Pioneers compete at Wheaton’s Pete Willson Invitational

WHEATON, Ill. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville wrestling team was one of 32 teams competing Friday at the 82^nd annual Pete Willson Invitational hosted in King Arena at Wheaton College. 

Five Pioneers scored 11.5 points for the team as they wrestled among 285 competitors. 

Junior Ryan Pothoof scored four team points and advanced all the way to the quarterfinal at 174 pounds after pinning Xavier Preston of Roanoke (4:10). Next, Pothoof fell to UW-Stevens Point's Carson Trotzer (2:27), which sent him to the consolation bracket. In the Pioneer's final bout, Pothoof dropped a narrow 6-5 decision to Tyler Joseph of the University of Chicago. 

Wrestling at 133 pounds, freshman Chris Karbash secured two team points. Carbash bounced back from a loss in the first round with an 18-1 technical fall victory over Peirson Wilkerson of Millikin. 

Scoring three team points was sophomore Blake Delsman at 165 pounds. Delsman started the day with a victory by injury, but withdrew from the competition due to medical forfeit. 

Other highlights included sophomore Carter Kruckeberg scoring 1.5 team points, wrestling at 149 pounds. After Colton Spurgeon of Ohio Norther pinned the Pioneer in the first round, Kruckeberg bounced back with an 11-2 major decision over Jimmy Macias of Nebraska Wesleyan.  Junior David Cushman scored one point for the team after starting the day off with an exciting 14-11 decision over North Central's Luke Christie in the first round of the 157 pound bracket. 

The Pioneers return to action on Thursday, February 1 when they travel to UW-Whitewater for a 7 p.m. WIAC dual.