Sports

college wrestling

By Dave Rosengrant drosengrant@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter

WILKES-BARRE – The mystique and aura of the Wilkes Open is still present.

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Wilkes’ Andrew Fisher, right, battles Matthew Scherich of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in a 133-pound match at the Wilkes Wrestling Open in Wilkes-Barre on Monday afternoon.

BILL TARUTIS/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

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Wilkes’ Kristopher Krawchuk, right, wrestles Brian Suozzo of The College of New Jersey in a 141-pound match at the 77th annual Wilkes Wrestling Open in Wilkes-Barre. Krawchuk, a freshman, advanced to the quarterfinals.

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Just ask any of the 280 entries or some of the several hundred hopefuls that were turned down at the door before action of Monday’s 77th annual event began.

Yes, “The Rose Bowl of Wrestling” is still one of the most prestige collegiate tournaments in the country.

“Coming here growing up I remember watching Penn State, Oklahoma, all the big schools here. They call it the Rose Bowl of the open tournaments and I think it lives up to that,” said Drexel’s Steve Mytych, who claimed the 133-pound championship with a 3-1 win over Pittsburgh-Johnstown’s Shane Valko in the finals. “It’s just real exciting to win the Wilkes Open in my hometown.”

Mytych, who sat out most of last season with a leg injury, is a three-time NCAA Tournament qualifier for the Dragons. He is a former Wyoming Valley West standout and claimed his second Wilkes Open championship. In addition to that hardware, Mytych also walked away with the John G. Reese Outstanding Wrestler award as he went 4-0 during the event including handing Valko, the reigning Division II National Champion his first loss of the season. Mytych currently has more than 100 wins while wrestling for the Division I program.

“I was a little disappointed to see that every single good kid was matched with me all along the way,” Mytych noted. “It’s a good confidence-builder to know I was his first loss.”

The host team, which is enjoying a solid season to date with an 11-1 dual meet record and a pair of first-place finishes in tournaments, had an overall nice effort led by 174-pound senior Frank Heffernan. The returning All-American for the Colonels placed fourth on Monday in a class with several Division I standouts after dropping a 3-2 decision in the semifinals to Rutgers’ Daniel Rinaldi. Heffernan is also closing in on 100 career wins with Wilkes.

“He could have been in the finals,” Wilkes coach Jon Laudenslager said. “Frank is a committed kid. He’s a kid I know went home and worked on some things. He’s been a consistent performer.”

Also for the Colonels, who are ranked 15th in the latest NWCA Poll, four wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals, an achievement many of the schools attending did not accomplish. Kris Krawchuk, a freshman 141-pounder nearly won his quarterfinal bout but loss on a riding point. Combine that with a few wrestlers not participating due to injury and the Colonels might have had one of the best performances they ever had in the event.

“A lot of our freshmen did very well,” Laudenslager added. “A lot of our young guys are getting better and it’s showing. Now is not the time to risk injury because later in the season is what counts.”

The Colonels’ next event will be on Jan. 5 when they travel to East Stroudsburg. From there, they will go to Collegeville for the North/South Duals the following weekend then cap off a rough stretch on Jan. 15 with a trip to Lycoming for the Budd Whitehill Duals.

Wilkes’ next Metropolitan Conference dual will be on Jan. 22 at TCNJ and its next home contest is Jan. 30 against Gettysburg, Plymouth/Kutztown.

Several wrestlers with local connections in addition to Mytych were also on hand at the event. Wyoming Valley West grad Tyler Cowman, now wrestling for Brown, went 2-2 at 285. Pittston Area alum Kris Gratalo (184) finished the event with three wins and two losses for Lock Haven. A pair of Wyoming Seminary graduates, Cullen Isenberg (141) and Adam Healey (149) each ended at 1-2 for Rutgers and Bucknell, respectively.

77th Annual Wilkes Open

John G. Reese Outstanding Wrestler – Steve Mytych, DrexelMarv Antinnes High Point Winner – David Greenwald, Rutgers (22)George Ralston Most Falls Award – Shane Smith, Millersville (4 falls in 4:35)125

1. Joseph Langel, Rutgers

2. Pat Strizki, Maryland

3. Mitch Berger, Lehigh

4. Lou Ruland, Maryland

133

1. Steve Mytych, Drexel

2. Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

3. Garrett Morabito, Binghamton

4. Filiberto Colon, Rider

141

1. Kodie Silvestri, Nassau

2. Albert Woody, Lehigh

3. Troy Dolan, UA

4. Matt Bogusz, Maryland

149

1. David Greenwald, Rutgers

2. Corey Pawlush, Williams

3. Matt Bonson, UA

4. Joshua Fitch, Lehigh

157

1. Jarrett Hostetter, Millersville

2. Ramon Santiago, Rider

3. Ryan McGarity, Binghamton

4. Thad Frick, East Stroudsburg

165

1. Jimmy Sheptock, Maryland

2. Kyle Keane, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

3. Ryan Leblanc, Indiana

4. P.J. Tasser, Pittsburgh

174

1. Daniel Rinaldi, Rutgers

2. Shane Smith, Millersville

3. Steven Cressley, Clarion

4. Frank Heffernan, Wilkes

184

1. Patrick Walsh, Pittsburgh-Johnstown

2. Kadeem Samuels, Lehigh

3. Shane Mallory, East Stroudsburg

4. Dan Seidenberg, Rutgers

197

1. Lamar Brown, Rutgers

2. Brandon Palik, Drexel

3. Eddie Ebewo, East Stroudsburg

4. Ronald Ellsworth, VMI

285

1. Josh Wine, VMI

2. Corey Waite, Binghamton

3. Kyle Frey, Drexel

4. JD Zitone, Delaware Valley