ST. LOUIS – Led by Garrett Schaner’s upset, three Cardinal wrestlers won opening round matches at the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Thursday, at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Schaner, a fifth-year senior from Big Rapids, Michigan, knocked off sixth-seeded Alec Pantaleo of Michigan with an 11-10 decision at 149 pounds. Schaner pulled ahead 10-6 in the second period with a reversal and three near fall points. Pantaleo made a late push in the third period as Schaner was hit for stalling, but he managed to hold on as time expired.
Schaner, who is making his first NCAA Tournament appearance, will take on 11th-seeded Tywan Claxton in Thursday’s evening session.
Redshirt freshman Nathan Butler (285 pounds) was first up for the Cardinal on Thursday with a pig tail match against Harvard’s David Ng. Tied 1-1 in the third period, Butler scored a late takedown and tacked on two near fall points before time ran out for the 5-1 decision.
Butler dropped his second match of the morning session, 5-4 to 11th-seeded Devin Mellon of Missouri.
Redshirt sophomore Jim Wilson also won his opening round match, edging Northern Colorado’s Mitchell Polkowske, 4-3. Leading 3-1 going into the final period, Wilson gave up a reversal to Polkowske, but managed to escape to secure the win. He moves to 31-4 on the year and will face seventh-seeded Pierce Harger of Northwestern in the evening session.
Redshirt junior Evan Silver (125 pounds) and redshirt freshman Connor Schram (133 pounds) both dropped their opening matches of the tournament. Silver fell 14-4 to sixth-seeded Thomas Gilman of Iowa, while Schram gave up a 6-1 decision to top-seeded Chris Dardanes of Minnesota.
Silver will compete in the wrestlebacks Thursday evening, squaring off against Joaquin Marquez of The Citadel. Schram's second match will be against Gary Wayne Harding of Oklahoma State.
Thursday’s evening session will begin at 4 p.m. PT with coverage available on ESPNU and ESPN3.com.
Stanford’s Tournament Results:
125 pounds
Evan Silver (0-1): lost to (6) Thomas Gilman (Iowa), 14-4.
133 pounds
Connor Schram (0-1): lost to (1) Chris Dardanes (Minnesota), 6-1.
149 pounds
Garrett Schaner (1-0): dec. (6) Alec Pantaleo (Michigan), 11-10.
165 pounds
(10) Jim Wilson (1-0): dec. Mitchell Polkowske (Northern Colorado), 4-3.
285 pounds
Nathan Butler (1-1): dec. David Ng (Harvard), 5-1; lost to (11) Devin Mellon (Missouri), 5-4.
