INDIANAPOLIS – An impressive opening day performance for the 22^nd ranked University of Mary wrestling team at the 43^rd Midwest Classic has the Marauders in third place in the team standings. Six UMary wrestlers remain alive with a chance to place in the largest NCAA Division II tournament of the season.
 
Reece Barnhardt and Max Bruss were both perfect on the day, winning three matches each to earn a spot in the semifinals on Sunday.
 
Four more Marauders will wrestle in the blood rounds on Sunday. Laken Boese, Leo Mushinsky, Anthony Velazquez and Wyatt Lidberg will each advance and place in the tournament with a win in their first match of the day or be eliminated with a loss.
 
The Marauders generated 54 team points on day one. Central Oklahoma leads the way with 107, followed by Pitt.-Johnstown (64.5 point), UMary, Lander (53.5) and Upper Iowa (45) in the 43-team tournament that includes over 400 competitors and 17 ranked teams.
 
Barnhardt was in complete control in all three of his matches at 133. The All-American opened with a pin of Drury's Jackson Caswell just 2:53 into the match. The 8^th ranked Barnhardt followed with an 8-1 decision over Gavin Ritter of Findlay. In the quarterfinals he downed Mason Turner (Fort Hays State) 10-4.
 
Bruss also finished day one undefeated. Ranked 6^th nationally, Bruss rolled past Andrew (Jayson) Knick of Findlay with a 9-1 major decision. In his second match he edged past Cade Lindsey (Fort Hays State) with a 7-5 decision. Saving his best for last, Bruss pinned #9 Cole Hernandez (Western Colorado) at the 4:30 mark at 174.
 
Boese had an impressive start to the day. The senior from Bismarck, ND, needed just 69 seconds to dispatch Elijah-Kade Millsaps of Lincoln Memorial in his first match of the day at 141. He followed with a pin of Caleb Morris (Pitt.-Johnstown) at 3:35. In the quarterfinals, he suffered a loss to #1 Zeth Brower (Lander) by fall at 6:53.
 
Velazquez used one of the biggest wins of the day by the Marauders to earn the right to compete on Sunday. Forced into the consolation rounds at 157 after a 13-6 loss in an opening preliminary round to 6^th ranked JD Culp of Central Missouri, Velazquez moved on with a medical forfeit before downing Cody Hicks (Fort Hays State) 14-8 in a high-scoring match. Earning a rematch against Culp, Velazquez found redemption by taking a decisive 12-5 decision over his nationally-ranked foe. He moved forward to Sunday with a pin of Mike Vernagallo (Mount Olive) at 2:43.
 
Lidberg claimed a pair of bonus point wins to advance in the 184 weight class. After rolling past JD Johnson (Newman) with an 11-1 major decision, Lidberg narrowly missed knocking off #11 Brock Biddle (Pitt.-Johnstown), dropping a 3-2 decision. He stayed alive with another dominating performance, downing William Martin (Ouachita Baptist) by technical fall at 7:00 after generating an 18-3 lead. He wrapped up the day with a 14-7 decision over Jason Bynarowicz.
 
Mushinsky won three of his four matches at 149 to stay alive in the tournament. He opened with an 11-3 major decision over Zander Fields (Ouachita Baptist) before falling in a close match 5-3 to Jalen Spuhler (UW-Parkside). Mushinsky rebounded with a dominant win by technical fall at the 7:00 mark over Alex Dilegge (Limestone) after building an 18-3 lead. He wrapped up the day with a narrow 3-1 decision over Matthew Kaufmann.
 
Three Marauders had strong days but were unable to advance.
 
Riley Noble won twice by fall as he split four matches at 165.
 
#11 Matthew Kaylor finished 2-2 at 197, including one win by technical fall.
 
Luke Tweeton also split his four matches at 285, with his first victory coming by fall.
 
43rd Midwest Classic Day One Results for UMary
133
Champ. Round 1 - Reece Barnhardt (Mary) 13-3 won by fall over Jackson Caswell (Drury) 9-6 (Fall 2:53)
Champ. Round 2 - Reece Barnhardt (Mary) 13-3 won by decision over Gavin Ritter (Findlay) 2-2 (Dec 8-1)
Quarterfinal - Reece Barnhardt (Mary) 13-3 won by decision over Mason Turner (Fort Hays State) 12-4 (Dec 10-4)
 
141
Champ. Round 1 - Laken Boese (Mary) 10-4 won by fall over Elijah-Kade Millsaps (Lincoln Memorial) 2-7 (Fall 1:09)
Champ. Round 2 - Laken Boese (Mary) 10-4 won by fall over Caleb Morris (Pitt.-Johnstown) 3-1 (Fall 3:35)
Quarterfinal - Zeth Brower (Lander) 3-0 won by fall over Laken Boese (Mary) 10-4 (Fall 6:53)
 
149
Champ. Round 1 - Leo Mushinsky (Mary) 8-6 won by major decision over Zander Fields (Ouachita Baptist) 3-5 (MD 11-3)
Champ. Round 2 - Jalen Spuhler (UW-Parkside) 2-1 won by decision over Leo Mushinsky (Mary) 8-6 (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Leo Mushinsky (Mary) 8-6 won by tech fall over Alex Dilegge (Limestone) 16-7 (TF-1.5 7:00 (18-3))
Cons. Round 3 - Leo Mushinsky (Mary) 8-6 won by decision over Matthew Kaufmann (Notre Dame (Ohio)) 16-6 (Dec 3-1)
 
157
Prelim - JD Culp (Central Missouri) 17-8 won by decision over Anthony Velazquez (Mary) 7-4 (Dec 13-6)
Prelim - Anthony Velazquez (Mary) 7-4 won by medical forfeit over Eric Faught (Upper Iowa) 11-3 (M. For.)
Cons. Round 1 - Anthony Velazquez (Mary) 7-4 won by decision over Cody Hicks (Fort Hays State) 9-9 (Dec 14-8)
Cons. Round 2 - Anthony Velazquez (Mary) 7-4 won by decision over JD Culp (Central Missouri) 17-8 (Dec 12-5)
Cons. Round 3 - Anthony Velazquez (Mary) 7-4 won by fall over Mike Vernagallo (Mount Olive) 12-3 (Fall 2:43)
 
165
Prelim - Riley Noble (Mary) 4-2 won by fall over Cooper Bachman (Emmanuel) 6-6 (Fall 4:23)
Champ. Round 1 - Drew Wiechers (Ashland) 8-2 won by decision over Riley Noble (Mary) 4-2 (Dec 6-3)
Cons. Round 1 - Riley Noble (Mary) 4-2 won by decision over Mike Clark (Mercyhurst) 3-4 (Dec 11-6)
Cons. Round 2 - Riley Noble (Mary) 4-2 won by fall over Caleb Grau (UNC-Pembroke) 11-2 (Fall 5:28)
Cons. Round 3 - Cole Ritter (Maryville) 9-4 won by decision over Riley Noble (Mary) 4-2 (Dec 5-2)
 
174
Champ. Round 1 - Max Bruss (Mary) 13-2 won by major decision over Andrew (Jayson) Knick (Findlay) 2-2 (MD 9-1)
Champ. Round 2 - Max Bruss (Mary) 13-2 won by decision over Cade Lindsey (Fort Hays State) 14-4 (Dec 7-5)
Quarterfinal - Max Bruss (Mary) 13-2 won by fall over Cole Hernandez (Western Colorado) 10-5 (Fall 4:30)
 
184
Champ. Round 1 - Wyatt Lidberg (Mary) 13-3 won by major decision over JD Johnson (Newman) 13-8 (MD 11-1)
Champ. Round 2 - Brock Biddle (Pitt.-Johnstown) 3-1 won by decision over Wyatt Lidberg (Mary) 13-3 (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Wyatt Lidberg (Mary) 13-3 won by tech fall over William Martin (Ouachita Baptist) 6-7 (TF-1.5 7:00 (18-3))
Cons. Round 3 - Wyatt Lidberg (Mary) 13-3 won by decision over Jason Bynarowicz (Colorado Mesa) 9-5 (Dec 14-7)
 
197
Champ. Round 1 - Matt Kaylor (Mary) 12-6 won by decision over Jacob Kowalski (Findlay) 2-2 (Dec 6-1)
Champ. Round 2 - Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) 3-0 won by fall over Matt Kaylor (Mary) 12-6 (Fall 3:50)
Cons. Round 2 - Matt Kaylor (Mary) 12-6 won by tech fall over Trent Strong (Central Missouri) 6-10 (TF-1.5 7:00 (17-2))
Cons. Round 3 - Porter Fox (Western Colorado) 9-4 won in tie breaker - 1 over Matt Kaylor (Mary) 12-6 (TB-1 4-2)
 
285
Prelim - Luke Tweeton (Mary) 13-5 won by fall over Robert Ward (Kentucky Wesleyan ) 1-15 (Fall 3:51)
Champ. Round 1 - Jacob Telles (King) 17-8 won by decision over Luke Tweeton (Mary) 13-5 (Dec 3-1)
Cons. Round 1 - Luke Tweeton (Mary) 13-5 won by decision over Ja`Mond Goodwine (Emmanuel) 6-9 (Dec 6-0)
Cons. Round 2 - Ian Kuehl (McKendree) 2-2 won by decision over Luke Tweeton (Mary) 13-5 (Dec 6-0)
 
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