Wrestling 11/11/2015 9:15:00 PM

Comeback falls short for Blue Jays at Gettysburg

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Trailing by 10 with three weight classes remaining, Elizabethtown College wrestling staged a serious comeback bid Wednesday night at Gettysburg. Rocco Hladney and Luke Fernandez pulled the Blue Jays within 20-17, but a pin from Bullet heavyweight Camden Stoops clinched the match for the hosts, 26-17.

Hladney led from start to finish in a 14-3 major decision over Brandon Casamassima at 184 pounds to trim Gettysburg's advantage to 20-14. Fernandez followed with a 14-12 come-from-behind victory against Anthony Puca that gave the Jays (0-1) a shot in the finale.

Stoops would halt Elizabethtown's advances, though, earning a late first period fall over Eric Eckstein in the heavyweight bout.

It was an uphill battle for E-town after tight matches at 125 and 133 both went the Bullets' (1-0) way. Gettysburg won both weight classes by a combined five points.

Jake Bracken's tech fall at 141 put Gettysburg ahead 11-0.

Newcomer Adam Smith came out aggressive at 149 en route to a 3:49 pin of Quinn Merrigan. Smith, who finished runner up at 141 in last Saturday's Messiah Invitational, improved to 4-1 on the season. Elizabethtown closed the gap to 11-10 when sophomore Chris Kummerer blanked Brandon Gallagher with a 12-0 major decision, but would get no closer in dropping its dual opener to the Bullets for the second year in a row.

Elizabethtown will travel to King's College in Wilkes-Barre Saturday for the New York City/Pennsylvania Duals. The Blue Jays will face Merchant Marine (12 p.m.), Hunter (2 p.m.) and New York U. (4 p.m.) in the event.

Gettysburg vs. Elizabethtown Wednesday, November 11, 2015 Gettysburg, Pa. (Bream Gymnasium)
Wt.		EC	GC
125	Lenny Ogozalek (GC) dec. Philip Torresani (EC), 7-6	0	3
133	Barrett Connor (GC) dec. Bryan Pflanz (EC), 9-5	0	6
141	Jake Bracken (GC) tech. fall Tim Miranda (EC), 15-0 (6:08)	0	11
149	Adam Smith (EC) pinned Quinn Merrigan (GC), 3:49	6	11
157	Chris Kummerer (EC) major dec. Brandon Gallagher (GC), 12-0	10	11
165	Crawford Oswald (GC) won by forfeit	10	17
174	Tyler Cunningham (GC) dec. Quinn Ruble (EC), 16-10	10	20
184	Rocco Hladney (EC) major dec. Brandon Casamassima (GC), 14-3	14	20
197	Luke Fernandez (EC) dec. Anthony Puca (GC), 14-12	17	20
285	Camden Stoops (GC) pinned Eric Eckstein (EC), 2:26	17	26

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Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein: 197/285; 5' 10"; Sophomore

Luke Fernandez: 197; 6' 2"; Junior

Chris Kummerer: 157/165; 5' 7"; Sophomore

Tim Miranda: 125/133/141; 5' 5"; Senior

Bryan Pflanz: 133; 5' 5"; Senior

Quinn Ruble: 174; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Philip Torresani: 125; 5' 3"; Sophomore

Rocco Hladney: 184; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: 197/285

Luke Fernandez
: 6' 2"; Junior
: 197

Chris Kummerer
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: 157/165

Tim Miranda
: 5' 5"; Senior
: 125/133/141

Bryan Pflanz
: 5' 5"; Senior
: 133

Quinn Ruble
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: 174

Philip Torresani
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: 125

Rocco Hladney
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: 184