Butler’s Title Leads Virginia At Sheridan Invitational

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Kyren Butler took the title at 141 pounds to lead a group of eight Virginia wrestlers who placed in action at the Sheridan Invitational hosted by Lehigh on Friday (Dec. 20).

Butler led the way with a 4-0 day at 141 pounds to claim the title. Griffin Gammell took a runner up finish with a 2-1 day, falling to Rutgers’ Brian Soldano in the finals at 184 pounds.

Kyle Montaperto took third at 133 pounds, going 3-1 on the day and coming back after starting the day with against the nation’s top-ranked wrestler in Ryan Crookman. Max Shulaw also won four straight the way to a third-place finish after dropping his opener.

The four wrestlers who claimed fourth-place finishes for the Hoos were Michael Murphy (174), Jack Myers (149), Anthony Rossi (125) and Nick Sanko (157).

NOTING THE HOOS
• Butler’s title at 141 pounds was his first of the season as he wrestled in his first tournament of the year.

• Murphy claimed his second straight podium spot after taking third in his last outing at the Patriot Open.
• Rossi posted his second podium finish of the year after also taking fifth at the Southeast Open.
• Sanko’s podium finish was his second of the year following a sixth-place finish at the Southeast Open.
• Shulaw also competed in his first tournament this year with his third-place finish

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE GARLAND
“It was a good day overall. Other than one injury, we are leaving healthy and with a lot of matches under our belts. Kyren Butler broke through and got a big tournament championship and we’re really happy for him. Kyle (Montaperto) and Max (Shulaw) came back really strong as well and had some good wins to take third. This was great prep for us heading into the Southern Scuffle.”

125:
Anthony Rossi – Fourth Place
QF: Rossi dec. Jared Brunner (Brown), 6-5
SF: No. 15 Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh) tech fall Rossi, 18-2 (5:31)
Conso. SF: Rossi vs. Jackson Parker (Franklin & Marshall), 11-8
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Jacob Moran (Indiana) tech fall Rossi, 19-4 (4:09) 

133:
Kyle Montaperto – Third Place
QF: No. 1 Ryan Crookham (Lehigh) major dec. Montaperto, 11-2
Conso. R4: Montaperto major dec. Logan Frazier (Indiana), 15-4
Conso. SF: Montaperto over No. 33 Gable Porter (UVA) by medical forfeit
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Montaperto pinned John Hildebrandt (Drexel), 6:42

No. 33 Gable Porter
SF: No. 27 Angelo  Rini (Indiana) over Porter by injury default
Conso. SF: Kyle Montaperto (UVA) over Porter by medical forfeit 

141:
Kyren Butler – Champion
R16: Butler major dec. Malachi Bordovsky (Drexel), 11-3
QF: Butler major dec. Joey Buttler (Indiana), 14-4
SF: Butler major dec. Austin McBurney (Brown), 11-2
FINAL: Butler dec. Henry Porter (Indiana), 4-1 

149:
Jack Myers – Fourth Place
R16: No. 33 Malyke Hines (Lehigh) tech fall Jack Myers, 19-4 (4:13)
Conso. R8-2: Myers pinned Kyle Deisley (Franklin & Marshall), 0:38
Conso. R4: Myers pinned Aiden Torres (Indiana), 0:50
Conso. SF: Myers dec. Drew Munch (Lehigh), 10-5
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Ethan Mojena (Brown) dec. Myers, 8-3 

157:
Nick Sanko – Fourth Place
QF: Sanko tech fall Zac Martin (Lehigh), 18-2 (6:58)
SF: Logan Rozynski (Lehigh) dec. Sanko, 10-4
Conso. SF: Sanko pinned Luke Bender (Franklin & Marshall), 1:14
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Jadon Skellenger (Lehigh) dec. Sanko, 7-2 

165:
Mason Stefanelli
R16: Stefanelli tech fall Michael Duggan (F&M), 15-0 (5:13)
QF: Max Brignola (Lehigh) pinned Stefanelli, 3:58
Conso. 8-2: Stefanelli dec. Owen Quinn (Lehigh), 5-0
Conso. R4: Dom D’Agostino (Drexel) dec. Stefanelli, 4-3 

174:
Michael Murphy – Fourth Place
QF: Rylan Rogers (Lehigh) dec. Murphy, 5-1
Conso. R4: Murphy tech fall Michael Fuccilli (Franklin & Marshall), 20-5 (6:24)
Conso. SF: Murphy major dec. Nick Alvarez (Franklin & Marshall), 15-3
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Nick South (Indiana) dec. Murphy, 5-1 

184:
Griffin Gammell – Runner Up
QF: Gammell major dec. Nick Olivieri (Brown), 11-3
SF: Gammell dec. Caden Rogers (Lehigh), 5-1 (TB-2)
FINAL: Brian Soldano (Rutgers) pinned Gammell, 1:09

Jack Lesher*
QF: Brian Soldano (Rutgers) pinned Lesher, 3:40
Conso. R4: Justin Phillips (UVA) major dec. Lesher, 17-6

Justin Phillips
R16: Phillips pinned Jake Allred (Franklin & Marshall), 3:42
QF: Andrew Reall (Brown) dec. Phillips, 6-2
Conso. R8-2: Phillips major dec. George Rhodes (Drexel), 11-1
Conso. R4: Phillips major dec. Jack Lesher (UVA), 17-6
Conso. SF: Caden Rogers (Lehigh) dec. Phillips, 8-1

197:
Max Shulaw* – Third Place
QF: PJ Casale (Rutgers) major dec. Shulaw, 12-2
Conso. R8-2: Shulaw major dec. RJ Moore (Franklin & Marshall), 10-1
Conso. R4: Shulaw pinned Caleb Marzolino (Indiana), 4:13
Conso. SF: Shulaw major dec. Thomas Sandoval (Brown), 9-1
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Shulaw vs. Justin Griffith (Drexel)

Ethan Weatherspoon
QF: JT Davis (Lehigh) over Weatherspoon by medical forfeit
Conso. R8-2: Justin Griffith (Drexel) over Weatherspoon by medical forfeit 

HWT:
Cooper Rudolph
QF: No. 23 Jacob Bullock (Indiana) pinned Rudolph, 6:44
Conso. R8-2: Rudolph pinned Jake Rickett (Franklin & Marshall), 1:44
Conso. R4: Rudolph major dec. Braden Ewing (Brown), 10-2
Conso. SF: Nick Palvechko (Indiana) major dec. Rudolph, 14-1

* Competing in an unattached capacity