Steven Ruppert leads Muskegon Community College wrestlers at the Alma Open

Local Sports Journal

Muskegon Community College wrestlers welcome tough competition.

On Saturday at Alma College, the Jayhawks got exactly that. MCC was the lone junior college at the Alma Open, which included NCAA Division I and III teams. That group included No. 18 ranked Ohio Northern, Heidelberg and Alma. Indiana Tech, ranked No. 16 in the NAIA, also was present, along with red-shirt and backup wrestlers from the University of Michigan and Central Michigan University.

“This was, by far, the toughest competition we’ve faced this year,” MCC coach Mark Brunger said. “The weight classes were loaded with talent.”

Muskegon Community College wrestler Steven Ruppert reached the semifinals before losing. He ended up in third place.

“Ruppert was extremely impressive all day,” Brunger said.

Ruppert defeated Frank Stepnowski of Alama and Logan Shanks of CMU before losing to Zach Horan of CMU, 10-5.

Ruppert then defeated Heidelberg’s Mark Carosella  and Shanks and picked up a third-place finish.

MCC’s Nick Starzec finished 3-2 on the day at 149 pounds.