INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Fueled by three wrestlers placing in the top eight at heavyweight, Manchester University turned in a strong effort at the 53rd Indiana Little State Intercollegiate Championships Saturday, Dec. 1.
The Spartans' trio of junior Gabe Zimmerly (Shipshewana, Ind.), senior Jimmie King (Muncie, Ind.) and junior Jason Pedigo (Zionsville, Ind.) were among the Black and Gold's individual efforts. Zimmerly rebounded from a hard-fought 7-4 loss to Wabash's Abraham Wall in the opening round to get a 46-second pin and an overtime victory to reach the consolation semifinals before winding up fifth. King registered back-to-back falls in the winner's bracket to reach the semifinals before falling to eventual runner-up DeQuence Goodman of Lincoln (Ill.) and wound up sixth. Pedigo opened strong, too, with a major decision victory before being stopped by eventual champion Andre Dunn of Indiana Tech. He picked up another win on the back side to reach the consolation quarterfinals before taking eighth.
Coach Matt Burlingame's squad also had a pair of top-eight efforts from freshman 133-pounder Kalib Jackson (Rome City, Ind.) and senior 157-pounder Chuck Holmquest (Plymouth, Ind.). Jackson won his first match and lost to eventual weight class champion Grant Sutter of UW-Whitewater in the quarterfinals. He came back on the consolation side to take fifth after a hard-fought 5-3 loss to Nick Ader of Trine and a second win over Anders Douglass of Trine. Holmquest also went 1-1 in the winner's bracket and then reeled off back-to-back decisions to reach the consolation semifinals. A loss by fall sent him to the fifth-sixth place match where he battled Lincoln College (Ill.)'s Logan Doyle to another tough match before falling 6-3.
Manchester University returns to action Friday, Dec. 7, when they travel to Ohio Northern for dual action. Meet time is 7:30 p.m. inside the ONU Sports Center.
