The wrestling team fared well this week, improving to 3-0 on the season against King's College last Wednesday and giving a solid showing at the Spartan Invitational hosted by York College on Saturday.
The College trampled King's College 43-6.
In the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll, the Lions are ranked eighth. They have also won 16 straight dual meets dating back to last season.
The College got the early lead when freshman Kyle Kinchen (125 pounds) scored a pin in 4:13. The Monarchs earned their first win when their defending national champion David Morgan (133 pounds) faced the College's seventh-ranked senior Ray Sarinelli.
Morgan got the win in the third period when he scored an escape and broke a 2-2 tie. The final score was 3-2 in favor of Morgan and was Sarinelli's first loss on the year.
The Monarchs tied the score with a win at 141 pounds, but the Lions took the lead for good when sophomore Tyler Branham (149 pounds) posted an 11-0 major decision.
"In my matches, I try to build a lead and then work for bonus points," Branham said. "Every extra point that you can earn for the team, whether it be by pin or major, can have a big effect on the overall match."
Sophmore Dan DiColo (157 pounds) scored a win with a pinfall at 4:39. The Lions then received back-to-back forfeits at 165 pounds and 174 pounds, pushing the College's lead to 28-6.
Next, senior Jim Tomczuk (184 pounds) won by a score of 6-5 for the Lions, followed by a pinfall victory for Shawn Vanwingerden (197 pounds) at 4:13. Senior heavyweight Steve Carbone topped if off for the Lions with another pin, getting the win in 5:33.
On three days' rest, the team traveled to York College for the Spartan Invitational. Sophomore Greg Osgoodby (174 pounds) and junior Al Wonesh (165 pounds), who both won by forfeit against King's College, wanted to stay on top of their games.
"Before the match I wrestled a mini-match with Al," Osgoodby said. "We did that do get a little workout in and stay sharp."
And sharp they were, as Osgoodby finished in first place and Wonesh advanced to the finals at 165 pounds but lost his final match 6-2. Wonesh finished the tournament with a record of 3-1.
In the upper weight classes, the College got strong performances out of Vanwingerden and Carbone, who took third place in their respective classes.
Sophomore Joe Bozzomo (184 pounds) was the third Lion to follow in Vanwingerden and Carbone's footsteps as he also took third.
The Lions had wrestlers place in the top four in each of the final five weight classes.
Rounding off the rest of the Lions' success was Branham, who took fourth at 149 pounds, and freshman Dan Hughes, who took fourth at 125 pounds.
"We are going through a very busy portion of our schedule, so it makes it hard to stay physically healthy and mentally focused," Branham said. The retuning All-American went on to say that the team "is a little banged up with injuries but just need(s) to focus and keep working hard."
"If we do this, good things will come the rest of this season," he added.
"We are a real focused team," Osgoodby said. "We know our goal is to send as many guys as we can to Nationals in March, but to get there, we have to focus on the matches ahead of us."
