Feb. 2, 2008

LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall's junior 174-pound wrestler, Justin Herbert, picked up his 12th and 13th pins of the season as the Diplomats rolled to a pair of dual meet wins at the Mayser Center on Saturday. F&M (5-7, 1-6 EIWA) knocked off Princeton (0-9, 0-3 EIWA) 40-9 to end a five-match losing streak, then embarked on a win streak with a 36-13 win over Wagner (3-13-1).

Herbert (22-1) picked up his 12th pin of the season late in the first period to set the Diplomats' single-season pin record at the expense of Princeton's Travis Erdman. The record was held for a decade by Brendan James, who had rolled up 11 pins in the 1997-1998 season. Herbert recorded his second first period pin of the day decking Wagner's Peter Morano at 2:31. 11 of Herbert's 13 pins this season have come in the first period.

Freshman Stephen Sabreen joined Herbert in picking up a pair of pins to improve to 5-10 on the year. Jake Bucha went 2-0 at 125 pounds with a pair of decisions, knocking off Princeton's Tony Comunale 8-3, and Wagner's Nicholas Keshecki 6-2. Bucha is now 15-8 on the season.

Andrew Smith and Al Gianforti round out F&M's contingent of double winners. Smith (6-9) won a 9-8 decision over Princeton's Mike Alvarez. The Diplomats' 141-pounder took the victory on the riding point after Alvarez had erased an 8-5 Smith lead in the bout's closing seconds. Smith went on to pin Marco Tellerico of Wagner in the first period, one of five Franklin & Marshall pins in the match. Gianforti (10-8) picked up one of the three forfeits in the match with Princeton before pinning Wagner's Patrick Larkin midway through the second period.

The Diplomats raced out to insurmountable leads in both matches, jumping up 40-0 on Princeton, and a 15-4 lead on Wagner. The Seahawks appeared poised to climb back into the match, getting a huge momentum swing at 157 pounds. The Diplomats' Anthony Bongarzone (8-9) held an 8-6 lead late in the bout with Sean Quinn, but a late escape led to a scramble of takedowns that wrapped up with three ticks on the clock and a 10-9 Quinn lead. Bongarzone nearly broke free to tie it at 10-10, but the buzzer sounded before he could force overtime. Bongarzone picked up a major decision earlier in the day, a 13-3 win over Princeton's Matt Katz.

The Diplomats improved to 5-7 with the wins, and are now 1-6 in EIWA competition. F&M returns to action next Saturday at Binghamton.

Franklin & Marshall 40, Princeton 9
125 - Jake Bucha (F) dec. Tony Comunale (P), 8-3
133 - Stephen Sabreen (F) pinned Robert Benitez (P), 1:14
141 - Aaron Aida (F) by forfeit
149 - Al Gianforti (F) by forfeit
157 - Anthony Bongarzone (F) by major dec. Matt Katz (P), 13-3
165 - Andrew Smith (F) dec. Mike Alvarez (P), 9-8
174 - Justin Herbert (F) pinned Travis Erdman (P), 2:20
184 - Dan Canfield (F) by forfeit
197 - Zackary Morse (P) by forfeit
285 - Samuel Ritter (P) dec. Nico Somers (F), 12-8

Franklin & Marshall 36, Wagner 13
125 - Jake Bucha (F) dec. Nicholas Keshecki (W), 6-2
133 - Stephen Sabreen (F) pinned Tyler Harmer (W), 1:02
141 - Nick Boghos (W) by major dec. Aaron Aida (F), 14-2
149 - Albert Gianforti (F) pinned Patrick Larkin (W), 4:00
157 - Sean Quinn (W) Anthony Bongarzone (F), 10-9
165 - Andrew Smith (F) pinned Marco Tellerico (W), 1:30
174 - Justin Herbert (F) pinned Peter Morano (W), 2:31
184 - Dan Canfield (F) dec. Ed Broderick (W) 5-3
197 - Ed Broderick (W) by forfeit
285 - Nico Somers (F) pinned John Graeffe (W), 5:35

Wilkes 42, Wagner -1
125 - Shaun Farnham (Wilkes) dec. Nicholas Keshecki (Wagner), 5-2
133 - Josh Pauling (Wilkes) dec. Nick Boghos (Wagner), 6-2
141 - Brandon Prentice (Wilkes) tech. fall Tyler Harmer (Wagner), 17-2
149 - Erik Smith (Wilkes) pinned Patrick Larkin (Wagner), 6:37
157 - Adam Penberthy (Wilkes) dec. Sean Quinn (Wagner), 8-5 (-1 tm. pt.)
165 - James Histed (Wilkes) pinned Marco Tellerico (Wagner), 2:50
174 - Frank Heffernan (Wilkes) by major dec. Pete Morano (Wagner), 11-1
184 - Shawn Bradley (Wilkes) dec. Ed Broderick (Wagner), 7-5
197 - Chris Smith (Wilkes) dec. Anthony Interiano (Wagner), 4-3
285 - Andrew Feldman (Wilkes) pinned John Graeffe (Wagner), 4:17

Wilkes 34, Princeton 16
125 - Tony Comunale (P) pinned Shaun Farnham (W), 4:11
133 - Ryan Wilson (W) by major dec. Robert Benitez (P), 14-2
141 - Brandon Prentice (W) by forfeit
149 - Erik Smith (W) by forfeit
157 - Adam Penberthy (W) pinned Matt Katz (P), 2:16
165 - Frank Heffernan (W) dec. Mike Alvarez (P), 9-2
174 - Travis Erdman (P) by major dec. Rich Pellegrini (W), 13-3
184 - Shawn Bradley (W) by forfeit
197 - Chris Smith (W) dec. Zack Morse (P), 6-4
285 - Sam Ritter (P) pinned Jake Weinrich (W), 6:13

Wagner 30, Princeton 17
125 - Robert Benitez (W) dec. Nicholas Keshecki (P), 7-6
133 - Tony Comunale (P) dec. Nick Boghos (W), 10-5
141 - Mike Tutunjian (W) by forfeit
149 - Patrick Larkin (W) by forfeit
157 - Sean Quinn (W) dec. Matt Katz (P), 12-6
165 - Mike Alvarez (P) by major dec. Marco Tellerico (W), 17-7
174 - Travis Erdman (P) by major dec, Peter Morano (W), 11-2
184 - Ed Broderick (W) by forfeit
197 - Anthony Interiano (W) pinned Zach Morse (P), 2:07
285 - Sam Ritter (P) pinned John Graeffe (W), 4:32