LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Rider University wrestling team began defense of its 2016 Eastern Wrestling League Championship Saturday night with a 20-14 victory over Lock Haven.
Anthony Cefolo (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park Regional [South Dakota State]) and
Chad Walsh (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic) both won by major decision for the Broncs (1-0, 1-0 EWL). The Bald Eagles drop to 1-3 (0-1 EWL) with the loss.
“This was a good win,” said Rider Head Coach
Gary Taylor. “Conference wins carry extra weight for individual seeding purposes as well. It was hard, hard fought by both teams.”
In addition to the wins by Cefolo and Walsh,
J.R. Wert (Christianburg, VA/Christianburg),
B.J. Clagon (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South),
Wayne Stinson (Wrightstown, NJ/Northern Burlington Regional) and
Ryan Wolfe (New Castle, DE/Caravel Academy) earned wins for the Broncs.
Wert defeated Jake Field, 4-1, at 125 to stake the Broncs to a 3-0 lead. The lead swelled to 7-0 as Cefolo earned a major decision over Joe Ghione, 13-2, at 133.
Lock Haven took the lead, 8-7, as nationally-ranked No. 20 Ronnie Perry won by tech fall over
Evan Fidelibus (Easton, PA/Easton Area), 17-2 in six minutes and 12 seconds, at 141 and Kyle Shoop defeated
Jesse Rodgers (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny), 6-3, at 149.
Clagon, ranked No. 15 in the nation, earned a 6-0 decision over Kyle Hammond as the Broncs retook the lead for good. No. 7 Walsh followed with a 10-1 major decision over Jared Siegrist at 165 to push Rider's lead to 14-8 and Stinson made it 17-8 Broncs with a 7-3 decision over Tyler Wood.
Michale Fagg-Daves (Somerset, NJ/Franklin) led, 3-2, after the second period, but fell to Corey Hazel, 5-3, at 184 to cut the Broncs' lead to 17-11. But nationally-ranked No. 11 Wolfe put the match away with an 8-3 decision over Tristan Sponseller at 197. No. 19 heavyweight Thomas Haines closed out the match with a 10-4 decision over
Mauro Correnti (Delran, NJ/Holy Cross [Lock Haven]) to account for the 20-14 final score.
The Broncs return to action next Saturday, when they play host to the University of Pennsylvania. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Alumni Gym.
Rider 20 – Lock Haven 14
125:
J.R. Wert (RU) dec. Jake Field (LHU) 4-1; RU leads 3-0
133:
Anthony Cefolo (RU) major dec. Joe Ghione (LHU) 13-2; RU leads 7-0
141: #20 Ronnie Perry (LHU) tech fall Evan Fidelbus (RU) 17-2 (6:12); RU leads 7-5
157: #15 B.J. Clago (RU) dec. Kyle Hammond (LHU) 6-0; RU leads 10-8
165: #7
Chad Walsh (RU) major dec. Jared Siegrist (LHU) 10-1; RU leads 14-8
184: Corey Hazel (LHU) dec. Michael Fagg-Daves (RU) 5-3; RU leads 17-11
197: #11
Ryan Wolfe (RU) dec. Tristan Sponseller (LHU) 8-3; RU leads 20-11
285: #19 Thomas Haines (LHU) dec.
Mauro Correnti (RU) 10-4; RU wins 20-14
