Yellow Jackets Finish Regular Season with Fifth Place Result

ALMA, MICH. - The Defiance College wrestling team headed to Alma College on Saturday morning to participate in the Mid-States Invitational. Top finishers for the Yellow Jackets were Alex Smith (Castalia / Sandusky St. Mary's) and Cortez Bradley (Garfield / Warrensville Heights) with fourth place results, and Hunter Mcnutt (Oregon / Clay) with an eighth place finish. 

In the 141 weight class, DC sent Raymier Hickerson (Cleveland Heights / Cleveland Heights) and Smith into action. Hickerson grabbed a major decision win over his Ohio Northern opponent before falling in the quarterfinal. Smith was defeated in the first round before making a run deep into the consolation bracket. The Yellow Jacket pair found each other on the mat in the consolation round, with the Castalia native grabbing a 7-6 decision victory. Smith ultimately went on to drop a tight battle, 8-6, in the third place match. 

Bradley continued his winning ways in 149. The freshman fell to his Wabash foe in the first round before rallying back to the third place bout. The Garfield native picked up two victories by fall, one tech fall, and a decsion in route to his fourth place result. 

Shannon Legge (Maysville / Maysville Early College) also grabbed a handful of wins for DC. Legge picked up a decision win in the first round, before grabbing another decision victory in the consolation bracket. 

Mcnutt wrapped up the action in 184 with his eighth place result. A tight decision victory of 3-2 over his Trine foe in the first round sent him into the quarterfinals. After falling to Wabash, Mcnutt rebounded to grab a pin 4:54 into his bout with his Adrian foe. 

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 Fri., Feb. 22nd. Action is slated to take place in Crawfordsville, Ind., at Wabash College.