Four Simpson wrestlers place at Knox

GALESBURG, Ill. - Spencer Courier placed third at 133 pounds and Cory Stratton placed third at 149, leading a group of four place-winners for the Simpson wrestling team at the season-opening Knox Invitational on Saturday.

A sophomore transfer, Courier won by fall in his first two bouts at 133 before dropping a 9-6 decision to eventual champion Javontae Coleman of Rend Lake. Courier responded with two more pins in the wrestleback bracket, pinning Wheaton's Caleb Cardenas in 1:31 before smothering Milwaukee School of Engineering's Austin Binish in 1:42 in the consolation championship.

Stratton had to climb through the wrestleback bracket to reach the consolation championship at 149. After losing a 9-6 decision to Jake Narveson of Milwaukee School of Engineering in his first bout, Stratton pinned Central's Chris Hallinan. He followed with three consecutive decisions - including a 7-2 win over Narveson. In the consolation championship, Stratton pinned Central's Ryan Davis in 2:26.

At 184 pounds, Justin Bruce just missed being Simpson's third, third-place finisher. The sophomore lost in suden victory to Central's Greg Barner in the third-place match after the two tied 3-3 in regulation, giving him fourth. Bruce earned a 13-3 major decision over another Central wrestler, Tyler Lowy, to advance to the consolation championship.

Brian Haynes was the final place-winner for the Storm, taking fifth at 157 pounds. The freshman advanced to the quarterfinals before a 13-6 loss to Central's Joseph Atwell sent him to the wrestleback bracket. There, Haynes dropped a 6-0 decision to Peter Huang of Wheaton in the semifinals.

The Storm open the Iowa Conference dual season Tuesday, Nov. 15 when they host Cornell in a 7 p.m. start at Cowles Fieldhouse. Cornell comes into the dual ranked No. 5 in the Brute-Adidas NWCA Top-30 Poll.