Lycoming College Wrestling

LYCOMING’S WALDRON AND TIERNEY WIN CONFERENCE TITLES
WARRIOR WRESTLERS PLACE SECOND AS A TEAM

WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Lycoming College wrestling team claimed two individual conference champions, Saturday afternoon, at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships. Mike Waldron (So./Williamsport, PA; Loyalsock) and Jeff Tierney (Sr./Blairstown, NJ; North Warren Regional) each went undefeated in the tournament to win the 133-pound and 184 pound weight classes, respectively. Both Warriors wrestlers will advance to the NCAA Division III National Championships to be held March 7-8, at Ohio Northern University. Lycoming also claimed runner-up honors as a team with 127 points behind only Delaware Valley College with 148.5.

Waldron won his second consecutive conference title after entering the championships as the number-two seed at 133. After receiving a bye in the opening round, Waldron pinned Tyler Alexander of Messiah College in the semifinals at 6:38. Then in the finals, he avenged his only regular season loss by defeating BJ Wise of Delaware Valley College, 12-6.

Tierney entered the tournament as the top seed at 184 pounds. In his opening bout he recorded a technical fall over Mike Gerchak of the University of Scranton. Tierney then topped Luke Morris of Albright College, 5-0, in the semifinals. In the championship bout, Tierney tallied a 4-3 decision against Jon Neyerlin of Wilkes University to win his first conference championship.

Andy Squires (So./Clearfield, PA; Clearfield) went 1-1 in the tournament after receiving a first round bye at 141 pounds. Squires defeated Scott Hutton of Delaware Valley, 8-0, in the semifinals, but fell to Jim Morgan of King’s College, 5-3, in the finals.

Lycoming also had three wrestlers place third in their weight classes. At 165 Clint Swartz (So./Milton, PA; Warrior Run) opened the tournament with a 7-4 decision over Matt Eder of Elizabethtown College. He then fell to Joe Arnone of King’s, 7-3, in the semifinals, but rebounded to top Tim Grover of Scranton, 11-2, in the third-place bout. At 197 John Battaglia (So./Beaver Falls, PA; Blackhawk) lost his first match 2-1 in overtime versus Matt Gingo of King’s. Battaglia then battled back through the consolations with a 6-2 victory over Trevor Needham of Scranton and a 9-6 decision over Eric Bleigh of Wilkes. Tommy Snyder (Fr./Milton, PA; Milton) also placed third for the Warriors at heavyweight. Snyder lost to Tegan McKee of King’s, 2-1 in overtime of the semifinals, after receiving a first round bye. He then pinned Wayne Harris of Delaware Valley in 5:54 to claim third place.

Middle Atlantic Conference Wrestling Championships

125 – Jared Weller (So./Philipsburg, PA; Philipsburg-Osceloa) – 5^th place
                LBF 4:33 – Mike Weston (DVC)
                L, 2-8 – Wayne Ginter (ALB)
                W, 19-7 – Mike Weston (DVC)

133 – Mike Waldron (So./Williamsport, PA; Loyalsock) – 1^st place
                1^st round bye
                WBF 6:38 – Tyler Alexander (MES)
                W, 12-6 – BJ Wise (DVC)

141 – Andy Squires (So./Clearfield, PA; Clearfield) – 2^nd place
                1^st round bye
                W, 8-0 – Scott Hutton (DVC)
                L, 3-5 – Jim Morgan (KING)

149 – Sean Reese (So./Milton, PA; Milton) – 4^th place
                L, 0-1 – Tim Martinez (KING)
                WBF 2:25 – Chris Shadel (ALB)
                L, 2-4 – Jed Starner (WIL)

157 – Todd Puderbach (Jr./Unityville, PA; Hughesville) – did not place
                L, 2-4 – Brian McElrone (ALB)
                L, 2-11 – Erik Hansen (WIL)

165 – Clint Swartz (So./Milton, PA; Warrior Run) – 3^rd place
                W, 7-4 – Matt Eder (ETOWN)
                L, 3-7 – Joe Arnone (KING)
                W, 11-2 – Tim Grover (SCRAN)

174 – Matt Bruce (Jr./Guys Mills, PA; Maplewood) – 4^th place
                WBF 2:03 – Tony Valenti (MES)
                L, 3-15 – Rex Harris (WIL)
                L, 2-3 – Ron Saglimbene (SCRAN)

184 – Jeff Tierney (Sr./Blairstown, NJ; North Warren Regional) – 1^st place
                WBTF 15-0 – Mike Gerchak (SCRAN)
                W, 5-0 – Luke Morris (ALB)
                W, 4-3 – Jon Neyerlin (WIL)

197 – John Battaglia (So./Beaver Falls, PA; Blackhawk) – 3^rd place
                L, 1-2 ot – Matt Gingo (KING)
                W, 6-2 – Trevor Needham (SCRAN)
                W, 9-6 – Eric Bleigh (WIL)

295 – Tommy Snyder (Fr./Milton, PA; Milton) – 3^rd place
                1^st round bye
                L, 1-2 ot Tegan McKee (KING)
                WBF 5:54 Wayne Helms (DVC)

Team Scores
1. Delaware Valley     148.5
2. Lycoming              127.0
3. Wilkes                  119.0
4. King’s                   118.5
5. Messiah                115.5
6. Scranton               79.5
7. Albright                 48.0
8. Elizabethtown        34.0