Wrestling team sits in fourth-place after day one of Pete Willson Invitational

WHEATON, Ill. – Sophomore Robbie Bidlingmaier (Chesterfield Twp./Anchor Bay), sophomore Gage Pederson (Hastings) and senior Trevor Tyler (Roscommon) have advanced to the semifinals, as the Olivet College wrestling team sits in fourth-place after the first day of the Pete Willson Invitational, hosted by Wheaton (Ill.) College. The Comets have 66 points and trail second-place University of Mount Union (Ohio) by 1.5 points and third-place University of Wis.-Whitewater by one point. University of Wis.-Parkside leads the 31-team field with 79 points.

At 125 pounds, Bidlingmaier won twice to advance to the semifinals of the 125-pound bracket. After getting a bye in the first round, he pinned Tom Foy from Wheaton in 32 seconds in the second round. Bidlingmaier then pinned John Cobos from John Carroll (Ohio) University in 3:55 in the quarterfinals. He will face Zach Mueller from University of Wis.-Oshkosh in the semis.

At 149 pounds, Pederson won his first match 10-2 over Joe Slane from Western New England (Mass.) University and then defeated Robert Dom from University of Wis.-LaCrosse, 19-6, in the quarterfinals of the 149 pound bracket. He will wrestle No. 8 seed Cade Sarbacker from Wis.-Whitewater in the semis.

At 174 pounds, Tyler (Roscommon) pinned David Galarno from Lakeland (Wis.) College in 2:33. He then beat Eric Twohey from Wis.-LaCrosse, 7-5 to advance to the quarterfinals, where he recorded a pin in 4:47 against Danny Balderas from Elmhurst. Tyler will wrestle Kyle Kwiat from Ohio Northern University in the semis.

At 285 pounds, junior Logan Renas (Big Rapids) started his day with 5-2 win over Jimmie King from Manchester (Ind.) College. He then pinned Evan Wooding from Indianapolis in 2:18. Renas fell to James Malechek from Wis.-Parkside, 13-2. He is guaranteed himself a top eight finish by pinning Cale Harter from Case Western (Ohio) University in 32 seconds. Renas will wrestle Jerry Knapp from Heidelberg (Ohio) University tomorrow.

Unseeded in the 197-pound bracket, senior Justin Leonard (Webberville) nearly upset No. 2 seed Darren Faber from Wheaton in the first round, losing 7-6. He got a bye in the first round of the consolation bracket and then beat Travis Ebersole from Messiah (Pa.) College, 5-3, Lucas Weber from Muskingum (Ohio) University, 13-0, and Austin O'Neil from Wabash (Ind.) College, 2-1.

Senior 157-pounder Steven Mena (Martin) posted a 9-2 win over John Julien from Alma and suffered a 3-1 loss to Terner Gott from John Carroll in the quarterfinals. He was eliminated from the tournament with a 12-2 loss to Bryce Givens from University of Indianapolis.

After losing his first match in the 184-pound bracket, junior Josh Crawford (Birch Run) won three matches. He pinned Kyle Deeds from Elizabethtown (Pa.) College in 1:11, defeated Andrew Hiller from North Central (Ill.) College, 13-4, and beat Billy Mallicote from College of Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), 4-2. Crawford fell to Ryan Pieper from Trine (Ind.) University, 12-6, in his last match.

As the No. 1 seed in the 165-pound bracket, junior James Myers (Monroe/Indian Creek) shutout Kyle Weaver from Case Western in the first round. He then suffered a 12-7 loss to Matt Burns from Augustana (Ill.) College in the second round. Myers bounced back to pin Luke Sims from Wheaton in 34 seconds. He bowed out of the tournament with a 2-0 loss to Mike Ryan from Elmhurst (Ill.) College.

Junior 133-pounder Kam Olsen (Kentwood/East Kentwood) and junior 141-pounder Kenny Richmond (Brighton) each bowed out of the tournament with 1-2 records.

Action resumes tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. CT.