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Results


JOHNSTOWN - Redshirt sophomore Mike Raccioppi advanced to the semifinals at 165 pounds, leading East Stroudsburg University on the first day of the NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Championships on Friday at Pitt-Johnstown.

Raccioppi, the No. 1 seed and ranked No. 6 nationally at 165, won by technical fall over Logan Shurina (Alderson-Broaddus), 17-1 (6:35), in the quarterfinals after a first-round bye.

He will wrestle No. 5 seed Nate Ross (Gannon), a 2016 national qualifier before redshirting last season, in the semifinals on Saturday morning. (Semifinals begin at 11 a.m.)

On the other half of the 165-pound bracket, No. 2 seed Devin Austin (Pitt-Johnstown) and No. 3 Shane Ruhnke (Millersville) both advanced.

Raccioppi has not faced Ross this season. He has wins over Austin (9-3 on Nov. 21) and Ruhnke (7-6 on Jan. 21), ranked No. 9 and No. 10 in DII, respectively.

He improved to 20-3 on the season, including 16-1 vs. DII competition and 14-1 vs. regional opponents. He has four falls, three technical falls and five major decisions.

Raccioppi was the only ESU wrestler to advance to Saturday.

Two Warriors won consolation bouts - freshman Peter Nace by 16-10 decision over Alex Baider (Millersville) at 133, and freshman Dillon Warner by 9-7 over Kyle Narber (Millersville) at 174.

At 125, freshman Victor Lopez finished the season with a 12-11 record, falling 8-3 vs. No. 6 seed Vincent Distefanis (Seton Hill) and 7-1 vs. No. 5 Jacob Dunlap (Gannon).

Nace lost his opening bout at 133 by fall vs. No. 5 Dustin Warner (Wheeling Jesuit), a two-time All-America at 125 pounds. He followed with his decision over Baider before dropping an 8-2 decision vs. No. 6 Austin Hertel (Gannon).

Redshirt sophomore Francesco Palagruto also bowed out to two seeded wrestlers at 141, No. 6 Kevin Kinyua (Mercyhurst) and No. 5 Carmine Ciotti (Gannon), a returning All-America at 133.

Redshirt junior Blake Cohen finished his ESU career at 149, falling to No. 4 Logan Grass (Mercyhurst), a national qualifier last year, and No. 5 Baltazar Gonzalez (AIC).

Senior Christian Silva also saw two seeded wrestlers, No. 4 Eric Lewandowski (Gannon), a returning All-America, and No. 3 Connor Craig (Wheeling Jesuit). Both are nationally-ranked - Lewandowski No. 12 and Craig No. 11.

Warner's path at 174 was a 9-6 setback vs. No. 5 Gina Sita (Alderson-Broaddus), his decision over Narber, and a 12-3 loss to No. 3 Dan Arkow (LIU Post). He finishes 7-7 after joining the Warriors in January.

Sophomore Daniel Makagon suffered a fall to No. 3 seed Logan Kemp (West Liberty), ranked No. 11 nationally, at 197, and dropped a major decision to Giovanni Medina (AIC).

Freshman Hunter Marhan (285) fell by technical fall vs. No. 6 seed Terrance Fanning (Wheeling Jesuit), a returning national qualifier at 197, and lost a major decision vs. Ronnie D'Amico (West Liberty).

Raccioppi is seeking to become ESU's fourth regional champion since reclassifying to DII in 2010 - Jeff Jacobs (174) in 2011, Ed Ebewo (197) in 2012 and Brendan McKeown (174) in 2013, when he was named the regional's Outstanding Wrestler.

The Warriors have 12 wrestlers who have combined for 16 national qualifying spots since 2010.

The top four wrestlers at each weight class on Saturday will advance. The NCAA DII Championships will be held March 9-10 at Upper Iowa.


125 - Victor Lopez (12-11)
1st Round - #6 Vincent Distefanis (Seton Hill) dec. Lopez, 8-3
Cons. 2nd Round - #5 Jacob Dunlap (Gannon) dec. Lopez, 7-1

133 - Peter Nace (11-13)
1st round - #5 Dustin Warner (Wheeling Jesuit) pinned Nace, 4:34
Consolations - Nace dec. Alex Baider (Millersville), 16-10
Cons. 2nd Round - #6 Austin Hertel (Gannon) dec. Nace, 8-2

141 - Francesco Palagruto (7-16)
1st Round - #6 Kevin Kinyua (Mercyhurst) maj. dec. Palagruto, 21-11
Cons. 2nd Round - #5 Carmine Ciotti (Gannon) tech. fall Palagruto, 16-0 (4:16)

149 - Blake Cohen (7-16)
1st Round - #4 Logan Grass (Mercyhurst) tech. fall Cohen, 18-0 (4:56)
Consolations - #5 Baltazar Gonzalez (AIC) maj. dec. Cohen, 16-8

157 - Christian Silva (2-7)
1st Round - #4 Eric Lewandowski (Gannon) maj. dec. Silva, 16-2
Cons. 2nd Round - #3 Connor Craig (Wheeling Jesuit) pinned Silva, 3:51

165 - #1 Mike Raccioppi (20-3) - semifinals Saturday
Quarterfinals - Raccioppi tech. fall Logan Shurina (Alderson-Broaddus), 17-1 (6:35)
Semifinals - #5 Nate Ross (Gannon)

174 - Dillon Warner (7-7)
1st Round - #5 Gino Sita (Alderson-Broaddus) dec. Warner, 9-6
Consolations - Warner dec. Kyle Narber (Millersville), 9-7
Cons. 2nd Round - #3 Dan Arkow (LIU Post) maj. dec. Warner, 12-3

197 - Daniel Makagon (4-19)
1st Round - #3 Logan Kemp (West Liberty) pinned Makagon, 1:11
Consolations - Geovanni Medina (AIC) maj. dec. Makagon, 12-0

285 - Hunter Marhan (3-14)
1st Round - #6 Terrance Fanning (Wheeling Jesuit) tech. fall Marhan, 16-0 (2:59)
Consolations - Ronnie D'Amico (West Liberty) maj. dec. Marhan, 13-3