INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - No. 10-ranked Ashland University wrestling brought nine athletes to the 39th annual Midwest Classic.
All nine won enough matches on Saturday (Dec. 16) to stay in contention to place on Sunday (Dec. 17).
"I don't think we've ever had everyone that we brought wrestling the second day," Ashland fifth-year head coach Josh Hutchens said. "That's a huge positive."
Junior Sebastian Vidika (9-4, 125 pounds) and sophomore Bret Romanzak (18-3, ranked third at 165), along with seniors Bob Mason (3-0, 141) and Jordan Murphy (2-0, 184) are all undefeated and awaiting semifinal matches.
"Four guys in the semifinals is great," Hutchens said. "Four in the finals can be better. But they've got to just be focused on the semfinal match first."
Vidika is the only Eagle to have beaten a ranked opponent thus far. He pinned No. 12 Jaret Singh (6-4) of Maryville in 3:29, and beat No. 11 Marcus Povlick (16-6) of McKendree, 18-0, in 1:58.
"I just had a clear head going into my matches," Vidika said. "It's always nice facing a ranked opponent, because there's that extra challenge really helps you focus in on the match."
Sophomores Garrett Hall (5-6, 157) and Christian Price (11-4, No. 10 at 174), as well as junior Deaken McCoy (8-4, No. 10 at 285), all won their first two matches and lost their last one of the day.
Juniors Lawrance Dudgeon (9-5, 133) and J.J. Diven (8-2, 149) both sit at 3-1, having lost early and worked their way back through their consolation brackets.
The final day of the Midwest Classic begins at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
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