Garrett stuns Brewer, Missouri tops field at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational

Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) works a single leg on Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) in the CKLV Invitational finals at 133 pounds. Photo: Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com

LAS VEGAS – Cornell’s three-time NCAA All-American Nahshon Garrett stole the show in the finals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, overcoming a 7-2 first period deficit to defeat 2015 NCAA champion Cody Brewer, 14-9, in the 133-pound finals.


After Garrett scored the opening takedown of the match, Brewer tossed the Big Red standout in a lateral drop to take a 7-2 advantage. Garrett responded with two escapes and relentless forward pressure to cut Brewer’s lead to 7-5 entering the third period.


The match swung in Garrett’s favor after he secured a four-point cheap tilt in the third period to take a 9-7 lead. Garrett finished the match with two last minute takedowns, delivering Oklahoma’s reigning NCAA champion his first loss of the season.


2015 NCAA champion Gabe Dean and 2015 NCAA finalist Brian Realbuto joined Garrett as individual champions for the Big Red. Dean scored a dominating 15-6 win over reigning Big Ten champion Domenic Abounader of Michigan in the 184-pound finals. Similarly, Realbuto notched an 11-1 major decision win over CSU Bakersfield All-American Bryce Hammond in the 174-pound finals.


Garrett, Dean and Realbuto powered Cornell to a runner-up finish in the team race, but it would be the Missouri Tigers atop the standings come tournament’s end. In all actuality, the Tigers secured the team title prior to the finals session on Saturday evening.


Missouri’s two No. 1 seeds, 2014 NCAA champion J’Den Cox and 2015 All-American Lavion Mayes, cruised to tournament titles with wins over Minnesota opponents in the finals. Cox defeated Brett Pfarr by a 4-1 margin at 197 pounds while Mayes upended Jake Short, 8-6, at 149 pounds.


The Tigers had seven wrestlers place in the top-four of their respective weight class, compiling 154 team points, 41 more than second place Cornell who earned 113. Rounding out the top-five teams were Minnesota in third place with 105 points, Oklahoma in fourth place with 102 and the defending NCAA champions, Ohio State, in fifth place with 96.5 points.


Ohio State picked up two individual champions of their own, joining Missouri and Cornell as the only schools with champions in at least two weights.


2015 NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello avenged a dual-meet loss from last season to Joey Dance of Virginia Tech in the 125-pound finals. Tomasello topped Dance, 5-4, courtesy of a late third period stalling call.


Redshirt Freshman Micah Jordan provided the second Buckeye title on the evening after he defeated Harvard’s Todd Preston 7-3 in the 141-pound finals.


Other Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational champions include NCAA All-American’s Ian Miller of Kent State at 157 pounds, Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin at 165 pounds and Ty Walz of Virginia Tech at 285 pounds.

CLIFF KEEN LAS VEGAS INVITATIONAL

At Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 4-5

Team Standings

1. Missouri 154

2. Cornell 113

3. Minnesota 105

4. Oklahoma 102

5. Ohio State 96.5

6. Virginia Tech 91

7. Michigan 76

8. Kent State 65

9. CSU Bakersfield 62.5

10. Bucknell 62

Finals Results

125 lbs. – No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) dec. No. 2 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech), 5-4

133 lbs. – No. 2 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) dec. No. 1 Cody Brewer (Oklahoma), 14-9

141 lbs. – No. 5 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) dec. No. 3 Todd Preston (Harvard), 7-3

149 lbs. – No. 1 Lavion Mayes (Missouri) dec. No. 11 Jake Short (Minnesota), 8-6

157 lbs. – No. 1 Ian Miller (Kent State) dec. No. 6 John Boyle (American), 6-2

165 lbs. – No. 1 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) dec. No. 10 Chad Welch (Purdue), 5-3

174 lbs. – No. 1 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) maj. dec. No. 6 Bryce Hammond (CSU- Bakersfield), 11-1

184 lbs. – No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) maj. dec. No. 6 Domenic Abounader (Michigan), 15-6

197 lbs. – No. 1 J’Den Cox (Missouri) dec. No. 3 Brett Pfarr (Minnesota), 4-1

285 lbs. – No. 1 Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 2 Michael Kroells (Minnesota), 5-3

Semifinals Results

125 pounds

No. 1 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) maj. dec. No. 12 Ryan Milhoff (Oklahoma), 11-3

No. 2 Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 3 Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State), 7-2


133 pounds

No. 1 Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) dec. No. 5 Earl Hall (Iowa State), 12-5

No. 2 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) dec. No. 6 George DiCamillo (Virginia), 11-5


141 pounds

No. 5 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) dec. No. 1 Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech), 5-2

No. 3 Todd Preston (Harvard) dec. No. 2 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota), 5-4


149 pounds

No. 1 Lavion Mayes (Missouri) dec. No. 4 Davion Jeffries (Oklahoma), 5-4

No. 11 Jake Short (Minnesota) dec. No. 2 Michael DePalma (Kent State), 10-6


157 pounds

No. 1 Ian Miller (Kent State) dec. Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa), 8-4

No. 6 John Boyle (American) dec. No. 7 Russell Parsons (Army West Point), 5-4


165 pounds

No. 1 Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) dec. No. 4 George Pickett (Cornell), 8-1

No. 10 Chad Welch (Purdue) dec. No. 3-Clark Glass (Oklahoma), 2-1


174 pounds

No. 1 Brian Realbuto (Cornell) tech. fall No. 5 Jadaen Bernstein (Navy), 15-0

No. 6 Bryce Hammond (CSU-Bakersfield) dec. No. 2 Blaise Butler (Missouri), 10-7


184 pounds

No. 1 Gabe Dean (Cornell) dec. No. 5 Willie Miklus (Missouri), 3-2

No. 6 Domenic Abounader (Michigan) dec. Zach Zavatsky (Virginia Tech), 5-4


197 pounds

No. 1 J’Den Cox (Missouri) dec. No. 4 Jacob Smith (West Virginia), 9-3

No. 3 Brett Pfarr (Minnesota) maj. dec. No. 2 Max Huntley (Michigan), 13-3


285 pounds

No. 1 Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 4 Ross Larson (Oklahoma), 7-3

No. 2 Michael Kroells (Minnesota) dec. No. 11 Tanner Hall (Arizona State), 2-1