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GRACELAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Graceland Competes at Missouri Valley Viking Open

Graceland Competes at Missouri Valley Viking Open

MARSHALL, Mo. — The Graceland University Yellowjackets men's wrestling team competed Saturday at the Missouri Valley Viking Open, held at the Burns Athletic Center on the campus of Missouri Valley College. The open-format event featured wrestlers from NAIA programs, along with NCAA and unattached competitors, and was not scored as a dual meet.

Graceland entered wrestlers across multiple weight classes, competing through championship and consolation brackets. Because the event was an open tournament, regular-season and conference records were not listed for participating teams in the official results. Matches were decided through standard scoring, including decisions, falls, technical falls and sudden-victory periods.

At 141 pounds, Corbin Porter competed in both championship and consolation rounds. After dropping an opening bout, Porter responded in wrestlebacks with a technical fall (16-1, 4:59) over Andrew Nehre of Central Methodist, scoring consistently from the neutral position and converting turns on top.

The 157-pound bracket produced multiple results for Graceland. Invi Bella opened competition with a first-round fall (5:29) against Cody Hughes of Central Methodist before earning an 8-1 decision over Cale Hein of Ottawa in consolation action. Bella controlled pace throughout regulation and limited scoring opportunities defensively.

Graceland also recorded bonus-point results in the upper weights. At 174 pounds, Jeraimiah Nyberg secured a technical fall (22-7, 6:35) over Spencer Rochelle of Ottawa during consolation rounds. At 184 pounds, Chris Wohrley advanced with a 7-4 sudden-victory decision over Jaelyn Sides of Ottawa in quarterfinal action, scoring the decisive takedown in overtime.

Heavyweight action at 285 pounds featured multiple championship-round matches for the Yellowjackets. Kazz Hyson earned a 7-4 decision over Cooper Webb of Ottawa before finishing runner-up following a 7-1 decision loss in the first-place match. Oran Varela also competed at the weight, dropping a championship-round bout by fall.

At 133 pounds, Davion Wilson reached the semifinals with a 7-5 decision over Ezequiel Valadez of Texas Wesleyan, controlling scoring exchanges through regulation.

Head men's wrestling coach Evan Hansen said the event provided useful preparation ahead of upcoming dual competition. "This open gave us a clear look at our match management in several weights," Hansen said. "We had wrestlers respond well in consolation rounds and execute in close matches, and that carries over to duals."

Graceland will return to dual-meet action on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. CST, traveling to face Missouri Baptist at the Carl & Deloris Petty Student Recreation Complex in St. Louis, Mo., continuing regular-season competition.

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