INDIANAPOLIS – For the first time in his career, Derek Blubaugh is a champion at the Midwest Classic. The No. 3-ranked University of Indianapolis wrestling team, armed with six wrestlers heading into day two of the 44th Annual Midwest Classic turned that into four top-eight placers in Blubaugh, Jackson Hoover, third at 149, Trey Sizemore, fourth at 174, and Blake Mulkey who ended his tournament at sixth at 141.
 
As a team, the Greyhounds landed in sixth place with 95 total team points. Lander, UW-Parkside and Central Oklahoma made up the top-three teams at this year's tournament.
 

?? | 197LBS MIDWEST CLASSIC CHAMP: DEREK BLUBAUGH! ???? pic.twitter.com/Uh3GTtAU4T

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) December 17, 2023

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the eventual champion and No. 2-ranked Blubaugh, he started his day out against No. 8 Dakoda Rodgers of Pitt-Johnstown. Despite only a 2-1 victory, the match was heavily in Blubaugh's favor, imposing his will throughout, eventually capturing his spot in the finals via the riding-time point.
 
For his championship bout, Blubaugh faced off against No. 11 Tereus Henry of Fort Hays State, who fell to last year's Midwest Champion Dalton Abney of UCO in the finals. Blubaugh matched a second period escape by Henry with one of his own in the third to force OT. That is where an ankle bite reattack iced the match and secured the 197 crown for Blubaugh.
 
For 149, Hoover had a long road ahead of him after falling in the quarterfinals on day one. In his first consolation match, Hoover used a first period takedown to put him up three, which carried him to a 4-1 decision. He would advance into the consolation semis after receiving a medical forfeit. That is where he found his fastest fall of the tournament, pinning Ryan Moore of Thomas More in just 49 seconds. In his third-place match, Hoover captured the victory with takedowns in the first and third periods.
 

HOOVER TAKES 3RD PLACE??

149 | Jackson Hoover wins by decision (7-0) Ethen Doty of Upper Iowa. Great tournament for Jackson! pic.twitter.com/iAx28niCOP

— UIndy Wrestling (@UIndyWrestling) December 17, 2023

Sizemore, much like Hoover, had ground to cover after a close loss in the quarters. He made quick work, taking out Colorado Mesa's Augustus Dalton 9-6 and later upsetting No. 5-ranked Matt Ortiz of McKendree in OT. He kept the OT victories coming with a crazy one over Wyatt Reisz of Colorado School of Mines. His match for third place ended at the hands of Cole Hernandez, the No. 3-ranked 174 pounder.
 
In his first Midwest Classic, Mulkey looked to recover in the 141 bracket after his nailbiter in day one loss to No. 3 Dylan Lucas of UCO. He started by pinning Caleb Chaves of Gannon and a 4-1 decision over Grayston DiBlasi of Colorado School of Mines to follow. However, another close call ended his run towards third place via a 1-0 decision loss to No. 5 Cayden Henschel of UW-Parkside. In that match Mulkey would suffer an injury, conceding to sixth.
 
No. 11 Owen Zablocki and No. 12 Aidan Petersen both fought into day two competition, losing in their first consolations matches. Petersen matched up with No. 10-ranked Wyatt Linberg of UMary, putting up a solid fight, but falling by decision. For Zablocki, it was a close battle with Brady Schuh of UW-Parkside, where a takedown in overtime ended the match in favor of the No. 8-ranked Schuh.
 
HOUND BYTES
Blubaugh on his title…
"Feel great obviously, this is probably the toughest tournament we go to in the regular season, and it happens to be at home. Feels good to take home a trophy in front of all my friends and family and with the team before we go home for Christmas."
 
Mulkey on his experience in his first Midwest Classic…
"I wasn't too sure about the tournament, all the boys on the team were telling me how it's a tough tournament, but this is my last year to wrestle, I'm not scared of a tough tournament, I actually embrace it. It's the beginning of the end for me, I just tried to have a good mindset, I knew it was going to be tough. I was glad to be apart of it."
 
Sizemore on his thoughts after Midwest…
"It's a tough tournament, my body is really hurting right now, I wrestled a lot of matches, a lot of tough guys and it was fun. I got some good wins and put myself on the map."
 
UP NEXT
The Hounds have a brief break for the Holidays until they return to action once again on another big stage: the NWCA National Duels in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. That is set to take place on Jan. 5-6 and start at 2 p.m.
 
DAY 1
Blubaugh started his day out hot, grabbing a major decision over Brayden Dillow of Central Missouri. The redshirt junior kept his hot streak going with a pair of falls, both versus GLVC opponents. First was over Maxim Ryner of Quincy in 2:16, the second was over Cameron Lopez of Upper Iowa in 2:08. Finally, to cap off his perfect day one, Blubaugh outlasted Grand Valley's Wyatt Miller, winning via riding time for a 2-1 decision.
 
At 141, Mulkey started his day with a bye, taking full advantage of the extra rest, starting with an 8-4 decision and then a pin in his first two matches at the Midwest Classic. Matched up with No. 3 Dylan Lucas of Central Oklahoma, Mulkey would fall victim to an overtime takedown, ending his run on the winner's side of the bracket.
 
Hoover, much like Mulkey, also received a bye to start his day at 149. It would be Junior Downing of No. 1-ranked Lander as the first test for Hoover, one he passed majorly, winning 17-4. He followed that up with another foe from a top-five squad, downing Dylan Brown of No. 4 Central Oklahoma 7-0. But it would be the No. 7-ranked Jacob Ealy of Pitt-Johnstown to end his run, winning 13-1 over Hoover.
 
Zablocki, coming in as the No. 11-ranked 165-pound wrestler, picked up a fall over Montevallo's Derek Hussey in the second round, leading him to a familiar opponent in the third round. Lined up against Cole Ritter of Maryville, Zablocki simply dominated, grabbing a major victory 20-11. Zablocki kept his fight going into the night in the quarterfinals but fell just a takedown short of Nicholas Coreno of Gannon, sending him to the consolation bracket.
 
Sizemore, a DI-transfer from Illinois, looked to make a splash at the Midwest Classic and he did that, picking up a pin and two majors within his first three matches at the annual tournament. However, a controversial call in the quarterfinals ended his run at the 174-title.
 
At the 184-pound class, Petersen, spotting a new No. 12 rankings, started his day with a major over Drury's Jeremiah Halter in the second round. Another decision (9-5) lifted Petersen to the quarterfinals, where some early aggression by the No. 3-ranked Matt Weinberg of Kutztown resulted in a pin over Petersen.
 
Nathan Smith, a true freshman, was ever so close to advancing to day two of competition. After dropping his first match of the day at 125, Smith battled through five rounds of consolation matches, picking up two tech falls along the way. But to end his run was Jaden Verhagen of UMary who pinned Smith in 3:15.
 
Battling at 157, Nathan Conley started his day out with a bye, before suffering a defeat in the second round. He bounced back with a tech fall in the consolation round two, but a 9-6 decision the next round ended his run at the yearly tournament.
 
Noah Cantu, wrestling at 133, picked up an early win in the first round. But a tightly fought match in the second round caused an injury to Cantu, ending his tournament.
 
Jay Thompson, filling in for No. 1-ranked Cale Gray, battled but bowed out after two matches of action.