MILLERSVILLE WRESTLING TEAM COMPETES AT EAST STROUDSBURG OPEN

November 17, 2007 – The Millersville University wrestling team took part in the East Stroudsburg Open this weekend with freshman Raymond Bennett (fr. Abington Heights) earning a third place overall finish in the 197 pound weight class.

Bennett scored a pin and then back-to-back decisions en route to his third-place finish.  He was eventually knocked out by second-place finisher Nick Sommerfeld of Columbia University by a final of 6-1.

More than 500 wrestlers competed in one of the oldest Division I wrestling tournaments in the country. Virginia Tech had three individual winners, followed by two from Columbia.

The top four place-winners were determined at each weight class, while the rest of the consolations were cut off due to the number of wrestlers in the field. No team scores were recorded.

In the 125 pound weight class, John Andel (fr. Red Lion/Red Lion) won two matches (8-1, 11-3) before being knocked out by Carson-Newman’s Kody Pierson by a final of 10-2.

Cody Becker (sr. Spring Grove/Spring Grove) scored a pin and a 4-1 decision before being knocked out by AJ Johnson of Virginia Tech in the 149 pound class.  Shane Smith (fr. Upper Perkiomen) also grabbed two victories in the same weight class before being eliminated.

Phil Santee (fr. Nazareth) and John Heleniak (jr. Conshohocken/Plymouth-Whitemarsh) each recorded two victories before being eliminated at the 165 and 174 pound weight classes, respectively.

The wrestling team will take to the mats again next Saturday, November 24, when they travel to Lock Haven, Pa. for the Mat Town Open.