Wrestling 12/15/2024 7:24:00 PM

Johnson Takes Title As Bronchos Finish Runner-up At Midwest Classic

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Gabe Johnson captured the 157-pound individual title to lead a contingent of seven Central Oklahoma placers that gave the Bronchos a runner-up finish in the rugged Midwest Classic Sunday.

The No. 2-ranked Bronchos also got third-place finishes from 125 Studd Morris and 184 Garrett Wells, while 141 Dylan Lucas and 149 Dylan Brown took fifth, 165 Hunter Jump sixth and 133 Peter Rolle seventh.

Third-rated Wisconsin-Parkside won the tournament with 147 points, 12 ahead of UCO. No. 6 Glenville State was third with 127 points, followed by No. 2 McKendree (102.5) and No. 22 Tiffin (94.5).

"We wrestled well, but I felt like we tightened up a little bit as the tournament went along," head coach Todd Steidley said. "We need to relax and wrestle freely.

"I was proud of our effort, but we have a lot of room for improvement and that's what we'll be concentrating on moving forward."

Johnson went 6-0 with five bonus-point wins in the two-day tournament that attracted 43 of the best teams in NCAA Division II.

The defending national champion had three bonus wins Saturday, then opened Sunday with a tough 9-6 win over Ouachita Baptist's Jaylon Otero. Johnson earned a medical forfeit in the semifinals before coasting past Mount Olive's Jake Nicolosi 12-2 in the finals.

Morris suffered a quarterfinal loss to fifth-ranked Anthony Aniciete of Tiffin to start the day, but bounced back with three straight consolation victories in making the consolation finals.

The senior then avenged his loss to Aniciete with a 4-2 win to claim the bronze medal.

Wells went 3-0 Saturday and started the final day with an 8-4 win before falling to second-ranked Matt Weinberg of Kutztown in the semifinals. The fifth-rated sophomore pulled out a tough consolation semifinal win, then edged Glenville State's Kyle Homet 1-0 to take third.

Jump lost in the third round Saturday, but rebounded with four straight consolation wins before being pulled out of the tournament for precautionary reasons in taking sixth.

Lucas and Brown won their quarterfinal matches Sunday, but both fell in the semifinals and then lost again in the consolation semis before rebounding with wins in the fifth-place match.

Rolle started the tournament 3-0 on the opening day, then lost in the quarterfinals to open Sunday's action. He came back with a fall before losing again, but finished on a high note with an 11-0 major decision in the seventh-place bout.

It was the final action of the first semester for the Bronchos, who return to action Jan. 10-11 at the NWCA Division II Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

MIDWEST CLASSIC
Championship Finals
157 – Gabe Johnson, UCO, major dec. Jake Nicolosi, Mount Olive, 12-2.

Consolation Finals
125 – Studd Morris, UCO, dec. Anthony Aniciete, Tiffin, 4-2.
184 – Garrett Wells, UCO, dec. Kyle Homet, Glenville State, 1-0.

Fifth Place
141 – Dylan Lucas, UCO, dec. Sean Solis, Mary, 6-3.
149 – Dylan Brown, UCO, won by medical forfeit over Cody Thompson, Colorado Mines.
165 – Guy Deleonardis, Glenville State, won by medical forfeit over Jump, UCO.

Seventh Place
133 – Peter Rolle, UCO, major dec. Jeremiah Echevarria, Gannon, 11-0.

Championship First Round
133 – Rolle, UCO, dec. Rylen Campbell, Ashland, 9-3.
157 – Johnson, UCO, pinned Hunter Dietrich, Newman, 3:00.
184 – Wells, UCO, tech. fall Tristan Staat, Drury, 21-3.
Hvy – Dorian Crosby, Gannon, pinned Paul Sharp, UCO, 5:17.

Championship Second Round
125 – Morris, UCO, pinned Don Lindsey, Seton Hill, 2:47.
133 – Rolle, UCO, pinned Andrew Honas, Fort Hays State, 4:28.
141 – Lucas, UCO, tech. fall Nathan Wishne, Drury, 16-0.
149 – Brown, UCO, dec. Chad Ozias, Pitt-Johnstown, 6-3.
157 – Johnson, UCO, tech. fall Isaiah Castro, Emmanuel, 15-0.
165 – Jump, UCO, major dec. Izaak Hunsley, Northern State, 16-2.
174 – Zane Coleman, UCO, pinned Daniel Long, Adams State, 1:56.
184 – Wells, UCO, tech. fall Calan Staub, Mount Olive, 16-1.
197 – Emmanuel Skillings, UCO, dec. Sage Harrison, Western Colorado, 10-3.

Championship Third Round
125 – Morris, UCO, major dec. Braden Hahlen, Lake Erie, 13-5.
133 – Rolle, UCO, dec. Anthony Sagaris, Lake Erie, 10-4.
141 – Lucas, UCO, major dec. Ashtan Hendricks, King, 15-6.
149 – Brown, UCO, tech. fall Trevor Christian, Drury, 16-0.
157 – Johnson, UCO, major dec. Lance Overmyer, Ashland, 15-3.
165 – Nolan Gessler, Tiffin, dec. Jump, UCO, 7-4.
174 – Hayden Pummel, Glenville State, dec. Coleman, UCO, 6-4.
184 – Wells, UCO, dec. Jack MacKierman, American International, 6-1.
197 – Gabriel Garranza, Colorado Mesa, pinned Skillings, 6:38.

Championship Quarterfinals
125 – Anthony Aniciete, Tiffin, dec. Morris, UCO, 10-4.
133 – Christian Davis, Lander, major dec. Rolle, UCO, 10-2.
141 – Lucas, UCO, major dec. Caleb Brooks, Glenville State, 11-0.
149 – Brown, UCO, dec. Gabriel Onorato, Glenville State, 5-3.
157 – Johnson, UCO, dec. Jaylon Otero, Ouachita Baptist, 9-6.
184 – Wells, UCO, dec. Brayden Mirjavadi, Grand Valley State, 8-4.

Championship Semifinals
141 – Christian Small, Lake Erie, dec. Lucas, UCO, 8-4.
149 – Jalen Spuhler, Wisconsin-Parkside, pinned Brown, UCO, 1:57.
157 – Johnson, UCO, won by medical forfeit over Ryan Wheller, Colorado Mesa.
184 – Matt Weinberg, Kutztown, dec. Wells, UCO, 7-2.

Consolation Second Round
Hvy – Sharp, UCO, pinned Caleb Melton, Limestone, 4:41.

Consolation Third Round
Hvy – Sharp, UCO, major dec. Riah Ostander, Fort Hays State, 8-0.

Consolation Fourth Round
165 – Jump, UCO, dec. Alexander Holguin, Colorado Mesa, 13-7.
174 – Dayton Fields, Newberry, pinned Coleman, UCO, 3:46.
197 – Skillings, UCO, pinned Nathan Coley, King, 4:15.
Hvy – Sharp, UCO, dec. Clayton Ours, Upper Iowa, 9-4.

Consolation Fifth Round
165 – Jump, UCO, dec. Trent Mahoney, King, 8-1.
197 – Skillings, UCO, dec. Brooks Schrimsher, Ouachita Baptist, 7-6.
Hvy – Colby Whitehill, Glenville State, dec. Sharp, UCO, 3-2.

Consolation Sixth Round
125 – Morris, UCO, major dec. Colt Brown, Montevallo, 12-4.
133 – Rolle, UCO, pinned Wayne Joint, Minot State, 6:26.
165 – Jump, UCO, pinned Brent Nicolosi, Mount Olive, 2:43.
197 – Ryan Cody, Colorado Mines, pinned Skillings, 0:25.

Consolation Seventh Round
125 – Morris, UCO, dec. Trevon Gray, Pitt-Johnstown, 8-5.
133 – Matthew Chi, Wisconsin-Parkside, dec. Rolle, UCO, 14-7.
Matthew Chi, Wisconsin-Parkside, dec. Rolle, UCO, 14-7.
165 – Jump, UCO, pinned Will Kuster, Drury, 6:05.

Consolation Semifinals
125 – Morris, UCO, dec. Colton Drousias, Glenville State, 3-2 (TB-1).
141 – Grayston DiBlasi, Colorado Mines, dec. Lucas, UCO, 10-4.
149 – Wyatt Turnquist, Northern State, dec. Brown, UCO, 3-0.
165 - Nate Barrett, Ashland, won by medical forfeit over Jump, UCO.
184 – Wells, UCO, dec. Colter Bye, Upper Iowa, 4-1.

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Players Mentioned

Dylan Brown: 5' 6"; Senior

Zane Coleman: 5' 10"; Senior

Gabe Johnson: 5' 8"; Junior

Hunter Jump: 6' 2"; Senior

Dylan Lucas: 5' 6"; Senior

Studd Morris: 5' 0"; Senior

Peter Rolle: 5' 7"; Senior

Emmanuel Skillings: 6' 1"; Junior

Garrett Wells: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Paul Sharp: 6' 3"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Dylan Brown
: 5' 6"; Senior

Zane Coleman
: 5' 10"; Senior

Gabe Johnson
: 5' 8"; Junior

Hunter Jump
: 6' 2"; Senior

Dylan Lucas
: 5' 6"; Senior

Studd Morris
: 5' 0"; Senior

Peter Rolle
: 5' 7"; Senior

Emmanuel Skillings
: 6' 1"; Junior

Garrett Wells
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Paul Sharp
: 6' 3"; Sophomore