WARRIOR WRESTLERS ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS OF BUDD WHITEHILL DUALS

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Lycoming College wrestling team advanced to the semifinals of the 17^th Annual Budd Whitehill Division III Duals by winning two matches during competition on Friday. The Warriors, seeded fifth in the tournament, defeated Heidelberg College, 31-6, in their opening match and then upset fourth seeded Loras College, 22-15, in the quarterfinals. Lycoming will face number-one seed Springfield College at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow. The other semifinal match will feature Ithaca College, the number-two seed, versus the third seeded College of New Jersey.

Against Heidelberg, the Warriors lost only two bouts. Nick Mascellino (So./Hopatcong, N.J.; Hopatcong) opened the match with a first-period pin at 125 pounds. Grant Brindle (Jr./Pine Grove, Pa.; Pine Grove) later added another pin at 165 pounds. Sean Cullen (So./Cinnaminson, N.J.; Cinnaminson) and Matt Miller (Fr./Muncy, Pa.; Montgomery) each added major decisions at 133 pounds and 184 pounds, respectively. Four other Lycoming wrestlers won by decision: Jason Smith (Jr./Hughesville, Pa.; Hughesville) 6-2 at 157 pounds; Scott Hays (So./Yeagertown, Pa.; Indian Valley) 10-9 at 174 pounds; Kevin Colton Craig (Sr./Flanders, N.J.; West Morris Mendham) 3-1 at 197 pounds; and Tommy Snyder (Jr./New Columbia, Pa.; Milton) 4-0 at heavyweight.

In the quarterfinals both the Warriors and Duhawks won five bouts, but Lycoming claimed seven bonus points to zero for Loras. Cullen got the first bonus with an 11-2 major decision over Brandon Young at 133 pounds. Two bouts later Sean Reese (Sr./Milton, Pa.; Milton) won a hard fought 4-3 decision over Josh Watts. The Warriors took control of the match at the next two weights with back-to-back pins. Smith pinned Drew Sloan at the 6:37 mark of the 157 pound match, and Brindle recorded his fourth consecutive win-by-fall at 165 turning Brad Bishop to his back in only 42 seconds. The Duhawks kept their hopes alive with three straight decisions to close within 15-19, but Snyder secured the win for Lycoming with a 3-1 decision at heavyweight.

Springfield advanced to the semifinals with victories over UW-Whitewater (33-6), Messiah (25-12), and Ohio Northern (26-6). The Pride were led by Jake Tyler and Scott Fay who each went 3-0 on the day. Tyler tallied a win-by-fall, a major decision, and a decision at 157 pounds. Fay recorded a major decision and two decisions at heavyweight.

Ithaca also won three matches to advance to the semifinals, defeating Thiel (37-12), Muskingum (36-4), and Wabash (32-6). Marc Israel and Nick Calandrino paced the Bombers. Israel was 3-0 with two major decisions and a pin at 165 pounds. Calandrino was 3-0 with two pins and a decision at 197 pounds.

The College of New Jersey moved to the semifinals by topping Cortland (22-19), UW-Platteville (25-10), and Johnson & Wales (17-16). The Lions had three wrestlers go 3-0 on the day. David Icenhower won a pair of decisions and a major at 149 pounds. Nick Vincigueara recorded two major decisions and a decision at 197 pounds. Keith Bjorhus tallied two majors and a win-by-technical-fall at heavyweight.

Wrestling begins again at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning with the quarterfinals of the consolation bracket. The semifinals of the championship bracket will begin at 10:30 a.m.