BROCKPORT, NY – In a dominant display on their home mats, the Brockport wrestling team clinched a first-place finish at the SUNYAC Championships on Saturday, January 24th. The Golden Eagles soared to the top of the podium, earning a total of 167 points on the day to secure the conference title.
Individual Champions and Finalists
Trevor Middendorf captured 1st place in the 125lb weight class, scoring 22 points. After receiving an opening-round bye, Middendorf won by tech fall in round 2, the quarterfinals, and the semifinals. He capped off his perfect day by pinning Cortland State's Christian Lievano in the 1st place match at the 4:10 mark.
Tyler Rossini delivered a powerhouse performance at 157 lbs to take 1st place, scoring a team high 24 points. Rossini pinned his way through the first two rounds and the quarterfinals. After a 12-5 decision in the semifinals, he won the 1st place match by fall over Colton Havens of Cortland State just 2:38 into the match.
Makhare Rogers earned a 2nd place finish and 17 points for the team at 133 lbs. Rogers utilized back-to-back technical falls to reach the quarterfinals where he won by decision. He moved on to the finals after an 8-7 decision win in the semifinals over Derek Bernardino.
Gavin McLaughlin secured 2nd place and 15.0 points in the 174lb division. McLaughlin advanced through the bracket with a major decision and two controlled decisions to reach the 1st place match.
Avery Bustamante added a huge 16 points to the team total with a 2nd place finish at 184 lbs. His path to the finals included a win by fall in the opening round, followed by a 17-3 major decision and a 4-2 victory in the semifinals.
Simon Lingle brought home silver, clinching a 2nd place finish on the day, good for 17 points at 197 lbs. Lingle won by fall in round 2 followed by a 12-1 major decision in the quarterfinals. In the semi round, he won by an 8-5 decision to reach the finals.
Podium Finishers and Point Contributors
Brockport's depth was on full display as several other wrestlers battled through the consolation brackets to secure podium spots.
Mason Mangialino earned a 3rd place finish at 149 lbs, contributing 17.5 points to the team total. Mangialino secured two major decisions and a fall to reach the semifinals. He finished the day with a win by no contest over David Ensminger of Cortland in the 3rd place match.
Luca Friedman put up 19.5 points in the 197lb weight class where he finished in fourth place. Friedman recorded two pins and two technical falls during the tournament. He moved on to the 3rd place match after winning the consolation semifinals by medical forfeit.
Mike Welsh also took 4th place at 285 lbs, recording 16.5 team points. Welsh recorded three pins during his tournament run, including a fall 6:04 into his consolation round 5 match.
Alex Smith battled back to a 6th place finish at 141 lbs, scoring 10.5 points. After an early loss, Smith won four consecutive matches in the consolation rounds, including two major decisions and a fall.
Max Morrison contributed 13.5 points with a 6th place finish at 165 lbs. Morrison put up four wins in a row in the consolation rounds, featuring two pins and two technical falls.
Kiam Coleman placed 6th at 174 lbs with 16.5 points. Coleman showcased resilience by winning five straight consolation matches, including four consecutive wins by fall and one by tech fall.
Up Next: On Saturday, January 31st, the Green and Gold are set to travel to Worcester, MA for the WPI Quad Match. The event, featuring the University of Southern Maine, New England College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, is scheduled to start at 11:00 am.
