LEXINGTON, Va. - Washington and Lee's wrestling team opened its season on Saturday by competing in the 1999 VMI Keydet Invitational in Lexington.

Washington and Lee made a solid showing in the tournament, claiming two individual championships and two runner-up positions. Freshman Levi McVey (Tuckerton, N.J./Pinelands) claimed the title at 174-pounds and sophomore Ezra Morse (Central Point, Ore./ Crater) won the 197-pound championship. W&L senior Chad Casto (Buckhannon, W.Va./Buchannon Upshur) was defeated in the finals of the 125-pound bracket by Levi Spellman of VMI while junior Greg Valentine (Pittsburgh, Pa./ Woodland Hills) lost in the 157-pound championship to Aaron Jaynes of Southern Virginia College.

Other wrestlers winning matches for W&L were freshman Alex Poor (Perkasie, Pa./Germantown Academy), sophomore Ivan Zdanov (Frederick, Md./Frederick), junior John Valentine (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills), and freshman Ericson Davis (Clemmons, N.C./North Davidson).  
125
Chad Casto (W&L) def. S. Holzer (Duke) 7-2
Chad Casto (W&L) def. B. Wacker (VMI) 14-2         
L.Spellman (VMI) def. Chad Casto (W&L) 3-2
C. Reyes (ODU) def. John Polena (W&L) 14-4
S. Holzer (Duke) def. John Polena (W&L) 13-4
A. Pilchman (Duke) def. Ben Segal (W&L) 1:00
S. Holzer (Duke) def. Ben Segal (W&L) 15-6
 
141    
Richardson (VMI) def. J. McKnight (W&L) 3:45
Bowman (VMI) def. Jim McKnight (W&L) 1:24
 
149
N. Casperson (SVC) def. Alex Poor (W&L) 1:14
Alex Poor (W&L) def. D. Smith (SVC) 11-2
K. Kincaid (VMI) def. Alex Poor (W&L) 3-0
 
157
G. Valentine (W&L) def. Balmages (Duke) 11-5
A. Jaynes (SVC) def. Greg Valentine (W&L) 7-5
 
165
Ivan Zdanov (W&L) def. S. Culver (UVA) 6-1
J. Cairns (ODU) def. Ivan Zdanov (W&L) 3:30
B. Voliva (UVA) def. Ivan Zdanov (W&L) 9-5
 
174
L. McVey (W&L) def. M. Anderson (SVC) 19-3
L. McVey (W&L) def. John Valentine (W&L) 6-3
L. McVey (W&L) def. S. Mazzola (UVA) 4-2
John Valentine (W&L) def. P. Hunter (VMI) 5-1
J. Valentine (W&L) def. R. Lenahan (SVC) 6-1
P. Hunter (VMI) def. Jason Smee (W&L) 3:42
R. Lenahan (SVC) def. Jason Smee (W&L) 9-2
 
184
Ericson Davis (W&L) def. R. Gonzalez (SVC) :52
Beau Raich (Duke) def. Ericson Davis (W&L) 8-5
Ericson Davis (W&L) def. Eric Little (SVC) 7-5
Ericson Davis (W&L) M. Hurley (UVA) 6-5
 
197
Ezra Morse (W&L) def. D. Walker (UA) 5-3
Ezra Morse (W&L) def. D. Griffin (UA) 5-4
Ezra Morse (W&L) def. L. Jones (ODU) 6-2
 
W&L - Washington and Lee
VMI - Virginia Military Institute
UVA - University of Virginia
ODU - Old Dominion University
Duke - Duke University
SVC - Southern Virginia College