Roughnecks Win Great Midwest Wrestling Championship
Ashland, Ohio- The University of Findlay wrestling team traveled to Ashland University and Kates Gymnasium today, Jan. 21, for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Wrestling Championship. The Roughnecks brought their best today, taking down no. 24 Ashland as well as Kentucky Wesleyan, Lake Erie, and Tiffin. In result, Findlay was named the 2023 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Champions.
The day started with the 125 weight class, where junior Graham Shore represented the Roughnecks. Shore started the day with a bye before going 2-0 to win the weight class. He recorded his first win over Lake Erie's Blake Sheppard by major decision before winning the championship match against Tiffin's tenth ranked, Brandon Mendoza with a 14-9 decision. With his win, Shore earns first team all-conference honors. Shore also was named the Great Midwest Wrestler of the Meet with his performance today.
The Roughnecks picked up another individual win in the 133 weight class as junior Gavin Ritter took the title. He also received a bye in the first round before going 2-0 to secure the win. His first win came over Lake Erie's Brenden Hamilton with a fall in just under the two minute mark. He then took down Lake Erie's Ryan Wehner with a 4-3 decision in the championship match. Ritter, who was a third team all-conference selection last season, earned first team all-conference today.
Freshman Cade Cass, wrestling in the 141 weight class, received a bye in the first round before falling to Tiffin's Zackary Donathan by major decision. He took fourth.
Competing in the 149 weight class was junior Alex Epstein and junior Mason Kleinberg. Epstein recorded a quick win over Ashland's Zander Graham when he recorded a fall in just 17 seconds. He would go onto face Matthew Zuckerberg where he would lose due to injury in the third minute. Kleinberg won his first match up against Kentucky Wesleyan's Will Keener with a fall just after the one minute mark. He would go on to face Lake Erie's Austin Fietz where he lost with a 6-2 decision. Kleinberg took third in the class, earning him third team all-conference.
In the 157 weight class was senior Chase Moore and junior Logan Sanom. Moore received a bye in the first round before winning against Kentucky Wesleyan's Cade Johson by a 7-3 decision. Moore then fell in the next match to Nick Carbone of Ashland to finish fourth. Sanom meanwhile took second and earned second team all-conference. He took down Tyler Barry of Ashland with a fall in the second minute. He went on to win against Kentucky Wesleyan's Cade Johnson by an 8-4 decision. He came up short in the final match against Tiffin's seventh ranked Casey Barnett falling by an 11-8 decision.
Sophomore Gary Nilson took third in the 165 weight class to earn third team all-conference honors. He won the first round by technical fall against Kentucky Wesleyan's Caden Moore. He fell to Ashland's Sevriano Garza before going 2-0 in his next two matches. Most notably, he won over Lake Erie's Jacob Potok by a 4-2 decision to take the third place spot.
Junior Andrew Knick went 1-2 on the day. His only win came against Lake Erie's James Penfold by a 10-4 decision. Knick fell in the third place match to Tiffin's Connor Twigg by a 7-4 decision.
Competing in the 184 weight class was junior Vaughn Petty and senior Mark Trifelos. Petty went 2-2 on the day while Trifelos was 2-1. The two faced each other in the third place match where Trifelos came away with the win by a 4-0 decision. Mark Trifelos earned third team all-conference for his efforts.
In the 197 weight class, freshman Kenyon Cole and junior Jacob Kowalski represented the Roughnecks. Kenyon took a loss in the first round, falling to Ashland's sixth ranked Walker Uhl by major decision. Kowalski went 2-1 picking up wins over Tiffin's Dylan McCandless and Ashland's Kaine Morris. In the championship matchup, Kowalski lost by a 5-1 decision to Ashland's Walker Uhl. Kowalski took second place and earned second team all-conference.
Senior Keigan Yuhas took third in the heavy weights. He went 1-1 as he received two byes. His loss came to Ty Petrey of Ashland by a 3-1 decision. He then made it to the third place contest where he beat Kentucky Wesleyan's Robert Ward by major decision. He picked up third team all-conference honors.
This is Findlay's first conference championship win since 2012 when they won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Wrestling Championship. It is the first Great Midwest Athletic Conference Wrestling Championship in program history.
The Oilers will be back in action Jan. 28 as they welcome the #6 Indianapolis Greyhounds to campus. It is scheduled to begin at 7pm.