CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — The Wabash College wrestling team turned in a strong showing Saturday at the Wabash College Open, producing a championship performance and a deep collection of podium finishes at the open-entry tournament hosted in the Knowling Fieldhouse. The event was contested without team scoring.

Wabash senior Michael Taheny highlighted the day by winning the 184-pound title, while the Little Giants added five third-place finishes, two runner-up results, and several additional top-six performances across the weight classes.

Taheny navigated the bracket with authority before edging teammate Zach Huckaby in the championship bout. After receiving a first-round bye, Taheny secured back-to-back falls, pinning Andrew Williamson of Trine University at 5:51 in the quarterfinals and Quinn Herbert of Purdue University at 3:40 in the semifinals. He capped the title run with a 3-2 victory in tie-breaker one over Huckaby in the finals.

Huckaby finished second at 184 pounds following his own strong tournament. He earned a bye to open the day, then pinned Keaton Wilhelm of Blackburn College in 1:27 in the quarterfinals and posted an 8-5 decision over Gavin Malone of Trine University in the semifinals before the narrow loss to Taheny.

The Little Giants claimed five third-place finishes, beginning at 149 pounds where Carson Fettig rebounded from an early setback to earn bronze. Fettig dropped a 14-12 decision to Asher LeBeau of Wilmington College in the quarterfinals before rattling off three wins in the consolation bracket, including a fall in 51 seconds over Gaven Vollintine of Blackburn College. He closed the day with an 8-2 decision over teammate Laban Green in the third-place match.

Green finished fourth in the same weight class after reaching the consolation final. He opened with a first-round fall in 1:01 before advancing through the backside of the bracket with a major decision and a 10-7 decision over LeBeau, setting up the all-Wabash third-place bout.

At 157 pounds, Michael Cain captured third place with a string of bonus-point victories. Cain opened with a fall over Cristian Hernandez of Ohio Wesleyan at 6:22 before falling in the quarterfinals. He responded with a major decision, a technical fall over teammate Grant Brewer, and a medical forfeit in the consolation semifinals before earning a 12-8 decision over Andrew Ross in the third-place match.

Ross placed fourth at 157 after reaching the semifinals. He recorded a pair of early wins, including a first-round fall and a quarterfinal decision, before dropping a narrow 2-1 semifinal bout. Ross rebounded with a 6-1 decision over teammate Chasen Kazmierczak before the loss to Cain.

Kazmierczak finished fifth at 157, opening with a fall and adding two more pins and a sudden-victory decision in the consolation rounds. He claimed fifth place via medical forfeit in his final match.

Jaylen Young added a third-place finish at 174 pounds. Young opened with a fall and a decision to reach the semifinals, where he suffered a sudden-victory loss. He bounced back with an 11-0 major decision in the consolation semifinals and closed the tournament with a 9-3 decision over Mason Day in the third-place bout.

At 197 pounds, Spencer Watson earned third place after opening with a fall and recovering from a semifinal setback with an 11-1 major decision in the consolation semifinals. Watson secured third place by edging teammate Hadyn Ball 4-2. Ball finished fourth after advancing to the semifinals and adding a consolation semifinal win.

Titus Waters rounded out the Wabash third-place finishes at heavyweight. Waters stormed through the early rounds with two first-period falls before dropping an 8-4 semifinal decision. He answered with a 13-1 major decision in the consolation semifinals and claimed third place by forfeit in the final bout.

Additional top-six finishes included Isaac Ash's fourth-place showing at 125 pounds. Ash recorded a fall and a technical fall in the bracket before finishing just off the podium in the third-place match. James Day placed fifth at 133 pounds after earning two falls on the day, including a pin in the fifth-place match. Branson Weaver added a fourth-place finish at 141 pounds with three consolation victories, including two falls and a technical fall, while Cooper McCloy placed fourth at 165 pounds following a major decision and a consolation semifinal win.

Wabash returns to action on Sunday, February 8, competing at the University of Indianapolis Greyhound Open.