Wrestling team finishes in second-place at Al Hanke Invitational

Behind three championship performances, the Olivet College wrestling team finished in second-place Saturday at the 27th Annual Al Hanke Invitational, which was hosted by Elmhurst (Ill.) College. The host Bluejays took first-place with 151.5 points, followed by the Comets with 143 points. Lakeland (Wisc.) College was third with 135.5 points.

Winning championships were sophomore Vince Tucker (Clio) at 141 points, senior Jason Brew (Sparta) at 157 pounds and senior Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta) at 174 pounds.

Tucker had a 4-0 record, including an injury default win in the championship match. In the first two rounds, he posted major decision wins – 17-6 over Lyle Shallenberger of Elmhurst and 20-10 over Larry Baca of Elmhurst. In the semifinals, Tucker beat Kory Thiel of Lakeland, 10-6.

Brew posted a 3-0 record. In the championship match, he defeated Jonas Fick of Lakeland, 13-4. Brew pinned each of his opponents in the first two rounds. In the quarterfinals, he pinned Levi Hackler of Lakeland in 1:36, and in the semifinals, Brew pinned Sheldon Hubbard of Elmhurst in 2:04.

Vanderhyde had a 3-0 with wins by fall, major decision and minor decision. His closest match was in the championship where beat Troy Carlson of Chicago, 6-4. In the quarterfinals, Vanderhyde pinned Ryan Matthews of Kennedy King in 2:16, and in the semifinals, he beat Frank Savegnago of Elmhurst, 13-5.

Senior Rob Yahrmarkt (Sparta) placed second at 149 pounds with a 3-1 record. He opened the day by pinning Ethan Smith of Chicago in 2:11 and followed that with an 18-4 major decision win over Jared Watkins of Concordia (Wisc.), 18-4. In the semifinals, Yahrmarkt beat teammate Ben Hitchcock (New Lothrop/Montrone), 3-1. In the championship match, he was defeated by No. 1 seed Joe Massman of Concordia (Wisc.), 4-0.

Sophomore Adam Wilson (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) at 133 pounds, sophomore Jim Neal (Marysville) at 165 pounds, freshman Andrew Hein (Westland/John Glenn) at 184 pounds, sophomore Aaron Sullenger (Alpena) at 197 pounds and senior Sean Misko (Casco/Richmond) at 285 pounds all placed third for the Olivet scoring lineup.

Overall, Olivet had 24 total wrestlers compete. Other place winners were freshman Jordan Dusseau (Erie/Erie Mason), fifth at 157 pounds; Hitchcock, third at 149 pounds; junior Blair Mellish (Silverwood/North Branch), fifth at 133 pounds; freshman Steve Mena (Martin), fourth at 149 pounds; freshman Corey Mykolaitis (Three Rivers), sixth at 133 pounds; freshman Greg Roberts (Livonia/Churchill), sixth at 141 pounds; and senior Nick Wolf (Charlotte/Olivet), fourth at 157 pounds.

Olivet is now idle until next Sunday, Jan. 25, when it wrestles against Grand Valley State University's club team. The match will take place at Allendale High School and get under way at 3 p.m.