LUVSANDORJ CAPTURES NATIONAL PREP CHAMPIONSHIP
Boucher, Dowdy join their teammate as All-Americans

February 21, 2009

Redemption.

It's been the motivating battle cry for Turtogtogh Luvsandorj all season.

And the National Prep Wrestling Championships would be no different.

Luvsandorj exacted revenge for the third time this season and wound up atop the podium on the ultimate stage when he posted a 7-5 overtime verdict over previously-unbeaten David Henry of Texas' St. Marks at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.

"He made it a point to improve every day he came to the workout room since last season ended," said St. Benedict's coach Mike DiPiano Jr. of his third national champion. "In fact, that's the way he worked ever since he first got here - to be better than the day before. And he capped it off with an incredible year."

Luvansandorj earned his second All-America honor and was joined in that elite club for the first time by Naeem Boucher and Chris Dowdy. Boucher placed fifth at 135 pounds, while Dowdy finished eighth at 130 pounds - the top eight in each weight class earn All-America status.

St. Benedict's, which was hit hard by graduation a year ago, matched last year's effort in the team standings by placing sixth with 104 points. Blair, the No. 1 team in the country, rolled to its seventh straight championship.

"We knew we were gonna have our hands full at the beginning of this season," said DiPiano. "But we exceeded all our expectations and came here and showed tremendous heart. I'm really proud of this team."

DiPiano couldn't be any prouder than he was of Luvsandorj. The senior placed seventh in the Nationals last winter after losing Henry and Jesse Shanaman of Blair in the same tournament.

Luvsandorj took care of Shanaman in last weekend's state Prep Championship final, 6-2, before beating the same wrestler from Blair, 7-6, in the national semifinals on Saturday morning.

He came back in the afternoon final against Henry, the same opponent he dropped a 7-4 decision in last year's wrestlebacks at Lehigh. Luvsandorj scored the first takedown of the match off a low shot to the right ankle of Henry with 10 seconds left in the opening period.

Luvsandorj upped the cushion to 3-0 with an escape early in the second. But Henry scored a takedown of his own off an ankle pick in the second before another escape by the St. Benedict's grappler put the score at 4-2 after two. An escape and a spinning takedown by Henry gave the St. Marks wrestler a 5-4 lead just 25 second into the final period.

Luvsandorj, however, squared the match at 5-5 off an escape with 1:20 left before the two titans circled in the center of the mat for the remainder of regulation.

The native of Mongolia, wasted little time in determining the outcome in overtime. He used the same move as the opening takedown - an opposite side ankle pick off a 2-and-1 - to score the winning points just eight seconds into the extra session (click here to watch video of the entire bout).

"We knew this kid (Henry) was good, but Turtog stayed calm throughout," said DiPiano, who also saw his 160-pounder avenge another loss from last year when he upended Brian Broderick of Southern Regional in the All-Star Invitational last month. "He just went after it in OT and got it done. What an incredible feeling."

DiPiano holds a special affinity for Boucher, the soccer player-turned-wrestler. Boucher had never wrestled before he got to St. Benedict's and now finishes his career with over 100 victories and as an All-American.

"I just wish I hadn't waited so long to start wrestling. Maybe I could have been a national champion," said Boucher, who will continue his education at William Paterson where he will play soccer. "It's still an amazing feeling though. Not everyone can say they are an All-American."

Dowdy looked like he had enough left in the tank in the wrestlebacks for higher than an eight-place finish. But a head injury in the consolation semifinals forced him to default in his final two matches. He was taken to the hospital for precautionary measures after his morning match, but returned to be part of the awards ceremony in the afternoon.

"Dowdy set the tone for the next two years," said DiPiano of his sophomore. "He could be the next national champion by the time he is through here."

– By Ron Jandoli