Results

Grantham, PA - The Messiah Falcons opened the 2015-16 season with a win in the the Messiah Invite on Saturday. Messiah finished with 136 team poinst, 50 points ahead of second-place Elizabethtown (86).

Six Falcons won their weight class, with Lucas Malmberg (125 lbs.), Larry Cannon (157 lbs.), Derek Beitz (174 lbs.), Josh Thomson (184 lbs.), Kyle Koser (197 lbs.), and Jason Wright (285 lbs.) all winning their weight class.

Lucas Malmberg dominated the 125 pound weight class by collecting a pin, major decision, and medical forfeit. The first match of the day for Malmberg was a quick one as he stuck Michael Smith of Washington & Jefferson in just 34 seconds.
 
Next, Malmberg scored a plethora of points and earned the 14-5 major decision over Phil Torresani of Elizabethtown College. Malmberg won his final match of the day by medical forfeit over Jacob Spearman of Washington & Jefferson in the championship bout.
 
At the 149 pound weight class Adam Peris lost only match and wrestled back for third place. Peris collected a 9-7 decision in his first match over Alex Powell of Washington & Jefferson with a reversal in the final seconds to capture the victory.
 
Next, Peris collected a fall in 37 seconds before earning a tough 3-2 decision over Marcos Mercado of McDaniel College. Peris lost his semifinal match and wrestled back to the third place match where he defeated Stephen Beam by a 7-2 decision for bronze.
 
Tag Wilber finished the day 6-2 and finished fourth in the 157 pound weight class. Wilbur won five straight matches in the consolation bracket before falling to Tommy Grifa of Johns Hopkins by a 6-2 decision for fourth place.
 
The 165 pound weight class had an impressive three Falcons place in the top four. Larry Cannon captured gold, Jeff Hojnacki finished second, and Ben Wise placed fourth. Cannon wrestled Wise in the semifinals and earned a hard fought 4-2 decision over his teammate.
 
Cannon wrestled another fellow Falcon in the final in Jeff Hojnacki. Cannon came out victorious by a 7-2 decision. Wise wrestled back to the third place match but lost to Frank Aiello of Wheaton College by a close 4-0 decision.
 
The 174 pound weight class had two placewinners from Messiah. Derek Beitz had an outstanding tournament and finished first. Newcomer Karrington Washington finished fourth as well. Beitz rolled to the finals with a fall, major decision, and a 9-4 decision. Beitz was challenged in the finals but prevailed in double overtime 6-5 over Stephen Aiello of Wheaton College.
 
At 184 pounds all four place winners were from Messiah College. Josh Thomson finished first, Ben Swarr was runner-up, Jeremy Bailes finished third, and newcomer Victory DeFrance captured fourth place.
 
Thomson earned three falls on the way to the finals before winning a tight 2-1 decision over teammate Ben Swarr. Both Baile and DeFrance lost in the semifinals and battle back to meet each other in the third place match. In the match, Bailes came out on top by a close 8-6 decision.
 
Messiah had two place winners at 197 pounds in champion Kyle Koser and fourth place finisher Nick Havener. Koser had an impressive tournament with two pins and a 8-3 decision to reach the finals. In the championship bout, Koser put on a clinic and earned a 20-0 technical fall over Luke Fernandez of Elizabethtown College.
 
Havener lost in the semifinals and battle back to the third place bout where he lost a tough 8-4 decision to Jake Pooton of McDaniel College.
 
Messiah's last champion came at the 285 pound weight class in Jason Wright. In addition, David Giovanacci finished in fourth for the Falcons. Wright collected a fall, a major decision, and a 5-2 decision in the finals over Evan Canaday of Liberty University.
 
In the consolation rounds, Giovanacci collected a fall and an 8-4 decision to reach the third place bout. In that match, Giovanacci fell Mac Gierke of Wheaton College by a 3-2 decision.
 
The Falcons will be back in action next Saturday when they travel to Briston, Rhode Island for the Roger Williams Invitational.
 

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