Minnesota State Has 12 Wrestlers Place at BVU Open
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State wrestlers were full throttle this weekend as five came away with first place finishes and seven others with placings of their own at the BVU Open hosted by Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, this past Saturday.
Brock Luthens, Caleb Meunier, Kole Marko, Mike Smith, and Shane Gibson all finished as champions at the BVU Open.
Luthens at 141, a senior and Minnesota native, went 4-0 this weekend to secure his first-place finish. In the championship match, Luthens won by decision over Ben Rosen 5-1, who wrestled unattached at BVU. Meunier also went 4-0 this weekend with a first-round bye.
A freshman from Wisconsin, Meunier now has two championships to his name after also placing first at the Luther Open earlier this year.
Kole Marko should be a familiar name by this point this year. This first-place finish for the 165 lb. freshman is his third in a row and counting. Marko is now 14-2 for the season, winning this past first-place finish by decision over Garrett Arment of Briar Cliff 10-4.
Smith, a 174 junior, claimed his first championship of the season as well this weekend. Smith went 4-0, winning by decision over Zeth Gerkensmeyer of Nebraska Wesleyan 4-1.
Gibson went 4-0 this weekend with a momentous win in sudden victory over John Colburne of Iowa Lakes CC 2-1. A 184 lb. junior from Montana, Gibson is 10-2 for the season and has placed in the top six of the last three tournaments.
MSU also had seven other wrestlers place in the top six this weekend at the BVU Open. Isaiah Mlsna, 133, placed 3rd; Payton Kostka, 149, placed 6th, Drake Hayward, 157, placed 5th; Brody Nielsen, 174, placed 4th; Nick Leo, 184, placed 3rd; Joshua Piechowski, 197, placed 4th; Max Villnow, 285, placed 5th.
Meunier, Sanders, Thoreson, and Marko all wrestled unattached at the BVU Open.
The Mavericks are back in action on December 17th in Phoenix, Arizona.
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BVU Open Results for Minnesota State
Isaiah Mlsna (133) – 3rd Place
Champ. Round 1 – Isaiah Mlsna (Minnesota State) won by decision over Benjamin Schmitz (Morningside) Dec 6-1
Quarterfinal – Isaiah Mlsna (Minnesota State) won by major decision over Jarrod Gilliam (Briar Cliff) Maj 9-0
Semifinal – Taylor Vasquez (Morningside) won in tie breaker – 1 over Isaiah Mlsna (Minnesota State) TB-1 3-2
3rd Place Match – Isaiah Mlsna (Minnesota State) won by decision over Ayden Rader (Iowa Lakes CC) Dec 7-2
Brock Luthens (141) – 1st Place
Champ. Round 1 – Brock Luthens (Minnesota State) won by decision over Caleb Nadig (Iowa Central CC) Dec 4-2
Quarterfinal – Brock Luthens (Minnesota State) won by major decision over Caleb Bower (Simpson College ) Maj 13-3
Semifinal – Brock Luthens (Minnesota State) won by decision over Axel Hernandez (Buena Vista) Dec 4-3
1st Place Match – Brock Luthens (Minnesota State) won by decision over Ben Rosen (unattached) Dec 5-1
Caleb Meunier (149) – 1st Place
Champ. Round 1 – Caleb Meunier (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Champ. Round 2 – Caleb Meunier (Minnesota State) won by forfeit over Brayden Stevens (Iowa Central CC) FF
Quarterfinal – Caleb Meunier (Minnesota State) won by fall over Josh Bower (Simpson College ) Fall 6:11
Semifinal – Caleb Meunier (Minnesota State) won by fall over Dalton Schams (Upper Iowa) Fall 1:43
1st Place Match – Caleb Meunier (Minnesota State) won by decision over Zach Stewart (Simpson College) Dec 6-1
Payton Kostka (149) – 6th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Dalton Schams (Upper Iowa) won by major decision over Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) Maj 11-2
Cons. Round 2 – Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) won by fall over Latravion Agu (Iowa Lakes CC) Fall 3:55
Cons. Round 3 – Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) won by decision over Kain Sanders (Minnesota State) Dec 11-4
Cons. Round 4 – Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) won by fall over Seth Littrell (Nebraska Wesleyan) Fall 1:50
Cons. Round 5 – Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) won by decision over John Ebaugh (Upper Iowa) Dec 4-2
Cons. Semi – Dalton Schams (Upper Iowa) won by fall over Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) Fall 3:27
5th Place Match – Drew Evans (Iowa Wesleyan) won by no contest over Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) NC
Kain Sanders (149)
Champ. Round 1 – Kain Sanders (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Champ. Round 2 – John Ebaugh (Upper Iowa) won by decision over Kain Sanders (Minnesota State) Dec 7-2
Cons. Round 2 – Kain Sanders (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Cons. Round 3 – Payton Kostka (Minnesota State) won by decision over Kain Sanders (Minnesota State) Dec 11-4
Drake Hayward (157) – 5th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Drake Hayward (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Champ. Round 2 – Drake Hayward (Minnesota State) won by fall over Nathan Napolitano (Iowa Central CC) Fall 4:04
Quarterfinal – John Diener (Morningside) won by decision over Drake Hayward (Minnesota State) Dec 8-6
Cons. Round 3 – Drake Hayward (Minnesota State) won by fall over Michael De La Cruz (Buena Vista) Fall 0:50
5th Place Match – Drake Hayward (Minnesota State) won by fall over Logan Jones (Iowa Central CC) Fall 5:32
Jett Thoreson (157)
Champ. Round 1 – Noah Styskal (Morningside) won by decision over Jett Thoreson (Minnesota State) Dec 11-5
Cons. Round 1 – Jett Thoreson (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Cons. Round 2 – Jett Thoreson (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Cons. Round 3 – Jett Thoreson (Minnesota State) won by decision over Riley Kovaleski (Simpson College ) Dec 13-9
Consolation 1st – Jett Thoreson (Minnesota State) won by fall over Thomas Mcbride (Nebraska Wesleyan) Fall 1:11
Kole Marko (165) – 1st Place
Champ. Round 1 – Kole Marko (Minnesota State) won by fall over Gunner Rodgers (Upper Iowa) Fall 4:13
Quarterfinal – Kole Marko (Minnesota State) won by fall over Malikhy Ray (Iowa Central CC) Fall 0:45
Semifinal – Kole Marko (Minnesota State) won by decision over Lawson Losee (unattached) Dec 3-2
1st Place Match – Kole Marko (Minnesota State) won by decision over Garrett Arment (Briar Cliff) Dec 10-4
Mike Smith (174) – 1st Place
Champ. Round 1 – Michael Smith (Minnesota State) won by forfeit over Ulises Placido (Iowa Lakes CC) FF
Quarterfinal – Michael Smith (Minnesota State) won by fall over Peyton Haupt (Nebraska Wesleyan) Fall 0:57
Semifinal – Michael Smith (Minnesota State) won by decision over Garret Bruce (Buena Vista) Dec 8-5
1st Place Match – Michael Smith (Minnesota State) won by decision over Zeth Gerkensmeyer (Nebraska Wesleyan) Dec 4-1
Brody Nielsen (174) – 4th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Brody Nielsen (Minnesota State) won by decision over Shyler Langley (Simpson College ) Dec 6-4
Quarterfinal – Brody Nielsen (Minnesota State) won by decision over Emmanuel Zepeda (Nebraska Wesleyan) Dec 6-4
Semifinal – Zeth Gerkensmeyer (Nebraska Wesleyan) won by medical forfeit over Brody Nielsen (Minnesota State) MFF
3rd Place Match – Garret Bruce (Buena Vista) won by medical forfeit over Brody Nielsen (Minnesota State) MFF
Gavin Christoffersen (174)
Champ. Round 1 – Gavin Christoffersen (Minnesota State) won by decision over Jackson Chapin (Morningside) Dec 6-2
Quarterfinal – Zeth Gerkensmeyer (Nebraska Wesleyan) won by decision over Gavin Christoffersen (Minnesota State) Dec 7-2
Cons. Round 2 – Brandon Harris (Briar Cliff) won by medical forfeit over Gavin Christoffersen (Minnesota State) MFF
Shane Gibson (184) – 1st Place
Champ. Round 1 – Shane Gibson (Minnesota State) won by fall over Joseph Gray (Morningside) Fall 0:19
Quarterfinal – Shane Gibson (Minnesota State) won by decision over Christian Balmer (Briar Cliff) Dec 12-5
Semifinal – Shane Gibson (Minnesota State) won by decision over John Colburne (Iowa Lakes CC) Dec 3-2
1st Place Match – Shane Gibson (Minnesota State) won in sudden victory – 1 over Hayden Wempen (Morningside) SV-1 3-1
Nick Leo (184) – 3rd Place
Champ. Round 1 – Nic Leo (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Quarterfinal – Nic Leo (Minnesota State) won by tech fall over Kaden Kaiser (Iowa Wesleyan) TF 17-0
Semifinal – Hayden Wempen (Morningside) won by decision over Nic Leo (Minnesota State) Dec 3-2
3rd Place Match – Nic Leo (Minnesota State) won in sudden victory – 1 over John Colburne (Iowa Lakes CC) SV-1 2-1
Joshua Piechowski (197) – 4th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Joshua Piechowski (Minnesota State) received a bye () Bye
Quarterfinal – Joshua Piechowski (Minnesota State) won by fall over Shane Mathias (Simpson College ) Fall 3:47
Semifinal – Zavione Willis (Iowa Lakes CC) won by decision over Joshua Piechowski (Minnesota State) Dec 4-3
Cons. Semi – Joshua Piechowski (Minnesota State) won by fall over Sendeska Kalskett (Morningside) Fall 2:27
3rd Place Match – Shane Mathias (Simpson College ) won by medical forfeit over Joshua Piechowski (Minnesota State) MFF
Max Villnow (285) – 5th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Jacob Rahn (Iowa Lakes CC) won by decision over Max Villnow (Minnesota State) Dec 9-2
Cons. Round 1 – Max Villnow (Minnesota State) won by fall over Dawson Schwerdtfeger (Nebraska Wesleyan) Fall 5:36
Cons. Round 2 – Max Villnow (Minnesota State) won by fall over Logan Brown (Upper Iowa) Fall 0:50
Cons. Semi – Max Villnow (Minnesota State) won by fall over Mitchel Marr (unattached) Fall 3:21
5th Place Match – Max Villnow (Minnesota State) won by decision over Jacob Rahn (Iowa Lakes CC) Dec 6-4