Linahon leads Dutch wrestlers at Lower Midwest Regional

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS — After a long first day of wrestling Friday, the Central College wrestling team advanced four to the second day of action at the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional, including Gage Linahon (junior, Newton) in the 197-pound semifinals.

Central has 37 points in the team standings, good for ninth of 19 teams. Wartburg College leads with 106 points.

“Overall, our guys wrestled hard,” coach Eric Van Kley said. “This is the toughest regional in the country for a reason. There are no easy matches. The deep of the tournament gets better every year.”

Linahon was the only Dutch wrestler to make the semifinals, doing so at 197 pounds. He opened with an 8-0 major decision over Mac Hirsh of Huntingdon College (Ala.) followed by a 6-2 decision over Cornell College’s Treyton Steffen.

“He’s just got great habits in all areas,” Van Kley said. “He’s earned the right to be in this position. We’ll be ready for his semifinal tomorrow and he’s going to keep wrestling the way he is capable of.”

Seniors Peyton Hammerich (senior, 184 pounds, Princeton, Ill.) and Luke Condy (senior, 165 pounds, Memphis, Tenn., Christian Brothers) both had to deal with preliminary round bouts but both managed to go 3-1 and are alive in the consolation quarterfinals. Hammerich won all three times by fall.

Pierre Baldwin (freshman, Carol Stream, Ill., West Chicago HS) had a 2-1 day, including a technical fall in his opening match and is also alive in the consolation quarterfinals.

“All three of them won big matches to become regional placers,” Van Kley said. “We want that to be a spring board to some great efforts tomorrow. It’s going to be a fun day.”

Day two of action begins at the BOS Center at 11 a.m. with championship semifinals and the third round of consolation matches.