Results
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Elmhurst College wrestling team, ranked 18th in the latest NWCA Division III Poll, placed second at the 2010 CCIW Championships. The Bluejays totaled 95.0 points and finished just 5.5 points behind North Central College (100.5 points).
Elmhurst sent seven grapplers to the championship round and six Bluejays captured individual titles. North Central sent all 10 of its wrestlers to the championship match and had four conference champions.
CCIW Commissioner Chris Martin congratulates Elmhurst's Mark Corsello on being named the CCIW's Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Mark Corsello was named the league's Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning his third consecutive CCIW title at 285 pounds. Corsello pinned Wheaton's Jason Geick in 1:20 in the semifinals before scoring a 12-2 major decision over North Central's Rodney Knowlton in the championship match.
Jake Oster returned from an injury to win his third straight CCIW title at 125 pounds. Oster received a first-round bye and then defeated North Central's Joe Norton 5-2 in the championship match.
Charlie Curran scored his first conference title at 149 pounds with a pair of victories. Curran pinned Wheaton's Stephen Takashima in 1:27 in the opening round and then defeated North Central's Trent Reinhoehl by a 14-2 major decision in the championship round.
Dan Hamilton picked up the individual title at 157 pounds. Hamilton used a 12-2 major decision to defeat Wheaton's Matthew Cordell in the semifinals. Hamilton then defeated North Central's Tim Gingerich in the finals by a 14-4 major decision to earn the individual title.
Jack Lewis added an individual crown at 165 pounds. Lewis received a first-round bye into the championship round. In the title match, Lewis blanked North Central's 4-0 Jobi Bodi to earn his first conference championship.
Joe Rau also won an individual conference title for the Bluejays. Lewis earned a first-round bye into the finals and then pinned North Central's Vinny Sapienza in 4:58 in the championship match.
Ryan Earley placed second at 141 pounds. Earley defeated Augustana's Alberto Quiros 11-3 in the semifinals before losing a tight 4-3 decision to North Central's Andrew Zobac in the title match.
Two Bluejays scored third-place finishes.
Ben Salabura placed third at 133 pounds. After falling 6-5 to Augustana's Steve Poffenberger in the opening round, Salabura defeated Wheaton' Caleb Cardenas 5-0 in the consolation match.
Frank Savegnago added a third-place finish at 174 pounds. Elmhurst's
Mike McNeil added a fourth-place finish at 184 pounds.
The Bluejays will wrestle at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Saturday, February 20, at Augsburg College.