Indiana Wrestlers at the Loras Open

By Mindy Mascaro

[caption id=attachment_1404" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Brandon Ward of Calumet College][/caption]

Several Indiana wrestlers opened up the 2009-2010 season by competing in the 2009 Loras Open on Saturday.  Loras College is a Catholic Liberal Arts university with an enrollment of approximately 1600 students located on a scenic campus overlooking the Mississippi River in Dubuque, Iowa.  Loras is a Division III wrestling school, but the Open drew competitors from all three NCAA Divisions and the NAIA.

Gold Division (upperclassmen) results:

Redshirt sophomore Jamal Lawrence (Merrillville H.S., University of Northern Iowa, Div I) turned in the best results on the day of the wrestlers from Indiana, garnering a Championship at 149 lbs. Jamal started the day off with a first round bye, and in the second round wrestled Zach Wilson (Cornell, unattached), winning by 14-6 Major Decision.  He then faced two UNI teammates one after another—defeating Aaron Senzee (UNI unattached) by a 7-3 Decision, and then Cole Zemple (UNI) in a close 7-6 Decision. His fifth and final match of the day for the Championship was against yet another UNI teammate:  Trevor Kittleson, whom he defeated by 12-3 Major Decision. He had a 5-0 record on the day. As a team, UNI had the most champions at 4, with 3 other Panthers placing in the top 6.

Chris Mascaro (Carmel H.S., Coe College, Div III) has moved up to the 165 lb weight class for his sophomore season. Mascaro won his first match with a 10-7 Decision against Daniel Yuraitis (Hannibal LaGrange College), and in his second match defeated Michael Sandy (Wartburg College) in a 9-4 Decision. In the third round he lost a 12-4 Major Decision to two-time Division III All-American Josh Terrell (University of

[caption id=attachment_1406" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Jamal Lawrence of Northern Iowa][/caption]

Dubuque). In the wrestle-backs he then blanked Jason Nelson (Wartburg College) in an 8-0 Major Decision, and defeated Joe Hambleton (Cornell, unattached) by 3-5 Decision. With the tournament running late, the organizers decided to eliminate one wrestleback round, and so in his final match of the day, Mascaro dropped a 14-2 Major Decision to David Bonin to end up in 6^th Place with a 4-2 overall record. Coe College had 2 Champions and 5 placers.

Andy St. Germain (Chesterton H.S., Calumet College, NAIA) wrestled at 141 lbs in the Gold Division in his first outing as a member of the Calumet Crimson Wave wrestling team. After a first round Bye, St. Germain faced Chad Garber (Coe College), winning by 14-5 Major Decision. He then lost by Fall (3:07) to Josh Kratovil (Harper College, unattached), and by Fall (2:08) to Alec Hoffman (UNI).

Brandon Ward (Hanover Central H.S., Calumet College) wrestled for the Crimson Wave in the Gold division at 149 lbs.  After a first round Bye, he lost by a 16-1 Technical Fall (5:15) to Jason Taylor-Ohmes (Coe College), then dropped a 14-7 Decision to Johnny Siegel (Coe College).

Lance Surma (Munster H.S., Calumet College) wrestled at 157 lbs in the Gold division.  He had a first round Bye, then faced Tiegen Podliska (Loras College), dropping the match in a close 3-2 Decision.  After a third round Bye, Surma lost by Fall (4:11) to Chris Tims (Wartburg College).

Silver Division (Freshmen) results:

[caption id=attachment_1405" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Chris Mascaro of Coe College][/caption]

Anthony Nuzzo, (Portage H.S., Calumet College) wrestling at 141 lbs, lost his first round match to Mike Pulido (Loras College) by a 12-5 Dec.  He then beat Alex Rostvet (Concordia Univ. NE) by 8-3 Decision, and defeated Chris Reed (Loras College) winning by 5-3 Decision.  He lost his fourth round match to Matt Holmes (Loras College) by Fall (1:40).

In the 141 lb bracket, Nick Fouts (Crown Point H.S., Calumet College) won by Fall (6:49) over Abdul Adele (TCC), and in the second round won by 12-9 Decision over Chris Reed (Loras College). Fouts then lost by Fall (1:06) to Colton Schmitz (Truman State). In his fourth round match, he won over Cameron Wagner (Wartburg College) by forfeit, and lost to George Gulesian (Concordia Univ. NE) in a 15-1 Major Decision. Fouts finished in fourth place with a 3-2 record.

Nick Samaro, (Bloomington South H.S., Calumet College) wrestling unattached at 149 lbs, had a first round Bye, and then lost by Fall (4:50) to Brandon Starkev (Concordia Univ. NE). After a third round Bye, Samaro lost to Quinn McCullough (Loras College) by Fall (6:32).

David Balentine, 197 lbs, (Mishawaka H.S., Calumet College) had a first round Bye then dropped an 8-4 Decision to Alex Schwerdtfeger (Wartburg College). He then defeated Matt Regnier (Augustana College) by Fall (1:01) and lost to Joe Particelli (HCC) by Fall (4:57).

Wrestling unattached at 184 lbs, Cody Gregory (Perry Meridian H.S., Calumet College) dropped his first round match to Espen Fredriksen (Coe College) losing by Fall (1:24). He had a Bye in the second round, and then forfeited his third round match to Zach Haves (Truman State).