LEXINGTON, Va. – The Washington and Lee wrestling team finished sixth out of 12 teams as it hosted the Jim Crytzer Invitational on Saturday at the Warner Center.
The Generals claimed four place-winners on the day, including senior Ron Tassoni (Media, Pa. / Haverford School), who won the championship of the 184-pound weight bracket and set a new school record for career wins.
First-year Zach Bylykbashi (Southington, Conn. / Southington) logged a 3-1 mark for a second-place finish in the 133-pound bracket, while sophomore Alex Pollera (Warren, N.J. / Watchung Hills Regional) went 4-1 to place third in the 141-pound weight class. First-year Ethan Hartman (River Edge, N.J. / River Dell Regional) finished 3-2 to take fifth-place at 125 pounds.
Tassoni went 4-0 overall to improve to 21-1 on the season. In the process, he eclipsed the W&L record for career victories held by Ray Gross '80 that had stood since 1980. His career record now stands at 85-27.
Tassoni began his day with a pin of Washington & Jefferson's Siddarth Sharma in 1:20 and then he posted a win by fall (6:54) over Brandon Casamassima of Gettysburg in the quarterfinals. His semifinal win was an 8-2 decision over Jimmy Suhayda of John Carroll and Tassoni then registered a 12-2 major decision over William Oberschelp of Washington & Jefferson in the title match.
Bylykbashi opened with an 18-0 technical fall over Michael Smith of W&J and then posted another tech fall (21-3) over Southern Virginia's Jayson Cody in the quarterfinals. He then recorded an 8-4 decision over Nick DiPierro of Scranton in the semifinals, but fell to Dom Gallo of VMI in the championship by a score of 5-3. He is now 24-4 on the season.
Pollera logged an 11-2 major decision over Robert Pritt of West Virginia Tech in his opener and then posted a tech fall (16-0) over Gettysburg's Everett Roach in the quarterfinals. John Carroll's Jarrad Lasko took a 9-7 decision over Pollera in the semis and he recovered to defeat Southern Virginia's Christopher Fletcher, 9-1. In the third-place match, Pollera knocked off Gettysburg's Eddie Carroll, 6-0.
Hartman dropped a 10-8 decision to Scranton's Brandon Davis in his opening match, but he then posted a 7-6 win over Jake Thomson of Scranton in the consolation bracket. Next up, he logged a pin over Ferrum's Brett Binnix in 3:40, before falling to Lenny Ogozalek of Gettysburg in 0:31. He recovered once again, this time avenging his earlier loss to Davis with a win by fall in 4:59 to take fifth-place.
Washington and Lee will return to action on Saturday when it travels to McDaniel College, where it will take on Muhlenberg and the Merchant Marine Academy.
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125 Pounds
Brandon Davis (Scranton) d. Ethan Hartman (W&L); 10-8
Ethan Hartman (W&L) d. Jake Thomson (Scranton); 7-6
Ethan Hartman (W&L) d. Brett Binnix (Ferrum); Fall 3:40
Lenny Orozalek (Gettysburg) d. Ethan Hartman (W&L); Fall 0:31
Ethan Hartman (W&L) d. Brandon Davis (Scranton); Fall 4:59 (Fifth-Place Match)
133 Pounds
Zach Bylykbashi (W&L) d. Michael Smith (W&J); 18-0 (1:45)
Zach Bylykbashi (W&L) d. Jayson Cody (SVU); 21-3 (4:02)
Zach Bylykbashi (W&L) d. Nick DiPierro (Scranton); 8-4
Dom Gallo (VMI) d. Zach Bylykbashi (W&L); 5-3 (Championship Match)
141 Pounds
Alex Pollera (W&L) d. Robert Britt (WV Tech); 11-2
Alex Pollera (W&L) d. Everett Roach (Gettysburg); 16-0 (4:46)
Jarrad Lasko (JCU) d. Alex Pollera (W&L); 9-7
Alex Pollera (W&L) d. Christopher Fletcher (SVU); 9-1
Alex Pollera (W&L) d. Eddie Carroll (Gettysburg); 6-0 (Third-Place Match)
Daren Ostrander (VMI) d. Michael Dik (W&L); Fall 2:21
Christopher Fletcher (SVU) d. Michael Dik (W&L); Fall 3:37
149 Pounds
Trevor Meyers (W&J) d. Zachary Papin (W&L); Fall 4:05
Zachary Papin (W&L) d. Luke Neal (Gettysburg); Fall 0:29
Zachary Papin (W&L) d. Jephte Paul (WV Tech); 20-2 (2:47)
Jonah Swinson (Liberty) d. Zachary Papin (W&L); Fall 0:28
184 Pounds
Ron Tassoni (W&L) d. Siddarth Sharma (W&J); Fall 1:20
Ron Tassoni (W&L) d. Brandon Casamassima (Gettysburg); Fall 6:54
Ron Tassoni (W&L) d. Jimmy Suhayda (JCU); 8-2
Ron Tassoni (W&L) d. William Oberschelp (W&J); 12-2 (Championship Match)
