BEREA, Ohio – The No. 9 Nationally-Ranked Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team hosted the annual BW Invitational, inside the Lou Higgins Center.
BW (1-0 Ohio Athletic Conference) was led by junior two-time All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 157-pounder Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic), who earned a first-place finish. He won his first two rounds by way of major decisions. In the quarterfinal bout, Bleich secured a 6-2 decision before claiming a 5-3 decision in his semifinal. In the first-place bout, the junior won by way of an 8-4 decision.
Junior Chad Craft (Dayton/Northmont) also earned a first-place finish. Craft won his first-round match with a 3:25 pin and won his quarterfinal bout with a 16-1 tech fall. In the semifinal bout, the junior won with a 2:26 pin and in the first-place bout, a 1:38 pin.
Freshman 125-pounder Jack Stanley (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) claimed a second place finish. After receiving a first-round bye, he won his quarterfinal with a 6:28 pin. In the semifinal, Stanley won with an 8-2 decision, before falling in the championship match by way of a 5-3 decision.
Senior All-American and Academic All-OAC 141-pounder Charlie Nash (Norwalk) also earned a second place spot after winning his quarterfinal bout with a 4-1 decision. In his semifinal bout, Nash won by forfeit, before falling in the finals to a 5-3 decision.
Freshman 184-pounder Luke Salmon (Sandusky/Perkins) placed second after winning a 5-4 tie breaker in his first-round. In Salmon's quarterfinal, he won with a 2:08 pin. In his semifinal bout, he won with a 3:55 pin, before falling to a 15-14 decision.
Senior All-American and two-time All-OAC 197-pounder Zeckary Lehman (Akron/Revere) slated a second-place finish after a 2:28 pin in his quarterfinal. In the semi's, Lehman won by way of a 2:47 pin.
Sophomore 285-pounder Parker Meaney (Ashtabula/Lakeside) placed second after securing his second-round bout with a 2:16 pin. In the quarterfinals, he claimed a 2:05 pin and in the semi's, the sophomore won with a 5-0 decision.
Junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 149-pounder Tanner McHugh (New Ringgold, Pa./Tamaqua) earned a third place finish. He won his second-round match with a 19-1 tech fall after a first-round bye. In his quarterfinal match, the junior won with a 6-4 decision. After falling to a 14-2 major decision, McHugh went on to win his third place bout with a forfeit.
Senior All-OAC 165-pounder Benjamin Hooff (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) placed third after a quarterfinal bout that he won with a 17-3 major decision. After falling to a 5-1 decision in the semis, Hooff went on to secure the third place bout with a medical forfeit.
Freshman 197-pounder Doug Byrne (Wickliffe) also earned a third place finish. After a first-round bye, the freshman won his quarterfinal bout with a 1:11 pin. In the semis, Byrne dropped a 5-3 decision. He went on to claim his third place finish after a 6:22 pin.
Claiming a fourth place finish was junior 157-pounder Dalton Leightner (Ravenna/Rootstown). He won his first-round match with a 42 second pin and secured his second-round match with an 18-2 tech fall.
Freshman 174-pounder Joey Koplow (Newbury/Kinston) earned a fifth place finish after pinning his opponenet in a 6:02 pinfall. He then fell to a 3:39 pin.
BW will hit the mats next at home on Tuesday December, 3 for an OAC contest with the No. 5 Nationally-Ranked University of Mount Union. Match begins at 7 p.m.
