GRANTHAM, Pa. – Maryland's open tournament wrestlers put together a successful day at the Messiah Open Saturday, as the squad had 14 placers at the tourney hosted by Messiah College.

Maryland was all over the 157-pound bracket, producing the top two placers including champion Wade Hodges. The sophomore posted pins in both of his opening round matches, then punched his ticket to the final with a 11-4 decision over Tag Wilbur. Redshirt freshman Jahi Jones advanced on the other side, winning three matches by decision before Hodges took him down 9-3 in the title match. He now improves to 15-6 on the year. 

After getting knocked  out in the opening round, freshman Brandon Cray wrestled all the way back for a third place finish in the 125-pound division. He won four matches with two wins by fall, which included revenge on his first round exit with a pin over Connor Sheehan (Millersville).

Fellow freshman Hunter Lucas notched a fifth place finish, posting a fall, tech fall and major decision win on the day. Junior Michael Beck took second at 125, winning three matches on the day. Redshirt junior Jhared Simmons took second in the 141-pound bracket, pinning two opponents on the day. Freshman Mike DeClario took home eighth in the bracket.

Sophomore Brendan Burnham led the way for the Terps in the 165-pound division, winning four matches on the afternoon to secure a third place finish. Freshman Vincent DiFilippo took fourth and redshirt freshman Garrett Griffith was fifth.

Maryland had the second, third and fifth place finishers in the 174-pound ladder, with redshirt freshman Idris White finishing as the runner up. White won two matches by major decision, poisted a fall and came up just short to Penn State's Francisco Bisono in the final going down 5-4 in overtime. Freshman Spencer Woods was a four-match winner on the day, getting a major decision and pin while ultimataely taking third. Fellow freshman Niko Cappello was fifth.

Freshman Nick McShea was Maryland's lone competitor at 197, winning three matches for a third place finish.

Maryland wrestling will be back in action on Friday, February 10 to host Northwestern at the XFINITY Center Pavilion.

-Terps-