College Wrestling
Rider at Stroudsburg Open
EAST STROUDSBURG, PA? Senior Jason Lapham (West Chazy, NY/Beekmantown) won his 165 weight class and junior Michael Kessler (Randallstown, MD/Owings Mills) placed runner-up at 157 at the 42nd annual Stroudsburg Open, hosted by East Stroudsburg University Saturday. “Things went pretty well today,” said Rider head coach Gary Taylor. “It was important that we were up here. We saw a lot of good things.”
Junior Thomas Lorenzo (West Orange) placed third at 133, junior Rob Morrison (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cedar Cliff) placed third at 174, sophomore Fred Rodgers (Perkiomenville, PA/Boyertown) placed fourth at 141, freshman Filiberto Colon (Belleville) placed fourth at 125 and freshman Kyle Hussey (Parsippany) placed fourth at 133.
Lapham, who placed fourth at the prestigious Midlands Tournament last year, won all five of his bouts, including a 6-3 decision in the finals over Andrew Coles of Penn.
Kessler, a two-time NCAA qualifier, won four of five bouts, losing 8-4 in the finals to NCAA qualifier Matt Dragon of Penn.
“Lapham and Kessler looked good,” Taylor said. “No question, it was a good day today.”
Lorenzo won four of five bouts. Morrison wrestled unattached and won four of five bouts and Rodgers won five of seven bouts at 141.
Colon, wrestling unattached, placed fourth, winning four of six bouts. Hussey wrestled unattached and won five of six bouts to place fourth.
Freshman Tyler Smith (Phillipsburg, N.J./Belvidere) won five of seven bouts to place fifth at 197. Freshman Jimmy Kirchner (Somerville) won five of eight bouts to place sixth at 125. Sophomore Nick Weaver (Bayville, N.J./Central Regional) placed sixth, winning five and eight bouts at 149.
Junior Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio/Mayfield Village) placed sixth at 174, wrestling unattached. Ward, a transfer from Penn State, won four of six bouts. “He really hasn't wrestled for a couple of years,” Taylor said, “so he needs more time to show how good he really is. This is the first time he's been down to this weight in a long time.”
Freshman Aaron Nester (Transfer, PA/Reynolds) won four of six bouts to place seventh at 141.
Freshman Craig Montgomery (Roselle Park) wrestled unattached and won three of five bouts at 133. Freshman Donald Miller (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) wrestled unattached and won two of four bouts at 141. Sophomore Joe Ferber (Holbrook, NY/Sachem) won two of four bouts at 174.
The Broncs host Lock Haven Friday. “Their kids are tough and they wrestle hard,” Taylor said of the Bald Eagles. “They've had a lot of success over many years. It will be a tough match.”
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