Wrestling: Three champs help Comets win ONU Invitational

ADA, Ohio – Three individual champions paved the way for the Olivet College wrestling team to a first-place finish today at the 34th Annual Ohio Northern University Polar Bear Invitational today inside the ONU Sports Center in Ada, Ohio. Winning titles were sophomore Dominick Trevino at 141 pounds, senior Kyle Witgen at 149 pounds and senior Nick Allen at 174 pounds.

The Comets, who have now won the ONU Invitational four straight years, totaled 148 team points to edge Alma College by five points. Tiffin (Ohio) University was third, 132 points, followed by Campbellsville (Ky.), 113.5; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 102; Lycoming (Pa.), 97; Ohio Northern, 88; West Liberty (W.Va.), 87.5; Heidelberg (Ohio), 82.5; and Waynesburg (Pa.), 61. Overall, 15 schools competed in the tournament.

Seeded second, Trevino had a 5-0 record. He started his day with back-to-back minor decisions, 12-8 and 4-1, before winning a 10-1 major decision in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Trevino won a 10-3 minor decision. In the championship, he defeated fifth-seed Daniel Leonard from Lindsey Wilson, 5-3, in overtime.

Also seeded second, Witgen had a bye in the first round before winning a 10-1 major decision in the second round and 8-2 in the quarterfinals. He then used a late takedown to win his semifinal match, 4-2. Witgen scored an escape to start the third period to upset top-seed Kyle Terry from Campbellsville, 3-2, in the championship match.

Allen maintained his No. 1 seed with a 5-0 record. He pinned his first-round opponent and defeated his second-round opponent, 8-2. Allen won his quarterfinal match, 2-0, with an escape and riding time point. In the semifinal match, the score was 0-0 entering the third period when he scored a reversal and riding time point to win 3-1. In the championship match, Allen edged Jamie Jakes from Alma, 4-2, with a takedown in the final seconds of the overtime period. He needed the riding time point after the third period to send the match to the extra session.

Seeded third at 197 pounds, sophomore Thomas Hall moved up one spot to finish in second-place. He won by fall in the first round before winning three straight minor decisions (8-4, 2-1 and 3-2) to reach the championship match. Hall was then pinned by top-seed Jake Cramer from Tiffin.

Senior Matt Darling at 133 pounds and sophomore Rodney Harvey at 184 pounds placed third. Also finishing in the top eight were sophomore Michael Schmidt, fifth at 125 pounds; sophomore Curtis Blackwell, eighth at 133 pounds, freshman John Leark, seventh at 149 pounds; senior Jacob Gould, eighth at 157 pounds; and junior Youssef El-Sayed, eighth at 285 pounds.

"Before the tournament we never talked about winning it," said Olivet Head Coach Brandon Brissette. "I told the guys if they concentrate on the fight and getting ready for each match, at the end, we might look up and find ourselves in a position to do something. And that is exactly what happened.

"Lastly, I am proud after a grueling start to the season against some of the best competition in and out of the division, we have used those experiences to forge ourselves into a stronger group. We still have a lot of work to do but this was the confidence boost that we needed to know we were headed in the right direction."

The Comets now travel to Naperville, Ill., next Saturday, Dec. 13, to participate in the North Central (Ill.) College Invitational.