(MARSHALL, Mo.) – Mules wrestling had seven place-finishers Sunday at the Missouri Valley Open in Marshall, Mo.
Todd Brier and Joshua Ploof picked up third place finishes in the 197 and 174 pound brackets, while Laramie Allembaugh and Jake Hawks took home fourth place honors at 125 and 174 pounds. The Mules also posted three sixth place finishes with Benjamin Boyd at 197 pounds, Ty Balty at 125 pounds and Brigham West, wrestling unattached, at 157 pounds.
Brier won his first match before falling in the semifinals against Missouri Valley’s Josh Manu, to drop him into the consolation bracket where he faced fellow Mule Benjamin Boyd. Brier was able to defeat Boyd, 4-0, to earn a spot in the 197 pound third place match against Will Owens. Owens was wrestling unattached for Missouri Valley. Brier pinned Owens at 4:57, to claim third place and finish the day with a record of 3-1.
Ploof also was victorious in his first match of the day but fell to Newman’s Reece Wright-Conklin in the 174 semifinals, dropping him into the consolation round, Ploof bounced back and won his final two matches, beginning with a victory via fall at 4:25 against unattached Missouri Valley grappler Dakota Concepcion. He then defeated teammate Jake Hawks in the third place match via a 7-2 decision. Ploof finished the open with a 3-1 record.
The Mules return to action Sunday, Feb. 10 when they travel to Edmond, Okla. to participate in the MIAA Wrestling Tournament.