Mazurkiewicz still makes history in Iowa

Before heading to the 2013 NAIA national wrestling tournament, former Havre Blue Pony and current Great Falls senior Myles Mazurkiewicz talked about not getting ahead of himself.

The goal all season, a senior season in which Mazurkiewicz lost just three times, was to win a 141-pound NAIA national championship. But the goal entering last Friday-Saturday's national tournament was to take it one match at a time. And for three rounds in Des Moines, Iowa it worked. Mazurkiewicz won three times to reach the national championship match. But once there, things didn't quite go his way.

Mazurkiewicz

In the 141-pound final Saturday night at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Mazurkiewicz lost a tough, 5-2 decision to Grand View's Gustavo Martinez. Only Mazurkiewicz and Martinez had been ranked No. 1 at 141 this season, with the two on a collision course for the finals Saturday night. The loss was Mazurkiewicz's second in a national final. He reached the 133-pound championship match as a freshman.

Mazurkiewicz pulled off a spectacular 11-9 win in sudden victory overtime in the second round Friday afternoon to keep his tournament alive. He beat Cumberland University's Jake Williams in a comeback, then pinned a Morningside rival in the quarterfinals. In another close contest, the former two-time Havre High state champion beat Brandon Westerman of Campblesville, 4-2.

And though the result Saturday night was disappointing for Mazurkiewicz, his second-place finish wrapped up one of the best career's in UGF wrestling history. Mazurkiewicz leaves Great Falls as the Argo's winningest wrestler and their only four-time NAIA All-American. He placed second twice and also finished fifth once and sixth once.

As a team, the Argos finished placed seventh this weekend with 67 points. Mazurkiewicz scored 18 points by himself. UGF also had four other All-American's in Shaun Lau, who placed fourth at 165 pounds, Mike Vasser, who placed fifth at 149 pounds, Chase Burns, who placed sixth at 149 and Siers Tiernan, who placed seventh at heavyweight.

Myles Mazurkiewicz national

tournament results

Champ. Round 1 - Myles Mazurkiewicz (U. Great Falls) 37-4 received a bye ; Champ. Round 2 - Myles Mazurkiewicz (U. Great Falls) 37-4 won in sudden victory - 1 over Jake Williams (Cumberland University) 33-17 (SV-1 11-9); Quarterfinal - Myles Mazurkiewicz (U. Great Falls) 37-4 won by pin over Garret Lambrecht (Morningside College) 18-9 (Pin 2:27); Semifinal - Myles Mazurkiewicz (U. Great Falls) 37-4 won by decision over Brandon Westerman (Campbellsville University) 27-11 (Dec 4-2); 1st Place Match - Gustavo Martinez (Grand View ) 32-4 won by decision over Myles Mazurkiewicz (U. Great Falls) 37-4 (Dec 5-2).