Springfield, Mass. - November 11, 2023 - The Springfield College wrestling team captured the championship at the 2023 City of Springfield Championship on Saturday at American International College.
Springfield blanked Springfield Technical CC, 51-0, eased past American International College, 48-3, and bested Western New England by a 28-15 margin.
Versus STCC, Springfield won all 10 bouts, with three of the weight classes being forfeited. Ariel Escalante (Philadelphia, Pa.) earned a 20-4 tech fall at 125 and Jaden Colwell (Lords Valley, Pa.) pinned his opponent in just 34 seconds at 133. Ryan Kozdra (Mahwah, N.J.) added the Pride's second technical fall of the day, 18-3, at 131 and Ty Stewart (Dracut, Mass.) produced a 13-5 major decision at 149. Calvin Stiles (Wilbraham, Mass.) tacked on a 17-6 major decision at 165, before Nicholas Rogers (Watertown, N.Y.) earned a 5-0 decision at 197 and Juan Santiago (Holyoke, Mass.) delivered a pin in 1:57 at 285.
Versus the host Yellowjackets, Gianni Manginelli (Dumont, N.J.) made his season debut with a 5-2 decision at 133 and Kozdra recorded another technical fall, this time by a 20-3 margin. Luke Temple (Jackson, N.J.) put his opponent on his back for a pin at 149 and Myles Leonard (Waldwick, N.J.) secured an 11-2 major at 165. Jacob Deguire (Schenectady, N.Y.) needed only 20 seconds for a pinfall at 174 before Rogers and Ben Katz (Medford, N.Y.) chipped in pins of their own at 197 and 285.
Both teams won five weight classes in the showdown with Western New England and Springfield, but it was the Pride whose four pins would prove to be the difference. Jack Callahan (Tewksbury, Mass.) blanked his opponent at 125 for a 10-0 major decision and Manginelli earned a pin at 133. After WNE won the next four bouts, Deguire pinned his man in 25 seconds and Casey Allen (Park Ridge, N.J.) followed with a pin in 1:33 at 184. Katz closed out the dual with another pin to help Springfield to the win.
Springfield wrestling will host the Doug Parker Invitational on Saturday, November 18 at 10 am in the Springfield College Field House.
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