Five Central College wrestlers went 2-0 at the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional Friday and are a semifinal win away from advancing to the NCAA Division III Championships.

Central’s highest-seeded wrestler at No. 2, Shandon Akeo pinned Huntingdon College’s (Ala.) Nicholas McClendon in the first round at 125 pounds and registered an 11-5 decision against Millikin University’s (Ill.) Tommy Russell in the second round. Rob Areyano started with an 11-2 major decision against Alex Brux of Augustana College (Ill.) at 149 pounds before pinning Jaylen York of the University of the Ozarks (Ark.) at 3:37 to secure his semifinal spot. Central’s 285-pound wrestler Samuel Zook did not give up a point in either match, taking an 8-0 major decision against Augustana’s Daniel Skold in the first round and earning a 2-0 decision against Luther College’s Logan Kennedy in the second round. 

Peyton Hammerich pinned his way into the semifinals, ending his second-round match against North Central College’s (Ill.) Mateen Taylor at the 2:29 mark. He then had a 10-2 major decision against Nicholas Brashaer of Huntingdon in the first round. Gage Linahon won by fall in 4:25 against Clay DeBaillie of Augustana in the first round and advanced to the semifinals on an injury default over Wartburg College’s Kobe Woods. After a 2-1 day, Brock Beck remains alive in the consolation semifinals. He sandwiched a 3-1 decision over Buena Vista University’s Axel Hernadnez and an 8-1 decision over Anthony Urrea of the University of Dubuque around his second-round loss.

The Central Wrestlers return to the mats at 11 a.m. at the Five Flags Center in Dubuque.