Miller Wins 157-Pound Title at Navy Classic

Saturday, November 23

Annapolis, Md.

10:00 a.m.

Kent State University

Navy Classic

Photo by: Sam Janicki

Miller Wins 157-Pound Title at Navy Classic

11/23/2013 9:35:00 PM | Wrestling

Final Brackets

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Sophomore Ian Miller won the 157-pound bracket, while four other Golden Flashes placed third Saturday at the Navy Classic inside Wesley Brown Field House. As a team, Kent State finished fourth of 14 schools with 95.5 points. Wisconsin won the team title with 164 points.

"We were an overtime loss away from finishing second instead of fourth," Head Coach Jim Andrassy said. "We had too many mental lapses and most of them came from the end of the quarterfinal round through the semifinal round. But we came back and wrestled well at the end."

Miller went 5-0 on the day with first-period pins in his first three bouts. Miller then defeated Navy's Bobby Burg by major decision (14-5) in the semifinals. Miller closed out his day by downing top-seeded Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin, 10-7. Jordan was No. 7 in this week's Amateur Wrestling News rankings.

"Ian made a mistake and gave up a four-point move at the end of the first period," Andrassy said of the finals. "Other than that, he controlled the whole match. He got out from the bottom against a guy who is good on top and he rode him out. Ian's really progressed. Two years ago, he wouldn't have overcome that mistake."

Sophomores Michael DePalma and Mack McGuire each went 5-1 in third place finishes. In the 133-pound consolation final, McGuire earned a 12-0 major decision over Brown's Anthony Finacchario. His only loss came against No. 2 Tyler Graff (Wisconsin). DePalma lit up the scoreboard for 20 points in his opening round major decision of Princeton's Nicholas Maselli.

"Mike was winning in the first period when he got caught in something and got pinned," Andrassy said of DePalma's semifinal.

Junior Tyler Small and sophomore Sam Wheeler each went 4-1 to claim third place. Small's only setback came against top-seeded Richard Durso (Franklin & Marshall) at 141 pounds. Wheeler cruised to a 14-4 major decision of Chattanooga's John Lampe in his 184-pound consolation final.

"You could tell Sam was sick," Andrassy said of Wheeler's first three matches. "But his last two matches were as good as I've seen him wrestle against good kids."

Sophomore Alfredo Gray went 5-3 with three major decisions in a sixth place finish at 125. After losing in the round of 16, Gray won four straight matches by a combined score of 38-9. Joining Gray in the 125-pound bracket was sophomore Del Vinas, who went 2-2.

Sophomore Cole Baxter was one win away from placing in the top six at 197. Sophomore Mike Vollant went 3-2 with a pin at 165 pounds.

"Cole was winning his quarterfinal by two points and got hit for stalling three times in the last 20 seconds and lost in overtime," Andrassy said. "And that guy ended up going to the finals."

The Golden Flashes make their M.A.C. Center season debut Dec. 7, for their Mid-American Conference opener against Buffalo. Sophomore 165-pounder Tyler Buckwalter and junior 174-pounder Caleb Marsh both did not compete at Navy, but are expected back against Buffalo.