Wrestling Opens EWL Season With 41-3 Domination of Bloomsburg

11/21/2003

The Panthers won the first nine bouts of the match to avenge last year's dual meet loss.

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Pittsburgh wrestling team opened the Eastern Wrestling League dual meet season with a 41-3 rout of host Bloomsburg on Thursday evening. The Panthers are now 1-1 overall while Bloomsburg fell to 0-1.

The match began at 141 pounds when sophomore Ronald Tarquinio (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) scored a major-decision victory over Scott Heckman of the Huskies, 14-1, to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead. Freshman Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) followed with a 3-0 decision over Tyler Williams to improve to 2-0 in dual meets this season.

At 157 pounds, sophomore Justin Nestor (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) picked up four more points for the Panthers with a 15-2 major decision over B.J. Mikeska of Bloomsburg. Pittsburgh made it 17-0 with an injury default win by Zachariah Doll (Quakertown, Pa./The Hill School) over Ryan Garner.

The Panthers got the first of three falls in the 174-pound match from sophomore Francis Iorfido (Johnsonburg, Pa./Johnsonburg) at the 3:48 mark over Jim Bertulis of the Huskies. The Panthers' lead was increased to 26-0 when junior Mike Croyle (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) won in overtime over Nate Shirk by a 3-1 score. Another decision win by Josh Birt (Spokane, Wash./East Valley/North Idaho JC) over Chad Hoare at 197 pounds made it a 29-0 match.

Pittsburgh earned 12 more points in the next two matches when senior Travis Shirley (West Middlesex, Pa./Kennedy Christian) pinned Aaron Ferrance in the heavyweight match at 2:22 and true freshman Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) got a fall over Brian Sellers at 6:46.

Bloomsburg won the final match of the evening in the 133-pound match when Bryan Hart scored a 3-1 decision over Adam Curry (Churchill, Pa./Woodland Hills).

Pittsburgh (1-1, 1-0 EWL) will have its home opener on Tuesday, Nov, 25 against Slippery Rock at 7:30 p.m.