December 3, 2008

YORK, PA – The York College wrestling team takes to the mat this Saturday as hosts of the 2008 Spartan Invitational. Four of Division III’s ranked squads will be in attendance, #3 Delaware Valley, #15 the College of New Jersey, the #22 Spartans, and #30 Heidelberg, in addition to a pair of Division I institutions, Delaware State and Liberty. The wrestling action is slated for a 9:30 am start this Saturday from the M&T Bank Field House at York’s Grumbacher Sport & Fitness Center.
     The Spartans have tallied a 2-2-1 mark this season, with their two losses coming by a total of a mere four points. The green and white bring a slew of solid wrestlers into the tournament, headlined by 133-pound senior Kyle Flickinger (New Oxford, Pa./Bermudian Springs), who won his weight class in the Spartan Invitational just one season ago. Currently ranked tenth in his weight class, Flickinger has posted a 5-3 start to his senior campaign. Fellow senior John Niedrich (Freehold, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy), York’s top 165-pounder who also won the Spartan Invitational last year, has started the season with a strong 7-1 mark including a first-place finish at the Monarch Tournament. Sophomore 174-pound Brian Thomason (Wernersville, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) has accumulated an 8-2 mark while freshman 141-pound Taylor Ulm (Great Meadows, N.J./Hackettstown) has made a splash in his first collegiate season, notching an early 9-2 record.
     Delaware Valley comes into the tournament having defeated nearby Elizabethtown College and tied Kutztown to post a 1-0-1 record to begin the season. The Aggies have four wrestlers in the top ten in their respective weight classes. Mike Wilcox, who is 5-1 on the year, is the Aggies’ top-ranked wrestler, as he is second at 184 pounds. Chris Sheetz, a 125-pound sophomore, has registered a 9-2 record en route to becoming the nation’s fourth-best at his weight. Brandon Clemmer, ranked #5 at 133, has notched a 3-3 early season mark while 141-pound Eric McCann has wrestled his way to a 7-3 record and a #7 ranking.
     The College of New Jersey, who sport a flawless 3-0 dual meet record this season, bring a trio of ranked wrestlers to the Spartan Invitational. Greg Osgoodby, the Lions’ best at 174 pounds and ranked #2 in the country, has registered a sparkling 12-0 mark to open his senior year, notching his 100th career victory back on November 19. The 165-pound Justin Bonititus, ranked #4 in Division III, has an 11-1 season record while 149-pound John Barnett has wrestled to a 10-2 mark and a #7 ranking.
     Heidelberg College visits York, Pa. hailing from Tiffin, Ohio. Heidelberg has recorded a 1-1 record this season with their loss coming to #16 Olivet by a slight 20-19 score. Heavyweight Robbie Brubeck is the #4 ranked 285-pound Division III wrestler while teammate Zach Mizer is the country’s #7 at 157 pounds. The 125-pound Jerrad Hoxie brings his #8 national ranking into the Grumbacher Sport & Fitness Center.
     Delaware State’s 149-pound Matt Cathell is currently the twelfth-ranked Division I wrestler in his weight class, while Liberty’s Chris Daggett is ranked #17 at 184 pounds.
     Elizabethtown’s 125-pound Tyler Erdman brings a stellar 14-1 record into the Spartan Invitational as he is ranked #10 at his weight.
     Apprentice, Washington and Jefferson, UMBC’s club, and Gloucester Community College will also be in attendance.

Kyle Flickinger photo courtesy of Steve Doemland