By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto wrestling program finished 18th collecting 16.5 team points at the Petrofes Invitational hosted by Messiah College on both Friday and Saturday.
At 125, Mason Blank (Lancaster, Pa. / Lampeter Strasburg) went 1-2. His victory came in his first match of the day against Brendan Hanning of Waynesburg University. Blank won a 7-5 decision over Hanning before falling in his next two matches.
Conner Herron (Frederick, Md. / Tuscarora) was one win away from making it to the second day and placing in the tournament going 2-2. He began his afternoon with a win over Messiah's Hunter Reinhart and won consecutive matches with an 11-2 major decision over Alvernia College's Corey Jenkins. He lost to the eventual champion of the bracket David Massey in his fourth match and lost a close 6-4 decision in his fifth dual.
Jack Coulston (Carlisle, Pa. / Boiling Springs) also went 2-2 on Friday owning a win over GW Schultz and a loss to McDaniel's Ryker Eckenberger in the championship bracket. In the 157 pound weight class, PSUMA's John Halbrendt (Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg Area) nearly qualified for the second day of competition with a 2-2 record. He recorded a 12-4 major decision in his first dual before falling to Ray Martin from Gettysburg College. His other win came in the consolation bracket via a pin in a 1:23.
Fellow freshman Nick Kostyak (Carlisle, Pa. / Boiling Springs) finished 2-2 at 174 pounds. After a first round 11-6 decision he fell to the eventual champion from Mount Union Conner Homan in his second bout. He reeled off a 24-3 tech-fall before losing in his fifth match of the day.
Mont Alto will be in idle for the next few weeks before returning to competition at the North/South Duals at Ursinus College on January 11. Bouts are slated to begin starting at 9 a.m.
