Three Dutch wrestlers ranked by NWCA
PELLA — A new round of Division III rankings were released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association and D3wrestle.com Thursday and the Central College wrestling team added a third individual to the NWCA’s individual rankings.
In the NWCA’s third dual team rankings, Central stayed put at No. 14. In their tournament team rankings, Central fell out of the top-25. The tournament team rankings are compiled based on the points awarded for each individual wrestler in the rankings.
Individually in the NWCA poll, senior Shandon Akeo (fifth year, Honolulu, Hawaii, Kapolei HS) stayed at no. 3 at 125 pounds, Rob Areyano (senior, Selma, Calif.) bumped down to No. 11 at 149 pounds and Samuel Zook (senior, Oak Harbor, Wash.) made his 285-pound debut at No. 14.
The seventh D3wrestle.com poll has Akeo at No. 3 and Areyano at No. 6. Zook and Gage Linahon (sophomore, 197 pounds, Newton) are just outside of the top-10 as contenders. Additionally, Brock Beck (sophomore, 141 pounds, Grinnell) was included as an honorable mention.
Akeo is 12-0 on the season, winning five times by fall. Three of his falls came in the first period, including twice within a minute of the match starting. He earned a bracket title at the Pointer Open in November.
Areyano is 14-2 on the season, winning eight times by fall. He has won 11 straight matches, including a win over the No. 1 wrestler in NJCAA for the tournament title at the Central Under Armour Invitational.
Zook is 19-8 on the season, winning 10 times by fall. Six of his losses have come against individuals ranked in the top-10 and four times he has lost a decision by two points or loss.
Beck has a team-high 24 wins on the season with just five losses and Linahon is 20-5.
As a team, Central is 8-4 overall and 3-3 in the American Rivers Conference. All of Central’s losses came against schools ranked in the top-10 nationally at the time of the match.
Central is at the Loras Open Saturday at 9 a.m. in Dubuque. The next dual is set for Thursday, February 3 at 6 p.m. against Luther College inside P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium.
