The Westminster Blue Jays enter the second consecutive (of three in a row) weekend of competition. The Westminster Blue Jays traveled to St. Louis for the Dr. Tom Smith Invite hosted by Missouri Baptist University. This event gave Westminster to see two of the NCAA DIII Region 6 opponents, Fontonne (St. Louis, MO) and Blackburn (IL) as well as quality NAIA opponents from around the area.
Overall the Blue Jays would go 23-16 in individual matches at the tournament. (3 of them were due to medical forfeit after Aidyn Merchant sustained an injury in his first match of the day.) Out of the 23 wins, the team finished the day with 13 pins and techfalls. Six of those pins (three each) came from the Roberts brothers (JT Roberts at 149 lbs.) and (Michael Roberts at 157 lbs.). It should also be noted that Michael Roberts earned his 50th career collegiate pin this weekend at the tournament. Nearly every Blue Jay wrestler contributed to their team point total, which was 120.5 points on the day. You can watch the Blue Jays’ matches by clicking on the live stream links below.
The Westminster Blue Jays had 4 wrestlers reach the podium, with three of them reaching the finals. Isaac Gawronski (125 lbs.), Micahel Roberts (157 lbs.), and Austen Wetzel (184 lbs.) were the three finalists, and then Brendan Marquess at 165 lbs., finished in 4th. Gawronski and Roberts came up short in their final matches to finish second. Whereas, Austen Wetzel is continuing to set the tone in his sophomore campaign as one of the nation’s best wrestlers at 184 lbs. by claiming the tournament crown this past weekend and improving his overall record on the year to 19-2.
Up Next:
The Blue Jays will travel back to St. Louis for a Conference Dual vs. Fontbonne on Thursday, January 16th. They will then have a quick turn-around and wrestle at the Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invite hosted by Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Currently there are 20 other teams (Mainly NCAA Div. III schools) scheduled to attend this event along with Westminster. After that, the Blue Jays will host William Woods Univ. (NAIA) on Wednesday, January 22nd.
Below are the links to the livestream of all of the matches:
Mat 1: https://team1sports.com/missouribaptist/?bfplayvid=1957623
Mat 2: https://team1sports.com/missouribaptist/?bfplayvid=1958695
Below are the individual match results of the Westminster Blue Jays at the Dr. Tom Smith Invitational.
125 lbs.
Isaac Gawronski’s place is 2nd and has scored 19.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Isaac Gawronski (Westminster) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Isaac Gawronski (Westminster) won by fall over Savion Essiet (Quincy) (Fall 6:23)
- Semifinal – Isaac Gawronski (Westminster) won by fall over Jonathan Hernandez-Cruz (Indian Hills) (Fall 4:03)
- 1st Place Match – Kaden Rios (Quincy) won by decision over Isaac Gawronski (Westminster) (Dec 8-7)
133 lbs.
Henry Warfel’s place is 5th and has scored 11.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Henry Warfel (Westminster) won by fall over Isaiah Perez (Indian Hills) (Fall 4:59)
- Semifinal – Dillon Witt (Missouri Baptist University) won by fall over Henry Warfel (Westminster) (Fall 1:50)
- Cons. Semi – Deontae Forrest (Indian Hills) won by major decision over Henry Warfel (Westminster) (Maj 17-5)
- 5th Place Match – Henry Warfel (Westminster) won by medical forfeit over Nytravious Walker (Indian Hills) (MFFL)
141 lbs.
Wyatt Cooley’s place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Wyatt Cooley (Westminster) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Paul Ishikawa (Indian Hills) won by fall over Wyatt Cooley (Westminster) (Fall 5:44)
- Cons. Round 2 – Wyatt Cooley (Westminster) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 3 – Jacob Navarro (University of Saint Mary) won in sudden victory – 1 over Wyatt Cooley (Westminster) (SV-1 8-5)
149 lbs.
Jonathan Roberts’s place is 5th and has scored 13.5 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Jonathan Roberts (Westminster) won by fall over Keaton Morton (Indian Hills) (Fall 4:50)
- Quarterfinal – Jonathan Roberts (Westminster) won by tech fall over Humberto Pintor (Quincy) (TF 15-0)
- Semifinal – Brandon Bollinger (Missouri Baptist University) won by tech fall over Jonathan Roberts (Westminster) (TF 16-1)
- Cons. Semi – Keaton Morton (Indian Hills) won by fall over Jonathan Roberts (Westminster) (Fall 4:00)
- 5th Place Match – Jonathan Roberts (Westminster) won by fall over Jeramiah Crisp (Blackburn College) (Fall 0:54)
157 lbs.
Michael Roberts’s place is 2nd and has scored 19.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Michael Roberts (Westminster) won by fall over Noah Richardson (Missouri Baptist University) (Fall 2:19)
- Quarterfinal – Michael Roberts (Westminster) won by fall over Donald Griffin (Central Methodist) (Fall 0:37)
- Semifinal – Michael Roberts (Westminster) won by fall over Whit Nichols (William Woods) (Fall 1:16)
- 1st Place Match – Ettien Rodgers Jr. (Missouri Baptist University) won by decision over Michael Roberts (Westminster) (Dec 12-5)
157 lbs.
Adam Peregoy’s place is 6th and has scored 8.5 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Adam Peregoy (Westminster) won by major decision over Sebastian Nunez (Central Methodist) (Maj 13-4)
- Quarterfinal – Adam Peregoy (Westminster) won by tech fall over Isaiah Hendrix (Central Baptist) (TF 20-4)
- Semifinal – Ettien Rodgers Jr. (Missouri Baptist University) won by tech fall over Adam Peregoy (Westminster) (TF 21-4)
- Cons. Semi – Donald Griffin (Central Methodist) won by tech fall over Adam Peregoy (Westminster) (TF 19-4)
- 5th Place Match – Carter Silva (Quincy) won by decision over Adam Peregoy (Westminster) (Dec 8-6)
165 lbs.
Brendon Marquess’s place is 4th and has scored 15.5 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Brendon Marquess (Westminster) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Brendon Marquess (Westminster) won by fall over Josef Planansky (William Woods) (Fall 6:26)
- Semifinal – Dalton Schell (Quincy) won by decision over Brendon Marquess (Westminster) (Dec 10-3)
- Cons. Semi – Brendon Marquess (Westminster) won by fall over Cody Hughes (Central Methodist) (Fall 4:48)
- 3rd Place Match – Hunter Song (Missouri Baptist University) won by major decision over Brendon Marquess (Westminster) (Maj 18-7)
174 lbs.
Aidyn Merchant’s place is 6th and has scored 4.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Nolan Saale (University of Saint Mary) won by medical forfeit over Aidyn Merchant (Westminster) (MFFL)
- Cons. Round 1 – Aidyn Merchant (Westminster) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Semi – Elijah Brocksmith (William Woods) won by medical forfeit over Aidyn Merchant (Westminster) (MFF)
- 5th Place Match – Anthony King (Quincy) won by medical forfeit over Aidyn Merchant (Westminster) (MFF)
184 lbs.
Austen Wetzel’s place is 1st and has scored 20.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Austen Wetzel (Westminster) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Austen Wetzel (Westminster) won by fall over Tigh Connor (Quincy) (Fall 6:36)
- Semifinal – Austen Wetzel (Westminster) won by major decision over Trey Duhon (Central Methodist) (Maj 13-5)
- 1st Place Match – Austen Wetzel (Westminster) won by decision over Sincere Hall-Osbourne (Central Methodist) (Dec 7-3)
