Wrestling picks up two huge wins over break

Justin Ossont
Sports Editor

While the rest of the Lycoming College campus was home dreaming of gumdrops and Santa Claus to bring amazing gifts, the wrestling team was a little busy.  The Warriors were working towards improving their skills as well as their overall record.  Heading into this past weekend, the Warriors were 1-2 overall.  That all changed as the Warriors swept both  SUNY Oswego and RIT in the annual PA/NY Duals tournament held in Rochester, New York. 

The Warriors were led by Senior Tyler Cunningham and Junior Greg Wetzel.  Cunningham, who wrestles in the 184 weight bracket, had two pins in the tournament to help propel the Warriors. 

Wetzel, 165, notched two victories for the Warriors as well. His two wins were a 3-0 victory over RIT’s Tyler Brooks-Lambert and a 4-3 overtime win of SUNY Oswego’s Blake Fisher.
Tyler Cunningham
The Warriors victory over RIT sets the overall record against the Tigers at 26-2.  Last season the Tigers beat the Warriors for the first time since 1960.  It was a bitter sweet victory for the Warriors. 

The victories over both SUNY Oswego and RIT helps the Warriors improve to 3-2 overall on the season.
During the match between the Tigers and the Warriors, RIT took an early 6-0 lead but sophomore Caleb Willey gained a crucial victory to put the Warriors on the right track. After wins by Wetzel and junior Johnathan Secor, 174, the Warriors were down by only three with a  score to 12-9.  Then a spark went off with the Warriors as they won the final five matches to knock off the Tigers 21-12.
Greg Wetzel
The match between Oswego and Lycoming was much of the same.  The Warriors started off with a victory from sophomore Cody Barbiche, 125. The Warriors would also have another five weight class win streak during the match.  The final in that meet was in favor of Lycoming 22-17.

This upcoming weekend the Warriors will host the annual Budd Whitehill tournament.  The tournament consists of 20 teams within the nation and is a national duals tournament.  The tournament is in the name of Hall of Fame coach and former Warriors coach Budd Whitehill.  Whitehill led the Warriors to over 300 wins as the head coach. Whitehill was coaching the Warriors when the tournament was called the Division III National Duals.

In 1996 a coaches meeting declared the tournament would remain in Williamsport and at the same meeting the name of the Tournament was changed to the Budd Whitehill National Duals Tournament to honor Whitehilll. 



The tournament will take place Friday, Jan. 11 and will wrap up Saturday Jan. 12 in Lamade Gymnasium.