Eureka Competes at North Central, Prepares for Upcoming Home Dual

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka men's wrestling team competed in the 59th Annual North Central College Invitational on Saturday.

It was the Red Devils' last meet before the team's home dual against Aurora on Friday at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.

Although a handful of EC's starters sat the meet out to rest up for the first dual of the year, nine EC wrestlers still represented the maroon and gold on Saturday.

Thomas Culp (Quincy, Ill./Quincy/Lincoln) came one win away from placing at 197 pounds. The junior went 3-2 on the day, recording a fall, a decision and a major decision.

He opened the day with a pin in 35 seconds against an opponent he could see again soon in Aurora's Hector Flores. He then lost by fall in 3:53 in the second round against Augsburg's Parker Venz before coming back strong with a 6-4 decision on Baldwin Wallace's Evan Daniels.

Culp followed that with a 14-1 major over Carthage's Diego Fuentes. He got pinned by Wabash's Neil Johnson in his final match of the day.

"It was good to see him get into his groove again and wrestle the way he knows how," EC coach Eric Biehl said of Culp.

At 149 pounds, Dominic Tenauyca (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Jacobs/Lincoln) also provided a win for the Red Devils. In his first consolation round, he scored a 16-1 tech fall over Joliet Junior College's Jake Meskauskas.

On Sunday, the Eureka women's team will compete in the North Central College Invitational on Sunday at 9 a.m. The men's team, meanwhile, will turn its attention to preparing for Friday night at 6:30 p.m. when the Spartans come to town.

"We're looking forward to the first dual of the year," Biehl said. "It's gonna be competitive."