UPenn hosted the 25th annual Keystone Classic at the Palesta in Philadelphia earlier this month. Penn won the title. (Photo courtesy UPenn wrestling)
Before the Thanksgiving holiday break, the Sacred Heart wrestling team was in action on the mat.
The Pioneers had five wrestlers place at the 25th annual Keystone Classic in Philadelphia, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania at the historic Palestra.
The best finish came for Sacred Heart came from senior Dante Delbonis at 197 pounds. He lost his first contest but rebounded to pin teammate Logan Michael in 2:02. A 4-0 victory over Penn’s Josh Laberbera moved him into the third-place match where he was defeated by Nick Marcenelle from Harvard. Michael received a forfeit to place seventh.
Newtown’s Joe Accousti finished fifth at 184 pounds. Accousti started his tournament with a 6-2 win over Rider’s Evan Vazquez followed by a 2-0 triumph over the Quakers’ Jake Hendricks. Accousti’s run was stopped by Neil Antrasssian from Penn and Barrett Blakely tripped him up in the consolation bracket. Accousti received a medical forfeit to take fifth.
Sacred Heart’s Nick Copley finished sixth at 285 pounds. He lost his first match, but started the consolation bracket by beating Penn’s Greg Bensley, 9-5. Drexel’s Liam Dietrich went down 5-4, but that was Copley’s last win as he dropped his last two bouts to take sixth.
Sacred Heart resumes action this weekend when they travel to Las Vegas to compete in the Cliff Keen Invitational.
Hand-Madison’s Michael Burchell of Appalachian State finished second at 285 pounds at the Keystone Classic to help his team finish second in the tournament with 154 points. Penn won the event with 194½ points.
Burchell reached the finals with an 3-1 overtime win over Vincenzo Pelusi thanks a takedown with 23 seconds remaining in OT. But Ben Goldin of Penn beat Burchell for the title, 12-2. Burchell won his first match with a technical fall over Penn’s Zakaria Loudini, 16-1 in 2:48.
2021 Keystone Classic
At Philadelphia (Nov. 20)
Team results – 1. Pennsylvania 194½, 2. Appalachian State 154, 3. Harvard 111½, 4. Drexel and Rider 99, 6. George Mason 89 ½, 7. Franklin & Marshall 54½, 8. Sacred Heart 46½
Championship bouts
125 Caleb Smith (Appalachian State) dec. Ryan Miller (UPenn), 6-3
133 Michael Colaiocco (UPenn) dec. Codi Russell (Appalachian State), 7-4
141 Carmen Ferrante (UPenn) dec. Kaden Cassidy (George Mason), 5-3, OT
149 Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) dec. Alex Madrigal (George Mason), 6-0
157 Loranzo Rajaonarivelo (George Mason) forfeit over Doug Zapf (UPenn), 0-0
165 Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) dec. William Formato (Appalachian State), 10-4
174 Michael O’malley (Drexel) pin Nick Incontrera (UPenn), 1:39
184 George Walton (Rider) tech fall Neil Antrassian (UPenn), 17-2 4:00
197 Cole Urbas (UPenn) tech fall Mason Fiscella (Appalachian State), 16-1 2:31
285 Ben Goldin (UPenn) dec. Mike Burchell (Appalachian State), 12-2
3RD PLACE
125 Beau Bayless (Harvard) pin Tyler Klinsky (Rider), 2:38
133 Richie Koehler (Rider) dec. Sean Carter (Appalachian State), 11-7
141 Heath Gonyer (Appalachian State) dec. Wilfredo Gil (Franklin & Marshall), 6-3
149 Grant Aronoff (UPenn) dec. Lukus Stricker (Harvard), 13-7
157 Parker Kropman (Drexel) dec. Trevor Tarsi (Harvard), 3-1 OT
165 Lucas Revano (UPenn) dec. Evan Barczak (Drexel), 4-2
174 Joshua Kim (Harvard) dec. Logan Messer (George Mason), 4-1
184 Barrett Blakely (Appalachian State) dec. Leonardo Tarantino (Harvard), 3-1, OT
197 Nick Marcenelle (Harvard) pin Dante Delbonis (Sacred Heart), 0:57
285 David Szuba Lawrence (Rider) dec. Vincenzo Pelusi (Franklin & Marshall), 6-3
Other Sacred Heart wrestlers
Fifth place
184 Joe Accousti (Sacred Heart) medical forfeit over Bryan McLaughlin (Drexel)
285 Jacob Sartorio (Appalachian State) dec. Nick Copley (Sacred Heart), 7-1
Seventh place
149 Shaun Williams (Sacred Heart) medical forfeit over Vincent Mannella (UPenn)
174 Alex Marciniak (Sacred Heart) medical forfeit over Shane Reitsma (Rider)
197 Logan Michael (Sacred Heart) medical forfeit over Matt Correnti (Rider)
