ITHACA, N.Y. – The No. 8 Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team placed second with 131.5 points, at the Ithaca (N.Y.) College Invitational, inside the A&E Center.
Senior All-American and two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference 197-pounder Zeckary Lehman (Akron/Revere) led BW with a team-high 25.5 points. Lehman pinned four opponents, the quickest of 54 seconds came in the 1st place bout, and had one 16-0 technical fall.
The other Yellow Jacket to garner a first place finish was junior two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC 157-pounder Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic) was one of two Yellow Jackets that placed first. Bleich, who was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler, earned 20 points with three major decisions and three decisions. He won his championship bout with a 10-5 decision.
Freshman 285-pounder Drew Levis (Elyria), who finished third, was BW's next leading scorer with 19.5 points. Levis won his first three matches with two close decisions and one 2:35 pin, before falling in the quarterfinal match by a 3-2 decision.
Also placing third was junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 149-pounder Tanner McHugh (New Ringgold, Pa./Tamaqua). McHugh earned 16.5 points and won his first three matches by major decision, decision, and a medical forfeit. The junior fell in his semifinal match by way of an 8-0 decision.
Freshman 197-pounder Doug Byrne (Wickliffe) placed third with 16.5 points. The freshman won his second round match by way of an 8-2 decision after receiving a first-round bye. He then fell to fellow teammate Lehman after a 1:34 pin.
The last Yellow Jacket to place third was senior All-American and Academic All-OAC 141-pounder Charlie Nash (Norwalk). Nash secured his first three matches with a 9-0 major decision, 15-0 tech-fall, and a 4-2 decision. The Norwalk native fell in the semifinal match with a 6-4 decision.
Sophomore 174-pounder Quinton Kelley (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) earned a fourth place finish with 18 points. He won his first-round bout with a 16-0 tech-fall and won his next match with a 2:05 pin. In his quarterfinal bout, Kelley pinned his opponent in 6:18, before falling in the semifinal match.
Junior Chad Craft (Dayton/Northmont) placed fifth with 11.5 points. Craft won his first match with a 16-3 major decision and won his next with a 6-0 decision, before falling in the quarterfinal match.
BW will hit the mats next on Sunday November 10 for the Ohio Intercollegiate Open, hosted by Case Western Reserve University. Matches begin at 9 a.m.
