‘Cats Notch Five Top-Six Finishes At Cleveland State Open

CLEVELAND, Ohio (December 9, 2023) – Five Wildcats posted top-six finishes as Northwestern saw action at the Cleveland State Open in Cleveland, Ohio earlier today.
 
Leading the attack for the Wildcats inside the Woodling Gymnasium was the pairing of Sam Cartella and Joseph Martin, both of whom took home fourth-place finishes.  Competing at 149 pounds, Cartella scored a pair of wins by major decision, including an 11-3 victory over Lock Haven's DaShawn Farber to punch his ticket to the semifinals.  Martin impressed at 174 pounds, picking up a pair of bonus-point victories of his own, highlighted by a fall (1:50) over Rollie Denker (Michigan State) in the quarterfinals.
 
The veteran duo of David Ferrante and Jon Halvorsen posted fifth-place showings in their respective weight classes.  Ferrante tallied bonus points in three of his five wins on the day at 174 pounds, punctuating his run with a 15-0 demolition of Michigan's Connor Owens by technical fall (2:35) in the fifth-place match.  Like Ferrante, Halvorsen racked up five wins, securing fifth in the 184-pound bracket with a workmanlike 5-2 decision over Adrian Gacek (Clarion).
 
In action at 141 pounds, Kolby McClain continued the promising start to his debut season with the Wildcats.  McClain scored his second pinfall victory of his young collegiate career in second-round action, dispatching Michael Markulin (Cleveland State) in 4:14 en route to finishing sixth overall.
 
UP NEXT
Northwestern is back in action on Tuesday, November 19 when it opens the dual portion of its 2023-24 schedule at Northern Illinois in a 12:30 p.m. matchup in DeKalb, Ill.
 
Complete Cleveland State Open Results
 
125 lbs: Dedrick Navarro
Champ. Round 1 – Navarro received a bye
Champ. Round 2 – Vinny Kilkeary (Ohio State) 13-3 major decision over Navarro
Cons. Round 2 – Navarro 20-3 technical fall over Ernie Perry (Spartan Combat RTC) (3:52)
Cons. Round 3 – Tyler Chappell (Pittsburgh) 8-2 decision over Navarro
 
133 lbs: Patrick Adams
Champ. Round 1 – Adams received a bye
Champ. Round 2 – Andrew Austin (Central Michigan) 10-8 decision over Adams
Cons. Round 2 – Tyler Ferrera (Spartan Combat RTC) 13-1 major decision over Adams
 
133 lbs: Luis Bazan
Champ. Round 1 – Eric Lovelace (Missouri) 17-2 technical fall over Bazan (7:00)
Cons. Round 1 – Bazan received a bye
Cons. Round 2 - Daniel Uhorchuk (Army West Point) 17-8 major decision over Bazan
 
141 lbs: Kolby McClain – 6^th Place
Champ. Round 1 – McClain 11-9 decision over Freddy Junko (VMI)
Champ. Round 2 – McClain fall over Michael Markulin (Cleveland State) (4:14)
Quarterfinals – Briar Priest (Pittsburgh) 17-2 technical fall over McClain (6:41)
Cons. Round 4 – McClain 18-11 decision over Wyatt Fox (Lock Haven)
Cons. Round 5 – McClain 5-3 decision over Kaden Jett (Ohio)
5^th-Place Match – Shane Percelay (Army West Point) fall over McClain (1:24)
 
149 lbs: Kai Neumark
Champ. Round 1 – Egidio DiFazio (Unattached) 14-11 decision over Neumark
Cons. Round 1 – Neumark received a bye
Cons. Round 2 – Neumark fall over Cael Andrews (Kent State) (4:43)
Cons. Round 3 – Thomas Deck (Army) 14-8 decision over Neumark
 
149 lbs: Sam Cartella – 4^th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Cartella received a bye
Champ. Round 2 – Cartella 13-2 major decision over Trenton Wachter (Central Michigan)
Quarterfinals – Cartella 11-3 major decision over DaShawn Farber (Lock Haven)
Semifinals – Doug Terry (Cleveland State) 11-0 major decision over Cartella
3^rd-Place Match – Brock Herman (Ohio State) fall over Cartella (1:58)
 
157 lbs: Jacob Bostelman
Champ. Round 1 – Bostelman 8-1 decision over Buzz Bomberger (Spartan Combat RTC)
Champ. Round 2 – Nate Lukez (Army West Point) 12-0 major decision over Bostelman
Cons. Round 2 – Daniel Segura (Ohio) 5-1 decision over Bostelman
 
174 lbs: David Ferrante – 5^th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Ferrante 15-0 technical fall over Mitchell Broskie (Kent State) (1:40)
Champ. Round 2 – Ferrante 11-5 decision over Jeremy Olszko (Ohio)
Quarterfinals – Martin Larkin (Unattached) 8-0 decision over Ferrante
Cons. Round 4 – Ferrante 13-0 major decision over DeAndre Nassar (Cleveland State)
Cons. Semifinals – Ferrante 11-7 decision over Dillon Sheehy (Army West Point)
5^th-Place Match – Ferrante 15-0 technical fall over Connor Owens (Michigan) (2:35)
 
174 lbs: Joseph Martin – 4^th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Martin 15-0 technical fall over Ty Shields (Spire Academy) (1:52)
Champ. Round 2 – Martin 9-3 decision over DeAndre Nassar (Cleveland State)
Quarterfinals – Martin fall over Rollie Denker (Michigan State) (1:50)
Semifinals – Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC) 17-2 technical fall over Martin (6:21)
3^rd-Place Match – Martin Larkin (Unattached) 10-8 decision over Martin
 
174 lbs: Andre Rocker
Champ. Round 1 – Rocker received a bye
Champ. Round 2 – Connor Owens (Michigan) 21-5 technical fall over Rocker (3:25)
Cons. Round 2 – Mitchell Broskie (Kent State) 16-0 technical fall over Rocker (2:38)
 
184 lbs: Jon Halvorsen – 5^th Place
Champ. Round 1 – Halvorsen received a bye
Champ. Round 2 – Halvorsen 7-1 decision over JR Reed (Unattached)
Quarterfinals – Seth Shumate (Unattached) 10-2 major decision over Halvorsen
Cons. Round 4 – Halvorsen 15-3 major decision over Ryan Boucher (Michigan State)
Cons. Semifinals – Halvorsen 4-0 decision over De'Alcapon Veazy (Ponderosa)
5^th-Place Match – Halvorsen 5-2 decision over Adrian Gacek (Clarion)
 
285 lbs: Dirk Morley
Champ. Round 1- Morley received a bye
Champ. Round 2 – Austin Kohlhofer (Army West Point) 17-5 major decision over Morley
Cons. Round 2 – Brian Jackson (VMI) 4-3 decision over Morley