Indianapolis, Ind. – The King University men's wrestling team showcased resilience and skill at the prestigious Midwest Classic Invite, with several athletes delivering standout performances against elite national competition. The Tornado battled through tough brackets, highlighted by
Clint Morrisette's third-place finish at 174 pounds and
David Bertrand's top-eight placement at 197 pounds.
Morrisette's Podium Finish at 174 lbs
Clint Morrisette led the way for King, securing third place in the 174-pound weight class. He opened with a 4–2 decision over Damen Pope before dominating Liam Schram with a 22–6 technical fall. Morrisette continued his surge with a 6–1 fall against Jeremiah Halter. Despite a narrow 1–0 loss to Joshua Kenny, he rebounded with a 3–0 fall over Maxwell Kiel. His run included a thrilling 12–10 decision over Emilio Arellano, a 3–2 victory against Cole Ritter, and a 4–2 decision over Dajun Johnson to clinch third place overall.
Bertrand Earns Top-8 at 197 lbs
David Bertrand added another strong finish for King, placing eighth in the 197-pound bracket. Bertrand opened with a commanding 15–1 major decision over Brody Switzer and followed with an 8–0 major decision against Nathan Hampton. He edged Jordan Blanchard 4–2 before falling to Garrett Wells in an 11–2 major decision. Bertrand bounced back with a 15–6 win over Ben Tonnessen, but dropped a 3–1 decision to Carranza and a close 2–0 bout to Joey Lyons to finish eighth.
Other Notable Performances
- 149 lbs – Jamarius Koshko: After a first-round bye, Koshko fell to Sabian Russell (16–0) but responded with falls over Caleb Levine and Buddy Leonard. His run ended with a 15–0 tech fall loss to Ethen Doty.
- 165 lbs – Elijah Brown: Brown rebounded from a 19–3 tech fall loss to Mason Schremp with a dominant 17–1 tech fall over Jack Ponder before bowing out in a 10–0 major decision to Mustafa Salimi.
- 285 lbs – Nathan Coley: Coley dropped his opener to Eli Reese (7–3), bounced back with an 8–0 major decision over Brady Griffin, but was stopped by Carter Blough (11–2).
- 141 lbs – Ashtan Hendricks: Hendricks earned a 3–0 win over Jonathan Baiano after a first-round bye but was eliminated following losses to Collin Twigg (15–8) and Kaden Brown (10–3).
- 184 lbs – Luke Justice: Justice picked up a 4–2 decision over Luke Brunson after a bye but fell to Troy McClelland (3–0) and Noah Gnibus (15–2).
Team Takeaway
The Midwest Classic Invite provided valuable experience for King Wrestling, testing the Tornado against some of the nation's toughest competition. Morrisette's third-place finish and Bertrand's top-eight showing highlighted the team's ability to compete at a high level, while other wrestlers demonstrated grit and determination in their respective brackets. The event served as a foundation for continued growth as King looks ahead to the remainder of the season.
