Contact: Devery Hodge, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
Results
ELMHURST, Ill. (Feb 15, 2024) - The North Central College men's wrestling team competed in the Conference College of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship on Thursday. The Cardinals hold on to their title, winning with a score of 171.5 along with six individual champions and nine All-Conference honors. Head Coach Zach Cook and the staff also brought home Coaching Staff of the Year.
To earn All-CCIW honors, wrestlers must finish in the top three in their respective weight class.
No. 1 Christian Guzman won the 125-pound class. Guzman maintains his undefeated streak in the conference (7-0) while also defeating No. 2 Zac Blasiol with a 7-5 decision scoring 18.5 points for the team. No. 1 Robert Precin (133) won his fifth straight CCIW title. On his path to winning the title, he recorded two pins before winning the final with a 7-3 decision and had 19 points.
No. 10 Bradley Rosen took home the victory for the 141-pound class. Rosen's final two matches were won with major decisions, giving the team 18.5 points. Kenny Siwicki (149) finished third. After losing his first match of the day, Siwicki won his next four matches with the third-place match being won by a 13-5 decision. Siwicki contributed 14.5 team points.
No. 6 Javen Estrada claimed first place in the 157-pound class. Estrada posted two pins to advance to the final. In the final match, he won with a 20-5 technical fall and had 20.5 points. No. 5 Alex Villar (165) also took home an individual championship. Villar pinned his first opponent before winning via decisions in the semifinal and final matches. contributed 17 points.
Payton Geigner finished third in the 174-pound class. Geigner won his first two matches with pins before falling and going to the consolation bracket. He won his next match with another pin before taking third place with an 11-6 decision and contributed 17.5 points. No. 15 Cole Cervantes (184) took second place by winning two of his three matches with pins. Cervantes helped the team with 17 points.
Elijah Brockie took fifth place for the 197-pound class. Brockie won his first match with a pin before dropping his next two matches. Brockie won the fifth-place match through an injury default. No 6 Robby Bates (285) took home the individual championship. Bates won his first match with a pin before coming through his final two matches with decisions.
Finishing behind the Cardinals in the team standings was Millikin University with 128 points in second place and Concordia University Wisconsin in third with 110.5 points.
The Cardinals look to the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional Championships held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as they continue postseason wrestling. The two day event begins Feb. 29 at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse
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