February 25, 2012

Johns Hopkins Wins First-Ever CC Wrestling Title

Complete Results | Championship Page

The was no margin for error as Johns Hopkins junior Reid Mosquera (pictured) stepped onto the mat in the 197-pound title match at the 2012 Centennial Conference Championships on Saturday evening at Gettysburg. His Johns Hopkins teammates had put the Blue Jays in position to grab the first Centennial team title in school history by going 4-of-4 in title bouts heading into Mosquera's bout with top-seeded Connor McNamara.

Mosquera, the defending conference champion at 197, had already lost to McNamara this season - by fall ... in just 90 seconds. A win for McNamara would secure an unprecedented 10th team title for the Bears, who still had an entry in the finals at 285.
Mosquera made that match irrelevant.

Trailing 7-6 entering the third period, Mosquera started in the down position, but earned an escape in the first 30 seconds. Now deadlocked at 7-7 and with less than one minute remaining, Mosquera scored a quick takedown after a restart with 52 seconds left to go up 9-7, but McNamara worked his way free to draw within a point as the clock ticked down on someone's season and a team's title. Defensive, but firm as the clock wound towards 0:00, Mosquera closed out two championships - his own and Johns Hopkins' - with a takedown in the final three seconds to take the bout 11-8.

Stunningly, the Blue Jays had erased a 10.5-point deficit entering the finals to win the first Centennial Championship in school history with 79 points to 73.5 for the runner-up Bears. Stevens (64.5), Gettysburg (53.5) and Merchant Marine (48) rounded out the top five in the team scoring and Johns Hopkins head coach Keith Norris was named Coach of the Year after leading the Blue Jays to the title.
Championship Finals
125-Paul Bewak (JH) p. Chris Donaldson (U), 5:35
133-Alex Blank (U) d. Mike Tancredi (Mc), 5-2
141-Paul Marcello (JH) d. Mike Polizzi (S), 7-1
149-Henry Stauber (JH) d. CJ Caserta (S), 5-4
157-Matt Fusaro (JH) p. David Dennis (WL), 6:28
165-Joe Favia (S) d. Zach Thomson (G), 5-2
174-Ryan Dormann (S) d. Jared Leon (G), 3-2 (OT)
184-Erik Schott (MM) d. Dan Manganaro (U), 2-0
197-Reid Mosquera (JH) d. Connor McNamara (U), 11-8
285-Kevin Poplaski (G) d. Bil Cornely (U), 6-5

 

Team Scoring
Johns Hopkins 79, Ursinus 73.5, Stevens 64.5, Gettysburg 53.5, Merchant Marine 48, McDaniel 27.5, NYU 24.5, Washington and Lee 21.5, Muhlenberg 15.

Outstanding Wrestler: Joe Favia, Stevens
Chris Clifford Award: Alex Blank, Ursinus
Coach of the Year: Keith Norris, Johns Hopkins

At-Large NCAA Rep: Zach Thomson, Gettysburg