SALEM, Va. (February 3, 2024) – The No. 10/7 Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling team competed at the Southeast Futures Tournament hosted by Roanoke, as well as competing in a dual against No. 20/22 Roanoke on Saturday. First-year Carmen Cortese and junior Brendan Newbury each picked up first place finishes in their respective weight classes in the tournament, while the Ducks as a team fell 17-16 in the dual against the Maroons.
The Rundown (Southeast Futures)
- Cortese began his day by taking down Alex Driggs (Averett) by tech fall 22-7. He then advanced to the quarterfinals, securing another technical fall victory by winning 20-2 over Owen Cherry (Roanoke). The first-year then picked up decision wins in the semifinals (Colin Bridges, Washington & Lee, 9-5) and the finals (Carter Shupert, Averett, 7-6) to secure the first place finish in the 149 weight bracket.
- Newbury also claimed the top spot in his respective weight class. He received a bye in the first round and then won his first watch of the day by blanking Lincoln Trapp (Southern Virginia) 15-0 for the technical fall win. The junior also picked up a tech fall win in the semis, beating Sam Francis (Roanoke) 16-1. Newbury then won in the 184 finals over Alex Taylor (Roanoke) by a 7-4 decision.
- Junior Branden Bulatao finished second in the 165 bracket. He opened the day with three straight tech fall victories, defeating his opponents by a combined 56-8. He beat Josh Epperly (Roanoke) in the quarters, Noah James (Southern Virginia) in the quarter finals, and Cooper Comer (Averett) in the semis. He fell in the finals by a slim 5-4 decision to Hunter Moore (Roanoke).
- Junior Jack Bailey also competed in the 165 bracket, finishing one spot behind Bulatao. After receiving a bye in the first round, he defeated Jake Bobeck (Roanoke) via fall in 5:11. He then lost to Moore by a 7-4 decision, putting him into the consolation bracket. He responded well though, pinning Marymount's Julian Schott (1:35) and Bobeck again (2:09) to secure the third place finish.
- Graduate student Arjun Khatri also placed third on the day. He received a bye in the first round in the 133 weight bracket. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Andre Sheppard (Marymount) by a 17-2 tech fall. Isaiah Wilson (Washington & Lee) then defeated Khatri by a 16-8 major. In the consolation bracket, the grad student won a thrilling sudden victory over Jesse Lemon (Averett) 16-13. He then beat Mason Rogers (Ferrum) via a 25-16 major to claim third.
- First-year Ben Sanders came in fourth in the 184 bracket. He received a bye and then beat Nolan Gerwitz (Averett), pinning him at 6:37. He fell in the semis to Taylor, but then came back in the consolation match by earning an 11-2 major decision victory over Trapp. He claimed fourth after medically forfeiting in the third place match.
- First-years Aidan Harper, Peter Grippo, Chris Piazza and Giorgio Corica also competed in the event.
The Rundown (Roanoke Dual)
- The Ducks went down 3-0 early, as Mac Cafurello took down graduate student Akhil Vega by a 8-2 decision at 125. The Maroons then tripled their advantage once Jude Robson pinned senior Andrew Finateri at 4:05.
- Sophomore Nico Diaz, who is ranked 15th by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) and 11th by The Open Mat, picked up the first points for the Ducks at 141 as he defeated Mark Samuel 5-1 to earn the decision win. Graduate student Pasquale Vizzoni backed that up with a 6-1 decision victory over Jarrod Pominville to get back within three.
- Roanoke answered with back-to-back decision wins, as Andrew McDougal beat sophomore Steve Dalling at 157 (9-4), while David Reid beat junior Harrison Hinojosa at 165 (4-2). In the McDougal vs. Dalling match, Roanoke was docked a point for unsportsmanlike behavior.
- Down 14-6, the Ducks responded with two more decision victories, coming at 174 and 184. Senior Stefan Major, who is ranked 13th by the NWCA and 8th by the Open Mat, beat Xavier Preston 9-6, while senior Joel Martsinovsky beat Vincenzo Corvetto 16-12, to make the score 14-12 in favor of the Maroons.
- At 197, Roanoke earned another decision win, as Lorenzo Pellot beat junior Blaise Wagner 6-5 to give the Maroons a five point lead. With a chance to come back, junior Max Ruiz beat Marco Malerba by a 19-8 major decision, as the Ducks came up one point short on the night, losing 17-16.
Top Performers
- Bailey doubled his season pin count from three to six.
- Diaz is now 11-1 in duals this season.
- Cortese picked up his second and third tech falls of the season.
- Vega and Diaz each scored nine team points on the day, which led the team.
- Ruiz gained the most points for the Ducks in the dual (4).
- Corica earned one pin on the day.
Around the Middle Atlantic Conference
- King's 32, York 11
- Alvernia 23, Elizabethtown 22
- King's 26, Johns Hopkins 22
- Johns Hopkins 41, York 12
- TCNJ 35, Delaware Valley 6
- Delaware Valley 29, Oswego 15
- Delaware Valley 37, Cortland 10
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