Wrestling Notches 4th Place Finish at Citrus Invitational Led by Perelka and Devera

12/30/2021 6:05:00 PM | By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

Daniel Devera won the crown at 174.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- After missing out on the program's 50-year tradition of heading to Florida in 2020 due to COVID-19, John Carroll Wrestling is back in the Sunshine State this year.

On Wednesday, Dec. 29 and Thursday, Dec. 30, the Blue Streaks competed in the Citrus Invitational, held at the Broward County Convention Center.

As a team, the Blue Streaks tallied a fourth-place finish with many top teams in attendance. Individually, Andrew Perelka claimed the throne at 133 pounds and Daniel Devera won the title at 174. Highlights abounded from the two-day event, held on Wednesday and Thursday in Fort Lauderdale.

Perelka's conquest was without a doubt one of the top highlights. The Brecksville native cruised in the early goings, winning his first three matches by pins, including two within the first minute. Perelka confronted Sean Hall of Roanoke College in the championship match. Entering as the No. 4 wrestler in the country at 133, Perelka dispatched Hall via tech fall, securing an 18-2 conquest. JCU's veteran is now 15-1 on the season.

Devera did great work with his victory at 174. The freshman didn't get a bye, but he didn't mind, winning his first match by fall at 1:54. He followed it up with a major decision, then another pin win. Devera got justice in the semifinals for Caiden Rodgers (who lost to Syrus Colon of Castleton), earning a 9-0 major decision to head into the final bout. Devera tallied another major decision to capture the crown at 174, with an 11-2 win over Carter Sorenson of Augsburg. Meanwhile, Rodgers would go on to claim seventh and Luke McKeon took eighth at the weight class.

Jarrod Brezovec experienced defeat at 141, but made the most of it. After winning his first match by fall and his next by a 12-0 MD, Brezovec was dealt a 6-1 decision loss by Sam Stuhl of Augsburg, the NWCA's No. 9 tournament team in Division III. Brezovec rebounded with two major decisions (11-2 and 11-0) to earn third place for the tournament. Brezovec is now 15-2 on the year.

Luke Reicosky also entered with a strong ranking, but did not get past the semifinals at 157. The North Canton native opened things up in the stacked bracket with wins of 5-3 and 3-2. He flew past Caleb Blake (Ohio Wesleyan) with a 17-6 major decision to propel himself into the semis. But Killian Perrigon of Cornell College pinned the Blue Streak, and Reicosky accepted a medical forfeit in the consolations, settling for sixth.

Patrick McGraw enjoyed a nice tournament at 165. The Saint Ignatius product conquered his first foe via a 13-1 decision, and followed it with a 16-1 tech fall. An 11-5 decision vaulted him into the semifinals against Casey Allen (Cornell College). Allen squeezed past McGraw with a 6-2 decision, and later won the championship. In the third-place match, McGraw rolled past Liberty's David Over with a 14-6 major decision.

Kyle Murray managed a solid seventh-place effort for the event. The Dublin Coffman alum lost an 11-4 decision to start things, but got back on track with a 13-0 major decision to open up his consolation run. Murray eked out a 1-0 decision and then a 6-3 decision to keep on rolling. Murray then suffered an oh-so-close loss with a 6-5 decision to the eventual fifth-placer, sending him to the seventh-place bout. Murray conquered his foe in a 6-2 victory.

Kale Buckiso opened successfully at 149 pounds, with a fall at 4:45 and a 7-6 decision to open the tournament. But then a 7-0 decision loss sent him to the consolations. He beat teammate Ryan Forrest (who upended Trysten Zahoransky, SV-1 3-1), but then lost to the eventual fourth-placer and lost in the battle for seventh. Still, not a bad result for the youngster.

The Blue Streaks will be back in action next week, facing off with Florida's St. Thomas University (an NAIA institution) on Thursday, Jan. 6 at Key West High School.

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