FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tyler Friel, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

Dubuque dual
Concordia (Wis.) dual
Wheaton dual
 
Jan. 16, 2016 (Wheaton, Ill) – Despite a disappointing finish, the North Central College wrestling team went 2-1 at the Wheaton College Quad Saturday at King Arena. The Cardinals also participated in the Elmhurst College Invitational and took fifth in the tournament.
 
The first dual against the University of Dubuque featured a dominant team performance by the Cardinals as they took their first matchup with ease cruising to a 26-10 victory. North Central won seven of the ten weight classes with all but two conquests coming by decision. Josh Tardy won a 16-1 technical fall and Tyler Vittal pinned his opponent at 5:22.
 
The Cardinals carried this energy into the next match as they took on Concordia University Wisconsin. North Central won the first six matches and entered the 174 class with a 23-0 advantage. Concordia would not give up however as they won the next three matchups followed by a North Central forfeit in the heavyweight, leading to a 23-21 victory over the Falcons. Layten Binion defeated his opponent in a 19-2 technical fall as the rest of the team won by decisions.
 
Having won the first two matches, the Cardinals (3-5) looked to sweep the tournament as they faced conference rival Wheaton College. Wheaton forfeited the first two weight classes and Binion continued his success with an 11-3 major decision. Ben Williamson followed suit with an 8-0 major decision of his own. North Central would lead 20-0 after the first four bouts. Wheaton would win the next four weight classes by decision and cut the Cardinal lead to 20-15 with only the heavyweights left. Unfortunately, Wheaton was able to win by pin and would go on to take the match 21-20.
 
Elmhurst Invite Results
 
The Cardinals also had some success at the Elmhurst Invite as four different members placed in their respective weight classes.
 
Brad Martens won the 133 class as he fought his way through his opponents. He started with a 1:38 pin and followed it with a 4-2 decision and won the championship bout on an 8-1 decision.
 
Matt McGowan won by fall and then by decision before falling in the semifinal match. In the consolation bracket, McGowan received a medical forfeit win and won the third place match by pin at the 1:41 mark.
 
The 184 class received a unique matchup as two Cardinals were both featured in the championship match. Josh Bouie received a first round bye and proceeded to win his first match by decision and followed it up with a late round pin (6:27). Filiberto Diaz-Duran also had a late round pin (6:13), won an 11-1 major decision, and then received a 4-1 decision. The two would face each other in the finals with Bouie taking a 3-2 decision.
 
The Cardinals look to take advantage of the momentum they generated as they travel to the Border Brawl Duals at University of Wisconsin Whitewater and the Harper College Underclassmen Open in Palatine. Start time for the Border Brawl is 9 am while the Harper Open begins at noon on January 23^rd.