Results

Grantham, PA - The No. 8 Messiah College Falcons captured their second straight Mideast Regional Championship with 111 team points. The Falcons edged the No. 7 Raiders from the University of Mount Union who finished with 109 team points. Messiah crowned four regional champions in No. 2 Lucas Malmberg (125), No. 1 Kaleb Loht (141), No. 5 Josh Thomson (174), and Ben Swarr (184). Other placewinners included Larry Cannon (157, 4th) and Kyle Koser (197, 5th).

Head Coach Bryan Brunk earned his second consecutive regional Head Coach of the Year award for bringing another Mideast regional title to Messiah College.

125 pounds – No. 2 Lucas Malmberg (1st)
 
Lucas Malmberg started his tournament with a first period fall over Donald Herrington of the College of Mount St. Joseph in 2:50. Malmberg advanced to the quarterfinals after the fall and defeated Brad Taton from Ohio Northern University by a 12-4 major decision.
 
In the semifinals, Malmberg took on No. 4 Asher Kramer from the College of Brockport and won by an impressive 9-3 decision. For the regional championship bout, Malmberg wrestled a familiar foe in No. 3 Jesse Gunter from Baldwin Wallace.
 
Malmberg defeated Gunter last season and earlier this season. He continued his winning ways over Gunter with a 8-4 decision and captured his second straight regional title.
 
133 pounds – Hunter Harris (eliminated)
 
Hunter Harris finished the regional tournament with a 1-2 record. In the first round of the tournament Harris fell to eventual regional champion Ryan Flynn from York College by fall.
 
Harris dropped to the consolation bracket after the loss and defeated Charlie Heyob from the College of Mount. St. by fall in 0:59. Harris used one of his exciting throws and earned the first period fall. After the win, Harris got pinned by Sal Corraro from John Carroll University and was eliminated from the tournament.
 
141 pounds – No. 1 Kaleb Loht (1st)
 
Defending national champion Kaleb Loht wrestled an impressive tournament on his way to another regional title. After defeating Dan Pommerer from Washington & Jefferson College by a 10-2 major decision, Loht sunk a deep cement mixer on Jake Sepor from the Rochester Institute of Technology and earned the fall in 4:06.
 
Loht wrestled his closest match of the tournament in the semifinals against Joshua Decatur from Baldwin Wallace where he won by a 10-5 decision. Loht capped of his championship performance with a dominant 13-2 major decision in the finals over Bryant Roby from the University of Mount Union.
 
He improves his career win total to 155 wins, just two shy of the all-time wins leader Andy Vogel (157).
 
149 pounds – Chris Williamson (eliminated)
 
Chris Williamson finished 2-2 in the regional tournament. Williamson suffered a tough 6-5 loss to Joey Schmidt from Baldwin Wallace University to start his tournament. The Falcon trailed 5-2 in the third period when he earned an escape and two stalling call points to tie the match at 5 on the scoreboard. He ended up losing the match because Schmidt accumulated over a minute of riding time.
 
Williamson stormed back through the consolation bracket with a 10-6 decision over Michael Lammer of Elizabethtown College, and a 13-9 decision over Trevor Meyers from Washington & Jefferson College. The two match win streak ended for Williamson as he lost by fall to Brad Mayville of the Rochester Institute of Technology.
 
157 pounds – No. 10 Larry Cannon (4th)
 
Larry Cannon finished one victory shy from qualifying for the national tournament as he took fourth place. Cannon made his way to the semifinals with a 13-5 major decision over Graham Montague of Baldwin Wallace University, and a 6-1 decision over Tyler Silverthorn from Oswego State.
 
Cannon faced a tough opponent in the semifinals when he wrestled No. 3 Jon Garrison of the University of Mount Union. The Falcon wrestled hard, but lost a tight 8-5 decision. Cannon earned a victory in the consolation semifinals with a 9-1 major decision over Tom McNulty of John Carroll University. He used a set of near fall points and a blast double takedown in the third period for the victory.
 
During the third place match, Cannon trailed Sean Byham from Thiel College with a minute left in the third period and desperately needed a takedown to even the score. Cannon was unsuccessful during the comeback, and fell by a 12-5 decision.
 
165 pounds – Derek Beitz (eliminated)
 
Derek Beitz finished 1-2 in the regional tournament. Beitz started his tournament with a dominating 8-1 decision over Austin Barley of York College. In the quarterfinals Beitz ran into No. 9 Colt Lovejoy from Ohio Northern University and lost by an 11-2 major decision.
 
Beitz dropped to the consolation bracket and lost to Michael Falcon from the College of Brockport by an 11-2 major decision. The Falcon got caught in two cradles and couldn't overcome the deficit.
 
174 pounds – No. 5 Josh Thomson (1st)
 
Josh Thomson dominated the field on his way to the championship bout. He won by technical fall in the first round over Nick Miller of the University of Mount Union, fall in 2:11 over Ryan Shank from Waynesburg University during the quarterfinals, and another technical fall in the semifinals over Sonnieboy Blanco from Washington & Jefferson.
 
The championship bout presented a familiar foe for Thomson in No. 9 Garrett Chase from Baldwin Wallace University. Thomson and Chase met twice this year with both wrestlers earning a victory.
 
Thomson won the grudge match by an 8-4 decision and scored the only takedowns of the match.
 
184 pounds – Ben Swarr (1st)
 
Ben Swarr posted another impressive tournament for the Falcons with his first place finish. Swarr won by technical fall over Pat Jennings from Waynesburg University in the first round. Then, Swarr won by major decision in both the quarterfinals and semifinals by posting a 16-3, and 12-3 victory.
 
For the regional crown, swarr wrestled No. 7 Jeff Palmeri from the College of Brockport and won by fall in 3:46. Swarr tried to finish a single leg on Palmeri when Palmeri attempted a throw. Swarr scrambled through the throw attempt and pinned Palmeri.
 
197 pounds – Kyle Koser (5th)
 
Kyle Koser went 4-2 and finished in fifth place at the regional tournament. Koser opened his regional tournament with a 12-3 major decision over Jake Swearingen from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Next, Koser fell to Jerrold Roosa from Thiel College by a 9-4 decision. The Falcon couldn't get a takedown which was ultimately the deciding factor.
 
Koser fell to the consolation bracket and put together two decision victories and placed himself in the consolation semifinals. Koser lost by fall in the consolation semifinals and finished his tournament strong with a 5-0 decision over John Shorter of York College.
 
285 pounds – Jason Wright (eliminated)
 
Jason Wright finished 1-2 in the regional tournament. Wright advanced to the quarterfinals with a bye where he lost to regional runner-up Cole Tristram from the College of Brockport by a 3-1 decision in sudden victory.
 
Wright dropped to the consolation bracket and defeated Grayson Miller from Muskingum University by a 6-3 decision. Next, Wright lost by fall to Mike Spencer from York College and was eliminated from the tournament.

Messiah will be back in action on March 13, when they compete in the NCAA Division III Championships at Hershey, PA.


 

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