Wrestling team captures team title at ONU Invitational

ADA, Ohio – The Olivet College wrestling team captured the team title at the 2011 Ohio Northern University Polar Bear Invitational today at the ONU Sports Center in Ada, Ohio. The Comets scored 147 points to beat second-place and NAIA foe Campbellsville (Ky.) University by nine points. The rest of top five teams were Mercyhurst (Pa.) College in third, 135.5 points; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) University in fourth, 125.5; and West Liberty (W.Va.) University, 120.

As the No. 4 seed, sophomore Robbie Bidlingmaier (Chesterfield Twp./Anchor Bay) took first-place in the 125-pound bracket. He started his day with back-to-back pins before beating Collin Lesko from Alma College, 6-1, in the quarterfinals. Bidlingmaier then upset top-seed Alex Crown from Waynesburg (Pa.) University, 5-4, in the semifinals. In the championship match, he pinned second-seed Brandon Davis from Ashland (Ohio) University in 5:00.

Junior 165-pounder James Myers (Monroe/Indian Creek) and senior 197-pounder Justin Leonard (Webberville) both finished in second-place in his weight class. Myers had four straight wins (15-1, pin 1:06, 7-5 and 11-6) before losing the championship match to William Painter from Ohio Northern, 5-2. Leonard also won four times (pin 3:44, forfeit, 4-2 and 7-3) before being pinned by Joseph Brandt from Ashland in the championship match.

Sophomore Gage Pederson (Hastings) placed third at 149 pounds. He pinned his opponent in the first round and then suffered a 4-2 loss in the next round. Pederson battled his way back through the consolation bracket with two pins, two medical forfeits and a minor decision to advance to the third-place match, where he beat Matt Milton from Campbellsville, 6-4.

Junior 285-pounder Logan Renas (Big Rapids) finished in fourth-place. He began his day with two overtime wins and then a 7-1 win in the quarterfinals. Renas suffered 6-2 loss in the semifinals and bounced back to pin Cody Lovejoy from Ohio Northern in the consolation bracket semis. He lost his third-place match, 5-3.

Seniors Steven Mena (Martin) and Trevor Tyler (Roscommon) were fifth at 157 and 174 pounds, respectively, and each posted a 4-2 record. Three of Tyler's wins were pins. The other three Olivet wrestlers combined to win eight matches.

The top performance turned in by Olivet's second-team lineup was freshman 125-pounder Esteban Gonzales (Davisburg/Holly). He finished in third-place with a 6-1 record.

After taking next week off for exams, the Comets are back in action Dec. 10 at the 48th Annual North Central (Ill.) College Tournament. Action gets started at 9 a.m. CT.