Jan. 5, 2008

By Tim Glon

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Luke Miller finished third at 157 pounds and David Penny placed fifth at 125 points to lead the Ohio Northern wrestling team at the Midwest Classic at Nicoson Hall Friday and Saturday at the University of Indianapolis.

The tournament featured 21 teams from Divisions II and III and the NAIA in the field of squads from around the Midwest.

The Polar Bears finished 16th with 32.5 points. Adams State (Colo.) won with 142 points, Newbury was second with 107.5 points and Ashland was third with 103.5 points.

Miller (17-5) placed third with a 5-1 record, including an impressive 3-0 run through the consolation bracket on Saturday.

He defeated Brandon Monin of Gannon 5-1, topped third-seeded George Sheppard of Campbellsville (Ky.) 3-2 and topped sixth-seeded Eric Pretto of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 6-2 in the third place match on Sat.

Miller defeated Mikel Bush of Limestone (S.C.) 7-2, fell to Noomis Jones of Adams State (Colo.) 6-1 and topped John Sundgren of St. Cloud State (Minn.) 8-4 on Friday.

Seventh-seeded David Penny (15-3) defeated Scott Baron of Gannon (Pa.) 14-1 and topped second-seeded Brandon Davis of Ashland 3-1 to reach the semifinals of the 125-pound weight class on Friday.

After falling to third-seeded Joe Mavins of North Cartolina-Pembroke in the semis on Saturday, he fell to fifth-seeded Kody Pierson of Carson Newman 8-2 and won a rematch with Davis by an identical 3-1 score in the fifrth place match.

Joe Fisher went 2-2 in the heavyweight class with a pin of Sean Shanahan of Wisconsin-Parkside in 5:32 and a decision over Lance Peters of Augustana 11-7 before being eliminated in the double-elimination format.

Eighth-seeded Ben Plowman (at 174) and Drew Swick (184) each went 1-2 in the tournament.

Plowman lost in the first round, but battled back to top Findlay's Jeff Havelka 4-3. He was then eliminated by No. 3-seeded Bryant Blanton of Newbury.

Swick pinned Ben Ellard of Campbellsville (Ky.) in 5:47, but fell twice to be eliminated with a 1-2 mark.

The Polar Bears will return to Ohio Athletic Conference action Tuesday with a dual at home against Muskingum at 7:30 pm at the ONU Sports Center.

Ohio Northern Placers
125 — David Penny (5th)
157 — Luke Miller (3rd)