Wrestling

Aggies Compete At Brute Sunshine Open


LAKELAND (FL) - The Delaware Valley College wrestling team had an impressive showing in its first trip to the Brute Sunshine Open in Florida as three Aggies claimed individual titles. Team scoring was not held at the two-day, 21-team event.

The tournament, which was held at the Lakeland Convention Center featured teams from all divisions, including four of the top 10 teams in Division III. Delaware Valley, ranked sixth, was joined at the event by defending champion and top-ranked Augsbug College, fourth-ranked Heidelberg College and No. 9 The College of New Jersey.

The Aggies tied The College of New Jersey for the most individual champions as Chris Sheetz (125), Mike Wilcox (184) and Kyle Bilquist (heavyweight) took top honors in their respective weight classes. Delaware Valley also had three runners-up and three other wrestlers which placed in the top six.

Sheetz, a freshman improved his record to 15-3 by going 4-0 at the tournament. He notched a pins, a technical fall and a decision to reach the finals, and then earned a 3-2 decision over Kyle Kinchen (The College of New Jersey) to claim the crown.

Wilcox, a junior college transfer, also went 4-0 at the open and upped his mark to 11-1 on the season. He had a fall and two decisions before registering a 6-1victory over Robbie Gotreau (Augsburg) in the finals.

Bilquist, ranked fourth in Division III, needed to win five matches for his individual crown. The junior notched two pins along the way and then edged Steve Carbone (The College of New Jersey), 2-1, in the finals to improve to 11-1 on the year.

Nationally-ranked wrestlers Jesse Harrington (fifth at 149) and Joe West (sixth at 197) finished in second-place along with two-time national qualifier Ryan Herwig (157). Harrington's loss in the finals came to second-ranked Willy Holst (Augsburg) while West fell to Division I wrestler Danny Fernandez (Central Florida). Herwig had two pins before dropping a 3-1 decision to Dan DiColo (The College of New Jersey).

Eric McCann placed fourth at 133 pounds while Greg Miele took fifth at 165 pounds. Three-time national qualifier Dan Hall, ranked third in Division III at 141 pounds, wrestled up a weight class and placed sixth at 149 pounds.