PRIDE HAD THREE FIRST PLACE TITLES AT THE NITTANY LION OPEN 
 

Binghamton, NY (Dec. 9) - The No. 22^nd ranked Hofstra Wrestling team competed in the Nittany Lion Open on December 8, at Penn State University, and had three wrestlers win their respective championship bouts (most of any school represented).  No. 6^th ranked Chris Skretkowicz (Hamburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley Regional) was named Most Outstanding Wrestler as he went 5-0 for the tournament.   
 

Earning first-place at the Open for the Pride were No. 6th ranked Chris Skretkowicz at the 197-pound weight class, No. 17^th ranked Mike Patrovich (Bohemia, NY/Islip) at the157-pound weight class and No. 4^th ranked Noel Thompson (Freeport, NY/Freeport) at the 165-pound weight class.  At the 197-weight class, Skretkowicz went 5-0 with a technical fall, a major decision and two decisions before beating No. 15^th ranked David Shunamon from Edinboro, 4-0 in the finals.  Skretkowicz also beat No. 5th ranked Eric Mausser of Clarion 14-2 in the semifinals.  Patrovich had a first round bye and a second round medical forfeit at the157-weight class before recording a major decision and a fall in the quarterfinals.  Patrovich won a 9-1 major decision in the semifinals before winning the championship match by a score of 9-8 against No. 8^th ranked George Carter from Bloomsburg.  At the 165-weight class, Thompson also had a first round bye.  He then recorded a fall in his first match, followed by two decisions to get him to the semifinals where he faced No. 12^th ranked Matt Palmer from Columbia.  Thompson won in a 5-3 decision decided by sudden victory to advance to the finals facing No. 10^th ranked Matt King from Edinboro.  Thompson came out on top, 5-3 in the championship match, keeping his undefeated record alive (11-0).    
 

Other finishes for the Pride at the Nittany Lion Open included Ralph Everett (Miami, FL/Southridge) third, Ricky La Forge (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Indian Hills) who finished fourth at the 133-pound weight class going 3-2 with three decisions.  No. 13^th ranked Jon Masa (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach) finished fifth (6-1) at the 149-pound weight class, recording three pins, a technical fall and two decisions.  Masa's only loss was listed at a medical forfeit but it was technically an injury default as he left the mat 10 seconds into his match and did not make it back within the injury time allotted.   Paul Siemon (Paramus, NJ/Don Bosco Prep/Springfield College) had a good outing going 4-2 before losing to the fifth place finisher and No. 17^th ranked Chris Vecchio from Penn State.