Beltran earns first place finish at Mid-States Invitational

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. - The Defiance College wrestling team headed to Wabash College on Saturday morning to participate in the Mid-States Invitational. Top finishers for the Yellow Jackets were Rosendo Beltran (Toledo, Ohio / Central Catholic) with a first-place finish and Hunter Mcnutt (Oregon / Clay) with a third-place finish. Cortez Bradley (Garfield / Warrensville Heights) and Alejandro Castro (Cromwell, Ind. / Wawasee) finished with fifth place results, and as a team, the Yellow Jackets finished 7th of 11 teams.

In the 125 weight class, Beltran finished at the top of the podium with three wins on the day. In the quarterfinal match, he won by fall over his opponent from Alma College in 1 minute and 12 seconds. The junior continued his winning way by picking up an 18-2 technical fall victory in the semifinal match. In the championship match of the day, he won by way of a pin in 6 minutes and 31 seconds to secure the 1st place finish. 

Bradley wrestled in the 149 weight class and picked up two victories on the day. The first win came in the second round, and he finished with a 12-3 major decision victory over his opponent from Heidelberg. In the quarterfinal match, he picked up a 10-7 decision win en route to his fifth-place result. 

Castro also finished with fifth place results in the 165 weight class, grabbing a handful of wins for Defiance. In the second round, the freshman won by way of a 15-0 technical fall, before grabbing another victory by way of a pin in the quarterfinal match. To secure the fifth-place finish, the Cromwell, Indiana native won by an 11-2 major decision over his opponent from Heidelberg. 

Mcnutt wrapped up the action in 184 with his third-place result. A bye in the first round sent him into the quarterfinals where he won by an 8-3 decision. After falling to Wabash, Mcnutt rebounded to grab a 16-0 technical fall win in the consolation semifinal match. A tight decision victory of 12-11 over his MacMurray foe in the final match of the day secured him the third-place finish.

The Yellow Jackets' participation in the Mid-States Invitational wraps up the regular season for DC. The team will return to action as they head to the NCAA DIII Regional on Friday, Feb. 28th. Action is slated to take place in Adrian, Michigan, at Adrian College.