WHEATON, ILL. -- The Trine University wrestling team headed west to compete in the Pete Wilson Invitational hosted by Wheaton (ll.) College in Wheaton, Ill.
The Thunder finished the two-day event with a team total of 16 points and placed 29th overall out of 35 teams. Messiah (Pa.) College took the team championship with 137 points. The University of Mount Union (Ohio) was second with 130.5 points and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater finished third at 120.5 points.
Individually, Trine had three wrestlers post two wins or more, led by junior Caleb Maddox (Russiaville, Ind./Western) who went 3-2 in his 141-pound bracket. Maddox began his tournament with a 10-3 decision against Alec Gleason from the University of Chicago. He then fell to Hayden Schlough from University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in his next bout by decision, 11-8. Maddox went on to post a 14-2 major decision victory and a 9-6 decision in the consolation bracket before being pinned in the round of eight to end the tournament with a 3-2 mark.
Freshman Riley Rasler (LaGrange, Ind./Prairie Heights) began his day at 149 pounds with a technical fall victory, 17-1, against Nebraska Wesleyan's Maison Clark. He continued with another victory in his next match, this time with a 6-5 decision against Spencer Nevills of UW-LaCrosse to advance to the quarterfinal round. In the quarterfinals, Rasler was defeated by major decision, 16-8, and dropped to the consolation round where he suffered a defeat by pinfall (4:59) to end the tournament with a 2-2 record.
Sophomore Jacob Taylor (Battle Creek, Mich./Battle Creek Central) rounded out the multiple win efforts with a 2-2 showing in his 174-pound bracket. Taylor got off to a quick start with a pin in his first match against Tony Reynolds of Thomas More (Ky.) College in a time of 2:57. He then fell to the consolation bracket after being pinned by Nick Bonomo of UW-Whitewater (1:33). In next match, Taylor recorded his second pin of the day, this time against Aleczander Moore of MacMurray (Ill.) College in a time of 2:04. Taylor's tournament would end, however, by pin in his next bout to finish 2-2 overall.
Trine will return to dual meet action with a matchup against Olivet (Mich.) College in its only remaining home event of the season on Thursday, Feb. 1. The two teams will face each other in Hershey Hall beginning at 7 p.m.