Wrestling Competes in The Elmhurst Al Hanke Invitational

ELMHURST, Ill. – The CUW wrestling team headed south to compete in the Al Hanke Invite which was hosted by Elmhurst.

The Falcons finished in ninth place with a total of 45 points. Wisconsin-La Crosse finished in first place with a total of 193.5 points.

In the 125-pound weight class, sophomore Devin Gore (Plymouth, Wis.) was defeated by a 0-4 decision in the championship bracket. In the consolation bracket, Gore claimed a round-one victory by an 11-7 decision but was defeated by a fall in round two.

Junior Emilio Acosta (El Paso, Texas) was the Falcon representative in the 133-pound weight class. Acosta was defeated by a 4:19 fall in the championship bracket and a 2-9 decision in the consolation bracket.

The 141-pound weight class saw senior Gabe Rodriguez (Las Vegas, Nev.) claim a 16-12 decision victory in round one of the consolation bracket after a 7-18 major decision defeat in the championship bracket and just before a medical forfeit in round two.

Freshman Frank Budederi (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) finished with two fall defeats.

Senior Jack O'Donnell (Huntington Beach, Calif.) finished with 7.5 team points after a round-one championship bracket, fall victory before a 2-17 tech fall defeat in round two. 

In the consolation bracket, O'Donnell made it to the consolation first-place matchup with a decision victory, a fall victory, and a major decision victory in the three rounds prior. He fell by way of an injury in his final matchup.

Sophomore Bryce Claypool (Morris, Ill.), senior Carson Cook (Las Vegas, Nev.), and junior Adler Henn (Milwaukee, Wis.) all competed in the 165-pound weight class. Claypool was victorious in round one of the championship bracket with a 6-4 decision but was defeated by a tech fall and a 1:49 fall in his final two matchups. Cook finished with two team points after a tech fall victory in his first round of the consolation bracket. He was defeated by a pair of decisions in his other matchups. Henn was defeated by a pair of tech falls in his two matchups.

In the 174-pound weight class, the Falcons had both junior Jonathan Pullen (Joliet, Ill.) and freshman Dawson Galvan (Chula Vista, Calif.) competing. Pullen scored eight team points with a consolation first-place victory after four victories in the consolation bracket. He was victorious by a pair of falls, a medical forfeit, and an 8-2 decision. Galvan finished with three team points after a fall victory in round one of the championship bracket. He was defeated by a 3-8 decision and a fall.

Freshman Ruben Vasquez (Westminster, Calif.) was the lone Falcon in the 184-pound weight class. He scored 2.5 team points with a fall victory in his first round of the consolation bracket. He was defeated by a pair of decisions in his other two bouts.

Junior Peyton Smith (Milwaukee, Wis.) finished in second place in the 197-pound weight class with 20 team points. He was victorious all through the championship bracket by falls but was defeated by a tech fall in the first-place matchup.

Senior Dalton Sell (Muscatine, Iowa), junior Cam Mercer (Glenview, Ill.), and freshman Seth Elliott (Long Beach, Calif.) competed in the 285-pound weight class. Sell scored four team points with a fall and a decision victory in the first two rounds of the championship bracket. He was defeated by a fall and a decision in his last two matchups. Mercer scored 2.5 team points with a fall victory in his first matchup in the consolation bracket. His two defeats came by way of falls. Elliott scored 1.5 team points with a decision win in the consolation bracket.

The Falcons gear up for the CCIW Duals on Saturday.