7 wrestlers qualify for nationals

OTTAWA, Kan. – Wayland Baptist finished second as a team and qualified seven individuals, including first-place finisher Demarco Speller, for the NAIA Wrestling National Championships at Saturday's South Qualifier.

"It was a good showing for the team. The guys looked good," Wayland coach Aaron Meister said of his 19^th-ranked Pioneers who scored 141½ points to come in behind Oklahoma City University's 188½.

The South Qualifier, featuring nine teams, was one of six competitions around the country at which the top three finishers in each of 10 weight classes automatically qualified for nationals, set for March 3-4 in Topeka, Kan. The remainder of the 240-man field will be filled with 30 at-large qualifiers determined by coaches at each regional with 30 more being named by a national selection committee. The full field will be announced Tuesday.

Speller, a junior from El Paso, won the 133-pound class with a tech fall victory followed by two decisions, including an 8-7 nail-biter in the championship over Brandon Vela of Bacone.

"Demarco was really focused and looked sharp," Meister said.

Five other Pioneers – Adelfo Valdez, Zach Mitchell, Jose Alvarez, Mich Napier and Riley Williams – brought home second-place finishes.

Valdez, competing at 125, fell to OCU's Mason Naifeh in the first-place match, 7-3.

Mitchell, in 165s, pinned his first two opponents before losing to OCU's Ricky McCarty in the championship match by tech fall. "Zach lost to a very tough opponent, a returning two-time all-American national champion," Meister said.

Wayland qualified two wrestlers at 174, Alvarez and Drake Lovvorn, who placed third. Both lost matches to Nicholas Meck of York, Neb., Alvarez in the championship, 7-2, and Lovvorn in the semifinals, 6-2. Meister tipped his cap to Meck. "He got the ball rolling before we could."

At 184, Wayland opted to take a medical forfeit on Napier's behalf in the championship, giving the title to Derek Sivertsen of OCU.

"Mich is coming off an injury, and we didn't want to risk re-aggravating anything," Meister explained. "We'll give him more to heal up for nationals and hopefully get him back on the podium."

Williams, at 197, faced a familiar opponent in his title match, Evan Hudson of OCU. Meister said Williams has beaten him previously, but Hudson got the upper-hand Saturday and won, 7-2. "He found a way to get it done," Meister said of Hudson.

Abraham Rodriguez just missed automatically qualifying by placing fourth at 141, losing by pin in the third-place match to Bacone's Abel VillaMoreno.

Meister said he and the team are happy with the results and look forward to a solid showing at nationals early next month.

"I like where we are as a team heading to nationals," Meister said. "We'll just keep doing what we're doing right and improve on the things we didn't do right and have an even better performance a nationals."
  Team Results
1. Oklahoma City - 188.5
2. Wayland Baptist (Texas) - 141.5
3. Bacone (Okla.) - 126.0
4. Bethany (Kan.) - 80.5
5. York (Neb.) - 72.5
6. Ottawa (Kan.) - 43.0
7. Kansas Wesleyan - 25.5
8. Central Christian (Kan.) - 15.0
9. Saint Mary (Kan.) - 0.0

Individual Results for Wayland Baptist
125 - Adelfo Valdez (4-7) placed 2nd and scored 12.00 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Adelfo Valdez (Wayland Baptist) 4-7 received a bye () (Bye)
    Semifinal - Adelfo Valdez (Wayland Baptist) 4-7 won by decision over Reid Pfeifer (Bacone) 15-16 (Dec 6-3)
    1st Place Match - Mason Naifeh (Oklahoma City) 21-11 won by decision over Adelfo Valdez (Wayland Baptist) 4-7 (Dec 7-3)

133 - Demarco Speller (20-7) placed 1st and scored 15.50 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Demarco Speller (Wayland Baptist) 20-7 won by tech fall over Kaiden Hudson (Bacone) 9-13 (TF-1.5 5:00 (20-2))
    Semifinal - Demarco Speller (Wayland Baptist) 20-7 won by decision over Oscar Marin (York) 15-10 (Dec 6-2)
    1st Place Match - Demarco Speller (Wayland Baptist) 20-7 won by decision over Brandon Vela (Bacone) 17-13 (Dec 8-7)

141 - Abraham Rodriguez (10-12) placed 4th and scored 9.00 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Abraham Rodriguez (Wayland Baptist) 10-12 received a bye () (Bye)
    Semifinal - James Landoll (Oklahoma City) 11-13 won by fall over Abraham Rodriguez (Wayland Baptist) 10-12 (Fall 6:42)
    Cons. Semi - Abraham Rodriguez (Wayland Baptist) 10-12 won by tech fall over Antonio Sandoval (Ottawa) 1-7 (TF-1.5 1:27 (17-0))
    3rd Place Match - Abel VillaMoreno (Bacone) 9-12 won by fall over Abraham Rodriguez (Wayland Baptist) 10-12 (Fall 8:48)

149 - Damarea Speller (14-18) placed 6th and scored 9.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Damarea Speller (Wayland Baptist) 14-18 received a bye () (Bye)
    Quarterfinal - Devontae Fitzgerald (Central Christian (Kan.)) 9-8 won by fall over Damarea Speller (Wayland Baptist) 14-18 (Fall 0:23)
    Cons. Round 2 - Damarea Speller (Wayland Baptist) 14-18 won by fall over Michael Aldrich (Ottawa) 10-15 (Fall 4:01)
    Cons. Round 3 - Damarea Speller (Wayland Baptist) 14-18 won by fall over Abel Garcia (Kansas Wesleyan (Kan.)) 0-11 (Fall 1:05)
    Cons. Semi - Tyler Bennett (Bacone) 20-10 won by decision over Damarea Speller (Wayland Baptist) 14-18 (Dec 14-10)
    5th Place Match - John Pacha (Ottawa) 15-8 won by decision over Damarea Speller (Wayland Baptist) 14-18 (Dec 4-2)

165 - Zach Mitchell (13-3) placed 2nd and scored 17.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Zach Mitchell (Wayland Baptist) 13-3 received a bye () (Bye)
    Quarterfinal - Zach Mitchell (Wayland Baptist) 13-3 won by fall over Trayvon Taylor (Ottawa) 5-20 (Fall 1:44)
    Semifinal - Zach Mitchell (Wayland Baptist) 13-3 won by fall over Joseph McAleavey (Bacone) 16-7 (Fall 5:32)
    1st Place Match - Ricky McCarty (Oklahoma City) 14-3 won by tech fall over Zach Mitchell (Wayland Baptist) 13-3 (TF-1.5 5:30 (15-0))

165 - Romen Correa (10-13) placed 6th and scored 9.00 team points.
    Champ. Round 1 - Romen Correa (Wayland Baptist) 10-13 won by tech fall over Daniel Llamas (Bacone) 5-16 (TF-1.5 4:08 (15-0))
    Quarterfinal - Ricky McCarty (Oklahoma City) 14-3 won by tech fall over Romen Correa (Wayland Baptist) 10-13 (TF-1.5 2:41 (16-0))
    Cons. Round 2 - Romen Correa (Wayland Baptist) 10-13 received a bye () (Bye)
    Cons. Round 3 - Romen Correa (Wayland Baptist) 10-13 won by tech fall over Clay DeWaal (Bethany) 7-12 (TF-1.5 6:27 (22-4))
    Cons. Semi - Joseph McAleavey (Bacone) 16-7 won by decision over Romen Correa (Wayland Baptist) 10-13 (Dec 8-4)
    5th Place Match - Austin Coy (York) 12-4 won by decision over Romen Correa (Wayland Baptist) 10-13 (Dec 7-2)

174 - Jose Alvarez (16-1) placed 2nd and scored 15.00 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Jose Alvarez (Wayland Baptist) 16-1 won by major decision over Tanner Borror (Oklahoma City) 10-14 (MD 10-2)
    Semifinal - Jose Alvarez (Wayland Baptist) 16-1 won by fall over Dylan Hll (Bacone) 17-15 (Fall 1:48)
    1st Place Match - Nicholas Meck (York) 17-0 won by decision over Jose Alvarez (Wayland Baptist) 16-1 (Dec 7-2)

174 - Drake Lovvorn (15-4) placed 3rd and scored 12.50 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Drake Lovvorn (Wayland Baptist) 15-4 won by fall over Carlos Martinez (Bethany) 0-13 (Fall 2:59)
    Semifinal - Nicholas Meck (York) 17-0 won by decision over Drake Lovvorn (Wayland Baptist) 15-4 (Dec 6-2)
    Cons. Semi - Drake Lovvorn (Wayland Baptist) 15-4 won by decision over Tanner Borror (Oklahoma City) 10-14 (Dec 6-0)
    3rd Place Match - Drake Lovvorn (Wayland Baptist) 15-4 won by decision over Dylan Hll (Bacone) 17-15 (Dec 10-3)

184 - Michael Napier (12-7) placed 2nd and scored 14.00 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Michael Napier (Wayland Baptist) 12-7 won by fall over Kyle Dillon (Ottawa) 7-19 (Fall 2:18)
    Semifinal - Michael Napier (Wayland Baptist) 12-7 won by decision over Felipe Nava (Bacone) 16-11 (Dec 9-3)
    1st Place Match - Derek Sivertsen (Oklahoma City) 16-6 won by medical forfeit over Michael Napier (Wayland Baptist) 12-7 (M. For.)

197 - Nik Gates (5-11) placed 5th and scored 6.50 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Tanner O`Donnell (Kansas Wesleyan (Kan.)) 17-11 won by decision over Nik Gates (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 (Dec 11-5)
    Cons. Round 1 - Nik Gates (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 won by decision over Joe Steve (Bethany) 1-16 (Dec 9-4)
    Cons. Semi - Jovanni Virgen (Bacone) 13-13 won by decision over Nik Gates (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 (Dec 11-6)
    5th Place Match - Nik Gates (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 won by decision over Devaunte Cuba (York) 2-15 (Dec 9-2)

197 - Riley Williams (23-5) placed 2nd and scored 14.00 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Riley Williams (Wayland Baptist) 23-5 won by fall over Jebario Allums (Ottawa) 0-5 (Fall 1:09)
    Semifinal - Riley Williams (Wayland Baptist) 23-5 won by decision over Jovanni Virgen (Bacone) 13-13 (Dec 6-0)
    1st Place Match - Evan Hudson (Oklahoma City) 18-9 won by decision over Riley Williams (Wayland Baptist) 23-5 (Dec 7-2)

285 - Tim McCutcheon (5-11) placed 5th and scored 8.00 team points.
    Quarterfinal - Jeffery Albers (York) 7-6 won by fall over Tim McCutcheon (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 (Fall 2:23)
    Cons. Round 1 - Tim McCutcheon (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 received a bye () (Bye)
    Cons. Semi - Bryson McGowan (Oklahoma City) 21-14 won by fall over Tim McCutcheon (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 (Fall 4:37)
    5th Place Match - Tim McCutcheon (Wayland Baptist) 5-11 won by forfeit over Daviaire Dickerson (Bethany) 3-3 (For.)