By Harrison LaLone, Sports Information student assistant
Crawfordsville, Ind. - The Alma College wrestling team was on the campus of Wabash College for the first day of the 2018 NCAA Central Regional tournament on Friday (Feb. 23).
Sophomore Brendan Ladd (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon) came away as the only undefeated Scot, but will be accompanied by senior Taylor McPhail (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores) as the duo will compete on Saturday, Feb. 24, with the top three finishers in each weight class advancing to the NCAA III Championships.
As a team, Alma sits 17th out of 18 teams with 13 points.
What Happened
- At 141 pounds, Brendan Ladd opened the day with a strong victory over Heidelberg University's (OH) Slade Todd, posting an 18-1 technical fall. Ladd followed with a four-point shutout decision over Andrew Hoover of Case Western Reserve University (OH).
- Taylor McPhail opened his day with a 9-4 decision over conference-foe Clayton Higelmire of Olivet College at 197 pounds, but fell to Wabash's Grant Gough in a tight 6-4 match. Gough entered the day ranked 25th in the latest d3wrestle.com poll from Feb. 20. McPhail rebounded with a 6-5 decision over Ohio Northern's Evan Hickey in wrestlebacks.
Notables
- Both Ladd and McPhail entered competition ranked in the latest d3wrestle.com poll; McPhail 14th at 197 pounds, Ladd 16th at 141.
- As a team, the Scots faced five nationally-ranked wrestlers: two representing Olivet and Mount Union (OH), and one for Wabash.
- Eighteen schools from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are competing in the regional tournament, including five ranked in the latest d3wrestle.com poll: Wabash, Mount Union, Baldwin Wallace (OH), John Carroll (OH), and Waynesburg (PA).
Up Next
Ladd and McPhail look to claim their place among the best in the region with matches on Saturday that begin at 10 a.m.
Individual Results
141 - #16 Brendan Ladd
#16 Brendan Ladd (Alma) won by tech fall over Slade Todd (Heidelberg) (TF 18-1)
#16 Brendan Ladd (Alma) won by decision over Andrew Hoover (Case Western) (Dec 4-0)
197 - #14 Taylor McPhail
#14 Taylor McPhail (Alma) won by decision over Clayton Higelmire (Olivet) (Dec 9-4)
#25 Grant Gough (Wabash) 30-15 won by decision over #14 Taylor McPhail (Alma) (Dec 6-4)
#14 Taylor McPhail (Alma) won by decision over Evan Hickey (Ohio Northern) (Dec 6-5)
125 - Austin Wieczorek
#6 Nick Mancini (Mount Union) won by tech fall over Austin Wieczorek (Alma) (TF 16-1)
Austin Wieczorek (Alma) won by fall over Dominic Devine (John Carroll) (Fall 6:47)
Sunny Nier (Wabash) won by decision over Austin Wieczorek (Alma) (Dec 10-5)
133 - Chase Beecher
Nolan Wochna (Mount Union) won by fall over Chase Beecher (Alma) (Fall 3:32)
Slade Stiles (Muskingum) won by fall over Chase Beecher (Alma) (Fall 1:07)
149 - Jake Anderson
#14 Luke Hernandez (Mount Union) won by decision over Jake Anderson (Alma) (Dec 11-5)
Jake Vaughan (Otterbein) won by fall over Jake Anderson (Alma) (Fall 1:18)
157 - Gus Richter
John Leark (Olivet) won by tech fall over Gus Richter (Alma) (TF 19-2)
Denver Aydelott (Otterbein) won by major decision over Gus Richter (Alma) (MD 10-2)
165 - Joe Vondrasek
#9 Tyler Grimsley (Olivet) won by tech fall over Joe Vondrasek (Alma) (TF 23-5)
Derek Hull (Waynesburg) won by major decision over Joe Vondrasek (Alma) (MD 12-3)
174 - Austin Fox
#16 Haydn Kinjorski (Olivet) won by major decision over Austin Fox (Alma) (MD 12-4)
Austin Fox (Alma) won by decision over Gunnar Dawson (Thomas More) (Dec 7-1)
Clayton Davidson (Ohio Northern) won by major decision over Austin Fox (Alma) (MD 11-3)
184 - Wesley Barnes
Luke Carver (Trine) won by tech fall over Wesley Barnes (Alma) (TF 16-0)
Anthony Cole-Young (Muskingum) won by tech fall over Wesley Barnes (Alma) (TF 18-1)
285 - Austin Popp
Christian Climer (Heidelberg) won by fall over Austin Popp (Alma) (Fall 2:17)
Nate Temple (Otterbein) won by fall over Austin Popp (Alma) (Fall 1:38)
