The Pioneer Trail: Monday, Feb. 16, 2015
Wrestling at Shippensburg - 7 p.m.Though the record may not indicate success, the LIU Post wrestling team has plenty to be excited about going into its final dual meet of the season. Tonight, the Pioneers will grapple with Shippensburg at Heiges Field House, as both teams gear up for next weekend's NCAA Super Region One Tournament in West Virginia.
The Pioneers (4-14) took care of business in an emotional home finale on Thursday (Feb. 12), defeating East Stroudsburg by a 26-16 score in front of a strong crowd at the Pratt Recreation Center. After losing the first match, the Pioneers secured six of the next nine bouts to claim the victory. Freshman
Joe Calderone (Huntington Station, N.Y.) scored a pinfall victory in 59 seconds over the Warriors' Marius Kola (Philadelphia, Pa.) at 133 pounds to give the Pioneers a 6-3 lead that they would not relinquish. Fellow freshman
Matt Langan (Wantagh, N.Y.) and red-shirt freshman
Jackson Mordente (Farmingville, N.Y.) earned major decision victories and senior
Chris DiIorio (Holtsville, N.Y.) won his final match in front of the home fans.
Ranked seventh in Super Region One, according to the Basford Regional rankings, Shippensburg (6-11) has had its fair share of struggles this season. The Raiders were walloped in their most recent dual meet, as Kutztown took a 32-7 decision on Friday (Feb. 13). Sophomore Dante Steffenino (Green Lane, Pa.) scored a 6-2 decision at the 125-lb. weight class, while junior Cameron Throckmorton (Hanover, Pa.) was victorious in the bout at 149 pounds, winning by a 10-2 major decision.
The match-up tonight in Shippensburg, Pa. yields much promise, as there are regionally-ranked match-ups in three different weight classes. For LIU Post, Calderone is the second-ranked wrestler in the region at 133 pounds, only behind Corey Bush of Pitt-Johnstown. His counterpart for Shippensburg is sophomore Karl Lightner (Smethport, Pa.), who ranks third at 133. At 141, the Pioneers will look to junior
Jesse Meaney (Toms River, N.J.), who is third in the region at that weight class. Shippensburg freshman Cody Blankenship (Kane, Pa.) ranks sixth in Super Region One at the 141-lb. discipline. Finally, DiIorio ranks third in the Basford rankings at 197 pounds, while sophomore Jalal Paige (Easton, Pa.) is No. 4 in the region for Shippensburg. Additionally, Throckmorton is the best wrestler in Super Region One at 149 pounds, and ranks fifth nationally at that weight class.