Heidelberg takes Messiah Petrofes
With three champions, Heidelberg scored 162 points to beat out Cortland with 147 and Brockport with 128.5. Springfield and host Messiah rounded out the top 5. The 165 weight class surely lived up to expectations, as Cortland’s Zach Bogardus took the title, defeating David Ballard of Oneonta 3-2 to win a loaded weight class. Ballard had earlier upset #2 ranked Shaheim Bradshaw of Brockport in the quarterfinals and #8 Jake Tyler of Springfield in the semifinals before falling to #4 Bogardus. Bogardus also claimed the outstanding wrestler award for winning the toughest weight class in the tournament. He was joined by teammates Peppy Cabrerra (125), Joey Widrick (141), and Paul LeBlanc (149) atop the medal stand.
Cabrerra followed up his upset of RIT’s McInally last time out with a fall in the finals at Petrofes, and he may climb into the rankings picture. At 133, 2007 Division II All-American Boomer Fechko (Heidelberg) handled the transition to D3 nicely, winning 13-5 in the final. Widrick defeated national qualifier and top seed Billy Hall 4-3 to take the title there. A pair of returning national qualifiers squared off at 149, with LeBlanc scoring a takedown with less than 15 seconds left to beat Matt Shank of Gettysburg. Unseeded Rob Mifsud stormed to the final at 157 for Springfield before received a medical forfeit against Brockport’s #9 ranked Donald Williams. Brockport got a champ at 174, however, as #5 Eric Van Patten won a deep weight class, stopping Cortland’s #2 seeded Corey Barber 9-4. At 184, Elliot Smith of Springfield continued his impressive season with two major decisions and two falls to claim the title over national qualifier and #10 ranked Eric Fishel of Johns Hopkins. Hopkins had another finalist in Tyler Schmidt at 197, but he was unable to get untracked against Ryan Fogliano of Heidelberg who handled him 12-3. Finally, two Heidelberg wrestlers met in the 285 final, as Robert Brubeck beat teammate and national qualifier Ryan Bowers 4-2.
Below, you will find a video of the 149 final between Paul LeBlanc of Cortland and Matt Shank of Gettysburg.
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