The Case Western Reserve University wrestling team competed for the first time at the Veale Center in Cleveland during the 2023-24 season, hosting the Bob Del Rosa Ohio Intercollegiate Open on Sunday. Wrestlers from 25 colleges and universities competed in nearly 600 matches at the open invitational.
In the open brackets, a pair of Spartans earned third place finishes.
Junior Calvin Cai, competing at 149 pounds, won by decision (19-15) and major decision (16-3) to reach the semifinals. After falling by just two points in the match, he bested Clay Rankin of the Rochester Institute of Technology 5-0 to claim third place in the bracket.
Graduate student Mitchell Arch, wrestling at 165 pounds, also advanced to the semifinal. He won both of his first two matches by pin, besting Ithaca's Pedro Cruz in 40 seconds and Quintez Pratt in 1:07. Arch lost by just one point in the semifinal, losing on the riding time advantage earned by his opponent. He rebounded in the third-place match, pinning Ohio University's Bobby Gaylord in 2:10 to finish 3-1 at the meet with three pins.
In the open 141-pound bracket, sophomore Art Martinez picked up a win by technical fall, his first of the season, in a consolation bout.
In addition to the 10 open brackets, there were 10 brackets reserved for first-year wrestlers and sophomores.
First-year Mathew Gummere was the team's top placing wrestler in these brackets, finishing fifth at 174 pounds. After falling into the consolation bracket, he earned a pair of major decisions to reach the consolation semifinals. With the match tied at eight entering the third period, Gummere earned a point by escape to gain a 9-8 advantage and held his lead over the final minutes to advance to the fifth-place match. In his final bout of the day, he earned his third major decision win of the afternoon, besting Kane Epperly of Ashland 17-5.
Sophomores Jacob Gregg (133 pounds), Justin Sweeney (157), and Thomas Bentivoglio (174) each pinned an opponent in their consolation brackets. It was the first pin of the season for Gregg and Sweeney and the first collegiate pin for Bentivoglio. In the 285-pound bracket, sophomore Keith Heineman earned his first and second pins of the season in the consolation bracket, besting one opponent in 20 seconds and another in 1:15.
In addition, sophomore E.J. Alizio at 125 pounds and first-year Mike Valerino at 133 pounds won bouts by technical fall. It was Valerino's first collegiate technical fall victory.
The Spartans will next head to Baldwin Wallace on Saturday for the BW Invitational in Berea, Ohio. Action is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
