Kent State University
Michigan State Open
Kent State Wrestling Produces Sixteen Place-Finishers At Michigan State Open
11/8/2025 7:20:00 PM | Wrestling
East Lansing, Mich.– The Golden Flashes Wrestling team opened up the 2025-2026 season with strong performances across the board with 16 place-finishers at the Michigan State Open on Saturday, which was good for most placers from any team in the tournament.
With a Freshman/Sophomore Division and Open Division, the Blue and Gold saw eight placers in each division. Mason Tieffel advanced to the 141-pound Freshman/Sophomore Division finals, while JT Chance and Carson Miller both advanced to the Open Division Finals at the 157 and 165-pound classes respectively. All three finished the day at second place.
Tieffel pinned Jace Morgan of Michigan State and Miller took down TJ Schierl in a 4-1 decision to advance to the finals. JT Chance beat Darius Marines of Michigan State in the semifinals 5-3. Tieffel lost the finals in a tech fall, while Miller lost in a 4-0 decision to Edinboro's Ryan Burgos. Chance placed second after a medical forfeit in the final match.
Third-Place finishers in the Freshman/Sophomore division included Jake Jonker, who beat his teammate Braxton Quaintance 4-2 at 174 pounds. Mason Higley(197), who had a strong outing in his first collegiate competition, beat Max Acciardi(Arizona State) in his final match of the day to win third.
Trent Thomas and Blake Schaffer placed third in the open division at 184 and 197 pounds respectively. Thomas beat teammate Holden Martin by medical forfeit as Schaffer defeated Luke Cochran of Central Michigan in the third-place match.
Kent State had four fourth-place finishers in the Freshman/Sophomore Division with Tyeler Hagensen(125), Silas Stits(157), Reese Stephen(165) and Quaintance(174). Martin(184) also placed fourth in the Open division.
At 174 Pounds, Chris Sanchez finished fifth in the Freshman/Sophomore division. In the Open division, Nicholas Molchak and Keegan Knapp also finished in the top five at 133 and 157 pounds respectively. Landen Duncan also finished sixth in the Open division at 141 pounds.
Up Next
The Golden Flashes will return to Northeast Ohio for two dual meets in two days. They will take on Mount Union at Stow-Munroe Falls High School on Friday and host the University of Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio.
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