Eureka Snags Three More Titles in Last Meet Before Regionals

PELLA, Iowa – Eureka's Gaige Owens (Marion, Ill./Marion/Iowa Wesleyan), Nathan Berta (Channahon, Ill./Minooka/ Calumet College of St. Joseph) and Andrew Sims (Heyworth, Ill./Heyworth/Lincoln) made the most of their opportunities in the last wrestling meet before regionals.

The trio of Eureka wrestlers finished at the top of the bracket in their respective weight classes at the Central Last Chance Invitational on Friday evening. Five others placed for the Red Devils, as well.

"This was a good closer to our season," EC wrestling coach Eric Biehl said. "The guys should have some confidence going into the national qualifier."

Owens advanced to the 133-pound first-place match with a first-period pin against Graceland's Terrance Smith in 1:35. Then, he clinched the championship with a 17-3 major decision over Graceland's Riley Harger.

"I feel like all the hard work is paying off," said Owens, who also won the 133-pound title at Dubuque last weekend . "I think people are starting to see it."

At 141, Berta was so efficient that he didn't have to spend much time on the mat. He pinned four opponents in a combined two minutes, fifty seconds. The sophomore clinched the title with a pin against Central's Trent Harper in 32 seconds. After the meet, he said it was a "fun day all around – big cradle day."

At 165, Sims had a more dramatic route to his second straight title. He opened with a quick pin over William Penn's Braden Peglow and advanced to the semifinals with a win by medical forfeit.

After that, Sims earned a 12-5 decision over Graceland's Hunter Nelson, setting up a memorable final match. He came out on top, 3-1, against Central's Jason Hermann by way of sudden victory, scoring the winning takedown just before the clock ran out.    

"You just gotta never stop wrestling," Sims said after the win. Sims also captured the title in his weight class at Dubuque last weekend.

Robert Castellano (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg/Lincoln) took runner-up in the heavyweight bracket. In the semifinals, he defeated Central's Michael Esquivel by fall in 4:39, then came up short by 3-2 decision against Graceland's Sam Fleming in the first-place match.

Jake Jozwiak (Lake Villa, Ill./Grayslake North/Lincoln), who won the title at 125 pounds at Dubuque last weekend, came in third this time. After losing by 9-6 decision in the semifinals against William Penn's Jeffery Myers, he defeated Graceland's Riece Graham by medical forfeit in the third-place match.

Bradden Davis (Mount Vernon, Ill./Mount Vernon) and Robert Muhammad (Palos Heights, Ill./Shepard/Lincoln) both placed fourth at 149 and 174, respectively.

Thomas Culp (Quincy, Ill./Quincy/Lincoln) picked up a 13-0 major decision over Graceland's Musa Kamara in the consolation semifinals to make it to the fifth-place match. Then, he clinched fifth with a 44-second pin over Augustana's Colby Lape.

The countdown to regionals is officially on.

"We'll be ready to see what we're made of in two weeks," Biehl said.