LEBANON, Ill. – The Maryville Wrestling team began it's postseason journey with the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) tournament, going 2-1 for third place. The tournament, in a change to the former methods, was decided in bracket play with McKendree, the host school, earning this year's title.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Maryville began it's day with a bout against the No. 4-seed Drury Panthers, dispatching them via a 32-12 score. The action was knotted up 6-6 heading into 141 after a Drury fall at 125 and a Drury forfeit at 133. Back-and-forth action continued from there with JP Homfeld (141) and Logan Rubinstein (157) earning wins by decision.
 
A tech fall victory for the Panthers at 165 marked the last points Drury scored with the Saints winning 174 through 285, three by extra points.
 
#24 MARYVILLE 31, DRURY 12
125 - Bryson Humphries (Drury) over Sam Shafer (Maryville) Dec 3-1
133 - Evan Binder (Maryville) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
141 - JP Homfeld (Maryville) over Nathan Wishne (Drury) Dec 6-1
149 - Trevor Christian (Drury) over Dylan Gvillo (Maryville) Maj 15-5
157 - Logan Rubinstein (Maryville) over Joe Kuster (Drury) Dec 14-10
165 - #14 Will Kuster (Drury) over Nehemiah Washington (Maryville) TF 15-0
174 - #11 Cole Ritter (Maryville) over Jeremiah Halter (Drury) Dec 4-0
184 - Dalton Litzsinger (Maryville) over Tristan Staat (Drury) Maj 13-4
197 - Jeremiah Larson (Maryville) over Wade Stanton (Drury) Fall 2:16
285 - Orest Nazarchuk (Maryville) over Jack Stoffel (Drury) Fall 4:34
 
After a quality win over the Panthers, the Saints battled the No. 1-seeded Upper Iowa Peacocks. Extra-point losses came to bite Maryville as they suffered three big losses that set them back. Evan Binder and Hudson Hackbarth earned two wins at 133 and 141, with Hackbarth's coming over the No. 13 ranked wrestler in the open mat rankings.
 
Jeremiah Larson's clinical 9-0 major and No. 2 Ryan Herman's sudden victory over No. 15 Clayton Ours were too little too late, sending the Saints to the third place match versus Indianapolis.
 
#17 UPPER IOWA 26, #24 MARVYILLE 14
125 - Treyton Ackman (Upper Iowa) over Sam Shafer (Maryville) TF 15-0
133 - Evan Binder (Maryville) over Dawson Schmit (Upper Iowa) Maj 9-0
141 - Hudson Hackbarth (Maryville) over Ryan Wehner (Upper Iowa) Dec 7-0
149 - #9 Ethen Doty (Upper Iowa) over Dylan Gvillo (Maryville) Fall 0:33
157 - Dalton Schams (Upper Iowa) over Logan Rubinstein (Maryville) Dec 9-3
165 - Collin Altensey (Upper Iowa) over Nehemiah Washington (Maryville) Fall 1:10
174 - #3 Lawson Losee (Upper Iowa) over #11 Cole Ritter (Maryville) SV-1 8-5
184 - #7 Colter Bye (Upper Iowa) over Dalton Litzsinger (Maryville) Dec 4-1
197 - Jeremiah Larson (Maryville) over Hunter Bye (Upper Iowa) Maj 9-0
285 - #2 Ryan Herman (Maryville) over #15 Clayton Ours (Upper Iowa) SV-1 4-1
 
The Saints came into the dual with UIndy with a chip on their shoulder, looking to avenge a rough loss in the Circle City from earlier this season. Avenge that loss they did and more, earning three straight victories to open the dual, including a first period fall by Sam Shafer. The Greyhounds attempted a run of their own, winning 149, 157 and 165, but a takedown fest major by Ritter at 174 over 2023-24 NCAA Nationals qualifier Trey Sizemore got the Dawgs back to winning.
 
The dual win was not the lone vengeance the Saints got on the day as Dalton Litzsinger picked up a pin over Aidan Peterson, the Hound that had pinned him back in the Saints stop to Indianapolis earlier this season. Orest Nazarchuk, much like the first dual, finished the day with a pin to leave on a high note.
 
#24 MARYVILLE 32, #23 UINDY 13
125 - Sam Shafer (Maryville) over Jadon Gyan (Indianapolis) Fall 2:19
133 - Evan Binder (Maryville) over Toby Billerman (Indianapolis) Dec 5-0
141 - JP Homfeld (Maryville) over Harrison May (Indianapolis) Dec 2-0
149 - Jackson Hoover (Indianapolis) over Dylan Gvillo (Maryville) Maj 15-4
157 - Nathan Conley (Indianapolis) over Logan Rubinstein (Maryville) Maj 15-2
165 - Shane Bates (Indianapolis) over Nehemiah Washington (Maryville) TF 16-1
174 - #11 Cole Ritter (Maryville) over Trey Sizemore (Indianapolis) Maj 16-5
184 - Dalton Litzsinger (Maryville) over Aidan Petersen (Indianapolis) Fall 6:23
197 - Jeremiah Larson (Maryville) over Armen Koltookian (Indianapolis) Maj 11-1
285 - Orest Nazarchuk (Maryville) over Elijah Hinshaw (Indianapolis) Fall 4:33
 
UP NEXT
The Saints are just 14 days away from the NCAA Super Regional IV tournament set to be held in Warrensburg, Mo. on the campus of Central Missouri.