Wrestling team finishes in second-place at 42nd Annual North Central (Ill.) Invitational

Behind two individual champions and two runner-up finishes, the Olivet College wrestling team finished in second-place at the 42nd Annual North Central (Ill.) College Invitational held Friday and Saturday, Jan. 13-14.

Among 15 teams, the Comets tallied 141.5 points, which was 15 points behind the host Cardinals. Elmhurst (Ill.) College placed third with 129.5, followed by Manchester (Ind.) College with 128.

Olivet, ranked 12th in the latest NCAA Division III national rankings, placed four wrestlers in the finals with two emerging as champs. Freshman Jason Brew (Sparta) and Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta) were the champs. Brew had a 5-0 record en route to the title at 149 pounds, earning it with a 5-3 decision over Noah Fitzenreider from North Central. Vanderhyde finished with a 3-0 record at 165 pounds. He beat Ben Youel from North Central, 7-2, in the championship bout.

Finishing in second were senior Ryan Newberry (Grand Junction/South Haven) at 184 pounds and freshman Keith Sterly (Petoskey) at 285 pounds. Newberry fell to Ben Dictus from Lawrence (Wisc.) University, 3-2, in his championship bout. Sterly dropped a 3-0 decision to Ward Brady from Elmhurst in his championship bout.

Also placing for the Comets were freshman Kyle Labrecque (Battle Creek/Lakeview) at 125, senior Kefentse Mandisa (Westland/John Glenn) at 133, freshman Phil Goodrich (Union City) at 141, senior Ken Andrews (Swartz Creek) at 157, senior Mike Andrews (Swartz Creek) at 174 and sophomore Aaron Stewart (Dansville) at 197. Labrecque took home third-place with a 4-1 record, including a 3-2 win in his last match. Mandisa and Goodrich were seventh. The Andrews’ brothers were fourth at their respective weight. Stewart was sixth after defaulting his last two matches because of a possible injury.

Olivet is idle until next Saturday, Jan. 21, when it travels to Ypsilanti to participate in the Eastern Michigan University Triangular. The Comets will wrestle the host Eagles and Duquesne (Pa.) University. Action from the Bowen Field House starts at noon.