Final Brackets - Finals Summary - Final Team Standings - Individual Team Results
Wheaton, Ill. - One week after
defeating Lycoming College at Lycoming for the first time in program history, the Messiah College wrestling team accomplished another first: placing five top-eight finishers at the annual Pete Wilson Invitational at Wheaton College (Ill.).
As a team, the Falcons placed ninth out of 31 teams, collecting 72 points.
"We're really proud of the boys," said Messiah head coach
Bryan Brunk. "This tournament is a good test for this time of the year. A lot of guys who place in this tournament have showed up in National's. We had a number of guys perform well."
Five Falcons placed in the top eight of their respective weight classes, with sophomore
Kaleb Loht and
Victor Bracey placing fourth in the 133 lb. and 141 lb. classes, respectively.
"We had some young guys impress, including Loht and Bracey," said Brunk. "
Russell Jones also did a great job to win four matches."
Jones wrestled in the heavyweight class (285 lb.) though he himself weighs under 200 lbs.
"Russ was wrestling guys that had a lot of weight on him," said Brunk. "Placing eighth was the result of some tough battles."
Senior
Matt Cross (174 lb.) placed sixth while senior
Tim Stewart (184 lb.) placed eighth along with Jones.
The Falcons' performances did a lot to impress Brunk.
"There was a time that we brought the guys together this weekend and challenged them to wrestle with mental toughness, and with the discipline that practice. Our guys did that. We even thought we coule get into the top five (teams), but we weren't able to make that happen.
"This was a great learning experience for our team," continued Brunk, who accompanied the team into Chicago after the Invitational was over. "We learned more about the things we need to work on as a team, and overall we feel good about where our program is at this point."
The Falcons return home next week to Johns Hopkins University on Friday, February 3, before traveling to Gettysburg on Saturday, February 4, to take on Gettysburg College and King's College.
