LA CROSSE, Wis. - Day One of the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships is in the books as Josiah Gehr leads the Falcons, moving on to Day Two with a pair of victories. Gehr earns All-American status after his stellar start to the Tournament. Gehr will wrestle in the National Semifinals against top-seeded Jacob Reed (Ohio Northern) tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
 
Action on Mat
Fifth-seeded Josiah Gehr (141 lbs.) started his day in the first round against Centenary's Xavier Peña. Gehr started the match hot, scoring the first takedown of the match within the first 90 seconds. The fifth-year senior went into the second period with a 3-0 lead. Gehr then tilted over his opponent and earned four near-fall points to extend his lead to 7-0. The Falcon would receive a point for riding time to earn the 8-0 major decision to start his run at the National Tournament.
 
In the quarterfinals, Gehr took on Castleton's James Rodgriguez. Gehr started off with speed once again as it only took him 1:03 to pick up the first takedown. He then picked up a quick tilt to increase his lead to 7-0 at the end of the first period. An escape and another takedown made the score it 11-0 but Gehr would receive two points for stalling on his opponent to make it 13-0 going into the final period. He ended the match by picking up one more takedown, making it 16-0 after Rodgriguez chose to go on his feet to start the third. Gehr is now a three-time All-American in his five years as a Falcon.
 
Ryder Slayton (184 lbs.) began his day against the eighth-seeded Jack Ryan (Oneonta State). Ryan would take down Slayton in the opening period of the match. Slayton finds himself getting an escape to make it 3-1 going into the second period. The junior deferred his choice to the third period, giving Ryan the choice of the bottom position to start the second. Ryan earns the escape to make the score 4-1 going into the final period of the match. Slayton found himself getting an escape with 1:16 remaining in the bout, making it 4-2. Late attempts of a takedown would not go in the junior's favor which led to a close 5-2 loss with the riding time point given to Ryan.
 
After a first-round loss, Ryder Slayton dropped to the consolation bracket to try and stay alive for day two. Slayton found himself in a 3-0 deficit after Dylan Wellbaum (Adrian) would get the opening takedown of the match. The junior rode out Wellbaum for the majority of the second period but would give up an escape with 37 seconds left making it 4-1 going into the last period. Slayton chose neutral in the third period, needing a takedown to tie things up. After multiple attempts of a takedown, Wellbaum earned the 4-1 victory over Slayton. Slayton ends his 2023-2024 season with a 36-16 record. 
 
What's Up Next
Josiah Gehr will continue his quest and will look to avenge his loss from earlier in the season against top-seeded Jacob Reed (Ohio Northern) in the national semifinals tomorrow morning to advance to his first-ever National Finals. Gehr would be Messiah's first national finalist since Lucas Malmberg and Ben Swarr back in 2017.

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