Wrestling team sits in fifth-place after first day of Pete Willson Invitational

WHEATON, Ill. – The Olivet College wrestling team sits in fifth-place after the first day of the 2014 Pete Willson Invitational, hosted by Wheaton College and inside King Arena in Wheaton, Ill.

The Comets, ranked No. 4 in this week's National Wrestling Coaches Association poll, rolled up 58.5 points and are only 1.5 points behind fourth-place University of Mount Union (Ohio) and three points behind third-place and No. 3 Messiah (Pa.) College. No. 14 University of Wis.-La Crosse is second with 79 points and No. 2 University of Wis.-Whitewater is leading with 106.5 points.

Four Olivet wrestlers have advanced to the semifinals tomorrow morning. With seven wrestlers in the semis, Wis.-Whitewater is the only school with more to qualify for the semis than the Comets. The other three teams ahead of Olivet in the team standings each have three semifinalists.

As the No. 5 seed at 125 pounds, senior Robbie Bidlingmaier (Chesterfield Twp./Anchor Bay) won twice to reach the semifinals where he will face No. 1 seed Lucas Malmberg from Messiah. After getting a bye in the first round, he beat Jimmy Panozza from Augustana (Ill.) College, 6-2, and then upset No. 4 seed Ronzel Darling from University of Wis.-Parkside, 10-1, in the quarterfinals.

Senior Justin Holm (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) is the No. 2 seed at 141 pounds. He pinned Andrew Rodawold in the first period and then edged No. 7 Jared Kust from University of Wis.-Stevens Point, 2-0, in the quarterfinals. Holm will wrestle No. 3 seed Matt Adcock from Wis.-Whitewater in the semifinals.

The top seed at 149 pounds, senior Gage Pederson (Hastings) won twice by major decision and once by fall to earn a spot in the semifinals against No. 4 seed Brandt Welcher from Wis.-Parkside. He beat Damon Cheek from Heidelberg (Ohio) University, 12-1, and Hector Ruiz from Augustana, 13-5, and pinned Juan Diaz from Lakeland (Wis.) College.

Senior Jeff Holm (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) is seeded third at 184 pounds. He won three straight minor decisions to advance to the semifinals against No. 2 seed Eric Twohey from Wis.-La Crosse. Holm defeated Dylan Diebitz from Wis.-Stevens Point,3-1; Brett Thumm from Wabash (Ind.) College, 7-0; and No. 6 seed Thomas Reyhons from Augustana, 8-6.

Junior Kyle Witgen (Romeo) is still alive in the consolation bracket at 157 pounds. He won his first match, 10-4, over Kevin Sundberg from Augustana before losing 13-6 to No. 2 seed Terner Gott from John Carroll (Ohio) University in the quarterfinals. Witgen bounced back to knock off Aaron Banko from Heidelberg, 8-1, to guarantee a top-eight finish. He will face Mark Savenok in the consolation bracket tomorrow morning.

Senior Connor Sharp (Schoolcraft) has been eliminated at 174 pounds. He pinned his first-round opponent before suffering an 8-5 loss in the second round. Down in the consolation bracket, Sharp won two straight matches by fall, the first only 37 seconds into the second period and the second with 24 seconds left in the opening period. He then lost 6-3 to No. 2 seed Ricardo Plummer from Messiah.

The action resumes Saturday morning at 9 a.m. CST.