Wrestling | 12/29/2021 10:22:00 PM

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – After the 2021 Midlands Championships were canceled to COVID-19 concerns, senior Alex Carida (Hackettstown, N.J./Hackettstown) and junior Cole Rhone (Benton, Pa./Benton Area) of the Bloomsburg University wrestling team traveled to Chicago, Illinois, for the newly formed 2021 Illinois Matmen Open on Wednesday.
 
Currently ranked at No. 33 at 157 pounds, Carida had an impressive first day at the Matmen Open. The senior received a first-round bye and went on to earn his way to the quarterfinals with a third-period fall in the second round. Carida pinned Tyler Badgett of the University of Pittsburgh at 5:29 for his first win of the day. In the quarterfinals, Carida earned a 7-2 win over the No. 3 seed, Jake Keating of Virginia University, to advance to the semifinals and secure a place-winner for the Huskies.

Rhone opened the day with a 9-0 major decision over Nicholas Kayal in the first round at 133 pounds. In the second round, the junior posted a 5-3 win over Kurt Phipps to advance to the quarterfinals. Rhone fell to the consolation bracket after a fall against All-American and #5 Lucas Byrd in the quarterfinals.
 
Rhone and Carida will get back on the mat Thursday morning for the second day of the Matmen Open. Carida opens the day against Doug Zapf in the semifinals while Rhone faces Julian Farber in the wrestle backs.
 
Fans can follow the action live on Rokfin.com (pay-per-view), and the updated brackets can be found on tournaflex.com.