Thursday, October 29
7:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Wrestle-offs
Mountain Hawks kick off 2015-16 season with annual Brown and White Wrestle-offs
10/29/2015 9:31:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Fans enjoyed their first look at the 2015-16 Lehigh wrestling team as the Mountain Hawks held their annual Brown and White Wrestle-offs Thursday night inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Eleven bouts were contested on the evening with nine of Lehigh's true freshmen getting their feet wet with their first Grace Hall action in front of the home crowd.
"I liked what I saw," Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro said. "The guys fought hard. They competed hard. Everyone was moving forward the whole time. It was a good first effort for the first time out."
One of those true freshman, Ryan Pomrinca, started the night off with an impressive 9-5 win over Dean Somers at 133. Pomrinca scored three first period takedowns to lead 6-3 after one and added a second period escape plus a third period escape.
In the first of two bouts at 141, deferred freshman Camden Fischer won a 6-2 decision over true freshman David Pipa. Pipa scored the only takedown in regulation, but a Fischer escape plus riding time sent the match to overtime. Late in the sudden victory period, Fischer countered a Pipa shot and locked up a cradle for a takedown and two-point near fall to nab the victory.
The other bout at 141 also matched a deferred freshman against a true freshman. Cortlandt Schuyler's early first period takedown proved to be the difference in a 3-2 decision over Kent Lane.
Two matches on the evening matched wrestlers with previous starting experience. The first of those came at 149 as junior Laike Gardner returned from his deferred year to beat sophomore Drew Longo 5-3. Gardner scored takedowns in each of the first two periods and added a third period escape.
The second match at 149 was the first of the night to produce bonus points as junior Will Switzer won an 18-7 major decision over sophomore Brandon Diaz. After a scoreless first period, Switzer scored three second period takedowns, and blew the match open with five more takedowns in the third period.
The biggest move of the night came at 157 as deferred freshman Ian Brown tossed true freshman Cole Walter to his back early in their match. Walter tried to bridge to limit the damage to a takedown and near fall but Brown eventually secured the pin at the 1:32 mark.
"He blew through a couple weight classes," Santoro said of Brown. "He's just a worker. He's steadily getting better every week. It was a big move and he's been fun to watch."
The next two matches put true freshmen against one another. At 165, Charlie Sell won a 4-2 decision over Paul Dunn. Then, in an exhibition, Chase Gallik moved up in weight but Andrew Price went down to 174 and secured a 10-3 decision.
"I really liked the way our freshmen competed," Santoro said. "They were not intimidated by Grace Hall at all. We don't always see that but this group of freshmen, they like to compete."
The other highly-anticipated match of former starters came at 174 as juniors Elliot Riddick and Ben Haas squared off. Haas picked up the only takedown of the match on a double leg early in the second period and fought off three good shots from Riddick in the final two periods to win 3-2.
Senior John Bolich posted a 7-1 decision over deferred freshman Thomas Murray at 197. In the final bout of the night, senior heavyweight Max Wessell returned to action with a 17-0 technical fall over freshman Christian Colucci. Wessell scored an early takedown and used a pair of four point near falls to lead 10-0 after one period. Wessell scored an early escape in the second and added a takedown and four point near fall to close out the match at 3:58.
The Mountain Hawks will open the dual meet season on Friday November 6 when they visit EIWA rival Bucknell for a 7 p.m. match. The match will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320.
"We definitely have to make some adjustments between this week and next week," Santoro said. "Bucknell is going to wrestle hard. They always do. We have our hands full so we're going to have to wrestle really well."
Lehigh will open its home schedule when Pitt visits Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall on Friday November 20. Tickets for all home Lehigh wrestling matches can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by visiting LehighTickets.com.
Brown and White Wrestle-offs
133 – Ryan Pomrinca (White) dec. Dean Somers (Brown) 9-5
141 – Camden Fischer (Brown) dec. David Pipa (White) 6-2, sv
141 – Cortlandt Schuyler (White) dec. Kent Lane (Brown) 3-2
149 – Laike Gardner (Brown) dec. Drew Longo (White) 5-3
149 – Will Switzer (Brown) major dec. Brandon Diaz (White) 18-7
157 – Ian Brown (White) Fall Cole Walter (Brown) 1:32
165 – Charlie Sell (Brown) dec. Paul Dunn (White) 4-2
174 (Ex.) – Andrew Price (White) dec. Chase Gallik (Brown) 10-3
174 – Ben Haas (White) dec. Elliot Riddick (Brown) 3-2
197 – John Bolich (Brown) dec. Thomas Murray (White) 7-1
285 – Max Wessell (Brown) tech fall Christian Colucci (White) 17-0, 3:58
Referees – Gary Kessel & Craig Salvatore
Attendance – 1,180
"I liked what I saw," Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro said. "The guys fought hard. They competed hard. Everyone was moving forward the whole time. It was a good first effort for the first time out."
One of those true freshman, Ryan Pomrinca, started the night off with an impressive 9-5 win over Dean Somers at 133. Pomrinca scored three first period takedowns to lead 6-3 after one and added a second period escape plus a third period escape.
In the first of two bouts at 141, deferred freshman Camden Fischer won a 6-2 decision over true freshman David Pipa. Pipa scored the only takedown in regulation, but a Fischer escape plus riding time sent the match to overtime. Late in the sudden victory period, Fischer countered a Pipa shot and locked up a cradle for a takedown and two-point near fall to nab the victory.
The other bout at 141 also matched a deferred freshman against a true freshman. Cortlandt Schuyler's early first period takedown proved to be the difference in a 3-2 decision over Kent Lane.
Two matches on the evening matched wrestlers with previous starting experience. The first of those came at 149 as junior Laike Gardner returned from his deferred year to beat sophomore Drew Longo 5-3. Gardner scored takedowns in each of the first two periods and added a third period escape.
The second match at 149 was the first of the night to produce bonus points as junior Will Switzer won an 18-7 major decision over sophomore Brandon Diaz. After a scoreless first period, Switzer scored three second period takedowns, and blew the match open with five more takedowns in the third period.
The biggest move of the night came at 157 as deferred freshman Ian Brown tossed true freshman Cole Walter to his back early in their match. Walter tried to bridge to limit the damage to a takedown and near fall but Brown eventually secured the pin at the 1:32 mark.
"He blew through a couple weight classes," Santoro said of Brown. "He's just a worker. He's steadily getting better every week. It was a big move and he's been fun to watch."
The next two matches put true freshmen against one another. At 165, Charlie Sell won a 4-2 decision over Paul Dunn. Then, in an exhibition, Chase Gallik moved up in weight but Andrew Price went down to 174 and secured a 10-3 decision.
"I really liked the way our freshmen competed," Santoro said. "They were not intimidated by Grace Hall at all. We don't always see that but this group of freshmen, they like to compete."
The other highly-anticipated match of former starters came at 174 as juniors Elliot Riddick and Ben Haas squared off. Haas picked up the only takedown of the match on a double leg early in the second period and fought off three good shots from Riddick in the final two periods to win 3-2.
Senior John Bolich posted a 7-1 decision over deferred freshman Thomas Murray at 197. In the final bout of the night, senior heavyweight Max Wessell returned to action with a 17-0 technical fall over freshman Christian Colucci. Wessell scored an early takedown and used a pair of four point near falls to lead 10-0 after one period. Wessell scored an early escape in the second and added a takedown and four point near fall to close out the match at 3:58.
The Mountain Hawks will open the dual meet season on Friday November 6 when they visit EIWA rival Bucknell for a 7 p.m. match. The match will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320.
"We definitely have to make some adjustments between this week and next week," Santoro said. "Bucknell is going to wrestle hard. They always do. We have our hands full so we're going to have to wrestle really well."
Lehigh will open its home schedule when Pitt visits Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall on Friday November 20. Tickets for all home Lehigh wrestling matches can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by visiting LehighTickets.com.
Brown and White Wrestle-offs
133 – Ryan Pomrinca (White) dec. Dean Somers (Brown) 9-5
141 – Camden Fischer (Brown) dec. David Pipa (White) 6-2, sv
141 – Cortlandt Schuyler (White) dec. Kent Lane (Brown) 3-2
149 – Laike Gardner (Brown) dec. Drew Longo (White) 5-3
149 – Will Switzer (Brown) major dec. Brandon Diaz (White) 18-7
157 – Ian Brown (White) Fall Cole Walter (Brown) 1:32
165 – Charlie Sell (Brown) dec. Paul Dunn (White) 4-2
174 (Ex.) – Andrew Price (White) dec. Chase Gallik (Brown) 10-3
174 – Ben Haas (White) dec. Elliot Riddick (Brown) 3-2
197 – John Bolich (Brown) dec. Thomas Murray (White) 7-1
285 – Max Wessell (Brown) tech fall Christian Colucci (White) 17-0, 3:58
Referees – Gary Kessel & Craig Salvatore
Attendance – 1,180
Players Mentioned
197
/ Men's Wrestling
149/157
/ Men's Wrestling
285
/ Men's Wrestling
149
/ Men's Wrestling
165
/ Men's Wrestling
133/141
/ Men's Wrestling
157/165
/ Men's Wrestling
149
/ Men's Wrestling
197
/ Men's Wrestling
149
/ Men's Wrestling
149/157
/ Men's Wrestling
197
/ Men's Wrestling
141
/ Men's Wrestling
133
/ Men's Wrestling
184
/ Men's Wrestling
174
/ Men's Wrestling
141
/ Men's Wrestling
165/174
/ Men's Wrestling
133
/ Men's Wrestling
149
/ Men's Wrestling
157
/ Men's Wrestling
285
/ Men's WrestlingLehigh Sports Central: Wrestling
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