Blue Jay wrestlers battle for spots
Nelson's close-fought battle with Barilla (who posted an impressive 28-17 record last season) exemplifies the freshman talent of the very young Hopkins team.
"This probably is one of the best freshmen classes we've had," junior team captain Eric Levenseller said.
"I think our freshmen are getting tougher each year," junior 174-pounder and former Centennial Conference Champion Patrick Stanley said. "Each incoming class is getting better every year and this seems like one of our better freshman classes."
At 149 pounds, sophomore Michael Testa and Ben Kauffman fought out yet another close match with Kauffman coming out on top by a score of 5-3. Also at 149 pounds, sophomore Kyle Bieg earned a one-sided victory against junior Xavier Mohammed by a score of 10-2.
The freshman talent rose once again at 157 pounds as freshman Joseph Gowen challenged junior Robbie Nedbor-Gross, losing 7-5.
The match of the night came at the first 165-pound showdown, as freshmen Salvatore Rizzo and Ben Elder fought their way to a 7-7 tie in the middle of the third period.
In the closing seconds of the match, Elder pulled off a match-winning double-leg takedown to come out on top 9-7.
The rest of the match was relatively one-sided and predictable. Levenseller defeated freshman Dylan Meade by an injury default. In the third 165-pound match, freshman Andrew Giannascoli toppled freshman Stuart Corless by a 17-2 technical fall. At 184 pounds, sophomore Hector Cintron, ended his freshman career with an impressive fourth-place finish at the Centennial Conference, pinned freshman Nick Erdenberger in 5:29. In the final match of the night, freshman 197-pounder Reid Mosquera defeated sophomore first-year collegiate 285-pounder Rick Danlikowicz by a score of 7-2.
The Black and Blue Brawl demonstrated the significant amount of young talent that the team has to offer. The Hopkins wrestling senior class is extinct, leaving a young squad with lots of room for development. But despite the average age of the team, a strong sense of promise still exists for the Jays for the 2009-2010 season.
"This probably is one of the best freshmen classes we've had," junior team captain Eric Levenseller said.
"I think our freshmen are getting tougher each year," junior 174-pounder and former Centennial Conference Champion Patrick Stanley said. "Each incoming class is getting better every year and this seems like one of our better freshman classes."
At 149 pounds, sophomore Michael Testa and Ben Kauffman fought out yet another close match with Kauffman coming out on top by a score of 5-3. Also at 149 pounds, sophomore Kyle Bieg earned a one-sided victory against junior Xavier Mohammed by a score of 10-2.
The freshman talent rose once again at 157 pounds as freshman Joseph Gowen challenged junior Robbie Nedbor-Gross, losing 7-5.
The match of the night came at the first 165-pound showdown, as freshmen Salvatore Rizzo and Ben Elder fought their way to a 7-7 tie in the middle of the third period.
In the closing seconds of the match, Elder pulled off a match-winning double-leg takedown to come out on top 9-7.
The rest of the match was relatively one-sided and predictable. Levenseller defeated freshman Dylan Meade by an injury default. In the third 165-pound match, freshman Andrew Giannascoli toppled freshman Stuart Corless by a 17-2 technical fall. At 184 pounds, sophomore Hector Cintron, ended his freshman career with an impressive fourth-place finish at the Centennial Conference, pinned freshman Nick Erdenberger in 5:29. In the final match of the night, freshman 197-pounder Reid Mosquera defeated sophomore first-year collegiate 285-pounder Rick Danlikowicz by a score of 7-2.
The Black and Blue Brawl demonstrated the significant amount of young talent that the team has to offer. The Hopkins wrestling senior class is extinct, leaving a young squad with lots of room for development. But despite the average age of the team, a strong sense of promise still exists for the Jays for the 2009-2010 season.
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