Curtis Hobbs winner Jan. 12, 2008

Hobbs takes 4th at Central Invitational

PELLA—Freshman Curtis Hobbs (Grinnell) took fourth place as the Central College wrestling team put together a strong effort at the Central Invitational Saturday.  

Hobbs was fourth at 141 pounds while teammate Nick Johnson (sophomore, San Antonio, Texas, James Madison HS) was sixth. There were no team scores in the 14-team meet at H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse.

“From top to bottom that was our best effort of the year,” said first-year coach Eric Van Kley. “The kids competed hard, both in the matches that they won and the matches they lost.”

Hobbs advanced to the semifinals before settling for fourth with a 3-2 record. Van Kley was especially impressed with a 9-8 quarterfinal victory over Marcus Cobbs.

“He’s learned how to battle good college guys in our aggressive style,” he said.

After an opening-round setback, Johnson reeled off three straight wins and finished 3-3.

“It was good to see Nick get his first placefinish in two years,” Van Kley said. “He’s blossoming into a nice college wrestler and it’s due to his strong work ethic.”

Kyle Ray (freshman, Greenfield, Nodaway Valley HS) was 2-2 at 157 pounds and Jim Siddall (sophomore, Montgomery, Ill., Oswego HS) was 1-2 at 285.

Top-ranked Wartburg College visits P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium Thursday at 7 p.m.

“It only gets tougher at this time of year in the Iowa Conference,” Van Kley said.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS:

http://www.central.edu/athletics/wrestling/07-08%20results/CentralInvBrackets08.pdf    

 

http://www.central.edu/athletics/wrestling/07-08%20results/CentralInvMatchResults08.pdf