The Citadel finishes fourth at All-Academy Championships; two bring home titles
KINGS POINT, N.Y. – The Citadel wrestling team earned six top-four finishes, including first-place showings by Ty Buckiso (141) and Matt Frisch (149), as it brought home fourth overall in this weekend's All-Academy Championships at O'Hara Hall on the Merchant Marine Academy campus.
Among the other top-four finishers for the Bulldogs included Joaquin Marquez (2nd-125), Marshall Haas (2nd-197), Joe Bexley (3rd-heavyweight) and Clarence Arrington (4th-133).
Buckiso began his day with a victory by fall at 5:00 over Issac Hammonds (USMMA) and posted a 7-1 decision in a meeting with Navy's Pat Prada in the semifinal round. Buckiso completed the 141-pound classification title with a 4-2 sudden victory over Logan Everett (Army).
Frisch's path to the 149-pound classification title began with a 9-0 major victory over VMI's Jack Krall. After earning his second win against Krall in as many matches, Frisch rolled in the semifinal round by posting a 13-3 major victory over Javier Rodriguez (Army). In the championship match with Gerald McGinty (Air Force), Frisch came away with a 3-0 decision and in the process notched his fifth straight victory since a win over SIUE's Karsten Van Velsor on Jan. 25.
Marquez's second-place performance at the All-Academy Championships began with a 9-1 major victory over Sean Badua (Army). In his semifinal match with Cam Timok (Navy), who advanced by virtue of a bye, Marquez notched a 7-0 win by decision. His winning streak came to an end against Martin Martinez (Air Force), who won by technical fall, 17-2, in the championship of the 125-pound classification.
Haas' route to second place in the 197-pound division began with a 4-2 victory against Urayoan Garcia (VMI). In the semis, he posted a 7-4 sudden victory against Stevie Cervantes (Navy), who earned a first-round bye. That set up a final round match with Bryce Barnes (Army), who brought home the crown with a slim 1-0 decision.
Arrington, one of six competing in the 133-pound classification, came away with an 8-7 decision in his first-round match against Christian Doyle (Army). After a 3-1 loss to Nate Giorgio (US Coast Guard) in the semifinals, Arrington defeated Alex Stewart (Norwich) by a 6-2 decision in the wrestlebacks. His day concluded with a 10-2 major loss to Zack Davis (Navy) in the third-place match.
Bexley rebounded from a difficult 1-0 loss in the opening round to Stephen Snyder (Army) to post a 4-2 decision against Frankie Girolamo (Norwich) in the wrestlebacks. He followed that with a 6-4 sudden victory against Navy's Colynn Cook to meet Snyder for a second time in the third-place match. Bexley avenged his earlier loss by earning a 1-0 decision against Snyder.
Air Force (90 points) earned the team title by edging out Army (86.5) and Navy (81.5) in a tough battle for first place. The Citadel (58.5) was fourth in front of the Coast Guard (27.5), VMI (26.5), Norwich (5.5) and the host Merchant Marine Academy (5.5).
The Citadel makes its final home appearance of the 2014-15 season on Feb. 18 when it hosts Southern Conference rival Davidson at 7 p.m.
VMI’s Adams wins title at All-Academy Championships; Keydets sixth
KINGS POINT, N.Y. – Juan Adams continued his torrid pace of wins Saturday afternoon and added a title to his season as the Virginia Military Institute grappler won the heavyweight division of the 21st All-Academy Championships, hosted by the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Overall, VMI finished sixth out of the eight teams, earning 26.5 points, aided by Adams’ title and fourth-place finishes from Shabaka Johns at 165 pounds and Dalton Henderson at 125 pounds.
The United States Air Force Academy won the team title with 90.0 points, followed by the United States Military Academy with 86.5 points and the United States Naval Academy with 81.5. The Citadel took fourth with 58.5 points, followed by a fifth-place finish by the United States Coast Guard Academy with 27.5 points. Norwich University and the host institution finished tied for seventh with 5.5 points each.
Navy’s Peyton Walsh won the Most Pins Award with two wins by fall, while Nate Giorgio of the Coast Guard Academy won the Ken Shelton Most Outstanding Wrestler Award.
Adams, who has now won eight of his last nine matches, opened his day with a win by fall, sticking Norwich wrestler Frankie Girolamo in the middle of the second period at 3:58. Adams followed with a shutout 7-0 decision over Army’s Stephen Snyder, setting up a first and second seed title bout.
The Houston, Texas, native took a 6-3 decision over Air Force Academy’s Marcus Malecek, giving VMI its first weight-class title at a tournament this season. Adams hit the 20-win plateau, as well, joining Johns as the first VMI duo to win 20 matches in a season since Matt Brock and Andrew Embree did so in 2011-12.
Johns extended his 165-pound winning streak to 10 with a win by fall in the opening match, stopping the clock at five minutes against Norwich’s Zach Gibson. Johns’ impressive run came to a halt in the semifinals as eventual champion Peyton Walsh earned a 12-0 major decision. Johns rebounded in the consolation semifinals with a 5-2 decision over Merchant Marine’s Branden Yeik before taking fourth overall after falling 11-2 against second-seeded Coleman Gracey of Army.
Like his teammates, Henderson opened the day with a win by fall, ending his match with Coast Guard’s Domenick Summers in just 1:55. Henderson’s progress was halted in the semifinals after dropping an 11-5 decision against top-seeded Air Force grappler and eventual champion Martin Martinez. Henderson bounced back with an 11-8 tiebreaker decision over Army’s Sean Badua. In the third-place round, Henderson’s day came to an end by fall against Navy’s Cam Timok in 2:26.
Derek Thurman picked up a win in the consolation first round after getting a major decision over Coast Guard’s Dan Fiorvanti by a 12-3 count. In the consolation semifinals, Thurman was edged 4-3 by Merchant Marine’s Pat Rooney.
VMI returns home to The Thunderdome for a Southern Conference battle against Appalachian State on Monday, Feb. 16. Match time for the 44th meeting between the schools is set for 7:30 p.m. at Cocke Hall.
SIUE pair win titles at Greyhound Open
INDIANAPOLIS – Karsten Van Velsor and Chris Johnson each were crowned champions Saturday as SIUE wrestling recorded a strong effort at the Greyhound Open.
SIUE finished with six competitors in the finals and 11 wrestlers in the top five.
Van Velsor defeated unattached wrestler Jared McKinley 2-1 in the finals at 141 pounds.
Johnson won by forfeit at heavyweight against SIUE teammate Jake McKiernan, a redshirt this season. Rather than risk injury, the training partners did not compete in the finals.
McKiernan, Trevor Feagans, Connor McMahon and Jake Tindle each placed second in their respective weight classes.
Angelo Silvestro, Jake Residori and Derek Nagel each placed third at the open tournament.
SIUE returns to the Vadalabene Center next Sunday for a double dual. The Cougars take on Southern Conference rival Gardner-Webb at 11 a.m. before taking on Indiana at 2 p.m.