MEQUON, Wis. – Several of the top Division III collegiate wrestlers across the Midwest gathered at the R. John Buuck Field House Saturday for the Concordia University Wisconsin Open. The Falcons, who had 13 wrestlers compete Saturday, had a few strong performances in their home meet.
Senior Sean Ambrocio (San Antonio, Texas) and sophomore Mason Baumgartner (Slinger, Wis.) had to two strongest performances of the day for the Falcons. Both grapplers posted 4-1 marks, both losses coming against the eventual champion in their bracket.
Ambrocio started his day with a bye and followed that with four wins before falling in the championship bout at 133 pounds against Connor Campo of Wartburg College. Ambrocio had his most dominant performance of the day in his first match, posting a 10-1 major decision.
Baumgartner also went 4-1 on Saturday as his only loss came in the semifinal round against eventual 184-pound bracket champion, Riley Lefever of Wabash. After that match he rallied for two victories to earn the third-place finish. Baumgartner posted an impressive 11-2 win to reach the third place match where he gained an 8-4 victory.
Four other Falcons posted 3-2 records on Saturday. At 165 pounds it was senior Casey Kenealy (Hartford, Wis.). Kenealy started his day with a pair of wins, including a 15-0 tech fall before falling in the quarterfinal round. He finished one win shy of posting at least a top-six finish, falling by a 3-2 decision in his final match.
The Falcons had three wrestlers compete in the 174-pound bracket, with freshman Mitchell Slatton (Granger, Ind.) have the strongest performance, going 3-2. Slatton posted two wins by decision in his first two bouts before dropping his third. He then racked up a pin in 58 seconds for his final win of the afternoon, an impressive performance for the first-year Falcon.
Sophomore Joshua Curcio (Granger, Ind.) and senior Jake Reuteler (New Berlin, Wis.) also had strong performances on Saturday. Curcio competed in the 141-pound bracket and won his first match 4-3 before dropping his second. He then advanced via medical forfeit before gaining a final win by fall in just 1:59.
Reuteler's day started off not the way he had hoped with a 7-2 setback in his first match. He responded with three straight wins, two of those coming via pin before dropping his final contest.
Freshman Quentin Lueck (Saukville, Wis.) gained a couple wins in the 149-pound bracket, while sophomore Mason Mergener (Crivitz, Wis.) earned one victory at 174 pounds.
The Falcons will next compete two weeks from today at the MSOE Invitational. That meet is scheduled for a 9 p.m. start.
