Wrestling team competes at 45th Annual Midlands Championships

Five Olivet College wrestlers competed today at the 45th Annual Midlands Championships, which is being hosted by Northwestern (Ill.) University at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Chicago. All five Comets suffered two losses in the first day of competition and have been eliminated.

In the first round of action, freshman 141-pounder Ben Hitchcock (New Lothrop/Montrose) posted a 21-9 major decision win. In the next round, Iowa State's Nick Gallick beat him, 20-8, to drop into the consolation bracket.

Freshman 149-pounder Vince Lahar (Clio), junior 157-pounder Jason Brew (Sparta) and senior 165-pounder Daron Cruickshank (Inkster/John Glenn) all lost one-point matches in the first round. Lahar fell 10-9 to Northwestern's Marty Gould. Brew suffered a 4-3 loss to Central Michigan's Tyler Grayson. Cruickshank dropped a 6-5 decision to Dubuque's Darren Kaisand. In addition, junior 141-pounder Rob Yahrmarkt (Sparta) was defeated by No. 2 seed and Oklahoma's Zack Bailey, 12-2.

In the second round of the consolation bracket, Hitchcock pinned Illinois State's Josh Mohr, and Brew beat Michigan State's Nick Shafer, 4-0. The other three Comets suffered their second loss and were eliminated from competition.

In the third round of the wrestlebacks, Hitchcock bowed out of the tournament, while Brew pinned Sean Washington in 4:23. Brew continued onto the fourth round, where he earned a 10-1 major decision win over Darren Olsen from Lincoln College. Brew dropped out of the tournament with a tough 3-1 overtime decision to Missouri's Emanuel Brooks in the fifth round.

The entire Olivet team is back in action Sunday, Jan. 6, when it travels to Angola, Ind., for a double dual against Tri-State University and Muskegon Community College.