Wrestling Has Big Day at Brute/Bearcat Open

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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. The Virginia wrestling team had a solid day Saturday at the Brute/Bearcat Open in Binghamton, N.Y., as four wrestlers reached the championship match of their respective weight classes. Rocco Caponi (Uniontown, Ohio) highlighted the Cavaliers’ big day by winning the title at 184 pounds, defeating Cornell’s Nate Holly, 8-5, in the final. In all, the Cavaliers had placewinners in eight of the 10 weight classes.

Brent Jones (So., Burke, Va.) at 197, Brent Fiorito (So., Palm, Pa.) at 165 and Anthony Burke (Jr., Poquoson, Va.) at 125 each took runner-up honors at their respective weight classes. Fiorito defeated 10th-ranked Zach Shanaman of Pennsylvania in the semifinals en route to his second-place finish.

The Cavaliers also got third-place finishes from Ross Gitomer (So., Flemington, N.J.) at 125, Kellon Balum (So., Herndon, Pa.) at 141 and Chris Henrich (Fr., Lansdale, Pa.) at 174.

Shawn Harris (Fr., Cleveland, Ohio) took fifth at 149, while Pat Riley (So., Bernardsville, N.J.) followed in sixth. Harris had a team-high seven wins on the day. Mike Sewell (Jr., Bothell, Wash.) earned fifth place at 165, while Danny Gonsor (Fr., Cleveland, Ohio) nabbed sixth at 157.

Virginia is back in action next Saturday, traveling to Chapel Hill, N.C., to compete in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Cavaliers are slated to face Purdue at noon, followed by a 2 p.m. match against Michigan State.