information available at NCAA.com.

Cleveland State Results

165
#2 Mark Perry (Iowa) pinned Marcus Effner, 2:14
Marcus Effner dec. Bryon Sigmon (UNCG), 4-2

285
#7 Kyle Massey (Wisc.) dec. Rashard Goff, 3-1
Rashard Goff maj. dec. Levon Mock (Brown), 9-0