Wrestling team captures 2009 Mid-States Conference championship

Behind first-place finishes by sophomore 133-pounder Adam Wilson (Battle Creek/Harper Creek), senior 157-pounder Jason Brew (Sparta) and senior 174-pounder Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta), the Olivet College wrestling team captured the 2009 Mid-States Conference Tournament championship today inside The Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

At the conclusion of the tournament, special awards were handed out. Brew and Vanderhyde shared the Mid-States Wrestler of the Year honors. Olivet Head Coach Todd Hibbs was selected as the Coach of the Year, while Olivet Assistant Coach Jeff Therrien was named the Assistant Coach of the Year.

Overall, all 10 Olivet wrestlers placed in the top five and collected 168 team points. Trine (Ind.) University was second with 150 points, followed by Wabash (Ind.) College, 106.0; College of Mt. St. Joseph (Ohio), 96.5; Manchester (Ind.) College, 74.5; and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Ind.), 69.0.

Wilson had a 2-0 record en route to the 133-pound championship. In the quarterfinals, he won by a 12-4 major decision score over Greg Janisse of Trine. In the championship match, Wilson beat Trine's Tye Bowman, 11-9.

Brew had a 3-0 record, recording a pair of pins and a major decision. He pinned Tom Griffin of Mt. St. Joseph in 1:01 in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals, he pinned Jordan Dusseau of Olivet in 6:28. In the championship match, Brew defeated Bryan Massong of Mt. St. Joseph, 10-2.

Vanderhyde had to wrestle just one match to earn his championship. After drawing a bye in the first round, he beat Jake Allen of Trine, 15-7. Vanderhyde earned a medical forfeit win in the championship match when Nick Kraus of Trine was unable to compete.

Senior Sean Misko (Casco/Richmond) finished with a 2-1 record to place second at 285 pounds for the Comets. As the No. 1 seed, he pinned Trey Foster of Mt. St. Joseph in the quarterfinals (0:44). In the semifinals, Misko beat Derrick Minick of Rose-Hulman, 6-2. He was pinned by Spencer Fulk of Manchester in the championship match.

Freshman 125-pounder Justin Fleeson (Belleville), junior 149-pounder Nick Leon (Sterling Heights/Henry Ford II), junior 184-pounder Joe Bargerstock (Livonia/Churchill) and senior 197-pounder Aaron Stewart (Dansville) each finished in third-place. Bumping up two weight classes, freshman Louis Piszker (Lincoln Park/Gabriel Richard) was fourth at 141 pounds. Sophomore Jim Neal (Marysville) placed fifth.

Olivet is now idle until Saturday, Feb. 21, when it competes at the 2009 NCAA Division III Midwest Regional. Trine is the host school.