FINAL RESULTS
PHOTO GALLERY

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – On a night of emotional reflection yet also deserved celebration, the Otterbein wrestling program delivered a 31-12 redemption victory over Mount St. Joseph while celebrating its inaugural four-year senior class.

The Cardinals, hosting their final home dual inside the Rike Center this season, recognized seven journeyman that helped resurrect the program as freshmen back in the fall of 2016. Otterbein fittingly set a single-season record for most victories, jumping ahead early and never letting up to finish the dual schedule 15-6 overall.

"This was a great night," said head coach Brent Rastetter, sitting alongside seniors Drew Kasper and Willy Plaisir in front of a press conference room with more than 15 people. "These young men have put in place an amazing foundation in which future kids can build upon. This sport isn't as much about wins or losses as it's about becoming strong people, pushing through tough times and coming out better on the other side. They have certainly done that."

Otterbein, which dropped a 25-19 showdown at MSJ last season, turned the tide immediately this time as Chase Nelson earned a forfeit in the opening bout. Senior Jackson Lakso then battled to a 5-3 decision against No. 12-ranked Tariq Hornbuckle, who recently moved up a weight class.

The Cards soon registered three-straight wins in the middle portion of the night, starting with freshman Jacob Williams overcoming an early 2-0 deficit to post an 11-3 major decision. He nearly had his opponent pinned on a few occasions.

Freshman Ryan Whitten, ranked No. 16 nationally, improved himself to a stellar 35-7 on the season with a decision in the 157-bout. Plaisir (165) followed suit accordingly, wrestling a careful match and generating more than 4:30 of riding time before the dust settled with a 7-2 decision.

"I usually come out firing right away," Plaisir said with a laugh afterward. "But this was Senior Night, so I tried to wrestle a little more cautious, remain smart and in control. It was important to get the win and finish this thing the right way."

Otterbein faced stiff tests in the next two affairs, with sophomore Joey Bradberry (174) falling to No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Cornell Beachem Jr. The 184-pound matchup would be the night's best, pitting No. 20 ranked senior Corbin Bunsold against returning All-American and No. 4-ranked Antonio McCloud of MSJ.

Bunsold took a hard spill early but regrouped admirably, going back and forth with McCloud down to the wire. McCloud would eventually find a third-period takedown that helped him emerge 8-5.

A pair of seniors put an exclamation mark on the dual, as senior Luke Hess (197) made a quick move to begin his second period and ultimately secure a pin just 18 seconds into that frame. He also sang the national anthem one last to commence the evening.

Kasper fittingly ended things with a fall himself, staying perfect on the year at 27-0 after catching his opponent for a pin at exactly 90 seconds into the bout. He will now head to the NCAA Regionals at Adrian College looking to defend his crown from last season.

"I tried to treat it like any other day," said Kasper when asked about the atmosphere of his final home match. "But after I got the pin and stood up, it all started to hit me. My teammates and I have tried to build something here and make people want to join the program next. I hope people begin to think of wrestling moving forward when they hear the name Otterbein."

Kasper, Bunsold, Plaisir and Lakso, all starters in the lineup from day one, now hold a combined college record of 338-86.

That foursome, along with Hess, Donny Didion and Chris Martinez, were all recognized beforehand at center mat with their families. Martinez opened the action with a quick fall during an exhibition, while Didion unfortunately had to be a spectator after a reshuffling canceled his bout.

Otterbein will now have some time to rest and prepare for NCAA Regionals, scheduled for February 28-29 up in Michigan. Stay tuned to otterbeincardinals.com and all of our social media outlets for updates.