Wabash wrestlers Garrett Pino, Will Clarke, and Keith Garrard each won individual titles at the 47th Annual Indiana Little State Invitational.
Pino, returning to the mat for the first time this season after qualifying for the Nationals last year, proved why he was still the number one seed at 141 pounds. He opened the tournament Friday with a technical fall in his opening match, then followed with an 11-5 decision over Josh Thompson from Wilmington. Saturday Pino started the day with a 4-2 victory against fourth-seeded Clay Leek from the University of Indianapolis. Pitted against Matt Palladino from Manchester as the second seed in the championship bout, Pino prevailed with a 7-3 win to take the title.
Clarke was the top seed at 184 pounds and went 3-0 for the tournament. He received a first round bye, then defeated Rose-Hulman’s John Sullivan 21-4 for a technical fall before recording a pin at 4:47 against fifth-seeded Brian Almer from the University of Indianapolis in the semifinals. Clarked squeaked out a 3-2 victory in the title bout against the second seed, Jayce Waggoner.
Garrard, the top seed at 197 pounds, had pins in three of his four matches. He pinned Tri-States Justin Talkington at 1:43 in the first round, then won a 5-0 decision over Casey Stillman from Millikin in the second round. Garrard advanced to the finals with a pin at 3:13 against fifth-seeded Adam Justice in the semi-finals. Facing Justin Cooper from the University of Indianapolis in the finals, Garrard dispatched him with a pin 2:43 into the championship match for the victory.
Bart Bridge was fourth at 165 pounds. He won his first two matches with pins at 3:31 and 0:34 respectively before losing 9-3 in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up John Forbes from MacMurray. Bridge bounced back to claim a pin in the semifinals to face top-seeded Tyler Goble from Rose-Hulman in the title. Bridge fell 4-0 to Goble to claim fourth place.
Jarred Tribbett took fifth place at 149 pounds. The number-two seed coming into the tournament, Tribbett was upset in the second round before rallying for two straight wins in the consolation bracket. He lost an 11-9 decision to fourth-seeded Justin Edwards in the semifinals before receiving a forfeit in the fifth-place bout.
Garret Thiel was fifth in the heavyweight division. He started with a pin at :43 in his first match Friday, then earned an 8-0 major decision in the second round. A 7-6 loss to sixth-seeded Alex Williams sent Thiel to the consolation bracket, where he won his final three matches.
The Little Giants will participate in the Ohio Northern Invitational next weekend.
For more information see: