So many things to be happy about. Especially the start of collegiate wrestling. So many of our local athletes have been able to go on to the next level and compete in the sport they cherish. 

Seeing action on the mat this past weekend, opening weekend. Kruz McCusker wrestling for Misericordia. Caleb Nason wrestling for Millersville. Colton Wade for Penn West Clarion. And Anaiah Kolesar for Edinboro.

Wrestling at the Lycoming Invitational, Kruz McCusker was in the Junior-Senior bracket. Receiving a bye to the semi-finals, McCusker would take to the mat versus Richard Morales of Alfred St. McCusker secured a 9-4 decision to move into the finals. In the finals, he faced Rocco Futia of Cortland, where he took defeat by a major decision, 16-6. McCusker finishes the day 1-1 with a second-place finish. 

Millersville and Caleb Nason were at the Pioneer Open. Nason faced Willie Cox of Montevallo in the championship first round, where he would take the loss by fall in 6:02. Wrestling in the consolation round 1, Nason faced William Turner of Emmanuel, earning the win by fall in 1:26. Moving onto the second round of consolations, Nason faced Eli Makel of Fairmont State, ending his day with a loss by fall in 2:28. Nason finishes his day at 1-2. 

Moving west to the Clarion Open, Colton Wade took to the mat. In the championship first round, Wade squared off against Jacob Jones, and he took the loss by major decision, 8-0. In the consolation round of 8#2, Wade earned the win by fall in 1:04 over Meyer Rosen of Bucknell. In the consolation round of 4, Wade faced his teammate Bryce Schneizer and secured the decision win 8-4. In the consi-semis, Wade again faced another teammate, Gavin Lewis. This time Wade secured the decision 1-0 to move on to the consi-finals. In the consi-finals, Wade takes the loss by technical fall 18-2 to Layne Kleimann of Utah Valley. Wade ends his day 3-2 in fourth place. 

Moving on to the women’s side of wrestling. And let’s remember women wrestle freestyle in college. So, making the switch from PA high school wrestling folkstyle to college and wrestling freestyle, Anaiah Kolesar and Edinboro were at the JCU Round Robin tournament. In the first round, Kolesar faced Angelina Watson of Bethany College, where she secured the win by fall in :47. In the second round, she faced Mia Scalise of Washington and Jefferson, and again won by fall in 52. In the third and final round, Kolesar faced Alyse Muscat of John Carroll, where she again won by fall in 1:34. Kolesar finished her day with 3-0 record and first place.

Area athletes not seeing mat time in the opening weekend were, Penn College Nick Woodruff, Kent State Mason Higley, Millersville Riley Oakes and Brayden Pequignot, VTSU Castleton Gavin Bradley, SUNY Cortland Mason Alexander, United States Coast Guard Lyle Vermilya, Lycoming’s Riley Vanderpool.