WILKES-BARRE (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University men's wrestling took a limited amount of student-athletes to compete at the Wilkes University Invitational on Saturday where sophomore Isaiah Johnson earned a third-place finish to lead the squad. The Aggies had the fewest competitors in the tournament, by choice, and finished eighth out of eight teams with 51.5 points.
Johnson went 3-1 on the day with two wins by fall. He was granted a first-round bye and then earned a narrow 3-2 decision over Paul Parise of Muhlenberg. His lone loss on the day came against eventual champion Nunzio Crowley from Long Island University in a 12-4 major decision. Johnson bounced back with consecutive first-period falls over Middle Atlantic Conference opponents from King's College (Richard Fronheiser) and host Wilkes (Hunter Lowe).
First-year Mike Rubino captured fourth place at 141 pounds after going 4-2 on the day. He lost to eventual third-place finisher Devin Matthews of Long Island twice for his only setbacks. Rubino earned two convincing major decisions, one medical forfeit, and a 9-2 decision over Brandon Lee of Ohio Northern to cap his day.
Adam Coleman, another first-year member for head coach Andrew Taylor, also finished fourth overall with a 4-2 mark in the 157-pound bracket. Coleman won his first match by fall at 4:24 but was caught early in his second match and pinned by eventual champion James Johnston in just 14 seconds. Coleman refused to hang his head and ripped off three straight wins highlighted by a first-period pin of Carson Wells from Wilkes and a 15-4 major decision over Riley Mchale of Muhlenberg.
First-year Malachi Harvey won a pair of matches in the 149-pound bracket with an 11-8 decision over Lincoln Kuba of Ohio Northern and 17-5 major decision over Benjamin Griffith of Wilkes.
DelVal men's wrestling gets right back to work on January 8th against Waynesburg College beginning at 9 a.m.
