Nov. 18, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format

Erie, Pa. - With senior Hudson Harrison leading the way with a third-place finish, the Mercyhurst wrestling team placed eighth in a field of 10 Division I teams on Sunday at the Keystone Classic, held in the Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa.

The Lakers finished with 57.5 points, ahead of Boston and Virginia Military Institute. Taking top team honors, with five individual first-place finishers, was Tennessee at Chattanooga with 140.5 points.

Along with Hudson, senior Don Cummings placed sixth at 149, red-shirt freshman Josh Shields earned fourth at 174 pounds and junior Trevor Gallo earned fifth at 197.

The 165-pound Harrison, fresh off a first-place finish at the National Catholic Invitational, cruised into the championship semifinals before falling to No.1 seeded Mike Cannon of American. He bounced back quickly, however, earning a 4-1 win over C.J. Inglin of Boston and then pinned No. 3-seeded Nick Davis of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1:17 for third place.

After falling in the second round, Shields went made a strong run through the consolation bracket, winning three in a row and reached the third-place match with a 4-3 win over No. 4 seeded Colin Hitschler of Penn. He was edged 9-8 by Penn's Scott Griffin for third.

At 197 pounds, Gallo won his opening round match only to fall in the second. But in the consolation bracket, he won 4-0 over Thor Moen of Airzona State and 10-5 against Appalachian State's John Allen Griswold. Boston's John Hall earned a 7-6 win, and Gallo picked up a win by forfeit for fifth place.

Cummings faced a tough road at 149-pounds, but defeated sixth-seeded David Metzler of VMI 6-2 in the first round and Brown's Bryan Tracey by fall in the second. He also knocked off No. 3 seed Joey Knox of Tennessee-Chattanooga by a 12-3 major decision. But after falling to the No. 2 seed in the championship semis, he dropped his first match in the consolation round and Knox avenged his early defeat by edging Cummings 5-1.

Also at 149, Brian Pogel posted a 3-2 record. Payne Lint, wrestling at 125 pounds, posted a 2-2 record.

The Lakers are off until Nov. 29 when head coach Mike Wehler travels to West Liberty State to take on his former team.