GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah wrestling team opened the 2022-23 season on Saturday morning by hosting the Messiah Invitational in Hitchcock Arena. The Falcons welcomed eight other teams to Grantham and took fourth place in the nine-team field by earning 103 team points on the afternoon. Led by Noah Rice's runner-up finish at 149 lbs. the Falcons earned a total of 11 top-six finishes on the afternoon. Rice was the lone Falcon to advance to the finals, doing so at 149 lbs., however three Messiah wrestlers advanced to the third-place match at their respective weight class.
 
In the team standings, Elizabethtown earned the top spot with 123.5 team points, narrowly edging the Washington & Lee Generals, who finished the day with 123 points. McDaniel (111.5), Messiah (103), and Wheaton (101) rounded out the top five.
 
Messiah will be back in action on Saturday, Nov. 12 when they travel to Ursinus College to compete in the Racich Rumble beginning at 10:00 a.m.
 
Notable Finishes
As mentioned, Noah Rice led the Falcons with a second-place finish at 149 lbs. Rice earned a pair of first-period falls over Tyriel Jefferson (McDaniel) and Grant Brammer (Liberty) to earn a spot in the semifinals. Once there a 5-2 decision over Elizabethtown's Shane Strausser moved him into the 149 lbs. final. Despite falling a point shy to McDaniel's Thomas Monn in a 4-3 decision, Rice had a stellar opening tournament as a Falcon.
 
Messiah had three fourth-place finishes on the afternoon with Bryce Arnold (133 lbs.), Zach Needles (165 lbs.), and Joe Embleton (197 lbs.) all finishing their day in the third-place match. Embleton had to battle his way back after dropping his first match of the day. The senior did just that, pinning three-straight foes in the consolation bracket. Arnold and Needles both advanced to the semifinals before falling to the consolation bracket, eventually landing in the third-place match.
 
Asa Brunk (141 lbs.), Garret Cornell (165 lbs.), Austin Brass (174 lbs.), and Ryder Slayton (184 lbs.) all ended their day with victories in the fifth-place match. Both Brunk and Slayton had to square off against teammates with Payton Jackson (141 lbs.) and Christopher Cratsley (184 lbs.) finishing their days in sixth-place.
 
Caiden Heller (125 lbs.) also earned a sixth-place finish for the Falcons.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will be back in action next weekend when they travel to Collegeville, Pa. for the Racich Rumble hosted by Ursinus College beginning at 10:00 a.m.

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