The Case Western Reserve University wrestling team won its first dual of the season at the 2025 Claude Sharer Duals inside the Veale Center in Cleveland on Saturday, defeating Otterbein University 35-11. The Spartans dropped contests to Manchester University (34-14) and St. John Fisher University (33-10) later in the day.
CWRU dropped to 1-5 in dual meets during the 2024-25 campaign. The Manchester Spartans improved to 3-1, the St. John Fisher Cardinals improved to 4-2, and the Otterbein Cardinals fell to 2-6.
CWRU 35, Otterbein 11
After a forfeit gave the Spartans a six-point lead, junior Art Martinez won by technical fall, 16-1, in three minutes. Junior Jacob Gregg followed with a 15-5 major decision, and sophomore Dillon O'Keefe added a 13-7 decision to extend the lead to 18. Junior Thomas Wagner won by major decision, 12-6, and junior Marty Landes clinched the team win with a 12-6 decision at 165 pounds.
First-year Louka Babic won his fifth match of the season by fall, pinning Caiden Hooks in 6:34 at 184 pounds to make the score 31-5. At 197 pounds, sophomore Mathew Gummere won by major decision, 16-5, for the final Spartan points of the match.
Manchester 34, CWRU 14
Martinez gave CWRU a 5-3 lead in the second match of the day with his second technical fall, winning 15-0 in 3:30. After a loss at 141 pounds, senior Calvin Cai evened the score at eight with an 8-6 decision over Brody Arthur, the fifth-ranked wrestler in Region V in the weight class. Wagner followed with a pin, his second of the season, in 4:54 to give Case Western Reserve a 14-8 advantage. He pinned Mitchell Betz, the eighth-ranked wrestler in the region. Manchester closed the dual with five consecutive wins to secure the team victory.
St. John Fisher 33, CWRU 10
Martinez completed his undefeated day with a 9-3 decision over Derek Bernardino. The Spartans then dropped three consecutive close matches, falling 9-7, 4-1, and 2-0 at 141, 149, and 157 pounds. Landes reversed the team's fortunes with a 12-2 major decision over Otto Davidson, and Babic added an 11-6 decision over Trevor Sheehan later in the match.
In extra matches throughout the day, first-year Alexander Greene Barrios went 2-0 with a technical fall, the first of his career, junior John Conover earned a fall in 2:22, and first-year Robert Minden secured a pin in 6:11.
The Spartans will continue their dual schedule next Saturday when the team hosts Saint Vincent at 11 a.m. at Horsburgh Gymnasium.
Spartan Notes
- Martinez went 3-0 on the day to improve to 24-4 on the season and 90-26 for his career. His two technical falls gave him six for the season
- Conover picked up his second fall in the 2024-25 campaign, and Minden earned his third fall this season
- Wagner, Babic, and Landes each went 2-1 on Saturday with Wagner picking up his 10th win of the season
- Gregg's victory over Otterbein was the 40th of his career
