Three Wrestlers Place at Battle in the Bluegrass

(Williamsburg, KY)-- The Cleary Cougar wrestling team was in action for the final time before the new year on Friday, and are coming back to Michigan with three wrestlers having earned top-eight finishes at the Battle in the Bluegrass, hosted by the University of the Cumberlands.

In the 125 lb., Jordan Rodriguez would win his first match by a pin in 2:22 to advance to the semifinals.  Rodriguez would then suffer a 7-2 defeat, dropping to the third place match.  In his final match, Rodriguez would earn a pin in 6:04, claiming 3rd place in his weight class, and going 2-1 on the day.

In the 133 lb.,  Luke Connick would lose by a technical fall in his first match, and would have to medically withdraw from the rest of the competition, going 0-2 on the day.

In the 141 lb., Jake Lynn would lose his first match 13-2 to drop to the consolation rounds.  In his second match, Lynn would suffer a loss via pin in 4:11, going 0-2 on the day.
Nico Pasienza would suffer a technical fall defeat in his first match, and would then lose by a fall in his consolation bracket match, going 0-2 on the day.

In the 157 lb, Jack Gruno would earn a 19-12 decision in his first match over Defiance's Peyton Brown.  Gruno would then suffer a defeat via pin in his second match, sending him to the consolation bracket.  In his third match of the day, Gruno would earn a 4-2 decision over Rio Grande, and then earned a pin in 1:02 over Brewton Parker's Caden Whittaker.  Unfortunately for Gruno, his run would end in the consolation semifinals, when he suffered a loss via pin, going 3-2 on the day.
Also in action in 157 was Dontarris Wesby, who would lose his first match by fall, sending him to the consolation bracket.  Wesby would then earn a pin in 2:36 over Brewton Parker, and another pin in 5:38 over Lourdes.  Like his teammate Gruno, Wesby would see his run come to an end in the consolation semifinals after suffering a defeat by fall in 3:40, going 3-2 on the day.

In the 165 lb., Ben Blyveis would earn a victory by fall in 4:43 over Pikeville.  He would then suffer a loss by fall, sending him to the consolation bracket.  In his first consolation match, Blyeveis would suffer a 7-3 decision loss, ending his day with a 1-2 record.
Also in action was Justin Major, who would suffer a 13-1 defeat in his first match.  Major would then earn a defeat by pin in the consolation bracket, ending his day with a 0-2 record.

In the 285 lb,. Tunde Oroye would win his first match 22-6 in a technical fall, advancing to the next round.  In his next round, Oroye would lose by a 2-0 decision, sending him to the consolation bracket.  Oroye would then earn a 16-5 major decision, where he would advance to face teammate Eathan Westfall.  Oroye would advance by medical forfeit in that round, as well as the consolation semifinals to put himself in the third place match.  Oroye would have to medically withdraw, but would earn 4th place, going 4-2 on the day.
Eathan Westfall would open his day with a 16-1 technical fall defeat.  He would then earn a fall victory in the consolation bracket in 2:14, before facing his teammate Tunde Oroye.  After a medical withrdaw, Westfall would then be placed in the 7th place match, but would have to medically withdraw once again, going 1-3 on the day, but earning 8th place.

The Cougars will return to the mats after the new year, when they host the Rochester Christian Warriors in a dual meet on Friday, January 9.