Third place finishes by Jake Fredrickson and Adam Latella (Rockton, IL/Hononegah) led the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team to ninth place in the field of thirty-two teams at the Pete Willson Invitational hosted by Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois Friday and Saturday.

Pete Willson Invitational results

The Willson field included nine teams ranked in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll and two NCAA Division II teams.  The top ten were Lindenwood University 131, UW-La Crosse 109.5, UW-Parkside 102.5, University of Indianapolis 100.5, University of Mount Union 92.5, Trine University 84, Olivet College 84, Elmhurst College 75, UW-Whitewater 61.5, and North Central College 58.5.  Ohio Northern University, sixteenth in the Division III poll, finished thirteenth and Elizabethtown College, ranked twenty-second, placed fifteenth.

Fredrickson, a sophomore, was seeded sixth in the tourney.  He opened with a decision, followed that with a pin, then lost to third seeded Adam Sheley of UW-La Crosse 8-1, his first loss of the season.  Fredrickson came back with a major decision followed by three consecutive decisions for third.  He beat fifth seeded Ethan Harris of Indianapolis 4-1 in the third place match.  Fredrickson, 15-1 this season, is the eighth ranked wrestler at 133 pounds in the NWCA III ratings.

Latella, ranked seventh by the NWCA III, was the third seed in the tourney.  After an opening round bye he won by technical fall in 3:30, won by decision, and then lost in the semifinals.  He came back with a decision to set up the third place match, where he topped seventh seeded Alex Fleet of Trine 5-3.  His 4-1 mark in the tourney raised Latella's season record to 24-4.

Three more Warhawks made major contributions to the UW-W team total by placing in their weight class.  Alex Cizek (Naperville, IL/Nequa Valley) went 3-3 to place sixth at 157.  Cizek, unseeded, won by decision and then lost by major decision in the championship bracket, came back with a decision and a win by forfeit in the consolation bracket, before losing a major decision and falling to seventh seed Tommy Ferring of Mount Saint Joseph 7-4 in the fifth place match.  Cizek is 5-4 this season.  Cade Sarbacker (Mineral Point/Iowa-Grant) earned the sixth seed and opened tournament action with two decisions before falling to the number three seed by a major decision.  In the consolation bracket he won a decision and lost a decision before edging number eight seed Kevin Shadrach of Mount Union 3-2 in the match for seventh place.  After going 4-2 in the tourney Sarbacker is 22-6 this season.  Whitewater's James Zarate (Waukesha/North) was seeded eighth at 285 pounds.  He opened with a pin of UW-Oshkosh's Ryan Heath, and followed that with another pin, of Pat Clegg of Wheaton.  Zarate lost to top seeded Mark Corsello of Elmhurst, then to number four Logan Renas of Oliveet, finally ending his tourney with a loss in the seventh place match to Steven Butler of Lindenwood, the two seed, by pin.  Zarate, 3-3 in the tourney, is 19-11 this year.

UW-Whitewater, ranked twenty-first in the NWCA Division III poll, will travel to Kenosha to take on Division II UW-Parkside Wednesday, February 2 at7:00.  The Warhawks will host UW-Stevens Point in Williams Center Friday, February 4 at 7:00.

For additional information:  Tim Fader, UW-W coach