NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. -- Members of the Trine University wrestling team traveled to North Manchester, Ind. to compete in the annual Spartan Mat Classic hosted by Manchester University.
The Thunder finished with 19.5 team points to place 18th of 22 schools. Wabash College took the team title with 164.5 points and was followed by Wheaton (Ill.) College in second with 118.5 points. Bellarmine (Ky.) University was third with 111 points.
Trine had one competitor place in their individual bracket in Chase Gibson who placed eighth in the 197-pound weight class. Gibson fell in his first match of the day to Austin Smith of Heidelberg (Ohio) University, but then won his next three matches in the consolation bracket. After receiving a bye, Gibson won his matches via pinfall beginning with a win against James Lewis (Wabash) in a time of 2:50. He then went on to pin Levi Miller (Wabash) in his next match in a time of 2:25 and then followed that with yet another pin against Austin Popp (Alma) in a time of 3:34 before falling by major decision to finish eighth.
Sophomore Cordell Camp (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) also competed at 197 pounds and won his first two matches by a 4-2 and 3-2 decision before falling to the consolation bracket. In his first match of the consolation bracket, Camp fell by a 4-0 decision to Chris Wilson (Wabash) to end his day with a 2-2 record.
In the 285-pound bracket, junior Zach Saylor (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) finished with a 3-2 mark on the afternoon. Saylor fell to the consolation bracket after being pinned and then recorded a pin of his own by defeating Leo Fetterolf (Waynesburg) in a time of 5:56. In his next match, he won via a 6-3 decision against Joseph Chacon (Indiana Tech) for his second win of the day and then won by a forfeit to improve to 3-1. Saylor's final match ended up in a loss to Christian Climer (Heidelberg) to end with a 3-2 record.
In addition to Saylor, sophomore Russell DeMarco (Port Clinton, Ohio/Port Clinton) also competed in the 285-pound bracket and ended the event with a 2-2 record despite beginning his day with a loss to Austin Bauslaugh (Macomb) by a score of, 3-1. DeMarco then defeated Seth Jermer (Wilmington) by a 6-3 decision. In his very next match, DeMarco posted a 7-4 win against Daniel Sheridan (Bellamine) before falling to Lance Clapp (Mott C.C.) by pin.
Trine is scheduled to host Adrian (Mich.) College in the second Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association dual meet of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 15. The meet is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Hershey Hall.