Fullerton’s Flores Loses in NCAA Wrestling

Jose Flores, the only remaining Cal State Fullerton wrestler in the NCAA championships, was eliminated Friday by Northwestern’s Mike Funk. Funk defeated Flores, 17-6, in a 177-pound match.

Flores was the only one of four Fullerton wrestlers to advance to Friday’s second round. He won a consolation match to advance after he lost an overtime match in the first round.

Iowa State, trying to deny Iowa a record 10th consecutive championship, built a 14 1/2-point lead Friday night over the Hawkeyes by winning all five of its semifinal matches.

The Cyclones, qualifying five finalists for the first time since 1972, built a 109-94 1/2 edge, although Iowa won in four of its five semifinals.

About the only way Iowa could wrest the title away would be if the Hawkeyes beat Iowa State in their three head-to-head championship bouts and the Cyclones stumbled in their other two matches.

In the only intra-Iowa semifinal, unseeded John Heffernan (16-11-2) was an 8-0 loser to fourth-seeded Stewart Carter (31-6-2) of Iowa State at 158.

All-Iowa finals will match defending 126-pound champion Brad Penrith (14-2) of Iowa against No. 2 Bill Kelly (27-2-4); returning champion Jim Heffernan (36-2) of Iowa against top seed Tim Krieger (28-0) at 150; and No. 1 seed Royce Alger (34-0) against Iowa State’s No. 2 Kevin Jackson (30-2-1) at 167.

Oklahoma State, fourth in the team standings with 65 1/2 points to Penn State’s 72, received a blow when No. 2 seed Glenn Lanham (37-5-1) lost a criteria decision to Ken Haselrig of Clarion University at 158.

Lanham thought he was the winner and danced around the mat in delight, only to learn after an officials’ conference that Haselrig had a one-second riding time advantage that wasn’t recorded on the scoreboard.

The decision was upheld after a 30-minute meeting among tournament officials that delayed the remaining semifinals.

Iowa State’s fifth qualifier, 190-pounder Eric Voelker (23-2-2) will face eighth-seeded Dave Dean (34-10-2) of Minnesota.