By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto wrestling team competed in the 2018 PSUAC/USCAA Championships on Sunday, Feb. 11 with the team finishing in 10th place with 35 team points.
Held in the historic Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State University, Mont Alto had an individual fourth-place finisher and a pair of fifth-place finishers to earn the 35-team points as The Apprentice School earned the team trophy from the event with 182.5 points.
Brandon Jackson (East Berlin, Pa. / Bermudian Springs) was the top finisher for Mont Alto as he took home fourth place in the 141-pound weight class. Jackson wrestled for the third-place medal, but was pinned in 50 seconds by Zak Alfernani from Williamson College of the Trades. Sunday's finish was also an improvement for Jackson from a year ago as he finished in fifth within the division at the 2017 PSUAC/USCAA Championships.
Dan Bertram (Seaford, N. Y. / Seaford) and Lucas Shull (Gettysburg, Pa. / Delone Catholic) each earned fifth-place finishes in their respective weight classes. Bertram improved upon his 11-17 overall record on the year with a pin over Penn State Fayette's John Fedorek at 125 pounds. In the fifth-place dual, Bertram had the upper hand over Zion Clark scoring the 19-15 decision over his opponent from Kent State Tuscarawas.
Shull earned a pin in over 50 seconds in his fifth-place matchup with Mark Elersten from West Chester University at 157 pounds. It was the first time in his career that he placed at the National Tournament.
Penn State Mont Alto will return to competition on Saturday, Feb. 17 when it competes in the Ursinus College Quad Duals.
