Central wrestling squad connects fourth home tournament win
Central Dutch Athletics
PELLA — Five athletes shared three individual titles for the Central College wrestling team while winning the Central College Under Armour Invitational for the fourth time in four years.
Central compiled 135.5 points, distancing the runners-up from Briar Cliff by 37.5 points.
Daniel Radcliffe (junior, 141 pounds, Lockport, Ill., Lockport Township HS) was the only Central wrestler to win in a championship bout, defeating Andrew Shea of Briar Cliff by 20-5 technical fall. He won two of his other three matches by pin.
“I think the big thing with him is how he attacks for seven minutes,” coach Eric Van Kley said. “It doesn’t matter who he is wrestling, he believes in his offense. He keeps hitting it and when he does that he’s a handful.”
Splitting the title at 174 pounds, Nathan Fritz (senior, Sigourney) went 3-0 and Jeremy Scheuermann (senior, Jefferson, Greene County HS) went 2-0 on the day. Fritz had a fall and a technical fall while Scheuermann had a major decision.
The route to sharing the 184-pound title for Griffen McBride (sophomore, Pleasantville) and Lane Rumelhart (senior, Guthrie Center) combined for five bonus-point victories in their six wins.
“We say it over and over again, competitiveness and depth in our practice room is the answer and not the problem,” Van Kley said. “What we have at 174 and 184 is something we’d love to replicate at other weights.”
Additionally, four Central wrestlers advanced to the title bout before losing in the final. Those four wrestlers were Rob Areyano (freshman, 149 pounds, Selma, Calif.), Collin Groleau (junior, 157 pounds, Peru, Ill., LaSalle-Peru Township HS), Jeremy Vester (senior, 165 pounds, Oak Harbor, Wash.) and Gavin Babcock (sophomore, 197 pounds, Altoona, Iowa, Southeast Polk HS).
In total, 12 Dutch wrestlers placed in the top six of the gold brackets. In the silver brackets, 10 other wrestlers registered top-six finishes.
“It was a solid effort from the team,” Van Kley said. “Our guys are really committed and working hard. It’s going to be a fun next two months.”
The Dutch are off next weekend and next take to the mats for a dual against Loras College in Dubuque on Tuesday, January 15.
