College roundup: Delaware Valley goes on tear against three national powers

by Don Seeley, Pottstown Mercury Sports Editor

Posted on February 3, 2009

Delaware Valley College's wrestling team toured Iowa last week. Don't be too surprised if invitations for a trip back aren't in the mailbox anytime soon.

The Aggies proved they were every bit as good as their No. 3 ranking in Division III ...and could move up a notch after they humiliated No. 19 Luther, 52-0, and defeated No. 5 Coe, 26-15, in a double-dual at Cedar Rapids on Friday night. Less than 24 hours later, they went toe-to-toe with host No. 2 Wartburg and left the host's Waverly campus with a 17-17 tie.

Four District 1 graduates – including former Upper Perkiomen High School graduates Chris Sheetz and Brandon Clemmer – played big roles for the Aggies (18-1-2 overall).

The 125-pound Sheetz, ranked fourth at 125 pounds, went 2-1 on the trip. He had a pin against Luther, but fell 6-3 to Coe's No. 2 Clayton Rush. He came back against Wartburg with a 5-4 thriller over No. 6 Mark Kist.

The 133-pound Clemmer, ranked sixth at 133 pounds, also opened with a pin against Luther before getting pinned just before the final buzzer by Coe's No. 7 Brandon Ball. But Clemmer bounced back big against Wartburg, rallying for a 9-7 decision over No. 2 ranked Matt Kelly.

Eric McCann (Pennridge) posted a 13-5 major in the win over Luther, his lone bout of the trip. Teammate Rocky Mantella (Council Rock), meanwhile, remained unbeaten with a forfeit and two decisions.

Delaware Valley actually would have won the showdown with Wartburg, but head coach Brandon Totten protested a call during the 184-pound bout and was hit with unsportsmanlike conduct call, costing the Aggies a team point.

On the season, Sheetz is 28-4, Clemmer is 23-6, McCann is 18-8, and Mantella owns a spotless 21-0 record.

The Aggies have also gotten support from Don Smith (Hatboro-Horsham) and Jason Moretti (Neshaminy), who are 10-9 and 1-4, respectively.

DIVISION III WRAP

Ithaca got a major decision in the 125-pound opener from Seth Ecker (Pottstown) en route to a 30-9 romp over Lycoming. Ecker improved to 16-5 on the season for the No. 7 ranked Bombers (11-1). ... New York University's Matt Magill (Great Valley) split his two bouts at 157 when NYU lost 28-6 to Williams and defeated Rogers Williams by a 23-15 spread in the Metropolitan Conference-New England Wrestling Association Duals.

Messiah's David Jones (Boyertown) went 1-2 at 165 pounds during last weekend's Pete Willson Invitational at Wheaton College.

Muhlenberg's Bill Sholly (Souderton) dropped both of his matches at 197 as the Mules were swept by both No. 12 Merchant Marine Academy (32-13) and Stevens (33-15).

Franklin & Marshall (4-10) won two of three matches last week, with Colin Ely (Unionville) posting a pin in the 31-9 rout of Wagner and a 6-4 decision in a 22-21 thriller over Dusquesne. The 197-pound Ely lost a decision when the Diplomats were blanked by American, 40-0.

AROUND THE PSAC

Millersville had little trouble in a 35-9 rout of Division III's No. 24 ranked York last week. Sean Reed (Springfield-Delco) pinned at 133, John Lester (Central Bucks South) rolled up a major decision at 157, and Shane Smith (Upper Perkiomen) recorded his team-high 15th pin of the season for the Marauders.

Kutztown got three wins from David Zeek (Council Rock North) and two from Sonny Flood (William Tennent) in a quadrangular at Gettysburg. The No. 18 Golden Bears defeated the host Bullets, 41-9; fell to No. 20 Wilkes, 18-16; and defeated Plymouth State, 25-15. Zeek had a technical fall and two decisions at 165, while Flood posted a pair of decisions in his only two bouts at 174.

EWL

Bloomsburg got its Eastern Wrestling League record back to the even mark with a 36-3 romp over Cleveland State. The Huskies (2-2, 7-6 overall) got a 12-1 major from 157-pound Matt Moley (Spring-Ford) among their nine wins. ...Lock Haven got off to a good start when Nick Hyatt (Boyertown) posted a 9-4 decision at 125 pounds, but the Eagles (1-3, 6-8-1) came up short against West Virginia, 20-16.

EIWA

Bucknell, with assistant coach David Hoffman (Hill School) matside, clipped Columbia, 28-12, in an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association match Sunday. Two days earlier, the Bison (3-2, 9-8) got thumped by the No. 1 ranked Hawkeyes, 40-3.

SOUTHERN SWING

Maryland held off Navy, 20-14, as Pat Gilmore (Council Rock South) won a 2-1 tie-breaker in the 285-pound finale to secure the victory. Earlier, the Terps' Dex Lederer (Neshaminy) dropped a 17-6 major at 149. ... Virginia's Pete Ferrara (Central Bucks West) split two bouts at 149 as the Cavaliers defeated George Mason, 28-6, and lost to No. 13 Virginia Tech, 21-12. ... Sunday afternoon, North Carolina – coached by C.D. Mock (Council Rock) – saw its six-match winning streak halted following a 19-15 setback to No. 13 Virginia Tech in an Atlantic Coast Conference showdown. The Tar Heels (3-1, 10-7) got an 8-5 decision at 133 from Mike Rappo (Council Rock South). ... North Carolina State was no match in its visit to No. 12 Oklahoma, as the Sooners, getting a first-period pin at 184 from Pat Flynn (Quakertown), rolled to a 38-6 win.

ROUNDUP

Penn's Rick Rappo (Council Rock South) rolled to an 8-2 decision in the 141-pound finale to help the Quakers upset No. 21 Hofstra, 18-16, at the Palestra. ... Rider got a 4-2 decision at 141 from Fred Rodgers (Boyertown) to edge host Clarion, 19-18.

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