Wrestling

AGGIES WRESTLERS WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT MAC TITLE
Six Win Individual Crowns; Shivak, Wise Share Outstanding Wrestler Honors; Frondorf Rookie of the Year; Totten Tri-Coach of the Year

WILKES-BARRE (PA) - For the first time in school history, the Delaware Valley College wrestling team has four consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships as the Aggies crowned six individual champions and dominated the eight team field at the Wilkes University Marts Center.

Delaware Valley, the fifth-ranked team in Division III, racked up 175 points to easily outdistance ninth-ranked Lycoming College (131.5 points) for the team title. Messiah College (117), King's College (95) and Wilkes (87.5) rounded out the top five.

Seniors Jason Shivak (174 pounds/Mont Clare, PA/Spring-Ford), Barry Wise (133 pounds/Spring City, PA/Benton) and Andrew Helms (197 pounds/Broomall, PA/Upper Darby) successfully defended their titles along with sophomore 141-pounder Dan Hall (Waretown, NJ/Southern Regional). Junior 197-pounder Jamall Johnson (Camden, NJ/Pennsauken Tech) and freshman 149-pounder Rick Frondorf (Phillipsburg, NJ/North Hunterdon) each captured their first MAC title.

Those six now advance to the NCAA Division III Championships, which will take place at St. Olaf College (Minnesota) on March 4 and 5.

Shivak and Wise were two of three wrestlers who shared the MACs Outstanding Wrestler Award, the second year that Shivak has won the award. Frondorf was named the MAC Rookie of the Year while head coach Brandon Totten shared Tri-Coach of the Year honors - the third time he has won the award in his three years as Aggie head coach.

Senior 125-pounder Mike Weston (West Hazleton, PA/Hazleton) and sophomore heavyweight Mike Moore (Levittown, PA/Harry S. Truman) were MAC runner-ups in their respective weight class. Sophomore Ryan Pope (Mt. Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley) took fourth at 165 pounds while junior John Powell (Point Pleasant, NJ/Brick Memorial) placed fifth at 157 pounds.

Shivak became just the fifth wrestler in Delaware Valley history to win four conference championships in a career. The top seed and eighth-ranked wrestler in Division III dominated his first two matches as he pinned Tom Phillips of Scranton, then followed with a 17-2, technical-fall victory (3:26) over fourth-seeded Tony Valenti of Messiah.

In the finals, Shivak and second-seeded Derek Crane of Lycoming were tied 1-1 before Shivak recorded a take down with 1:18 left for a two-point lead. He also added over a minute of riding time for another point and a 4-1 victory. Shivak, who earned All-American honors last year (sixth place), improved his record to 18-4 on the season and 101-25 in his career.

Wise, the top seed and second-ranked wrestlers nationally in his weight class, earned his second consecutive MAC title and third trip to nationals with an 8-2 decision over second-seeded Sean Cullen of Lycoming. Wise led 4-0 after the first period and 5-0 after two, en route to the victory.

Wise had a bye in the quarterfinals and notched an 8-3 decision over fourth-seeded Geoff Harner of Messiah in the semifinals. He is now 21-5 on the season and 106-36 in his career.

A two-time MAC champion at 197 pounds, Helms dropped to 184 this year and won title number three with an 11-6 decision over second-seeded Tim Pentz of Messiah. That victory improved Helms's record to 30-4 on the season and 108-27 in his career, including a 90-19 mark with Delaware Valley.

Helms, who is ranked seventh nationally in his weight class, dropped Joe Peteroy of King's in 4:55 of the quarterfinals, and followed with a 9-2 triumph over fourth-seeded Matt Miller of Lycoming.

Hall successfully defended his MAC championship at 141 pounds as the top seed used an escape with 1:23 remaining in the third period for a 4-3 victory over second-seeded Matt Gorkos of Messiah.

The win improved Hall's ecord to 13-6 season on the season and 34-15 in his career.
Hall opened quarterfinal action with a technical-fall victory (5:00) over Joe Yutko of Wilkes. He then advanced to the finals with a 6-1 decision over No. 4 Scott Prutzman of King's.

Johnson, a second seed who is ranked sixth in Division III, won his first conference crown as he pinned top-seeded Brandon Kelly of Wilkes just 19 seconds into the second period (3:19). It was Johnson's third pin of the tournament as the junior college transfer also downed Mike Kelly of Scranton (4:19) and third-seeded Jason Reilly of King's (2:56). Johnson is 23-9 on the year.

Frondorf, a freshman, was seeded third for the tournament, but reached the finals with a 9-1 major decision over sixth-seeded Tim McGann of Messiah in the quarterfinals and 13-7 victory over second-seeded Sean Reese of Lycoming in the semifinals.

Frondorf dominated the championship match against No. 4 Rob Bozart of Elizabethtown from the opening seconds and finished with a 16-0, technical-fall victory nine seconds into the second period. Frondorf will bring an 18-5 record to the NCAA Championships.

Weston, the top seed and sixth-ranked wrestler in Division III, opening the championship by pinning Brandon Bouldon of Albright in just 47 seconds. He then notched an 8-0 major decision over fifth-seeded of King's to earn a spot in the MAC finals for the first time in his career.

Weston faced No. 2 Jeremy Mayer of Wilkes in the finals and nearly picked up a pin twice in the first period. He led 10-9 after the first period, but Mayer scored 11 straight points over the final five minutes for a 20-10 major decision. Weston finished the year with a 14-4 record and his career with a 52-25 mark.

Moore, a sophomore transfer from Cornell, was the second seed at heavyweight and he opened his first MAC tournament by dropping Vince Realmuto of Scranton in just 76 seconds. In the semifinals, Moore held a big lead before pinning No. 3 Matt Carey of Wilkes with four seconds left in the match (6:56).

Moore met defending MAC champion and top-seeded Tommy Snyder of Lycoming, in the finals, and picked up an escape with 52 seconds left in the third period to force overtime at 1-1. However, Snyder notched a takedown with just 10 seconds remaining in the extra session for the 3-1 victory. Moore finished the 2004-05 season with a 15-8 record.

Pope, a transfer at semester break from Springfield, was seeded fourth in his weight class and finished in that spot. He reached the semifinals with a 7-5 decision over fifth-seeded Steve Tatum of Scranton. He dropped a 3-0 match to No. 1 Joe Arnone of King's in the semifinals, but bounced back in the consolation semifinals with a 10-1 major decision over Tom Leggio of Wilkes. However, Pope completed his year with a 15-7 record with a 3-1 loss to No. 3 Derek Ricker of Messiah.

Powell, competing in his MAC Championship, was seeded second at 157, opened with a 10-0 major decision over Brandon Cuffee of Albright in the quarterfinals. However, he fell into the consolation bracket after being pinned by sixth-seeded Drew Dehaut of King's in 4:41. Powell then dropped an 11-6 decision to No. 5 Anthony Dill of Messiah to fall into the fifth-place match. He captured fifth-place honors with a 9-2 triumph over top-seeded Nick Barber of Scranton and finished the season with an 18-16 record.

2005 MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONFERENCE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Delaware Valley College 175.00 points
2. Lycoming College 131.50 points
3. Messiah College 117.00 points
4. King's College 95.00 points
5. Wilkes University 87.50 points
6. Elizabethtown College 46.50 points
7. University of Scranton 40.50 points
8. Albright College 23.50 points

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
125 - Jeremy Mayer (Wilkes) by major decision over Mike Weston (DVC), 20-10
133 - Barry Wise (DVC) by decision over Sean Cullen (Lycoming), 8-2
141 - Dan Hall (DVC) by decision over Matt Gorkos (Messiah), 4-3
149 - Rick Frondorf (DVC) by technical fall over Rob Bozart (Elizabethtown), 16-0 (3:09)
157 - Kyle Hart (Elizabethtown) by decision over Drew Dehaut (King's), 10-8 OT
165 - Grant Brindle (Lycoming) by decision over Joe Arnone (King's), 7-2
174 - Jason Shivak (DVC) by decision over Derek Crane (Lycoming), 4-1
184 - Andrew Helms (DVC) by decision over Tim Pentz (Messiah), 11-6
197 - Jamall Johnson (DVC) by fall over Brandon Kelly (Wilkes), 3:19
Hwt - Tommy Snyder (Lycoming) by decision over Mike Moore (DVC), 3-1 OT

Tri-Outstanding Wrestler: Jason Shivak (Delaware Valley), Barry Wise (Delaware Valley) and Grant Brindle (Lycoming)
Tri-Coach of the Year: Brandon Totten (Delaware Valley), Bryan Brunk (Messiah) and Eric Walker (Elizabethtown)
Rookie of the Year: Rick Frondorf, Delaware Valley

The 10 individual champions along with wild-card selections Joe Arnone (King's) and Sean Cullen (Lycoming) will compete at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at St. Olaf College (Minnesota) on March 4 and 5.