Wrestling team crowned champions at Spartan Mat Classic

The Olivet College wrestling team was crowned the team champion today at the Manchester (Ind.) College Spartan Mat Classic. The Comets, who tallied 142.5 points, used its depth to edge Wabash (Ind.) College by 11 points. Every Olivet wrestler placed in the tournament, while the Little Giants had only seven wrestlers finish in the top eight.

Olivet had one individual champion in sophomore 165-pounder Jason Brew (Sparta), who compiled a 3-0 record. In the championship match, he defeated No. 1 seed Mike Sanchez of Case Western Reserve (Ohio) University, 6-3. Earlier in the day, Brew won by scores of 17-2 and 4-2.

The Comets also had three runner-up finishers in sophomore 125-pounder Kyle Labrecque (Battle Creek/Lakeview), sophomore 174-pounder Kyle Vanderhyde (Sparta) and freshman heavyweight Sean Misko (Richmond). Labrecque won twice before losing in the championship match. Vanderhyde had three wins before medically defaulting the championship match. Misko was 3-1 with a pair of one-point wins and a win by pin.

Finishing in third-place was sophomore 141-pounder Rob Yahrmarkt (Sparta), who compiled a 6-1 record. His only loss was a one-point decision, 5-4, in the semifinals. Freshman 133-pounder Blake Gardner (Mount Morris) had a 4-2 record to place fourth.

Three wrestlers – senior 157-pounder Joel Rozeboom (Mason), junior 184-pounder Daron Cruickshank (Inkster/John Glenn) and senior 197-pounder Jeff Wright (Escanaba) – were sixth. Junior 149-pounder Nick Wolf (Charlotte/Olivet) finished in eighth-place.

The Comets are now idle until Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26-27, when they participate in the Wheaton (Ill.) College Pete Willson Invitational. Friday’s action starts at 1:30 p.m. with action resuming Saturday morning at 9 a.m. CT.