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Bluejay Grapplers Take Third at Pete Willson Invite
WHEATON, Ill. - The Elmhurst College wrestling team, ranked 16th in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association, placed third at the highly-competitive Pete Willson Invitational at Wheaton College.
The Bluejays finished with 103.5 points, just 1.5 points behind the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, an NCAA Division II team. Third-ranked University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse won the team title with 143.0 points. Elmhurst placed higher than several top-15 teams including University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (ranked 10th-finished 10th), North Central College (ranked 9th-finished fourth) and Heidelburg College (ranked 6th-finished 11th).
Fifth-ranked Jake Oster (Homer Glen/Lockport) captured the individual title at 125 points by posting a perfect 4-0 record. Oster scored an 11-4 win over UW-Parkside's Cody Zimmerman in the finals to earn the crown.
Jeff Kastel (Clarendon Hills/Hinsdale Central) moved to within one win shy of tying Elmhurst's all-time victory record by posting a 4-1 record and placing second at 149 pounds. Kastel now stands at 112 wins, one shy of Ric Lamas' school record of 113 career wins. Kastel, ranked fifth in the nation, advanced to the championship finals with a 4-0 record before falling to third-ranked Elliott Spence of Mount St. Joseph 6-3.
Kyle Katz (Des Plaines/Maine West) also had a strong showing, placing third at 157 pounds. Katz advanced to the semifinals with a pair of wins, before falling to third-ranked and eventual champion Jason Brew of Olivet College 5-4. Katz rebounded from the loss to take third place by defeating Ohio Northern's Luke Miller 4-3. Katz, ranked fourth in the nation, finished with a 4-1 tournament record.
Ben Salabura (Chicago/Marist) placed fifth at 133 pounds after finishing the tournament with a 5-2 record. Salabura lost to in the quarterfinals to top-ranked Adam Johnson of North Central, but rebounded to advance to the wrestleback semifinals. He fell to Indianapolis' Shane Perkey 12-6. Salabura received a medical forfeit victory in the fifth-place match.
Mark Corsello (Park Ridge/Maine South), ranked ninth in the nation, took sixth place at 285 pounds. Corsello knocked off 10th-ranked Sean Evans of UW-Whitewater 2-0 to reach the semifinals, but fell to fourth-ranked Jaron Rutledge of Knox 4-2 in the semifinals. Corsello dropped a consolation match to seventh-ranked Ryan Bowers of Heidelburg 3-2. Corsello placed sixth after he had to medically forfeit the fifth-place match.
Garrett Washington (Oswego/H.S.) had a strong showing at 184 pounds by placing seventh. Washington earned a medical forfeit win over Mt. Union's Nick Allerding in the seventh-place match. He finished the tournament with a 4-2 record.
Bernie Vazquez (Waukegan/Carmel) placed eighth at 184 pounds. Vazquez finished with a 4-3 tournament record. He fell to Elizabethtown College's Deron Sharp in the seventh-place match.
Elmhurst will attempt to win its fourth-straight CCIW Championship in two weeks when the Bluejays compete at the CCIW Championship at Augustana College on Saturday, February 16.
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