Alma, Mich. - The sixth-ranked Alma College wrestling team remained undefeated for the 2015-16 season, recording a 32-12 victory over visiting Heidelberg University on Thursday (Dec. 10) evening at Art Smith Arena. The Scots are now 6-0 in dual meets this season, while the Student Princes fall to 1-5.
With the victory, Head Coach Todd Hibbs, in his fifth season at Alma College, earned his 100th career win. Hibbs is 100-48-2 overall, including 44-24 at the helm of the Scots.
The two teams traded bouts early in the match, with junior Victor Sosa-Sevilla (Wilmington, N.C./Eugene Ashley) pinning Josh Beacon 1:29 into the 125-pound match to give the Scots an early 6-0 lead. After Heidelberg won by technical fall in the 133-pound bout, freshman Romeo Riley (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Central) scored a 6-3 decision at 141 pounds.
Heidelberg's Damon Cheek, ranked 15th at 149 pounds, scored a 7-0 decision over senior JJ Sadler (Wetmore, Mich./Munising) to bring the Princes within one at 9-8 before senior Shawn Brewer (New Boston, Mich./Huron), the fourth-best wrestler at 157 pounds, pinned Myles Wright 1:45 into the match to put the Scots up by eight points going into the intermission.
After the break, Heidelberg took with 165-pound bout before the Scots ran the table with the remaining four matches, including a come-from behind victory by junior Trent Hullett (Jackson, Mich./Parma Western), who scored a two-point takedown when seconds remaining to secure a 6-5 decision over Dillen Decker.
The Scots will take to the road next week, traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., to participate in the Desert Duals, hosted by top-ranked Wartburg College on Monday, Dec. 21.
RESULTS
• 125 - Victor Sosa-Sevilla (Alma) pinned Josh Beacon, 1:29 (Alma 6, Heidelberg 0)
• 133 - Ryan Hornack technical fall Aaron Parr-Besemer (Alma), 19-2 (Alma 6, Heidelberg 5)
• 141 - Romeo Riley (Alma) dec. Joey Baitt, 6-3 (Alma 9, Heidelberg 5)
• 149 - No. 15 Damon Cheek dec. JJ Sadler, 7-0 (Alma 9, Heidelberg 8)
• 157 - No. 4 Shawn Brewer (Alma) technical fall Mark Carosella, 15-0 (Alma (14, Heidelberg 8)
• 165 - Aaron Banko major dec. Kevin Briscoe (Alma), 8-0 (Alma 14, Heidelberg 12)
• 174 - No. 5 Travis Heller (Alma) pinned Myles Wright, 1:45 (Alma 20, Heidelberg 12)
• 184 - Trent Hullett (Alma) dec. Dillen Decker, 6-5 (Alma 23, Heidelberg 12)
• 197 - No. 7 Jamie Jakes (Alma) pinned Gage Finegan, 2:24 (Alma 29, Heidelberg 12)
• 285 - No. 3 Trevor Maresh (Alma) dec. John Eckroth, 3-2 (Alma 32, Heidelberg 12)
NOTES
• Shawn Brewer is undefeated at 157 this season and improved his record to 10-0
• Jamie Jakes improved his record at 197 to 15-1 with his seventh pin of the year. Jakes now has 96 career victories, including 20 pins.
• Aaron Parr-Besemer made his varsity debut at 133 pounds.
• Kevin Briscoe made his debut at 165 pounds.
• Romeo Riley improved to 12-2 at 141 pounds.
• Trent Hullett is now 11-4 at 184 pounds.
• Travis Heller picked up his 14th win of the year and is now 14-1 at 174.
• Trevor Maresh, ranked third at 285 pounds, is now 9-1.
QUOTES
Head Coach Todd Hibbs
"The poise of our upperclassmen is really what is setting the pace for us this year. They did it once again tonight - they are confident, they know how hard they have worked, and they set a tone for us. We had some young guys in the lineup tonight, like we will a lot this year, and they've just got to follow that leadership of those upperclassmen and we will continue to be okay."
On 100 wins ...
"I'm glad I'm coaching. I didn't think I would get to 100 wins. I didn't get a coaching job until I was almost 40 years old and after five years of loving it, I went into administration and thought I was done. I am glad that Alma brought wrestling back so that I got to coach again. The best news about it for me is that it means I'm coaching again and that we have a great program, great assistant coaches, and that's why we are able to do it.
