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Bluejay Wrestlers Take Second at CCIW Championships
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. -The Elmhurst College wrestling team placed second at the 2008 CCIW Championships, finishing just 3.5 points behind North Central College. Five Bluejay wrestlers captured individual titles.
The Bluejays finished with 97 points while North Central won its first team title in 11 years by totaling 100.5 points.
Jeff Kastel (Clarendon Hills/Hinsdale Central) ranked fifth in the nation in the latest NWCA poll, became Elmhurst's all-time leader in career wins by earning the individual title at 149 pounds. Kastel pinned Wheaton's Rob Jacobson in the semifinals and then scored a 23-10 major victory over North Central's Jake Sandborn in the finals. The two wins give Kastel 114 career wins, surpassing the former mark of 113 held by Ric Lamas.
Jake Oster (Homer Glen/Lockport), ranked fourth in the nation in the latest NWCA poll, earned his first CCIW title by scoring a pair of wins at 125 pounds. Oster pinned Wheaton's Ben Allen in the semifinals and then defeated North Central's Joe Norton 8-1 in the finals.
Kyle Katz (Des Plaines/Maine West), ranked fourth in the nation in the latest NWCA poll, scored his first CCIW title at 157 pounds by posting a 2-0 record. Katz scored an 18-3 technical fall over Augustana's Jake Mango in the semifinals before defeating North Central's Jordan Spohn 7-3 in the finals.
Mark Corsello (Park Ridge/Maine South), ranked 10th in the nation in the latest NWCA poll, scored a pair of wins at 285 pounds to earn his first CCIW title. Corsello defeated North Central's Rod Knowlton 3-1 in the semifinals before downing Wheaton's Chase Campbell 9-3 in the finals.
Tony Doan (Port Huron, Mich./H.S.) earned his first conference title by winning two matches at 165 pounds. Doan earned a 10-2 major decision over Wheaton's Eugene Savenok in the semifnals and then upset fifth-ranked Ben Youel 6-4 in the championship finals.
Ben Salabura (Chicago/Marist) placed second at 133 pounds. Salabura scored a pair of wins, including a 9-6 win over Millikin's Mario Sullivan in the semifinals, before falling to North Central's Adam Johnson 20-5 in the finals.
Bernie Vazquez (Waukegan/Carmel) finishes second at 197 pounds. Vazquez defeated Wheaton's Matthew Griffiths 8-2 in the semifinals before falling to North Central's Vinnie Sapienza 11-4 in the finals.
Josh Thompson (Bridgeview/Argo) placed third at 133 pounds with a 12-7 win over Augustana's Derrick Poussan. Greg Horn (Wheaton/North) added a third place finish at 174 pounds by scoring an 11-3 major decision over Augustana's Gabe Gardner. Garrett Washington (Oswego/H.S.) added a third place finish at 184 pounds by pinning Wheaton's Justin Tomasl in 4:22.
Elmhurst will wrestle at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional next Saturday (February 23).
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