Freshman Jake Strausbaugh (left) was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler as Wabash posted a perfect 4-0 record to win the 2010 Monon Bell Wrestling Classic Saturday at Chadwick Court. The Little Giants defeated UW-Platteville 19-18 in the final round to finish 4-0 for the day.
Wabash needed two victories in the last two matches of the day to defeat Platteville in the finals. Michael Burke brought the Little Giants to within two points of the Pioneers by winning his 197-pound bout 4-2. Fellow senior Rob Arnett needed to win his heavyweight bout against Tyler Manning to give Wabash the team title and delivered, scoring a 9-4 victory in the one-point team win.
Strausbaugh recorded his fourth individual victory of the day with a 19-9 decision at 141 pounds on his way to the meet’s top individual honor. Oscar Trujillo was an 8-6 winner at 133 pounds, while Johnny Dillon received a forfeit at 149 pounds. A key one-point penalty assessed against UW-Platteville proved to be the difference in the match.
Wabash opened pool action with a 44-6 victory over the University of Indianapolis. Josh Boyer started the Little Giants off with a 9-5 win at 125 pounds. Strausbaugh took his opening match 17-2 against Trey Weliver. Dillon followed with a pin at the 2:10 mark of his match against Blake Harvey. Jake Moore added a decisive 11-1 win at 157 pounds, while Bryan Hugo shut out Josh Curry 5-0 at 184 pounds. Burke scored a pin at 2:42 against Kyle Keith, while Arnett
(right) and Graham Youngs received forfeits.
The Little Giants advanced to the championship semifinal round with a 26-16 win against Lincoln College. Boyer picked up a 16-1 victory against Jurane Culbreath ahead of a forfeit victory for Trujillo at 133 pounds. Strausbaugh remained unbeaten with a tight 11-9 win against DeMonte Riley at 141 pounds. Youngs scored a 5-1 win at 165 pounds, while Greg Rhoads shut out Tom Fritz 6-0 at 174 pounds. A pin by Bryan Hugo at 2:56 in the 184-pound bout sealed the victory for Wabash.
A 38-13 win against Wilmington sent Wabash to the championship match against Platteville. Strausbaugh put the Little Giants on the scoreboard with a pin at 1:05 against Wilmington’s Tim Brown. Dillon added a 14-5 victory over Luke Armand, and Moore scored a 12-4 victory in his 157-pound match against Mark Sedziol. Forfeit victories by Youngs and Hugo came ahead of a pin by Rhoads at 2:15 versus Brendan Leal. Burke also received a forfeit to guarantee the Little Giants a shot at the team title.
Wabash returns to action next weekend at the Wheaton College Pete Willson Invitational.
