Reno, Nev. â€" Ohio wrestlers Tywan Claxton (South Euclid, Ohio) and Cody Walters (Macedonia, Ohio) triumphed in the 149 and 174 weight classes, respectively, to earn their third tournament titles of the season while leading the Bobcats to a fifth-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions in the Reno Events Center.  

OHIO TOP-5 FINISHES

Claxton posted a 3-0 decision over Tyler Berger (unattached) to earn first place at the 147-class, his third tournament title of the season. Following a bye through the first round, the redshirt junior highlighted his preliminary matches with an 11-3 major decision over Travis Himmelman of Boise State. A 6-0 decision over Arizona State’s Preston McCalmon placed Claxton against Jordan Hendrickson in the semifinals, where he earned a 15-1 major decision.

Walters also earned his third tournament title of the season after defeating Wyoming’s Andy McCulley in a 3-1 decision to claim the 174-class. The redshirt junior opened the day with a 6-0 decision over Sohrab Movahedi of Cal Poly, continuing on to earn a 10-6 decision over Oklahoma’s Matt Reed in the semifinals.  

Harrison Hightower (Strongsville, Ohio) solidified third place in the 165-class by pinning Montana State Northern’s Ethan Hinebauch in 1:18. The redshirt senior recorded three decision victories in the prelims and an 11-2 major decision in the consolation semifinals. 

Following a two-round bye at the 157-class, Spartak Chino (Wheaton, Ill.) opened his outing with a tech. fall in 2:20 over Oregon State’s Joe Dematteo. The redshirt junior earned another tech. fall in 3:39 over Joe Granger of Cal Poly in the quarterfinals before falling to Oregon State’s Alex Elder in a 6-4 decision in the semifinals. Chino continued on to place fourth following a major decision loss in the third-place bout.

UP NEXT FOR THE BOBCATS

Following a brief break, the Bobcats will open the new year in Clarion, Pa. as they take on the Clarion Golden Eagles on Jan. 8 in the Waldo S. Tippin Gym beginning at 7 p.m.

#BobcatNation