Wrestling team stands in seventh-place after first day of Pete Willson Invitational

The Olivet College wrestling team stands in seventh-place after the first day of the 64th Annual Pete Willson Invitational, which is being hosted by Wheaton (Ill.) College. Action resumes tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. CT. NCAA Division II foe Truman State (Mo.) University leads the 30-team field with 87.5 points.

The Comets, ranked No. 10 in the latest NCAA Division III rankings, have scored 51.5 points with four-of-nine wrestlers still alive in the invitational. Leading the way are freshmen Jason Brew (Sparta) at 149 pounds and Keith Sterly (Petoskey) at 285 pounds. Both wrestlers will compete tomorrow in the semifinals.

Brew, the No. 1 seed at 149, has a 2-0 record. His wins were a pin in 1:29 over Jared Tribbett from Wabash (Ind.) College and a 14-4 major decision over Ryan Schalk from Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology. Sterly, the No. 4 seed at 285, finished the day with a 3-0 record. In the first round, he defeated Reynaldo Berumen from Rose-Hulman, 5-0, followed that with a pin in 4:47 against Josh James from Manchester (Ind.) University. Sterly completed his day with a 3-2 victory over Jaran Rutlege from Knox (Iowa) College.

Freshman 165-pounder Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta) and junior 197-pounder Jeff Wright (Escanaba) will compete tomorrow in the consolation bracket. Vanderhyde won his first round match, 2-0, lost his quarterfinal match, 5-3, in overtime and bounced back to claim a 7-3 win. After losing his first match, Wright went on to win four straight matches. He lost his first match, 10-7, to the No. 2 seed. Wright’s wins were two pins and two minor decisions.

Also wrestling for Olivet were junior Ken Andrews (Swartz Creek) at 157 pounds, senior Mike Andrews (Swartz Creek), sophomore Dayne Fletke (Middleville/Thornapple Kellogg) at 184 pounds, senior Kefentse Mandisa (Westland/John Glenn) at 133 pounds and freshman Rob Yahrmarkt (Sparta) at 141 pounds. The Andrews’ brothers and Fletke each bowed out with 1-2 records. Mandisa had a 2-2 record, including a win by pin. Yahrmarkt had a 0-2 record.

Following tomorrow’s action, Olivet travels to the College of Mt. St. Joseph (Ohio) next Saturday, Feb. 11, for the Mid-States Conference Tournament.