Case Western Reserve University sophomore Calvin Cai and first-year Art Martinez each placed fifth in their weight classes for the Spartan wrestling team at the two-day NCAA Division III Wrestling Central Regional Championships held at the Veale Center in Cleveland on Sunday.
Overall, CWRU placed 11th out of 20 teams in the region with 36.5 points. The 11th place finish is the highest for Case Western Reserve since the introduction of the current regional formats prior to the 2012-13 season. Baldwin Wallace was the regional champion with 175.5 points, followed by runner-up Ohio Northern with 153.0 points.
Competing in the 157-pound bracket, Cai defeated Alejandro Castro of Defiance by decision 9-7 in the third consolation round to start his day. He scored six of his points in the first period, taking a 6-0 lead 2:14 into the match with a takedown followed by a near pin. After two escapes by Castro, Cai recorded another takedown to lead 8-2 midway through the second period. He was able to hold off the Yellow Jacket over the remaining three minutes to claim a 9-7 victory and advance to the consolation semifinals.
In the next round, Cai lost to Ryan Whitten of Otterbein by decision 1-0. Whitten scored on an escape 11 seconds into the second period and prevented Cai from taking him down for the remainder of the match. In the fifth place match, Cai won by medical forfeit over Ramiro Guerrero of Olivet to finish the day with a record of 2-1 and the tournament with a record of 5-2.
Cai, who competed at four different weight classes for the Spartans during the 2022-23 season, had an overall record of 21-19 (.525), including an 8-6 (.571) record at 157 pounds. He earned a team-high 15.5 points for CWRU at the tournament.
Martinez, competing at 141 pounds, started his day with a thrilling 7-6 decision over Dylan Phelps of Olivet in the third consolation round. Martinez trailed 2-1 after the first period, recording an escape after a Phelps takedown. With an escape to begin the second period, he tied the score at two. Phelps then took the lead with an escape early in the final frame. With 39 seconds remaining in the contest, Martinez scored four points on a takedown and near fall to gain a 6-3 advantage. An escape by Phelps cut into his deficit, and the Olivet wrestler tied the score at six with a takedown with 23 seconds left. With just five ticks remaining, Martinez unleashed himself from Phelps's clutches to claim the final point and advance to the consolation semifinals.
In the consolation semifinals, Martinez lost by decision, 3-2, to Jett Boots of Trine. He trailed 2-1 after the first period, with Boots earning a takedown with 17 seconds left in the frame. The Trine wrestler earned his third point on an escape early in the second period. Martinez cut his deficit to one with an escape 22 seconds into the final period, but he was unable to score in the remainder of the match. Martinez rebounded in the fifth place match, defeating Dametrius Castillo of Alma by major decision, 12-3. The Spartan scored four points in every period, including a near fall 33 seconds into the match. Castillo only scored on three escapes. Martinez, who went 4-2 at the tournament, earned 12 points for the Spartans.
Martinez finished his season with a team-high 34 wins and a record of 34-12 (.739), competing exclusively at 141 pounds. His 34 wins are the most by a CWRU wrestler since All-American Isaac Dukes won 37 matches at 149 pounds in the 2010-11 season.
With no wrestlers advancing to the national championship, the NCAA Central Regional ends the season for the Case Western Reserve wrestling team.
