Wrestling Begins Season at Jim Fox Invite
DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Eureka men's wrestling team kicked off the season with a strong performance on Saturday at the Jim Fox Invite.
The Red Devils finished the day with eight place-winners, including Jacob Kaminski, who took first place at 285 pounds. Kaminski won by fall in the finals against the 18th nationally ranked wrestler in his weight class. On his way to the finals, Kaminski secured victories by pin or technical fall in all of his matchups.
"I've been extremely excited to get back on the mat, and the Dubuque Open did not disappoint," Kaminski said. "I'm happy to come away with first place, and I had a great time competing for an outstanding team and coaching staff. It's a long season, and I'm looking forward to more opportunities to compete and to keep improving."
Returners Trevor Hedges and Nathan Berta also secured second-place finishes for the Red Devils. Hedges reached the final at 133 pounds after winning by fall in the semifinal. Unfortunately, after a close match in the final, he fell by decision. At 141 pounds, Berta advanced to the final following a win by fall in the semifinal, but he was also defeated by fall in the final, earning him a second-place finish. Gaige Owens finished just behind Berta at 141, ending his day with a third-place finish after winning his third-place matchup by major decision, 12-0.
At 125 pounds, Jake Jozwiak claimed third place for Eureka. After losing by fall in his opening match, Jozwiak rebounded with three consecutive victories by fall to secure third place.
Isaac Smith finished in eighth place at 133 pounds, while Colton Davis also placed eighth at 149 pounds. Alex Muhammad rounded out the place-winners for Eureka with an eighth-place finish at 165 pounds.
"The men competed great today," said Eureka head coach Eric Biehl. "As a team, we had the best individual records of the tournament (27 wins, 18 losses). I know some of our new guys would have liked to see their hands raised, but as a whole, they battled well. Only three guys did not place, which is a huge accomplishment!"
This is just the beginning for an incredibly talented Eureka wrestling team that hopes to have a historic season.
UP NEXT
The Red Devils will head to Decorah, Iowa, on Saturday, Nov. 9, to participate in the Luther Open.