DECORAH, Iowa -- The Wartburg College men's wrestling team put together a strong showing at the Luther College Open on Saturday, Nov. 14, crowning two individual champions and placing 16 wrestlers on the podium across the Elite and Silver divisions.

Caleb Olson headlined the Knights' effort by capturing the Elite 157-pound championship, while Ayden Bergman claimed the Silver 125-pound crown in an all-Wartburg title match.

In Elite 157, Olson went 5-0 on the day, opening with a 15-3 major decision over UW-Platteville and a 7-0 shutout decision against UW-Eau Claire. After a 14-6 major decision over Augsburg in the quarterfinals, Olson defeated a pair of Iowa wrestlers to lock up the title—topping Miguel Estrada 10-7 in the semifinals before edging Isaiah Fenton 5-4 in the championship bout.

In the Silver 125 bracket, Bergman (5-0) and Kaiden Belinsky (4-1) each swept their side of the draw to meet in the finals. Bergman reached the title bout behind three technical falls and a 15-second pin, while Belinsky posted a major decision and back-to-back 4-0 shutout decisions. In the championship clash, Bergman prevailed 12-9 in sudden victory to take first place, with Belinsky earning runner-up honors.

Wartburg added three more runner-up finishes across the tournament:
Brett Birchman (Elite 125 lbs): Advanced to the finals with a 16-0 technical fall, two decisions, and a tight 2-1 tiebreaker victory over teammate Noah Woods in the semifinals before falling to Iowa's Keyan Hernandez in the title match.

Hesston Johnson (Elite 174 lbs): Went 4-1 on the day, recording a major decision and three decisions—highlighted by a 7-5 semifinal win over Augsburg—before dropping an 8-2 decision to Iowa in the championship bout.

Lukas Orloff (Silver 133 lbs): Rolled into the finals behind a 15-6 major decision over Augsburg and a 21-4 technical fall against Loras before finishing second to Iowa.

Two Knights battled back through the bracket to secure third-place finishes in Elite competition. At 125 pounds, Noah Woods bounced back from his semifinal setback with a dominant 15-2 major decision over Augsburg in the third-place match. At 165 pounds, Aiden Brosinski posted two pins, a 16-1 technical fall in the consolation semifinals, and edged UW-La Crosse 3-2 in the third-place bout to finish 5-1.

Additional podium finishers for the Orange and Black included Brenden Heying (4th at Elite 184 lbs), Jaydn Cooper (4th at Elite 285 lbs), Bowen Brunson (6th at Elite 133 lbs), Kent Pearson (6th at Silver 184 lbs), Wills Bronson (7th at Elite 184 lbs), Zein Bazzi (8th at Elite 125 lbs), Tommy Thongseng (8th at Elite 149 lbs), and Tobias Lombera (8th at Silver 141 lbs).

INDIVIDUAL BOUT RESULTS
Elite Division

Elite 125 lbs - Brett Birchman (4-1, 2nd Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, DEC 8-4 vs. Roman McKinney (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Champ. Round 2: W, TF 16-0 (3:24) vs. Anthony Perez (Luther)
Quarterfinal: W, DEC 8-1 vs. Treynor Curtin (Augsburg College)
Semifinal: W, DEC 2-1 TB2 vs. Noah Woods (Wartburg)
1st Place Match: L, MD 10-1 vs. Keyan Hernandez (Iowa)

Caden Correll (1-2)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: L, Fall 1-0 (5:22) vs. Chris Karbash (Wis.-Platteville)
Cons. Round 2: W, M FOR 0-0 vs. Aaron Meenen (Wis.-Platteville)
Cons. Round 3: L, DEC 8-3 vs. Zein Bazzi (Wartburg)

Cale Tucker (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: L, MD 9-0 vs. Jacob Fitzpatrick (Minnesota State)
Cons. Round 2: Bye
Cons. Round 3: L, Fall 3-0 (1:49) vs. Aidan Gruenenfelder (St. Cloud State)

Noah Woods (3-1, 3rd Place)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: W, DEC 7-3 vs. Austin Grzywinski (St. Cloud State)
Quarterfinal: W, DEC 7-2 vs. Jackson Heaston (Upper Iowa)
Semifinal: L, DEC 2-1 TB2 vs. Brett Birchman (Wartburg)
3rd Place Match: W, MD 15-2 vs. Carter Freeman (Augsburg College)

Zein Bazzi (4-3, 8th Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, TF 16-1 (1:22) vs. Nick Needham (Luther)
Champ. Round 2: L, DEC 6-4 vs. Carter Freeman (Augsburg College)
Cons. Round 2: W, Fall 7-3 (1:21) vs. Roman McKinney (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Cons. Round 3: W, DEC 8-3 vs. Caden Correll (Wartburg)
Cons. Round 4: W, DEC 7-1 vs. Jacob Fitzpatrick (Minnesota State)
Cons. Semi: L, Fall 20-15 (6:31) vs. Aidan Gruenenfelder (St. Cloud State)
7th Place Match: L, FOR 0-0 vs. Brady Phelps (Wisconsin-Whitewater)

Elite 133 lbs - Bowen Brunson (4-2, 6th Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, MD 17-5 vs. Brock Shaha (Upper Iowa)
Champ. Round 2: L, TF 18-1 (2:58) vs. Tas Storer (Minnesota State)
Cons. Round 2: Bye
Cons. Round 3: W, TF 19-3 (5:32) vs. Tyler Tiangco (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Cons. Round 4: W, TF 17-2 (2:42) vs. Travis Moelter (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Cons. Semi: W, Fall 14-1 (4:17) vs. Emmitt Newton (Coe)
5th Place Match: L, DEC 10-9 vs. Wyatt Magolski (Wisconsin-La Crosse)

Mitchell Pins (1-2)
Champ. Round 1: W, DEC 10-3 vs. Tyler Tiangco (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Champ. Round 2: L, Fall 0-0 (4:16) vs. Draven Johns (St. Cloud State)
Cons. Round 2: L, DEC 5-1 vs. Zyan Westbrook (Quincy)

Elite 149 lbs - Marshall Hanke (1-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, TF 20-3 (2:42) vs. Brayden Canoyer (North Dakota State)
Cons. Round 1: W, MD 11-3 vs. Trent DuMont (Wis.-Platteville)
Cons. Round 2: L, DEC 8-3 vs. Riley Brunson (Wartburg)

Riley Brunson (1-2)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: L, TF 18-0 (5:39) vs. Koye Grebel (Iowa)
Cons. Round 2: W, DEC 8-3 vs. Marshall Hanke (Wartburg)
Cons. Round 3: L, DEC 7-3 vs. Ethan Ballweber (Augsburg College)

Tommy Thongseng (3-3, 8th Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, Fall 5-1 (4:14) vs. Max Haskins (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Champ. Round 2: W, DEC 15-8 vs. Landon Church (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Quarterfinal: L, DEC 9-6 vs. Patrick Kubisa (St. Cloud State)
Cons. Round 4: W, DEC 7-4 vs. Ethan Ballweber (Augsburg College)
Cons. Semi: L, DEC 4-1 vs. Koye Grebel (Iowa)
7th Place Match: L, TF 17-2 (3:00) vs. Jayce Luna (St. Cloud State)

Elite 157 lbs - Caleb Olson (5-0, 1st Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, MD 15-3 vs. Owen Becker (Wis.-Platteville)
Champ. Round 2: W, DEC 7-0 vs. Clayton Solberg (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Quarterfinal: W, MD 14-6 vs. Brady Swenson (Augsburg College)
Semifinal: W, DEC 10-7 vs. Miguel Estrada (Iowa)
1st Place Match: W, DEC 5-4 vs. Isaiah Fenton (Iowa)

Kaden Inman (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, TF 18-2 (6:32) vs. Kellen Kelly (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Cons. Round 1: Bye
Cons. Round 2: L, DEC 9-4 vs. Kale Hansen (Upper Iowa)

Elite 165 lbs - Aiden Brosinski (5-1, 3rd Place)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: W, Fall 7-0 (2:17) vs. Dawson Klefstad (Wis.-Platteville)
Champ. Round 3: W, Fall 8-1 (3:56) vs. Ryan Muslimovic (Luther)
Quarterfinal: W, DEC 11-7 vs. Cole Dummer (Augsburg College)
Semifinal: L, DEC 10-4 vs. Tulga Zuunbayan (Unattached)
Cons. Semi: W, TF 16-1 (6:18) vs. Colton Loween (Augsburg College)
3rd Place Match: W, DEC 3-2 vs. Caleb Cady (Wisconsin-La Crosse)

Brody Lee (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: L, TF 20-5 (5:36) vs. Cj Torres (Iowa)
Cons. Round 2: Bye
Cons. Round 3: L, MD 9-0 vs. Mason Carpenter (St. Cloud State)

Kaiden Knaack (2-2)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: W, Fall 11-2 (5:00) vs. Jonathon Lamprich (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Champ. Round 3: W, DEC 8-3 vs. Colton Loween (Augsburg College)
Quarterfinal: L, DEC 11-4 vs. Tulga Zuunbayan (Unattached)
Cons. Round 6: L, DEC 4-2 vs. Luke Swanson (Minnesota State)

Elite 174 lbs - Eli Rabideau (3-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, Fall 21-6 (2:09) vs. Eddie Simes (Wisconsin-La Crosse)
Cons. Round 1: W, DEC 8-5 vs. Brady Brewick (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Cons. Round 2: W, DEC 2-1 vs. Blake Delsman (Wis.-Platteville)
Cons. Round 3: W, DEC 2-1 SV vs. Gunnar Thompson (Loras)
Cons. Round 4: L, Fall 19-5 (7:00) vs. Bo Koedam (Coe)

Hesston Johnson (4-1, 2nd Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, DEC 5-1 vs. Raymond Fernandez (Quincy)
Champ. Round 2: W, MD 12-3 vs. Blake Delsman (Wis.-Platteville)
Quarterfinal: W, DEC 13-8 vs. Cory Scanlan (Upper Iowa)
Semifinal: W, DEC 7-5 vs. Nick Alexander (Augsburg College)
1st Place Match: L, DEC 8-2 vs. Leister Bowling Iv (Iowa)

Syler Zdanczewicz (1-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, Fall 3-0 (2:07) vs. Nick Alexander (Augsburg College)
Cons. Round 1: W, MD 11-0 vs. Mason Seidl (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Cons. Round 2: L, Fall 2-7 (2:15) vs. Ben Vazquez (Wisconsin-Whitewater)

Thayden Root (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, Fall 10-0 (3:48) vs. Ben Vazquez (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Cons. Round 1: L, TF 17-2 (3:19) vs. Gavin Turk (St. Cloud State)

Zach Weidler (1-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, DEC 7-1 vs. Brian Ramos (Augsburg College)
Cons. Round 1: W, Fall 6-9 (2:02) vs. Tyson Poyer (Harper College)
Cons. Round 2: L, Fall 12-9 (6:23) vs. Gunnar Thompson (Loras)

Elite 184 lbs - Brenden Heying (3-2, 4th Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, DEC 7-1 vs. Tigh Connor (Quincy)
Champ. Round 2: W, TF 17-2 (4:15) vs. Conor Phelan (Augustana (IL))
Quarterfinal: W, MD 12-3 vs. Ethan Swenson (Augsburg College)
Semifinal: L, DEC 3-2 TB1 vs. Braxton Westendorf (Upper Iowa)
3rd Place Match: L, DEC 2-1 TB1 vs. Zak McPhee (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)

Kane Rosario (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, Fall 6-0 (3:35) vs. Cal Ries (Wis.-Platteville)
Cons. Round 1: Bye
Cons. Round 2: L, Fall 7-10 (3:18) vs. Conor Phelan (Augustana (IL))

Wills Bronson (4-2, 7th Place)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: L, Fall 5-0 (3:58) vs. Zak McPhee (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Cons. Round 2: W, Fall 0-0 (3:00) vs. Wyatt Weter (Luther)
Cons. Round 3: W, Fall 7-0 (1:47) vs. Aiden Sanchez (Coe)
Cons. Round 4: W, M FOR 0-0 vs. Hunter Vernon (Quincy)
Cons. Semi: L, TF 19-4 (6:21) vs. Owen Greisbach (Augsburg College)
7th Place Match: W, M FOR 0-0 vs. Ethan Swenson (Augsburg College)

Elite 285 lbs - Jaydn Cooper (3-2, 4th Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, DEC 5-3 vs. Callen Smithpeter (Minnesota State)
Champ. Round 2: W, Fall 0-0 (3:47) vs. Jacob Schimek (Augsburg College)
Quarterfinal: W, DEC 7-2 vs. Cole Matulenko
Semifinal: L, TF 21-6 (5:32) vs. Michael Mocco (Iowa)
3rd Place Match: L, DEC 9-4 vs. Hunter Vander Heiden (Unattached)

Silver Division

Silver 125 lbs - Ayden Bergman (5-0, 1st Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, TF 16-1 (3:16) vs. Andreas Monrial (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Champ. Round 2: W, TF 17-1 (4:54) vs. Austin Etzel (Luther)
Quarterfinal: W, Fall 3-0 (0:15) vs. Dylan Dottaviano (Quincy)
Semifinal: W, TF 17-1 (6:07) vs. Aiden Durell (Harper College)
1st Place Match: W, DEC 12-9 SV vs. Kaiden Belinsky (Wartburg)

George-grant Mavromatis (2-2)
Champ. Round 1: W, Fall 3-0 (2:24) vs. Chase Heimerman (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Champ. Round 2: W, DEC 3-1 vs. Aidan Carlson (Minnesota State)
Quarterfinal: L, DEC 10-3 vs. Aiden Durell (Harper College)
Cons. Round 4: L, DEC 11-4 vs. Austin Etzel (Luther)

Kaiden Belinsky (4-1, 2nd Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, TF 19-3 (6:41) vs. Noah Schaefer (Rochester Community & Tech. College)
Champ. Round 2: W, MD 15-2 vs. Makana Tieri (Luther)
Quarterfinal: W, DEC 4-0 vs. Davion Henry (Harper College)
Semifinal: W, DEC 4-0 vs. Jon Marquez (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
1st Place Match: L, DEC 12-9 SV vs. Ayden Bergman (Wartburg)

Silver 133 lbs - Lukas Orloff (2-1, 2nd Place)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Quarterfinal: W, MD 15-6 vs. Gabe Morin (Augsburg College)
Semifinal: W, TF 21-4 (4:50) vs. Lincoln Schropp (Loras)
1st Place Match: L, TF 22-7 (7:00) vs. Greyson Pettit (Iowa)

Silver 141 lbs - Blake Irvine (1-2)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: L, DEC 8-5 SV vs. Mason Calabrase (Rochester Community & Tech. College)
Cons. Round 2: Bye
Cons. Round 3: W, DEF 3-0 (1:10) vs. Cooper Nielsen (Luther)
Cons. Round 4: L, Fall 9-1 (6:24) vs. Dylan Weigel (Wis.-Platteville)

Jeran Gilge (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, MD 11-1 vs. Garrett VerHeecke (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Cons. Round 1: Bye
Cons. Round 2: L, DEC 6-4 vs. Nicholas Fortugno (Wisconsin-Whitewater)

Tobias Lombera (2-3, 8th Place)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: W, MD 12-2 vs. Nicholas Fortugno (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Quarterfinal: L, TF 19-4 (4:23) vs. Lucas Ryan (Minnesota State)
Cons. Round 4: W, FOR 0-0 vs. Cj Hoeppner
Cons. Semi: L, Fall 3-0 (1:19) vs. Miles Barclay (Luther)
7th Place Match: L, DEC 14-11 vs. Kody Kohoutek (Rochester Community & Tech. College)

Silver 149 lbs - River Osborne (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, Fall 3-0 (0:30) vs. Bobby Duffy (Iowa)
Cons. Round 1: Bye
Cons. Round 2: L, Fall 11-1 (6:18) vs. Aiden Friedrich (St. Cloud State)

Silver 157 lbs - Jackson Knapp (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: L, DEC 11-7 vs. Nile Sinn (Loras)
Cons. Round 1: L, Fall 3-0 (1:19) vs. Kameron Kremer (Upper Iowa)

Silver 184 lbs - Kent Pearson (2-3, 6th Place)
Champ. Round 1: W, MD 13-5 vs. Melvin Hunter (Wisconsin-Whitewater)
Quarterfinal: W, Fall 18-5 (5:55) vs. Lucas Roberts (University of Dubuque)
Semifinal: L, Fall 3-0 (0:25) vs. Sawyer Dailey (St. Cloud State)
Cons. Semi: L, Fall 18-6 (2:16) vs. Michael Vincic (Harper College)
5th Place Match: L, DEC 9-5 vs. Brody Seese (Wisconsin-Whitewater)

Silver 197 lbs - Casey Gipson (0-2)
Champ. Round 1: Bye
Champ. Round 2: L, DEC 10-4 vs. Jacob Duitsman (Augsburg College)
Cons. Round 2: Bye
Cons. Round 3: L, DEC 5-2 vs. Wyatt Ahnen (Unattached)