Junior Art Martinez of the Case Western Reserve University wrestling team won his bracket for the second time this season at the RIT Invitational hosted by the Rochester Institute of Technology at Gordon Field House in Rochester, New York, on Saturday, leading the Spartans to a fourth-place finish at the meet. Martinez was one of five CWRU wrestlers to place in the top three in their weight classes.
Martinez, who received the Tony Wallace Award for most outstanding wrestler at the meet, went 5-0 on the day with three pins and two technical falls at 133 pounds. He began competition with back-to-back pins, defeating Xander Burke in 1:56 and Ryan Devins in 3:58. Martinez followed with an 18-0 technical fall and 15-0 technical fall in the semifinal to reach the final of the bracket. Facing Ty Trickle of Trinity (Conn.), Martinez secured a pin in the second period to clinch the bracket. He improved to 19-3 on the season with eight pins and four technical falls.
Overall, Case Western Reserve finished the meet with 116.0 points, placing fourth out of 14 teams. Williams College won the invite with 155.5 points.
Junior Marty Landes reached the final of the 165-pound bracket with five consecutive victories. He recorded two falls and two technical falls in his first four matches, defeating William Lotocky in 2:44 and Jonathan Zenny in 3:33 for pins. Landes secured an 18-1 victory and 21-4 win as well. After advancing to the final by medical forfeit, he dropped a 4-2 decision to CJ Shea of Wesleyan.
A trio of Spartans placed third in their weight classes, losing just once each on Saturday. Sophomore Mathew Gummere went 5-1 at 184 pounds with a pin and two technical falls. He advanced to the semifinals with technical falls of 15-0 and 16-0 and a pin in 2:07. After a 4-0 loss, Gummere rebounded with an 8-0 win to reach the third-place match, which he won by forfeit. In the 157-pound bracket, junior Thomas Wagner started the day with a 16-0 technical fall and pin in 2:03. He recorded a major decision to reach the semifinals but fell in 55 seconds to drop to the consolation bracket. In the third-place match, Wagner defeated Paul Lichter by major decision 10-2. At 174 pounds first-year Chase Crutchley won by technical fall and decision to reach the semifinal. There, he dropped a match by sudden victory, but he responded with a 10-0 major decision. In the third-place match, Crutchley prevailed by sudden victory, 8-5, securing a takedown in the first extra period.
Both sophomore Mike Valerino and junior Justin Sweeney won three of their five matches in Rochester. Valerino, competing at 141 pounds, secured pins in 3:53 and 4:47 and a 19-9 major decision. It was the third and fourth pins of the season for Valerino. In the 165-pound bracket, Sweeney won twice by decision and once by sudden victory.
First-year Alexander Greene Barrios (133 pounds) and senior Calvin Cai (149) both went 2-2 with a pin, and junior John Conover (157) and sophomore Louka Babic (174) added victories for CWRU.
After taking time off for winter break, the Spartans will return to action in 2025, traveling to Chicago for the UAA Wrestling Challenge on Saturday, January 4. CWRU will face Aurora, Millikin, and Augsburg in a trio of dual matches on the campus of the University of Chicago.
Spartan Notes
- Martinez has reached the final of his bracket at all five invitationals this season, winning the bracket at the Albion Open and placing second at Baldwin Wallace, Adrian, and CWRU
- Landes recorded his best career finish in a bracket by reaching the final at RIT. He improved to 11-8 on the season
- Gummere improved to 17-8 in 2024 with six pins and a technical fall, and Crutchley earned his 18th win of the campaign, one shy of the team lead
- Cai and senior Cole Mullenix made their season debuts for the Spartans at the meet
