PARK CITY, Kansas – This year, the NAIA Men’s Wrestling Championships was expanded to a third day, starting on Thursday this year. After the first day, the anticipated battle for team supremacy between defending champion and No. 1 ranked Grand View, and No. 2 Life, has already heated up.

After two rounds on the championship side, as well as consolation matches, Life leads with 52 points, just 2.5 points ahead of Grand View with 49.5 points. Menlo College is in third with 29.5 points.

Grand View took a huge hit in the second round, when No. 16 seed Allen Calderon of Indiana Tech knocked off No. 1 seed Aden Reeves, 12-6.

Life did not escape without one of their stars losing in the second round, as No. 15 Cameron Cornman of Central Methodist defeated No. 2 seed Demarco Lee, 4-2 at 197 pounds.

Going into Friday, Life has nine wrestlers in the quarterfinals, while Grand View has eight.

Grand View’s four other No. 1 seeds have advanced, Carson Taylor (133), Blake Gonzalez (149), Isaiah Luellen (184) and Greg Hagan (285). Life pushed their three No. 1 seeds into the quarterfinals, Brevin Balmeceda (157), Steven Villalobos (165) and Riley Smucker (174).

Other two No. 1 seeds who advanced to the quarterfinals are Evan Potter of Southern Oregon (141) and Bradley Antesberger of Doane (197).

Returning NAIA champions in the quarterfinals include Hagan and Balmeceda (who won his title last year at 149), plus Rysan Leong of Menlo (165) and Owen Braungardt of Grand View (197).

There was a second No. 2 seed knocked off in the second round, when No. 15 seed Hartwell Taylor of Saint Mary stopped No. 2 seed Logan Wagner of Marian, 11-9 at 141 pounds.

The quarterfinals are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on Friday, with the semifinals to follow at 6:00 p.m. The consolations will go through a fifth round on Friday. The tournament concludes Saturday with consolations and placement matches at 11:00 a.m. and the championship finals at 7:00 p.m.

NAIA MEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Park City, Kansas,

Quarterfinals pairings

125

16 Allen Calderon (Indiana Tech) vs. 9 Austin Franco (Cumberlands)

5 Izaeah Beavers (Campbellsville) vs. 13 Nicolas Aguilar (Menlo)

3 Hunter Sparks (Eastern Oregon) vs. 11 Antonio Saldate (Life)

7 Conner Diamond (Lindsey Wilson) vs. 2 Brandon Orum (Life)

133

1 Carson Taylor (Grand View) vs. 8 Andrew Voiles (Southeastern)

12 Freddy Barajas (Saint Mary) vs. 4 Thaddeus Long (Life)

3 Sammy Shires (Cumberland) vs. 6 Dominic Chavez (Texas Wesleyan)

10 Alex Pena (Wayland Baptist) vs. 2 Jovan Garcia (Menlo)

141

1 Evan Potter (Southern Oregon) vs. 9 Bret Minor (Life)

5 Kael Brisker (Southeastern) vs. 4 Nicholas Yancey (Campbellsville)

Aric Williams (Dakota Wesleyan) vs. Gage Hudson (Cumberlands)

7 Cade Manion (Oklahoma City) vs. 15 Hartwell Taylor (Saint Mary)

149

1 Blake Gonzalez (Grand View) vs. 8 Drake Vannoy (Oklahoma City)

5 Jack Latimer (Cumberland) vs. 4 Parker Dobrocky (Southeastern)

3 Chase Zollmann (Missouri Valley) vs. 6 Jace Luchau (Cumberlands)

10 Bryce Nickel (Cumberlands) vs. 2 Nathan Lendt (Doane)

157

1 Brevin Balmeceda (Life) vs. 9 Francis Morrissey (Ottawa)

12 Trevor Burdick (Reinhardt) vs. 4 Kanaipono Tapia (Menlo)

3 David Rubio (Corban) vs. 6 Dylan Whitt (Grand View)

7 Nate Wheeler (Indiana Tech) vs. 2 Antwuan Burns (Campbellsville)

165

1 Steven Villalobos (Life) vs. 8 Matt Jenkins (Reinhardt)

12 Trace Braun (Southeastern) vs. 4 Keller Rock (Embry-Riddle)

3 Jonathan Kervin (Indiana Tech) vs. Zander Ernst (Morningside)

Roman Garcia (Central Methodist) vs. 2 Rysan Leong (Menlo)

174

1 Riley Smucker (Life) vs. 8 Cory Cannan (Lindsey Wilson)

5 Alex Reynolds (Grand View) vs. 13 Maximus Zamora (Menlo)

14 Michael Scarponi (Doane) vs. 6 Braden Anderson (Ottawa)

10 Graham Calhoun (Southeastern) vs. 2 Cole Smith (Cumberland)

184

1 Isaiah Luellen (Grand View) vs. Thomas Ketchen-Carter (Cumberlands)

5 Tyson Beauperthuy (Doane) vs. 4 William Speight (Lourdes)

3 J.D. Perez (Ottawa) vs. Chandler Woenker (Campbellsville)

7 Isaiah Morales (Menlo) vs. 2 Kyle Homet (Life)

197

1 Bradley Antesberger (Doane) vs. 8 Garavous Kouekabakilaho (Grand View)

12 Elijah Hynes (Missouri Valley) vs. 4 Nathan Critchfield (Indiana Tech)

3 Owen Braungardt (Grand View ) vs. 6 Kasten Grape (Doane)

7 Malachi Karibo (Baker) vs. 15 Cameron Cornman (Central Methodist)

285

1 Greg Hagan (Grand View) vs. 8 Trevion Sample (Dakota Wesleyan)

5 Joshua Isaac (Missouri Valley) vs. 4 Gabe Jacobs (Southeastern)

3 Zane Lanham (Life) vs. 6 Antonio Dacosta (Menlo)

7 Hunter DeJong (Morningside) vs. 2 KC Buday (Providence)

Team Standings

1 Life, 52.0

2 Grand View, 49.5

3 Menlo, 29.5

4 Campbellsville, 25.5

5 Doane, 25.0

6 Providence, 25.0

7 Cumberlands, 23.0

8 Southeastern, 22.5

9 Cumberland, 21.5

10 Missouri Valley, 17.5

No. 2 Life leads No. 1 Grand View by 2.5 points after day one of NAIA Men’s Championships

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