South Mountaineer Volume 32, Issue 24

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Volume 32, Number 24
March 28, 1990
Bethlehem, Pa.
Ruppel captures
national title
By MIKE ALBRIGHT
South Mountaineer Editor
It wasn't pretty but in the end, a win is a win as far as Matt Ruppel sees it.
Ruppel survived a tight 6 5 decision over Iowa's Brooks Simpson last
Saturday to win the NCAA Championship at 190 pounds. The title was the first
for a Lehigh wrestler since Peter Yozzo won the 142-pound crown in 1987 and
Ruppel became the first 190-pounder in Lehigh history to win the NCAA
tournament.
With his title, Ruppel vaulted Lehigh into 17th place among the 99 teams
who sent wrestlers to the tournament.
Oklahoma State captured its second consecutive team title as two Cowboys
snared championships while another seven team members placed in the top eight
to become Ail-Americans.
Navy, behind Scott Schleicher's runnerup showing at 158 and heavyweight
Brett Bourne's fifth place finish were the top Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling
Association team, finishing 13th. Lehigh was next at 17.
Following his finals match, Ruppel (Deer Lodge, Mont.) said he was nervous
as he hit the mat and instead of wrestling his typical sound match, he reverted to
his tentative style of two-years ago.
"I didn't wrestle a good match by any means but I guess I'll take home the
hardware either way," the junior said. "This is the biggest tournament win of my
life."
"The last time we wrestled, I don't think he was ready but this time, he
was," Ruppel said of Simpson, who now has lost three times in his career to the
Lehigh junior. "He started in a low stance and I didn't do anything to take him
out of it.
"He tied me up well and slowed me down from scoring," he added.
Simpson, the third seed, jumped out early with a takedown just 20 seconds
See RUPPEL page 3
Ruppel s March to the Title
N
A bout-by-bout rundown of Ruppel's tournament matches
Preliminary Round:
Ruppel major dec. Larry Walker (Lock Haven) 11-2.
First: Ruppel TD, 1:55; Walker ESC :57; Ruppel TD :24. Score 4-1.
Second: Ruppel REV 1:39; Walker ESC 1:30; Ruppel TD :13. Score
8-2.
Third: Ruppel Stalling Point 1:09; Ruppel Stalling Point :28; Ruppel
Riding Time 3:46. Final 11-2.
Second Round:
Ruppel dec. Hamilton Munneli (Miami, OH) 9-4.
First: Munneli TD 1:30; Ruppel ESC 1:27; Ruppel TD 1:16; Munneli
ESC :12. Score 3-3.
Second: Ruppel ESC 1:55; Ruppel TD :01. Score 6-3.
Third: Munneli ESC :41; Ruppel TD :17. Final 8-4.
Quarterfinals:
Ruppel dec. Paul Keysaw (Cal St-Bakersfield) 6-3.
First: Ruppel TD :Q1. Score 2-0.
Second: Ruppel ESC :47; Ruppel TD :37. Score 5-0.
Third: Keysaw ESC 1:42; Keysaw TD 1:07; Ruppel ESC 1:00.
Final 6-3.
Semifinals:
Ruppel dec. Chris Nelson (Nebraska) 8-2.
First; Ruppel TD 2:44; Nelson ESC 2:27; Ruppel TD :27. Score 4-1.
Second: Ruppel ESC 1:53. Score 5-1.
Third: Nelson ESC 1:55; Ruppel TD :40; Riding Time 1:22.
Final 8-2.
Finals:
Ruppel dec. Brooks Simpson (Iowa) 6-5.
First: Simpson TD 2:40; Ruppel ESC 2:17; Ruppel TD 1:47; Simpson
ESC 1:37. Score 3-3.
Second: Simpson ESC 1:53; Ruppel TD 1:12; Simpson ESC :58.
Score 5-5.
Third: Ruppel ESC 1:57. Final 6-5.
KEY: TD - takedown; ESC - escape; REV - reversal.