COLLEGE: LOCALS CONTINUE TO SHINE ON COLLEGE MATS (2024-02-05)

BY BRYAN SEYMOUR
Northern Tier Sports Report
Another week full of college wrestling has come and gone. Our local athletes continue to work hard on the mats. AJ Burkhart, Sheldon Seymour and Gavin Bradley found their way back to the mats. 

Kent State and AJ Burkhart were back in action as they traveled to Bloomsburg to face off with Bloomsburg University. Wrestling at 174 pounds, AJ Burkhart would win by a technical fall in dominating fashion 17-1 in 6:10 over Nolen Zeigler. Kent State would win the dual 37-5 over Bloomsburg. 

Lehigh University and Sheldon Seymour traveled to West Point to take on Army. Seymour would take on Ethan Berginc a 2023 National Qualifier and currently ranked 31st per Intermat. After a scoreless first period, Berginc would go down. Seymour would build up over a minute of ride time before Berginc would earn the escape. Seymour would get in on a shot however was not able to convert. The second period would end with Seymour losing 1-0. Seymour would start the third period in the down position. Seymour would escape to tie the score. With around :48 seconds left in the match Berginc would get deep in on a shot. Seymour would keep one foot free and keep his body position tight to Berginc. No takedown is the call on the mat. With about :20 seconds left in the match the challenge brick from the Army coach would be thrown. An official review would take place. Upon further review the call stands as called, no takedown. On the restart and with time running out, Seymour would take one final shot. A blast double that he would lift Berginc up off the mat and into Seymour’s arms. With the return to mat Seymour would secure the takedown as time would run out. Seymour would end up winning 4-1. Lehigh as a team would win the close dual 21-16 by winning the final match of the dual. 

Gavin Bradley and Castleton University were wrestling at the Springfield Tri-meet with Springfield University and Johnson and Wales University. In the match versus Springfield University, Bradley would face Ariel Escalante and win by fall in :30 to help lead Castleton to the victory 47-0. In the second dual meet versus Johnson & Wales, Bradley would face Harrison Gordon where he again would win, this time by decision 11-6. Castleton would again win the dual by score of 25-14. 

All three of our local athletes finished off the weekend going 4-0 and helping their teams also go 4-0.