Wrestlers Open Season at Clarion

CLARION, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend wrestling team opened up the 2017-18 season at the Clarion Open on Sunday.

The Lions were among Division I and II wrestling programs for their first match as a varsity program since 1978. Freshmen Jake Paulson (Erie, PA/McDowell), Brandon Miller (Hermitage, PA/Hickory) and Zachary Ishman (Youngsville, PA/Youngsville) each picked up a win on the day for Behrend.

Competing at 197, Paulson received a bye in the first round before being pinned by Tanner Orndorff of Utah Valley (4:03). He bounced back to defeat Aiden Matthews of Buffalo with a 3-1 decision in the consolation bracket. In the double-elimination tournament, Paulson then fell to Dustin Conti of Clarion 9-3.

Wrestling at the 149-weight class, Miller got his win in the consolation bracket. After dropping in 2:39 to Austin Holmes of Indiana, Miller posted a 9-5 victory over Michael Resignalo of Edinboro. He then had a technical fall (16-0) to Grant Turnmire of Cleveland State.

Ishman earned his win by forfeit at the 174-weight class. He began the day against Austin Weigel of Buffalo, being pinned in 1:28 and then lost again by pin fall in 1:18 to Jake Lanning of Buffalo.

Behrend had two competitors in the 157-weight class, 184-weight class, and heavyweight. Jake Ognibene (Washington, PA/Chartiers-Houston) and Sam Svetz (North East, PA/North East) wrestling at 157 for the Lions. Ognibene was pinned by Avery Shay of Clarion (6:15) and then lost by a major decision to Jacob Smith of Pitt-Johnstown (17-30. Svetz avoided the pin but fell by 19-7 major decision to Ben Heyob of Kent State, before dropping a 9-2 decision to Jonathan Ross of Lock Haven.

Sam Tubbs (Mt. Lebanon, PA/Mt. Lebanon) and Jacob Parsons (Titusville, PA/Maplewood) represented the 184-weight class. Tubbs was pinned by Gary Jantzer of Utah Valley (0:37) and Colin McCracken of Kent State (0:15). Parsons was up against Nino Bonaccorsi of Pittsburgh and Trey Hartsock of Lock Haven. He was defeated by major decision to Bonaccorsi (17-4) and technical fall to Hartsock (16-1).

In heavyweight, Jacob Lenhardt had a pair of close matches for Behrend. He fell 5-0 to Robert Scherer of Virginia and then 4-2 to Cole Rickert of Pittsburgh. Nate Conti (Erie, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) suffered two pins by Rickert (2:21) and Brylee Shumaker of Clarion (5:40).

At 125, Jacob Fankhouser (Warren, PA/Warren) suffered pin falls by Devin Brown of West Virginia (0:22) and Willy Girard of Bloomsburg (1:37). Daniel Bishel (Port Allegany, PA/Port Allegany), at t 141, was pinned by Brock Zacherl (2:10) and Jalin Hankerson (0:22) of Clarion.

Donnie Kerr (Ellwood City, PA/Lincoln) was up against Demetrius Romero of Utah Valley in his first match at 165. He suffered a technical fall 22-6. In the consolation bracket, he dropped a 12-3 major decision to Kiernan Kelly of Pitt-Johnstown.

The Lions return to action on Saturday at the Washington & Jefferson Invitational. Matches begin at 10 a.m.