LINCOLN, Ill. – The Harper College wrestling team had its final tune-up before the Midwest District Championship in just over a week. The Hawks traveled to Lincoln College for a dual match with the Lynx and emerged with a 26-13 victory on Thursday night.
In the heavyweight division, Kameran Hardwick (Roselle, Ill. /Lake Park) scored six points with a win by fall at the 2:02 mark over Cody Cannon. Harper's Cody Barnes (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock ) also scored a crucial six points in his match with Kyle Eighner at 197 pounds. The two wrestled into the seventh minute before Barnes won by fall at the 6:41 mark.
James Knapp (Bourbonnais, Ill. /Bradley-Bourbonnais) scored the team's most convincing decision at 141 pounds, as he defeated Jaime Valdez 20-4. The Hawks' other wins from Paul Marcson (Buffalo Grove, Ill. /Stevenson ), Zach McCullough (Elgin, Ill. /Elgin), and Jon Makey came by slim margins.
Marcson won 7-5 against Kaevahn Pendelton at 125 pounds, and McCullough escaped with a 6-5 triumph over Ricky Stringfellow at 133. Makey edged Tyree Overton, 7-6, at 165 pounds.
The Hawks will begin their final preparations leading up to the Midwest District Championship on Sunday, February 14. Harper College is the host school for the event, and the championship will be held in the gymnasium inside the Wellness & Sports Center (Building M). The schedule for the day will go as follows: Weigh Ins 9 a.m., Wrestling Semifinals 11 a.m., Wrestling Finals 12:30 p.m.
A tournament brochure will be available online in the coming days. Also, results will be posted on trackwrestling.com following the completion of the event.
