NCAA MIDWEST REGIONAL...
 CLEVELAND, OH (February 23, 2008) - Senior’s Bob Gavlak (285; Brunswick, OH – pictured) and Dave Manoogian (141; Green, OH) finished runner-up in their respected weight classes this afternoon, as the Case Western Reserve University wrestling team competed in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship in Crawfordsville, Ind. at Wabash College.
Gavlak, seeded second at heavyweight, started his morning on a high-note, as he pinned Thiel’s Adam Parker in 2:53 to move on to the second round of his bracket, where he registered a 16-0 decision over Rose-Hulman’s Rey Berumen. Gavlak then upended Washington & Jefferson’s Joshua Brewer, who was seeded third at heavyweight, by a score of 10-0 to move on to the finals. Gavlak’s run would end in the finals, however, as No. 1 seeded heavyweight Kyle Bilquist from Deleware Valley College claimed a 4-1 decision over Gavlak to earn an automatic bid to Nationals.
Seeded second in the 141 weight class, Manoogian earned a first round bye before facing Washington & Jefferson’s Nicholas Centra in the second round. Manoogian would have no problems against the freshman, as he claimed a 13-3 decision to move on. In one of his closest matches of the season, Manoogian managed to pull out a 1-0 decision over Ben Hitchcock from Olivet College to move on to the finals to face Dan Hall, the top seeded wrestler from Delaware Valley College. In the finals, Manoogian would come up short, as Hall registered a 5-2 decision to earn an automatic bid to Nationals.
Junior Drew Gardella (Sagamore Hills, OH), seeded second, placed third in his weight class, as he finished the day with a 4-1 record. Gardella finishes his junior campaign with a 21-4 record. Next year, he will start the season eight victories shy of 100 career wins, as Gardella has a career-record of 92-24 after three seasons at Case.
Manoogian received a wild card bid to the NCAA Division III Championships on March 7-8 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Gardella was named an alternate and will go if someone becomes injured.
Results
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