ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WRESTLING
Friday, January 19, 2007

Elizabethtown Takes Down Messiah 28-12

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Elizabethtown College improved to 3-3 in dual matches with a 28-12 home victory over Messiah College, which drops to 3-8 in dual matches with the loss, Friday night.

The match began with Etown junior Peter Achilles (Geneva, NY/Geneva) pinning Messiah’s Mark Eilertsen (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) in 3:39. Elizabethtown took a 10-0 lead as 133 pounder Eric Rhoads (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) won an 11-2 major decision over Matt Bradshaw (Newtown, PA/Council Rock North) of Messiah.

The visiting Falcons struck back at 141 pounds as Matt Gorkos (Hellertown, PA/Saucon Valley) won a 10-4 decision over Etown first-year student Drew Winegar (Chatsworth, NJ/Seneca). At 149 pounds, Elizabethtown senior Rob Bozart (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff) won a 7-5 decision over Kevin Gin (Lambertville, MI/Bedford) to give the Blue Jays a 13-3 lead.

Messiah began to mount a comeback, beginning at 157 pounds. Despite an early 5-0 lead by Elizabethtown first-year Bud Croswell (Newark, DE/Sanford), Messiah sophomore Craig Gin (Lambertville, MI/Bedford) rebounded to win on a pin in 6:31 and cut the Elizabethtown lead to 13-9. Messiah’s Derek Ricker (Elliotsburg, PA/West Perry) followed with a 3-2 decision over Elizabethtown sophomore Jereme Heisey (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) to pull the Falcons to within one point of Etown, 13-12.

That was as close as Messiah would get, however, as Elizabethtown won the final four matches. At 174 pounds, Brett Epps (Perth Amboy, NJ/Rutgers Prep.) won a 7-3 decision over the Falcons’ Anthony Dill (Etters, PA/Red Land). Etown first-year Josh Herbert (Middletown, OH/Madison) followed at 184 pounds by pinning Craig Hogan (Temperance, MI/Claremont) in 5:45 to push the Blue Jays’ lead to 22-12.

Elizabethtown sealed the victory at 197 pounds, when Deron Sharp (Millville, NJ/Millville) won a 7-4 decision over Messiah’s Tyler Smith (New Oxford, PA/New Oxford) to give the Blue Jays a 25-12 lead. At 285 pounds, Etown first-year student Mike Daub (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita) put the icing on the cake by winning a 9-4 decision over Ethan Bucarey (Oxford, NJ/ Blair Academy).

Elizabethtown will return to action at home Tuesday, January 23 in a dual match against Gettysburg College beginning at 7:30 p.m.

At Elizabethtown, Pa.
Elizabethtown 28, Messiah 12
125: Peter Achilles (E) pinned Mark Eilertsen (M), 3:39
133: Eric Rhoads (E) maj. dec. Matt Bradshaw (M), 11-2
141: Matt Gorkos (M) dec. Drew Winegar (E), 10-4
149: Rob Bozart (E) dec. Kevin Gin (M), 7-5
157: Craig Gin (E) pinned Bud Croswell (E), 6:31
165: Derek Ricker (M) dec. Jereme Heisey (E), 3-2
174: Brett Epps (E) dec. Anthony Dill (M), 7-3
184: Josh Herbert (E) pinned Craig Hogan (M), 5:45
197: Deron Sharp (E) dec. Tyler Smith (M), 7-4
285: Mike Daub (E) dec. Ethan Bucarey (M), 9-4