EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. -- Kutztown University men's wrestling saw 10 of its 18 entries finish in the top six of their respective weight classes during Sunday's season-opening ESU Open inside Koehler Fieldhouse.

The new-look Golden Bears under first-year head coach Ziad Haddad were itching to get on the mat and did not disappoint their first time out.

KU featured four runner-up finishers leading the way with sophomore Mason Harvey (Windsor, Pa./Red Lion) at 157 lbs., freshman Luke Hitchcock (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) at 165 lbs., freshman Dakota Santamaria (Saxton, Pa./Tussey Mountain) at 125 lbs. and freshman Matt Scott (Southampton, Pa./Council Rock South) at 285 lbs. Aiden Karlie (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) was third at 149 lbs., while returning national qualifier Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) was fourth at the same weight class.

Harvey dominated on his way to the 157-pound final with three technical falls and a major decision. He defeated Averett's Gabriel Foreman, 21-5 (4:07), in his first collegiate match before notching another tech fall win over Vincent Capone of Union College of Union County (UCNJ), 16-1 (4:13) in the second round.

The sophomore from Windsor, Pa., earned an 11-3 major decision over Pitt-Johnstown's Julian Bertucci in the quarterfinals and cruised past Averett's Luke Zadrazil with a third tech fall in the semifinals, 20-3 (5:42). UPJ's Isaiah Pisano topped Harvey by pin at 6:11 in the final.

Like Harvey, Kutztown's three remaining runner-up finishers were all making their collegiate debuts, but as true freshmen.

Hitchcock, from Central Dauphin, rode a pair of pins, a major decision and a decision into the final at 165. He picked up a 2:07 pin of Adrian Harris from Centenary (N.J.) in his first round match before putting up a whopping 20 points in a 20-10 major decision over James Thaxton of Lincoln Memorial in the second round.

Hitchock pinned Liam Evanko (Pitt-Johnstown) at 6:42 of their quarterfinal match and earned a 13-7 decision over Hayden Carl from the New York Military Academy in the semifinals. The Harrisburg, Pa., native fell to Trent Hoover of UPJ by pin in the title bout.

Santamaria, a three-time PIAA Class AA placewinner, secured a pair of pins over East Stroudsburg's Rocky Molinare (2:03) and Pitt-Johnstown's Pepper Martin (0:42) before dropping a 7-2 decision to William Soto of the KD Training Center in the final at 125.

Scott, the Golden Bears' lone heavyweight, reached the final with a tech fall and two decisions. He racked up 22 points in a 22-6 tech fall (6:20) over East Stroudsburg's Nathaniel Ortiz in the first round and went on to beat Pitt-Johnstown's Michael Mazurek and Lincoln Memorial's Holden Corbin in much closer matches in the quarters and semis. The first-year wrestler from Southampton, Pa., lost by pin to Lincoln Carlson of ESU in the final.

Karlie reached the semifinals at 149 with a pin, a forfeit and two decisions, while Ortega produced a decision and back-to-back pins to advance to the semifinals as well.

Also placing for the Maroon and Gold were Isaiah Feeney (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) (fifth at 197), Tom Grimley (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) (fifth at 174), Ryan Schmipf (fifth at 157) and Mike Godri (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) (sixth at 197).

The Golden Bears will return to training for the next few weeks before competing in the "Shorty" Hitchcock Memorial Open at Millersville University Saturday, Nov. 21.
 

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ESU OPEN
Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026
East Stroudsburg, Pa. | Koehler Fieldhouse
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
 
125 lbs.
Dakota Santamaria (Saxton, Pa./Tussey Mountain)
R1 – Bye
R2 – WIN PIN Rocky Molinare (East Stroudsburg), 2:03
QF – WIN Dec. Dominic Lucian (Unattached), 8-5
SF – WIN PIN Pepper Martin (Pitt-Johnstown), 0:42
F – LOSS Dec. William Soto (KD Training Center), 7-2
2ND PLACE
 
133 lbs.
Connor Kerney (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove)
R1 – WIN For. Kevin Alba Hernandez (NJIT Wrestling Club)
R2 – WIN TF Mason Johnson (Centenary (N.J.)), 20-5 (5:43)
QF – LOSS Dec. Anthony Mucci (Pitt-Johnstown), 5-1
CQF – LOSS TF AJ Orlando (Averett), 19-3 (5:54)
 
141 lbs.
Jared Fulton (Nottingham, Pa./Solanco)
R1 – LOSS Dec. Nathan Attisano (Navy Prep), 8-2
CR1 – WIN TF Christopher Puryear (Lincoln Memorial), 16-0 (5:28)
CR2 – WIN MD Dominick Interrante (Wall Township, N.J./Wall) (Kutztown), 13-1
CR3 – WIN TF Georgios Sezenlas (Averett), 15-0 (4:30)
CQF – LOSS MD Joseph Innamorato (Centenary (N.J.)), 12-2
 
Dominick Interrante (Wall Township, N.J./Wall)
R1 – WIN PIN Justin Walker (Averett), 2:18
R2 – LOSS TF Joseph Toscano (Spartan Combat RTC), 16-1 (2:06)
CR2 – LOSS MD Jared Fulton (Nottingham, Pa./Solanco) (Kutztown), 13-1
 
Nate Messano (Havertown, Pa./Haverford)
R1 – WIN Dec. Leonardo Perdomo (Averett), 8-6
R2 – LOSS MD Joseph Aldrich (East Stroudsburg), 14-3
CR2 – WIN TF Gary English (Averett), 19-4 (1:52)
CR3 – LOSS PIN Steven Ham (UCNJ), 4:26
 
149 lbs.
Aiden Karlie (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown)
R1 – WIN PIN Nur Yacobsharrief (UCNJ), 0:28
R2 – WIN Dec. Mukhammad Nasriddinkhujaev (Temple), 14-7
QF – WIN For. Austin Noe (East Stroudsburg)
SF – LOSS Dec. Benjamin Aguilar (New York Military Academy), 4-1
3rd – WIN For. Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) (Kutztown)
3RD PLACE
 
Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson)
R1 – WIN Dec. Horacio Bowen (Averett), 9-2
R2 – WIN PIN Evan Wilcox (Pitt-Johnstown), 3:13
QF – WIN PIN Jayden Caraballo (Centenary (N.J.)), 4:19
SF – LOSS MFF CJ Caines (Mat Assassins)
3rd – NR For. Aiden Karlie (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) (Kutztown)
4TH PLACE
 
157 lbs.
Mason Harvey (Windsor, Pa./Red Lion)
R1 – WIN TF Gabriel Foreman (Averett), 21-5 (4:07)
R2 – WIN TF Vincent Capone (UCNJ), 16-1 (4:13)
QF – WIN MD Julian Bertucci (Pitt-Johnstown), 11-3
SF – WIN TF Luke Zadrazil (Averett), 20-3 (5:42)
F – LOSS PIN Isaiah Pisano (Pitt-Johnstown), 6:11
2ND PLACE
 
Logan Pfistner (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown)
R1 – WIN PIN Peter Henry Rego (Centenary (N.J.)), 1:14
R2 – WIN PIN Michael King (Averett), 1:06
QF – LOSS MD Isaiah Pisano (Pitt-Johnstown), 11-1
CQF – WIN PIN Michael Schmit (Pitt-Johnstown), 1:05
CSF – LOSS PIN Gavin Reynolds (East Stroudsburg), 5:30
 
Ryan Schimpf (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West)
R1 – Bye
R2 – LOSS MD Cade Campbell (Unattached), 14-1
CR2 – WIN PIN Hunter Pennington (Averett), 0:32
CR3 – WIN MFF Christopher Cifelli (Centenary (N.J.))
CQF – WIN TF Julian Bertucci (Pitt-Johnstown), 16-1 (4:58)
CSF – WIN TF Blake Allen (Lincoln Memorial), 18-1 (4:02)
5th – NC Gavin Reynolds (East Stroudsburg)
5TH PLACE
 
165 lbs.
Luke Hitchcock (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin)
R1 – WIN PIN Adrian Harris (Centenary (N.J.)), 2:07
R2 – WIN MD James Thaxton (Lincoln Memorial), 20-10
QF – WIN PIN Liam Evanko (Pitt-Johnstown), 6:42
SF – WIN Dec. Hayden Carl (New York Military Academy), 13-7
F – LOSS PIN Trent Hoover (Pitt-Johnstown), 2:34
2ND PLACE
 
174 lbs.
Grady Clark (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon)
R1 – Bye
R2 – LOSS Dec. Elias Long (Pitt-Johnstown), 8-2
CR2 – WIN MD Brendan Ridge (East Stroudsburg), 15-4
CR3 – WIN TF Spencer Miltimore (Springfield Tech), 18-3 (4:35)
CQF – WIN TF Dennis Joshua (UCNJ), 15-0 (4:01)
CSF – LOSS Dec. Carmen Marano (East Stroudsburg), 10-7
 
Tom Grimley (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City)
R1 – WIN TF Lee New (Averett), 17-2 (2:58)
R2 – LOSS MD Gavyn Beck (Pitt-Johnstown), 12-4
CR2 – WIN PIN Ty Pfizenmayer (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley) (Kutztown), 3:43
CR3 – WIN PIN David Tran (Temple), 1:07
CQF – WIN MD Elias Long (Pitt-Johnstown), 9-0
CSF – WIN TF Zahier Chiles (Unattached), 19-1 (6:21)
5th – NC Carmen Marano (East Stroudsburg)
5TH PLACE
 
Ty Pfizenmayer (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley)
R1 – LOSS Dec. Carmen Marano (East Stroudsburg), 4-1
CR1 – Bye
CR2 – LOSS PIN Tom Grimley (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) (Kutztown), 3:43
 
184 lbs.
Matty Shumaker (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton)
R1 – Bye
R2 – LOSS TF Joseph Jeter (Spartan Combat RTC), 20-4 (3:39)
CR2 – Bye
CR3 – WIN PIN Edip Oruli (Sussex County CC), 0:42
CQF – WIN MD Max Winkler (East Stroudsburg), 15-5
CSF – LOSS PIN Ty Morrison (Pitt-Johnstown), 2:01
 
197 lbs.
Isaiah Feeney (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown)
R1 – LOSS PIN Terrell McFarland (Team Dungeon), 2:00
CR1 – Bye
CQF – WIN PIN Wilfredo Villalongo (UCNJ), 3:35
CSF – WIN TF Bryson Caudle (Averett), 18-3 (4:04)
5th – WIN MD Mike Godri (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) (Kutztown), 9-1
5TH PLACE
 
Mike Godri (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts)
R1 – LOSS TF Aiden Hight (Pitt-Johnstown), 19-4 (4:46)
CR1 – Bye
CQF – WIN MFF Bradley Morrison (Pitt-Johnstown)
CSF – WIN TF Willie Toliver (Averett), 17-1 (7:00)
5th – LOSS MD Isaiah Feeney (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) (Kutztown), 9-1
6TH PLACE
 
285 lbs.
Matt Scott (Southampton, Pa./Council Rock South)
R1 – WIN TF Nathaniel Ortiz (East Stroudsburg), 22-6 (6:20)
QF – WIN Dec. Michael Mazurek (Pitt-Johnstown), 4-2
SF – WIN Dec. Holden Corbin (Lincoln Memorial), 7-3
F – LOSS PIN Lincoln Carlson (East Stroudsburg), 6:20
2ND PLACE