Behind three individual champions, the UW-Platteville wrestling team won the nine-school North Central College Invitational in Naperville, Ill.
Jesse Milks, voted the Most Outstanding Wrestler, Jeff Gale and Zach Chambers won their weight classes and helped the Pioneers to 157.5 points. North Central was second with 126.5, while Concordia scored 87, Milwaukee School of Engineering 74.5, Wilmington 58.5, Millikin 57.5, MacMurray 38, Knox 36.5 and MBBC 4.
Milks won the 157-pound weight class, defeating the nation's fifth-ranked wrestler in the final. The freshman Milks used a late reversal to beat North Central's Bobby Gingerich 7-6 to win the championship.
Gale, seeded fifth, captured the 133-pound title, pinning second-seeded Mario Sullivan in 6:18 in the title match. Chambers and teammate Dane Droessler, the top two seeds at 141, advanced to the final, with Chambers getting the forfeit decision and the team points.
Two other Pioneers took runner-up honors in their weight classes, with Ryan Higgins being edged 5-4 in the 149 final, and Matt Beschta making the finals at 184. Placing third were Spencer Peterson at 125, Brad Zellner at 174, Scott Nicholas at 197 and Ryan Rozek at 285.
UWP is now off until facing Loras Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. in Williams Fieldhouse.
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