Red Raider Wrestlers Open Season With Convincing 37-10 Victory Over No. 17 York

Nov. 14, 2007

Results

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - On the strength of three falls, two tech falls and a major decision, the Shippensburg wrestling team opened its 2007-08 season with a convincing 37-10 victory over No. 17 York College on Wednesday evening at Heiges Field House. The Red Raiders won eight of the ten matches that were competed.

Shippensburg won the first five matches of the evening, including two by fall, to race out to a 23-0 lead. Only two of the night's ten matches were decided by decision, as the two schools combined for four falls and three major decisions.

Freshman Gary Atiyeh (Whitehall/Whitehall), competing in his first collegiate match, opened the competition for Shippensburg with a defeat of No. 7 Kyle Flickinger by recording a two-point takedown just 12 seconds into the extra period of their match.

Following Atiyeh's win, junior Josh Proctor (Newburg/Shippensburg) made a triumphant return to the Shippensburg area by earning a takedown in seven seconds to open the scoring against York's Sean Hightman.

After earning riding time for 2:53 of the match's first three minutes, Proctor subsequently employed several successful armbars to record a technical fall in 7:18. Proctor was wrestling in his first match for the Red Raiders after two successful seasons competing for Delaware Valley College.

The first fall of the evening was recorded by sophomore Steve Fittery (Denver/Cocalico), who needed 5:19 to dispatch York's Keith Obendorfer. Two matches later, red-shirt freshman David Sunderland (Saltillo/Southern Huntingdon) recorded a fall in just 1:59 to defeat Albert Gleichauf.

The quickest fall of the night came at 174 pounds, where red-shirt freshman Chris Barrick (Carlisle/Big Spring) pinned York's Jamie Arze in 1:22. Barrick had recorded his first takedown just six seconds into the match and quickly took control of his opponent.

Red-shirt sophomore Jon Hade (New Oxford/Bermudian Springs) made his debut for the Red Raider wrestling team by earning a major decision over York's Randy Criss at 184 pounds.

The squad's lone senior, Pete Grodziak (Allentown/Parkland), recorded two takedowns in each of the three periods of his match to capture a major decision, 14-4, against York's Hank Conklin.

York (1-1) received a major decision at 165 pounds from Brian Alwine, and No. 9 Luke Panizzi recorded a fall in 4:40 at heavyweight to conclude the match.

Shippensburg will return to action this weekend at the East Stroudsburg Open. Competition begins from Koehler Fieldhouse on Saturday at 9 a.m.

- Red Raider Wrestling -