Wrestling 11/19/2017 8:00:00 PM

Ghione, Hladney lead wrestling to Star City Open title

SALEM, Va. -- Joe Ghione and Rocco Hladney won weight class titles and the Elizabethtown College wrestling team brought home its first tournament championship since 2013, Sunday, topping a pair of nationally-ranked teams to win the Ferrum-hosted Star City Open.

The Blue Jays enjoyed their strongest showing of the young season, placing 10 wrestlers in the top six of their respective weight classes and accumulating 115 points, enough to hold off third-ranked Stevens (113.5), Huntington (106) and 11th-ranked Ferrum (105.5).

Less than a week after moving into the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) national rankings at No. 6, Hladney put three more victories together for his second 197-pound tournament win in three tries this season. The senior from Middletown, Del., pinned Huntington's Jimmy Haynes in 4:54 of their quarterfinal match after receiving a first-round bye. Hladney got by teammate Nikolay Savin, 7-4, in the semifinals and earned a 5-3 decision over Ferrum's Zach Shaffer in the final.

Hladney has placed in all three of Elizabethtown's tournaments (Messiah, Ursinus and Ferrum) with two firsts and a third to his credit.

There was excitement around the program surrounding Ghione before he stepped on the mat for his final season of eligibility and the former Division I grappler at Lock Haven has validated that excitement during his first two showings. A week after finishing runner-up in his E-town debut, Ghione moved to the top of the podium by pushing through three opponents from Stevens at 149.

Ghione won by injury default against Austin Kruger in the quarters and blasted Aaron Wolfang, 23-9, in the semis before pinning Dylan Van Sickell at 2:56 to capture the weight class.

Senior Philip Torresani joined Hlandey as the only Jays to place at all three tournaments with his second runner-up finish. The 125-pounder from Horsham, Pa., used a 15-6 major decision over Washington and Lee's Ethan Hartman and a 30 second pin of Averett's Korpesh Gootee to reach the finals. He went to overtime tied at four with d3wrestle.com Honorable Mention Yoseph Borai of Stevens, but Borai got a takedown to emerge the victor.

Seniors Eric Eckstein and Chris Kummerer, and freshman Josh McLaughlin battled their way to third-place finishes at 285, 165 and 133 pounds, respectively. Nikolay Savin placed fourth at 197, Max Rhoden fourth at 285, Josh Paisley fifth at 141 and Tyler Mentzer sixth at 174, resulting in Elizabethtown's first tournament victory since the 2013 NCAA Division III Mideast Regional Championships.

Eckstein's evolution as a heavyweight has been inspiring. From a 4-18 record as a freshman to 22 victories last season, the Bel Air, Md., product has become a reliable part of coach Eric Walker's lineup. Eckstein pinned John Reid of Averett in the first round (2:21) and won by major decision in the quarters, but his run to a title ended in the semis on an overtime takedown by Ferrum's Carlos Leyva, 3-1. The veteran recovered to win his consolation semi with an a double overtime takedown of Washington and Lee's Matthew Kaminer, 4-2, and defeated Blue Jay teammate Max Rhoden, 8-5, for third.

Rhoden bounced back from a first-round loss with four straight wins, including a pair of falls, before dropping the consolation final to Eckstein.

Kummerer, the No. 2 seed at 165, collected a pair of wins by decision in the quarters and semis. He was defeated by nationally-ranked No. 5 (NWCA) Thomas Poklikuha of Stevens, 17-3, in the finals.

McLaughlin placed for the first time in just his third career collegiate tournament. The Cedar Cliff grad, working at 133 pounds, opened the day with a 6-5 win over Nelson Elder. Despite a quarterfinal loss, McLaughlin showed strong resolve with a 3:38 tech fall (19-0) over East Carolina's Winston Lee and three consecutive decisions to take third. In the consolation final, the E-town rookie triumphed over Washington and Lee's Matt Mueller, 7-4.

Savin registered a pin over Apprentice's Vandan Schmidt in the quarterfinals, but fell to Hladney in the semis. He notched a major decision over Liberty's Alex Hicks, 11-2, in the consolation semis, but couldn't quite get past Huntington's Kori Walker, falling 8-6, to finish fourth at 197.

Paisley's run to fifth at 141 included a 16-0 tech fall shutout of Huntington's Michal Mort in the quarters, while Mentzer pinned his first two opponents en route to sixth at 174.

Elizabethtown, which defeated 14th-ranked York in its dual opener, will be at home for the first time this season when Division II Shippensburg visits Thompson Gymnasium for a 5 p.m. start Wednesday.

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Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein: 285; 5' 10"; Senior

Rocco Hladney: 197; 5' 11"; Senior

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

Josh Paisley: 141; 5' 5"; Sophomore

Max Rhoden: 285; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Philip Torresani: 125/149; 5' 3"; Senior

Joe Ghione: 141/149; 5' 5"; Senior

Josh McLaughlin: 133; 5' 7"; Freshman

Tyler Mentzer: 174; 5' 10"; Freshman

Nikolay Savin: 197/285; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein
: 5' 10"; Senior
: 285

Rocco Hladney
: 5' 11"; Senior
: 197

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

Josh Paisley
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: 141

Max Rhoden
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: 285

Philip Torresani
: 5' 3"; Senior
: 125/149

Joe Ghione
: 5' 5"; Senior
: 141/149

Josh McLaughlin
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: 133

Tyler Mentzer
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: 174

Nikolay Savin
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: 197/285