PSU Dominates at Binghamton Tourney
LHU Places Garcia – Altons Coming off Shoulder Surgery
from staff reports
BINGHAMTON – The Jonathan Kaloust Open at Binghamton University last Sunday had mixed results for central Pennsylvania’s two Division I wrestling programs.
Three-time defending NCAA champion Penn State placed nine wrestlers in the finals and the Nittany Lions crowned six champions.
Meanwhile the Lock Haven University wrestling team had one place winner in Fred Garcia who was fourth overall at 184 pounds. Garcia, a returning national qualifier, who is ranked as high as No. 14 in some national polls went 5-2 on the day. No. 14 Dan Neff, the Bald Eagles other returning national qualifier opened the day 3-0 at 141 and finished 5-3. Mac Maldarelli, Billy Randt, Jake Kemerer and Phil Sprenkle all went 3-2 on the day for LHU.
Several former Central Mountain High School wrestlers, Dillon Gavlock, Blaze Buckwalter and Dylan Caprio competed but did not place. Caprio, back out after a year off, did pick up a fall over Colton Peppleman, freshman at Harvard.
Penn State’s champs were Zain Retherford at 141, David Taylor at 165, Matt Brown at 174, Ed Ruth at 184, Morgan McIntosh at 197 and Jimmy Lawson at 285.
Central Mountain grads Andrew and Dylan Alton, both Penn State juniors this year, did not compete as both are coming off shoulder surgery; they are not expected back in the PSU line-up until next month at the earliest.
Nittany Lion coach Cael Sanderson, at the team’s initial press conference, said both were ahead of schedule. “Anytime that you have a major shoulder injury like that that requires surgery it takes time. They have both been doing a great job and I think they are a month ahead of schedule. They won’t be wrestling here for a while yet, maybe December or January.”
Penn State starts its dual meet season this Saturday at Rider and wrestles Sunday at Lehigh. Both matches will be aired on AM 1230, WBPZ. Lock Haven returns to action on Friday at No. 24 Pittsburgh. The Bald Eagles are 2-0 in dual-match action as they head to their former Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) foe for a 7 p.m. match.
Lock Haven and Penn State have their annual match at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, the Nittany Lions’ home opener at Rec Hall.
