Cornell had four wrestlers place in the top eight in a tough 35-team Pete Willson Invitational hosted by Wheaton College.
The Rams scored 59 points during the two-day event and finished 13th in the final team standings.
Senior 157-pounder Killian Perrigon and senior 165-pounder Casey Allen both reached the semifinals and placed fourth in their respective weight classes, which featured several nationally-ranked individuals.
Perrigon (26-10) won four of his five contested bouts, posting a pin and two major decisions. He lost by fall in the semifinals to eventual champion and 11th-ranked Luke Smiley of UW-Stevens Point, and gave up a medical forfeit in the third-place match.
The 12th-ranked Allen (27-8) went 3-2 with a pair of first-period falls, raising his pins count to 17 on the season. He lost a 20-3 technical in the semifinals to Millikin’s second-ranked Bradan Birt. Allen dropped a 9-2 decision to UW-Eau Claire’s fourth-ranked Chase Schmidt in the third-place bout.
Sophomore 197-pounder Treyten Steffen (22-17) rebounded from a first-round loss to win five of six consolation matches for seventh place. He collected two pins and a major decision before beating Ozark’s Cruz Partain, 6-4, in the place match.
Senior Colin Honderd (28-12) finished eighth with a 3-3 record at 184. He continued his pursuit of the school record for pins in a season, notching two more falls to give him 20 for the year. Honderd is three pins shy of the record held by Justin Dix (2000-01).
The Rams sent a split squad to Saturday’s Loras Open, fielding two placewinners in Dubuque.
Freshman Cael McLaren (30-9) took fifth in the 184-pound bracket and became Cornell’s first 30-match winner this season. He went 5-0 on the consolation side with three pins.
Jacob Sherzer (20-12) placed sixth at 174 with a 3-1 mark. He posted one pin and one technical fall.
The Rams travel to face rival Coe for a 7 p.m. dual meet Feb. 9 in Cedar Rapids. Cornell holds a 5-4 lead in the 2021-22 Bremner Cup All-Sports Series.
Pete Willson Invitational
Cornell placewinners
157 – Killian Perrigon (4-1, 4th). 165 – Casey Allen (3-2, 4th). 184 – Colin Honderd (3-3, 8th). 197 – Treyten Steffen (5-2, 7th).
Loras Open
Cornell placewinners
174 – Jacob Sherzer (3-1, 6th). 184 – Cael McLaren (5-1, 5th).