BATTLE CREEK — The Niles wrestling team finished fourth at the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference wrestling tournament at Lakeview High School Saturday.

Led by Big 16 champions Darek Mills at 119-pounds and Fritzel Findeisen at 152-pounds, the Vikings finished with 165.5 points.

Host Lakeview won the team championship with 268 points. Portage Central and Lakeshore were second and third with 206.5 and 171.5 respectively. St. Joseph finished fifth with 120 points.

Niles had four wrestlers in the championship finals and another two more in the consolation finals.

Mills defeated Lakeshore’s Noah Hanau 7-5 to win the title.

Findeisen defeated Max Pennock of Lakeview 3-2 in the championship match.

Nicholas Zimmerman was runner-up at 112-pounds after a 6-1 setback at the hands of Alex Bualteng of Lakeview. Ryan Casey also finished second as he was defeated in the 189-pound finals by Rodney Harvey of Lakeview, 9-3.

Casey Burandt grabbed a third place finish with a 9-5 victory over Connor Myers of St. Joseph at 135-pounds. Donte Stevens finished fourth at 145-pounds as he was defeated by Caleb Huff of Sturgis 9-3.

Brendon Meek was fifth at 103, Cole Allison fifth at 130 and Derek Scott sixth at 285 for the Vikings.

“The kids wrestled well,” Niles coach Todd Hesson said. “Everyone won matches. Almost all the kids wrestled at or above their seeds. Second tournament in a row that Cole Allison was unseeded and came through  and placed.

“Both Fritzel and Darek wrestled well. Derek Scott was unseeded and placed sixth.”

The Vikings now turn their attention to the Division 2 team tournament Wednesday at Edwardsburg.

Niles will face Sturgis in the opening round at 6 p.m.

Big 16 Wrestling Tournament

At Battle Creek Lakeview

Team scores

Battle Creek Lakeview 268, Portage Central 206.5, Lakeshore 171.5, Niles 165.5, St. Joseph 120, Sturgis 104, Battle Creek Central 78.5, Mattawan 72.5, Portage Northern 58, Kalamazoo Central 57, Coldwater 54, Gull Lake 38.5, Battle Creek Harper Creek 37, Marshall 32, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 16, Benton Harbor 3

Championship round

103: David Melendez (St. Joseph) d. Blain Dempsey (Mattawan), 7-4

112: Alex Bualteng (Lakeview) d. Nicholas Zimmerman (Niles), 6-1

119: Darek Mills (Niles) d. Noah Hanau (Lakeshore), 7-5

125: Jesse Sum (Lakeview) d. Jacob Heaps (Portage Northern), 11-3

130: Kemps Miller (Gull Lake) p. AC Putman (Lakeview), 2:36

135: Kevin Haughn (Portage Central) won by forfeit

140: Angelo Latora (Portage Central) d. Travis Dragomer (Lakeshore), 4-1

145: Dominic Latora (Portage Central) d. Jake Baker (Lakeview), 7-5

152: Fritzel Findeisen (Niles) d. Max Pennock (Lakeview), 3-2

160: Travis VanderVeen (Portage Central) d. Nicholas Bacon (Battle Creek Central), 7-2

171: Brett Dempsey (Mattawan) d. Mike Gould (St. Joseph), 13-3

189: Rodney Harvey (Lakeview) d. Ryan Casey (Niles), 9-3

215: Kyle Spear (Lakeshore) p. Nolan Thomas (Portage Northern), 1:03

285: Kyle Carlson (Lakeshore) d. Kyle Knapp (Portage Central), 6-2

Consolation matches

103: Romeo Riley (Kalamazoo Central) d. DJ Glidden (Lakeview,) 5-0

112: Aaron Ward (Lakeshore) d. David Markowioz (Kalamazoo Central), 4-3

119: Alex McCoy (Portage Central) d. Brandon Williams (Lakeview), 7-5

125: Austin Nusbaum (Sturgis) p. Luis Rodriguez (Kalamazoo Central), 3:27

30: Austin Gulick (Portage Central) p. Ricardo Soto (Sturgis), 1:32

135: Casey Burandt (Niles) d. Connor Myers (St. Joseph), 9-5

140: Ross Pennock (Lakeview) won by forfeit

145: Caleb Huff (Sturgis) d. Donte Stevens (Niles), 9-3

152: Dayland Bowser (Sturgis) d. Levertis Brown (Battle Creek Central), 3-2

160: DJ Matthews (Sturgis) d. JP McDougall (Lakeshore), 2-1

171: Raunel Packer (Lakeview) p. Dontrell Morris (Portage Central), 1:38

189: Matt Hueckel (Harper Creek) p. Connor Goodman (Marshall), 0:47

215: Malachi Barrett (Lakeview) p. Brett Burtrum (Coldwater), 4:20

285: Jace Trevino (Battle Creek Central) d. Chaz Meredith (Lakeview), 6-2