Wrestling team places second at 47th Annual NCC Invitational
The wrestling team placed second by a narrow margin today at the 47th Annual North Central College Invitational inside the Nichols Gymnasium in Naperville, Ill.
NAPERVILLE, Ill. --The Olivet College wrestling team placed second by a narrow margin today at the 47th Annual North Central College Invitational inside the Nichols Gymnasium in Naperville, Ill. Ranked No. 27 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association poll, the Comets scored 144 points, which was only 1.5 points behind No. 6 Concordia College, Moorhead (Minn.). Wabash (Ind.) was third with 119 points, followed by Augustana (Ill.) with 106.5 and the host Cardinals with 105 points.
Four wrestlers – senior Vince Tucker (Clio) at 141 pounds, sophomore James Myers (Wintersville, Ohio/Indian Creek) at 157 pounds, senior Jim Neal (Marysville) at 184 pounds and sophomore Logan Renas (Big Rapids) at 285 pounds – all finished in second-place.
Tucker won by technical fall (20-4), major decision (15-5) and minor decision (5-3) to reach the championship match, where he was pinned by North Central's Andrew Zobac. Myers scored bonus points in his first three matches – twice by pin (0:55 and 2:24) and once by technical fall (15-0). In the championship match, he lost 11-1 to top seed Justin Berns from Concordia.
Neal posted a 3-1 record, winning by pin in :50, 10-2 major decision and 5-3 minor decision. He was defeated by Phil Moenkedick from Concordia, 11-4, in the championship match. Wrestling for the first time this season, Renas was the top seed and recorded three straight wins (9-1, pin in 2:53 and 8-1) before losing 7-3 in the championship match to Tom Bouressa from Concordia.
Finishing in third-place were senior Adam Wilson (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) at 133 pounds, junior Steven Mena (Martin) at 149 pounds and junior Trevor Tyler (Roscommon) at 174 pounds. Each won two matches before losing their semifinal match. Wilson bounced back with two wins in the wrestleback bracket, including a 5-3 sudden death win in the third-place match. Mena and Tyler won their first consolation bracket match before taking a medical forfeit win over a teammate in the third-place match.
Junior Justin Fleeson (Belleville) placed at fourth at 125 pounds and junior Justin Leonard (Webberville) was fifth at 197 pounds.
The Comets are now idle until next Monday, Dec. 20, when they participate in the Desert Duals in Las Vegas, Nevada.