Wrestling team captures team championship at Eastern Ohio Duals

The Olivet College wrestling team won its three matches to capture the team championship today at the Eastern Ohio Duals, which was hosted by Mount Union (Ohio) College. In their first round match, the Comets defeated Muskingum (Ohio) College, 44-3. They followed with a 22-21 win against NCAA Division II foe Belmont-Abbey (N.C.) College. In the championship round, Olivet beat the Grand Valley State University club team, 29-15.

Senior 157-pounder Ken Andrews (Swartz Creek), freshman 184-pounder Joe Bargerstock (Livonia/Churchill) and junior 149-pounder Nick Wolf (Olivet) each had a perfect 3-0 record.

Against Muskingum, Andrews won after his opponent was disqualified. Bargerstock earned a 3-1 win, and Wolf pinned his opponent in 2:31. Against Belmont-Abbey, Andrews had a 5-0 win, Bargerstock won via major decision, 13-5 and Wolf won by pin in 2:28. Against GVSU, Andrews and Bargerstock each claimed two-point wins, 7-5 and 5-3, respectively. Wolf picked-up a 16-8 win.

According to Head Coach Todd Hibbs, the most thrilling win was by freshman 197-pounder Joe Yurisich (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) against Belmont-Abbey. Trailing 8-5 late in the third period, he recorded a two-point takedown and then received a three-point near fall as time expired.Against Muskingum, Yurisich won by forfeit.

Three wrestlers – sophomore Kyle Labrecque (Battle Creek/Lakeview) at 125 pounds, freshman Blake Gardner (Mount Morris) and sophomore Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta) at 174 pounds – also won two bouts a piece. Labrecque’s wins were by forfeit and major decision, 12-1. Gardner earned his wins by major decision win, 13-0 and pin in 5:31. Vanderhyde earned a disqualification win and a minor decision win, 9-3.

The Comets are back in action Friday and Saturday, Dec. 29-30, when five wrestlers compete at the 44th Annual Midlands Championships at Northwestern (Ill.) University.