Hunter College

Hunter College 21 ~ U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 21

HUNTER COLLEGE AND USMMA BOTH SCORE 21 BUT HAWKS WIN MEET ON CRITERIA

New York, NY - The Hunter College wrestling team seems to have developed a knack for home comebacks this winter. In their fourth and last home meet of the season, the Hawks again erased a deficit to pull out a victory as they picked up a 21-21 decision over USMMA on criteria.

The criteria rule, put into place by the NCAA to eliminate ties in dual meets, went Hunter's way because the Hawks won six matches. The visiting Mariners claimed four decisions on the day.

Hunter started off strong as sophomore Troy Takahashi (Honolulu, HI / Saint Louis) claimed a 14-2 major decision over USMMA junior Mike Syntax (Baltimore, MD / Polytechnic) at 125 pounds. Team captain Cliff Medina (Brick, NJ / Brick Township) followed with an 8-4 decision against USMMA senior Erick Amiscosa (Toms River, NJ / Manchester Township) at 133 pounds.

The visiting Mariners then fashioned two straight victories as junior Gerry Fortuna (Pen Yan, NY / Pen Yan) won 6-1 at 141 pounds and senior Casey Dexter (Riverside, CA / Notre Dame) scored a 2:13 pinfall at 149 pounds. Those two triumphs put USMMA ahead by an 11-9 margin.

Junior Joe Lovello (Fleetwood, PA / Brandywine) put the Hawks back in charge with a 10-1 major decision over USMMA freshman Danridge Giltz (Kent, OH / Western Reserve) at 157 pounds. A 1:22 pinfall by sophomore Nate Van De Venter (Tannersville, PA / Pocono Mountain) at 165 pounds and a forfeit win by freshman Eric Rohan (Upper Marlboro, MD / Bishop McNamara) at 174 pounds then undid that momentum switch as USMMA quickly seized a 21-11 advantage.

Hunter freshman Moises Hernandez (Vineland, NJ / Vineland) then came up with a 15-2 major decision against USMMA freshman Ben Sanders (Normal, IL / Normal Comm. West) at 184 pounds. Classmate Shintaro Higashi (Scarsdale, NY / Scarsdale) followed with a 14-12 victory over USMMA senior Chris Springer (Garden Valley, CA / Golden Sierra) at 197 pounds.

With the Mariners still leading 21-18, the heavyweight match would decide everything. The boisterous crowd seemed to spur on junior Edward Parra (Levittown, NY / Douglas MacArthur) as he collected a thrilling 6-3 win against USMMA senior Mike Mons (Kilauea, HI / Hawaii Prep).

Hunter improved to 5-9 this season with the decision while USMMA went to 5-6. The Hawks finished 4-0 at home with comebacks against NYU (26-22 after trailing 13-10), Western New England (26-22 after trailing 22-0), Maritime State (27-23 after trailing 15-12), and now USMMA.

HUNTER COLLEGE 21 ~ U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY 21
125 - Troy Takahashi (H) majored Mike Syntax (U) 14-2.
133 - Cliff Medina (H) decisioned Erick Amiscosa (U) 8-4.
141 - Gerry Fortuna (U) decisioned Mike Catania (H) 6-1.
149 - Casey Dexter (U) pinned Gabriel Rangel (H) in 2:13.
157 - Joe Lovello (H) majored Danridge Giltz (U) 10-1.
165 - Nate Van De Venter (U) pinned Stefan Pryce (H) in 1:22.
174 - Eric Rohan (U) won by forfeit.
184 - Moises Hernandez (H) majored Ben Sanders (U) 15-2.
197 - Shintaro Higashi (H) decisioned Chris Springer (U) 14-12.
285 - Edward Parra (H) decisioned Mike Mons (U) 6-3.

Hunter College 26 - Western New England College 22

COMEBACK LIFTS HUNTER COLLEGE PAST WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE 26-22

New York, NY - Hunter College did the seemingly impossible on
Wednesday evening, erasing a 22-0 deficit by winning five straight
matches and scoring 26 consecutive points to rally past Western New
England College by a 26-22 margin. After dropping the opening five
bouts, the Hawks pulled through in the heaviest five weight classes
to squeeze out the thrilling victory.

The visiting Bears grabbed a huge lead via a pin, a forfeit, a major
decision, and three regular decisions from the 125 pound through 157
pound weight classes. The host squad was stunned.

Junior Joe Lovello (Fleetwood, PA / Brandywine) put Hunter on the
comeback trail with a 2:48 pinfall victory over WNEC freshman Steve
Capello (Oyster Bay, NY / Oyster Bay) at 165 pounds. Sophomore
Matthew Dye (Southampton, NJ / Lenape) immediately proceeded to keep
his team's newfound lifeline on line with a 19-2 technical fall win
in 6:01 over Western New England freshman Brandon Hayes (Watertown,
NY / South Jefferson) at 174 pounds.

The Hawks then cut the deficit to 22-14 as freshman Moises Hernandez
(Vineland, NJ / Vineland) tallied a 14-8 triumph over Western New
England sophomore John Oko (Baldwinsville, NY / Baldwinsville) at 184
pounds. Fellow Hunter frosh Shintaro Higashi (Scarsdale, NY /
Scarsdale) then truly brought the crowd to life by quickly pinning
WNEC freshman Brian Myers (Glen Cove, NY / Glen Cove) in 29 seconds
at 197 pounds to close the scoring gap to 22-20.

Now needing a win of any type from junior Edward Parra (Levittown, NY
/ Douglas MacArthur) at heavyweight, Hunter was in prime position to
complete the turnaround. Parra delivered as he pinned Western New
England freshman John Goepfrich (Holmes, NY / Central) in 4:57.

The shocking victory improved the Hawks to 2-1 in dual meet
competition this season. WNEC is now 0-2. Hunter will return to
action on Saturday, December 13, at Montclair State University.

COMPLETE RESULTS
HUNTER COLLEGE 26 · WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE 22
125 - Jason Vermes (W) decisioned T.J. Lazarus (H) 8-7.
133 - Darren Riccio (W) pinned Kaseem Cruz (H) in 4:08.
141 - Anthony Corvino (W) major decisioned Mike
Catania (H) 13-2.
149 - Kyle Knowles (W) won by forfeit.
157 - Bryan Howard (W) decisioned Stefan Pryce (H) 3-0.
165 - Joe Lovello (H) pinned Steve Capello (W) in 2:48.
174 - Matthew Dye (H) scored a 19-2 tech fall over
Brandon Hayes (W) in 6:01.
184 - Moises Hernandez (H) decisioned John Oko (W) 14-8.
197 - Shintaro Higashi (H) pinned Brian Myers (W) in 0:29.
285 - Edward Parra (H) pinned John Goepfrich (W) in 4:57.

Hunter College 26 - New York University 22

New York, NY - The sudden snowstorm that brought much of the
Northeast to a halt was not able to stop the first athletic event of
Hunter College's December 5, 2003, Homecoming Day. After the school
unveiled a new athletic logo, the Hunter College wrestling team
showcased the updated look in stellar fashion with a 26-22 victory
over Metropolitan Conference rival New York University.

Once Hunter freshman Kaseem Cruz (Bronx, NY / Harry S. Truman)
collected a forfeit win at 125 pounds, the action immediately heated
up. The captain of the Hawks, junior Cliff Medina (Brick, NJ / Brick
Township), defeated NYU freshman John Moyet (Astoria, NY / Loomis
Chaffee) 13-2 at 133 pounds. The nation's seventh-ranked wrestler
improved to 7-0 so far this season.

The visiting Violets then piled up victories in the 141, 149, and 157
pound weight classes. The hosts regained command of the meet when
junior Joe Lovello (Fleetwood, PA / Brandywine) pinned NYU freshman
Ryan Cooley (Hammelstown, PA / Hershey) in 1:56 at 165 pounds. Hunter
sophomore Matthew Dye (Southampton, NJ / Lenape) followed up with a
3:24 pin against NYU sophomore Mark Staron (Hinckley, OH / Saint
Edward) in the 174 pound match.

Following a victory by the Violets at 184, the Hawks clinched the
meet with a 13-3 win by junior Edward Parra (Levittown, NY / Douglas
MacArthur) over NYU freshman Chris McGugart (Monroe, NY /
Monroe-Woodbury) at 197 pounds. In the heavyweight match, NYU senior
Mark McLean (Plainfield, NJ / Blair Academy) pinned Hunter freshman
Shintaro Higashi (Scarsdale, NY / Scarsdale) in 4:29 to cut his
team's deficit to 26-22 and provide the meet's final score.

The Hawks will return to action on Wednesday, December 10, with a
6:00 PM home meet against Western New England College. Hunter then
resumes Metropolitan Conference action with a road meet against
Montclair State University on Saturday, December 13, at 7:00 PM.

COMPLETE RESULTS
HUNTER COLLEGE 26 · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY 22
125 - Kaseem Cruz (H) won by forfeit.
133 - Cliff Medina (H) major decisioned Jon Moyet (N) 13-2.
141 - Vinny Russo (N) decisioned Mike Catania (H) 7-0.
149 - Eugene Kobilansky (N) major decisioned T.J.
Lazarus (H) 15-5.
157 - Steve Hult (N) pinned Stefan Pryce (H) in 2:31.
165 - Joe Lovello (H) pinned Ryan Cooley (N) in 1:56.
174 - Matthew Dye (H) pinned Mark Staron (N) in 3:24.
184 - Joe Majocha (N) decisioned Malcolm Hart (H) 9-2.
197 - Edward Parra (H) major decisioned Chris
McGugart (N) 13-3.
285 - Mark McLean (N) pinned Shintaro Higashi (H) in 4:29.