Senior Night Photo GalleryKUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University wrestling team sent its senior class off in celebratory fashion Friday night. While the season continues in hopes of a strong postseason run, Friday's home finale was the seniors' final time competing in Keystone Arena. A pair of tech falls in the opening three bouts set the tone as KU never trailed in a 22-12 win over Shippensburg University.
Prior to the match,
Daniel Ortiz (Reading, PA, Reading),
Julio Arredondo (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing Area),
Brandan Clark (Audubon, Pa./Methacton),
Joe Esposito (Sewell, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep) and
Matt Martoccio (Kintnersville, Pa./Council Rock South (Lock Haven)) took the mat with their families and celebrated their careers in the Maroon and Gold.
Austin Petril (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby (Ursinus)) and
Travis Roper (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) turned in technical-fall victories at 125 and 141 pounds, respectively. Petril opened the match by not allowing a point in a 16-0 win following the first period. At 141, Roper moved to 13-1 on the year with his first tech. fall of the season, a 17-1 win in 6:49.
Esposito fought hard but dropped a narrow 3-1 decision at 149, but Martoccio picked up his fellow senior as the fifth-ranked 157-pounder in the country turned in a 4-1 win. It was his 21st win of the season and 82nd of his career, tying him for fourth in school history with two-time national champion,
Ziad Haddad (Orefield, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic (North Carolina)). It was Martoccio's ninth straight win.
Joe Balboni (Springfield, N.J./Jonathan Dayton (Old Dominion)) won 5-2 at 174,
Collin Schildt (Thurmont, Md./Catoctin) won his sixth straight match and didn't allow a point in a 5-0 win at 184, and
Ryan Appleby (Belvidere, N.J./Belvidere) closed out the match with an 11-0 major decision at heavyweight.
In an exhibition match, Arredondo got to wrestle on his senior night and won an 11-3 major decision at 174 pounds.
Kutztown closes out its regular season with a road meet at East Stroudsburg University on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
| Final Results - Kutztown 22, Shippensburg 12 | | |
| Wt. | Summary | KUTZ | SHIP |
| 125 | Au. Petril (Kutztown) over David Reagan (Shippensburg) (TF 16-0 3:00) | 5 | 0 |
| 133 | Dante Steffenino (Shippensburg) over Z. Ulerick (Kutztown) (Dec 6-4) | 0 | 3 |
| 141 | T. Roper (Kutztown) over Jared Leonetti (Shippensburg) (TF 17-1 6:49) | 5 | 0 |
| 149 | Cody Blankenship (Shippensburg) over J. Esposito (Kutztown) (Dec 3-1) | 0 | 3 |
| 157 | #5 M. Martoccio (Kutztown) over Adam Martz (Shippensburg) (Dec 4-1) | 3 | 0 |
| 165 | Mark Lentz (Shippensburg) over J. Meyer (Kutztown) (Dec 6-2) | 0 | 3 |
| 174 | J. Balboni (Kutztown) over Shane Springer (Shippensburg) (Dec 5-2) | 3 | 0 |
| 184 | C. Schildt (Kutztown) over Hunter Fenk (Shippensburg) (Dec 5-0) | 3 | 0 |
| 197 | Evan Ramos (Shippensburg) over B. Clark (Kutztown) (Dec 6-1) | 0 | 3 |
| 285 | R. Appleby (Kutztown) over Derek Earnest (Shippensburg) (Dec 3-0) | 3 | 0 |
| Exhibition: J. Arredondo (Kutztown) over Colton Rebert (Shippensburg) (MD 11-3) | 0 | 0 |
| Exhibition: Shaheed Hill (Shippensburg) over J. Barlow (Kutztown) (MD 11-0) | 0 | 0 |
| Team Score: | 22 | 12 |
