Graceland Wrestling Competes at Central Last Chance Invitational

PELLA, Iowa – The Graceland University men's wrestling team battled through a competitive field at the Central Last Chance Invitational on Friday, with several wrestlers making deep runs in their respective brackets. The Yellowjackets used the opportunity to sharpen their skills ahead of postseason competition, gaining valuable mat experience against wrestlers from NAIA and NCAA programs.

Tournament Recap

133 lbs – Payton Harger (Graceland)
Harger delivered a strong showing, advancing to the championship bout in the 133-pound bracket. He opened the tournament with a technical fall victory (15-0), then secured an 8-7 decision in the semifinals. In the title match, he fell just short against Riley Harger of Graceland in a narrow decision, earning second place overall.

149 lbs – Hoakea Salter (Graceland)
Salter navigated his bracket with an impressive technical fall (15-0) win in his opening match. He followed that up with a dominant 12-0 major decision, demonstrating solid control on the mat. After a hard-fought semifinal, Salter secured a fifth-place finish in the highly competitive weight class.

157 lbs – Khalil Hampton (Graceland)
Hampton showcased his ability in the middleweight division, winning a critical match by decision (8-6) before falling in a close sudden victory (SV-1 8-5) bout. Despite the setback, Hampton recovered and ended the tournament on the podium with a third-place finish.

165 lbs – Stephen Dickerson (Graceland)
Dickerson put together a dominant run, opening with a technical fall (18-1) in the first round. He continued his momentum, winning via fall at 4:18 in the quarterfinals before being edged in the semis. Dickerson finished fourth in the weight class after a tightly contested consolation final.

174 lbs – Kohlter Mariscal (Graceland)
Mariscal impressed in the 174-pound bracket, securing a fall victory at 1:47 in his first match. He later earned a 2-0 decision before dropping a hard-fought match in the semifinal round. Mariscal battled back to take third place in the tournament.

184 lbs – Aiden Sanchez (Graceland)
Sanchez faced a tough field but earned a fall victory (2:14) in the consolation bracket to stay alive. Despite a later defeat, his resilience allowed him to gain valuable mat time as the Yellowjackets prepare for conference competition.

197 lbs – Treviante Thomas (Graceland)
Thomas had an impressive showing, advancing in the championship bracket before injury forced him to medically forfeit his final match. He placed fifth overall despite the setback.

285 lbs – Xavier Smith (Graceland)
Smith opened the heavyweight division with a fall victory (0:51) but was stopped in the quarterfinals. He rebounded with a major decision (8-0) and fought his way to third place, closing the tournament on a high note.

Team Outlook

With strong performances across multiple weight classes, Graceland continues to develop as they approach the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships. The Yellowjackets showed technical versatility, tactical mat control, and stamina across multiple rounds of wrestling, key factors heading into postseason duals.

Up Next

Graceland returns to action on Thursday, February 20, at 7:00 p.m., as they host Baker University in Lamoni, Iowa, at the Morden Center.

For more information on Graceland men's wrestling and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.