MARSHALL, Mo.—Southeastern had three wrestlers on the podium over the weekend at the Missouri Valley Invitational with two of the three reaching the finals in their weight class.
Annually, this is one of the toughest tournaments in the NAIA with all of the teams in the latest Top 20 participating.
Junior
Andreus Bond advanced all the way to the finals in the 149-pound bracket having only surrendered three points in his first five matches. The Lakeland native came up short in the title bout, dropping a 6-3 decision to Brevin Balmeceda of Life who was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
Stephen Kelle reached the finals at 174 and racked up some serious points doing so. Kelle registered two majors and a tech before a 7-6 decision in the semifinal. Kelle came up short in a 6-1 decision to Hastings' Trenton Munoz.
At 197,
Trillyon Fils-Aime placed seventh after dropping his first match of the tournament in a 3-1 decision. The sophomore came back with four consecutive wins in the consolation bracket before a first-period pin sent him to the seventh-place match, which he won with a 4-3 decision against Matthew Montgomery, whom he faced in his first match.
Esau Bazilme advanced to the quarters with a pair of 4-3 decisions but dropped to the consolation bracket after a 7-1 loss to fifth-ranked Austin Franco.
Kael Brisker also reached the quarters at 141 with his first loss coming to fifth-ranked Blake Gonzalez of Grand View.
The Fire return to action next Saturday with a pair of duals at Keiser against Truett-McConnell and Montreat.
