Wrestling

AGGIE WRESTLERS CAPTURE SECOND STRAIGHT MAC CHAMPIONSHIP
Two Champions, Two Wild-Cards Advance To NCAA Championships

WILKES-BARRE (PA) - The Delaware Valley College wrestling team won the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Wrestling Championship for the second consecutive year and the 11th time overall in the storied history of the program as the Aggies dominated the eight-team field this weekend at King's College.

Delaware Valley, which is ranked seventh in the country, registered 148.50 points to easily outdistance No. 13 Lycoming College (127 points). Wilkes University finished third with 119 points followed by 18th-ranked King's College (118.50 points) and 23rd-ranked Messiah College (115.50 points). The University of Scranton (79.50 points), Albright College (48 points) and Elizabethtown College (34 points) rounded out the field.

Two Aggie wrestlers - Jason Shivak (Mont Clare, PA/Spring-Ford) and Andrew Helms (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby) - won their individual weight classes and earned automatic berths to the NCAA Division III Championship, which will take place at Ohio Northern University on March 7 and 8. Josh Housekeeper (Nottingham, PA/Solanco) and B.J. Wise (Spring City, PA/Benton) were selected by the MAC coaches for the conference's two wild-card bid and they will join Shivak and Helms at nationals.

Rookie head coach Brandon Totten, who was a two-time national champion for Delaware Valley during his wrestling days in the mid 1990s, was named the MAC Coach of the Year. He led the Aggies to a 17-3 record during the regular season, including a perfect 7-0 mark in conference matches.

Shivak, a sophomore, won his second straight conference crown at 165 pounds as the top seed pinned second-seeded Joe Arnone of King's in 5:31. Shivak opened the tournament with a first-round bye and then posted a 16-0, technical fall victory over Fritz Delva of Wilkes. Shivak, who is ranked sixth in Division III at his weight class, will bring a 29-6 record to the NCAA Championships.

Helms transferred in from Wilkes prior to the season, and the sophomore captured his first MAC title with a 20-4 decision over top-seeded Tanner Kolb of Messiah at 197 pounds. Helms, was the second seed and he had a bye in the opening round. He then pinned Trevor Needham of Scranton in just 79 seconds. Helms enters the national tournament with a 20-7 mark.

Housekeeper was the defending MAC champions; a returning All-American; and the second-ranked wrestler in Division III at 174 pounds, but the junior was upset by second-seeded Rex Harris of Wilkes, 10-3, in the MAC finals. Housekeeper opened with a bye and then pinned the fourth seed, Ron Saglimbene of Scranton, in 84 seconds. Housekeeper, who placed sixth at nationals last year, will bring a 29-5 record to this year's tournament.

Wise was the top seed at 133 pounds and ranked seventh nationally. He opened the MACs with a 20-5, technical fall victory over Jeremy Ackerman of King's and followed by pinned fourth-seeded John Muscarella of Wilkes in 4:32. Wise then faced returning champion and All-American Mike Waldron of Lycoming in the finals. Wise handed Waldron his only loss of the season back in January, but Waldron earned revenge with a 12-6 victory. Wise's strong showing earned him a wild-card bid and the sophomore takes a 25-11 record to the NCAAs.

Jeremy Messinger (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) reached the MAC 149-pound finals and settled for second place, which was the best conference finish for the junior. Messinger was seeded third and he opened the tournament by pinning Brian Issac of Elizabethtown in 2:03. He then notched a 10-7 victory over second-seeded Tim Simansky of Scranton before dropping an 8-0 major decision to top-seeded and three-time conference champion Andy Vogel of Messiah. Messinger ended his season with a 28-11 record.

Freshman Scott Hutton (Carnegie, PA/Chartiers Valley) and sophomore Luke Morris (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) each placed third in their inaugural trip to the MAC Championships. Hutton, who was unseeded, went 2-2 at the tournament at 141 pounds with a pair of victories over the third seed, Mike Griffith of Scranton. The second victory was a 17-6 major decision in the consolation finals. Hutton joined the team at the semester break and finished with a 4-4 record.

Morris was seeded fourth at 184 pounds and finished one place higher. He won three of four matches with his only loss coming against eventual champion Jeff Tierney of Lycoming in the semifinals. Morris ended his year by pinning Eric Guise of Elizabethtown in 64 seconds to finish 18-11.

Wayne Helms (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby), Mike Berlanda (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) and Mike Weston (West Hazleton, PA/Hazleton) placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively at the MAC Championships. Helms, a freshman, was seeded fifth at heavyweight and he won two of four matches to finish the season 3-3. Berlanda, a freshman, was the fifth seed at 157 pounds and he went 1-2 at the tournament. His season ended with a 19-12 record. Weston, a sophomore, placed third at the MACs last year but was sixth at 125 pounds this season. The fourth seed went 1-3 and ended the year with an 11-7 mark.

2003 MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONFERENCE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Delaware Valley College 148.50 points
2. Lycoming College 127.00 points
3. Wilkes University 119.00 points
4. King's College 118.50 points
5. Messiah College 115.50 points
6. University of Scranton 79.50 points
7. Albright College 48.00 points
8. Elizabethtown College 34.00 points

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
125 - Mitch Marcks (King's) by decision over Jacob Clakett (Messiah), 5-3
133 - Mike Waldron (Lycoming) by decision over B.J. Wise (DVC), 12-6
141 - Jim Morgan (King's) by decision over Andy Squires (Lycoming), 5-3
149 - Andy Vogel (Messiah) by major decision over Jeremy Messinger (DVC), 8-0
157 - Darren Buseman (Scranton) by decision over Dave Shafer (King's), 5-2
165 - Jason Shivak (DVC) by fall over Joe Arnone (King's), 5:31
174 - Rex Harris (Wilkes) by decision over Josh Housekeeper (DVC), 10-3
184 - Jeff Tierney (Lycoming) by decision over Jon Neyerlin (Wilkes), 4-3
197 - Andrew Helms (DVC) by decision over Tanner Kolb (Messiah), 10-4
Hwt - Cory Fleisher (Wilkes) by decision over Tegan McKee (King's), 4-2

Outstanding Wrestler: Rex Harris, Wilkes
MAC Coach of the Year: Brandon Totten, Delaware Valley
Most Falls/Least Time: Cory Fleisher, Wilkes (2 falls in 2:04)
Rookie of the Year: Wayne Ginter, Albright

The 10 individual champions along with wild-card selections Josh Housekeeper (DVC) and B.J. Wise (DVC) will compete at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at Ohio Northern University on March 7 and 8.