WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Wheeling Jesuit University edged out West Liberty by a single point Saturday afternoon to take the team title in the inaugural West Virginia College Wrestling Invitational hosted by the Hilltoppers at the ASRC.
Coach Brian Davis's hosts led the six-team pack with four individual champions and finished strong with championships in three of the top four weight classes to finish with 131.5 team points – just short of the Cardinals' final tally of 132.5 team points.
WVU Tech was a distant third at 81 with Alderson-Broaddus (73), Ohio Valley (71.5) and the West Virginia University "B" team (65.5) rounding out the field in the event which brought all of the Mountain State's collegiate wrestling programs together for the first time.
West Liberty's four individual titles led the way with WJU claiming three. Ohio Valley, Alderson-Broaddus and WVU "B" all had one each.
Taking home the championship hardware for the Hilltoppers were Daniel Carpenter (149), Eric Antesberger (174), Danny Doyle (197) and Aaron Silverio (285).
Wheeling Jesuit's championships came from Scott Lopez (133), Damon Outward (141) and Ryan Winslow (184). John Pellegrino of WVU "B" was the 125-pound champion with Ohio Valley's Tyler Green taking the 157-pound title and Alderson-Broaddus's Keith Stednitz prevailing at 165.
West Liberty was represented in 7 of the 10 championship finals. Settling for runner-up honors for WLU were Zach Brown (125), Bryce Gainer (133) and Dillon Nolte (141). DeMadre Turner (157), David Schlieper (165) and Doug Sizemore (184) finished third in their weight classes with Joey Congie fourth at 197, Joe Wagstaff fifth at 133 and Scott Kaiser sixth at 174.
The Hilltoppers return to dual meet action on Tuesday when they travel to Vienna, W.Va. to take on Ohio Valley in a 7 p.m. match.
West Virginia College Invitational
(at West Liberty University)
Team Scoring
1. Wheeling Jesuit 132.5 2. WEST LIBERTY 131.5 3. WVU Tech 81 4. Alderson-Broaddus 73 5. Ohio Valley 71.5 6. West Virginia University "B" 65.5
125
Championship
John Pellegrino (WVU-B) d. Zach Brown (WLU), 7-4
3rd Place
Cody Buchanan (A-B) won by forfeit over Brad Kakos (WJU)
5th Place
Denis Robles-Gomez (WVUT) p. Tyree Gardner (OVU), 6:35
133
Championship
Scott Lopez (WJU) d. Bryce Gainer (WLU), 8-4
3rd Place
Gage Swartz (WVU-B) tf. Jason West (A-B), 15-0
5th Place
Joe Wagstaff (WLU) d. Alfred Martinez (WVUT), 14-7
141
Championship
Damon Outward (WJU) p. Dillon Nolte (WLU), 6:30
3rd Place
Josue Rodriguez (OVU) d. Samuel Jones (A-B), 13-6
149
Championship
Daniel Carpenter (WLU) d. Nick Varazashvili (OVU), 13-9
3rd Place
Jonathan Barrett (WJU) d. Andrew Sutherland (WVU-B), 4-2
5th Place
Eli Stewart (OVU) p. Christopher Rapley (WVUT), 1:36
157
Championship
Tyler Green (OVU) d. Robert Rogerson (WJU), 10-8
3rd Place
DeMadre Turner (WLU) p. Terrence Demery (WVU-B), 4:48
5th Place
Cody Eggers (WJU) won by forfeit over John Gershom (WJU)
165
Championship
Keith Stednitz (A-B) p. Bradley Ponchak (WVUT), 3:45
3rd Place
David Schlieper (WLU) p. Jabari Irons (OVU), 2:04
5th Place
David Williams (A-B) won by forfeit over Anthony Smith (WJU)
174
Championship
Eric Antesberger (WLU) d. Sawyer Leppla (WJU), 6-2
3rd Place
Colton Rowe (WVUT) p. Christian Chirico (WVU-B), 5:33
5th Place
Davis Solak (A-B) won by forfeit over Scott Kaiser (WLU)
184
Championship
Ryan Winslow (WJU) p. Tola Morakinyo (WVUT), 6:23
3rd Place
Doug Sizemore (WLU) d. Garrett Onderko (A-B), 4-2
5th Place
Ben Willard (OVU) received a bye
197
Championship
Danny Doyle (WLU) d. Maxwell Lacey (WJU) (Dec 3-2)
3rd Place
Kobina Henriques (OVU) won by forfeit over Joey Congie (WLU)
5th Place
Terry Nance (WVUT) p. Jacob Haynes (WJU), 2:00
285
Championship
Aaron Silverio (WLU) d. Corey Siegfried (WJU), 3-0
3rd Place
Logan Bowman (WJU) p. Wyatt Norfolk (WVUT), 6:07
5th Place
Christopher Nelson (WVU-B) received a bye
