Wrestling Earns Runner-Up Finish at Virginia Intercollegiates

Courtesy: Matt Riley / UVa Media Relations Michael Chaires scored the 165-pound title.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia wrestling team took second place Saturday at the Virginia Intercollegiate Championships in the first-ever college wrestling competition at John Paul Jones Arena. No. 19 Old Dominion won the team title with 107 points, while Virginia was close behind with 101 points.

Liberty (40.5), George Mason (32.5), VMI (15) and The Apprentice School (6) rounded out the field. Virginia put 10 wrestlers into the finals at eight total weight classes. Drew DiPasquale (Jr., Bloomsburg, Pa.), Michael Chaires (Fr., Scotia, N.Y.), Chris Henrich (Fr., Lansdale, Pa.) and Brent Jones (So., Burke, Va.) won titles at 157, 165, 174 and 197 pounds, respectively, for the Cavaliers.

The tournament came down to the last championship bout, as Old Dominion’s Andy Totusek earned a 3-1 win in sudden victory time over Virginia’s Jack Danilkowicz (So., Green Oaks, Ill.) on a takedown as time expired in the period.

Ross Gitomer (So., Flemington, N.J.) took runner-up honors at 125 pounds after falling in the championship to No. 20 James Nicholson of Old Dominion, 5-3. Gitomer went 2-1 on the day and now stands 23-5 this year and holds the team lead in victories.

Anthony Burke (Jr., Poquoson, Va.), wrestling up a weight class at 133, finished second to Old Dominion’s Kyle Hutter. Shawn Harris (Fr., Cleveland, Ohio) finished as the runner-up at 149 pounds, dropping a 14-6 major decision to No. 15 Kaylon Baxter of Old Dominion in the championship.

DiPasquale earned a 2-1 win in sudden victory time over teammate Brent Fiorito (Fr., Palm, Pa.) at 157 pounds after scoring on an escape in the first extra period.

Chaires, ranked 13th nationally at 165 pounds, earned the 165-pound championship after taking a 9-7 decision over George Mason’s Andrew Rock in the title bout. The freshman improved to 22-4 this year with his three wins Saturday.

Henrich won the 174-pound class, after teammate Mike Grogan (Sr., North Canton, Ohio) took a medical forfeit in the championship. He improved to 10-6 this year and became the 16th Cavalier to reach double figures in wins this season.

Jones, ranked No. 19 nationally at 197 pounds, earned a tough 3-2 decision over George Mason’s Cayle Byers to push his record to 18-7 this season.

The Cavaliers wrestled without two of their ranked wrestlers, as Eric Albright (Jr., York, Va.) sat out while nursing an injury and Rocco Caponi (Jr., Uniontown, Ohio) was out because of illness.

Virginia travels to Hampton, Va., next weekend to compete in the Virginia Duals.

Final Team Results
1. Old Dominion, 107
2. Virginia, 101
3. Liberty 40.5
4. George Mason, 32.5
5. VMI, 15
6. The Apprentice School, 6

Championship Results
125 - No. 20 James Nicholson (ODU) dec. Ross Gitomer (UVA), 5-3
133 - Kyle Hutter (ODU) major dec. Anthony Burke (UVA), 12-2
141 - No. 12 Ryan Williams (ODU) major dec. Tim Harner (LU), 13-4
149 - No. 15 Kaylon Baxter (ODU) major dec. Shawn Harris (UVA), 14-6
157 - Drew DiPasquale (UVA) dec. Brent Fiorito (UVA), 2-1 (TB)
165 - No. 13 Michael Chaires (UVA) dec. Andrew Rock (GMU), 9-7
174 - Chris Henrich (UVA) med. forfeit Mike Grogan (UVA)
184 - Jesse Strawn (ODU) fall Chris Daggett (LU), 6:42
197 - No. 19 Brent Jones (UVA) dec. Cayle Byers (GMU), 3-2
HWT – Andy Totusek (ODU) dec. Jack Danilkowicz (UVA), 3-1 (SV)