Bloomsburg Crowns Three EWL Champions, Advances Five to National Tournament

CLARION—For the first time since the 1994 season, Bloomsburg crowned three individual champions at the 30th annual Eastern Wrestling League tournament. Mike Sees (Northumberland/Shikellamy), Jim Bertulis (Aston/Garnett Valley), and Bryce Hasseman (Franklin/IN, Franklin) all won individual crowns while Chad Hoare (Reynoldsville/Dubois) took second and qualified for the NCAA championships in St. Louis March 17th-19th. In addition, Tony Curto was selected as one of the six wild-cards from the EWL and will also travel to St. Louis for the NCAA championships.

Bloomsburg finished the tournament in fifth-place with 81 points, while team champion Edinboro totaled 113 points. The Huskies were the only team in the tournament to crown three individual champions.

Bryce Hasseman 174-Pound Champ	Jim Bertulis 165 Pound Champ	Mike Sees 125 Pound Champ

Mike Sees earned Bloomsburg's first EWL championship in the lowest weight classification in 10 years after topping West Virginia's Shawn Cordell on riding time. The match score ended tied at 4-4 but Sees accumulated 2:18 of riding time to pick up his first championship at 125 pounds.

Sees scored a takedown just six seconds into the match to gain the early advantage. Cordell managed to escape with 50 seconds remaining in the period cut Sees' advantage to 2-1. Starting from the bottom position in the second period, Sees slipped under Cordell and pulled him in for the reversal. Cordell would escape with 43 seconds remaining, and would add a point on an illegal hold call against Sees. Trailing 4-3 in the third, Cordell earned an escape to tie the match at 4-4. Neither wrestled scored the rest of the match and Sees was awarded the victory.

Jim Bertulis earned his first EWL title by using a five-point first-period move to top 11th ranked Nate Yetzer, 8-5. Bertulis scored a takedown 1:18 into the first period as he managed to roll around a Yetzer shot. Bertulis then gained control of Yetzer's upper body and scored three bonus points. Down 5-0, Yetzer scored a reversal with 52 seconds remaining in the first period to cut Bertulis' lead to 5-2. Starting from the bottom position in the second period, Bertulis escaped 36 seconds into the period to lead 6-2. Yetzer would score his first takedown of the match with 45 seconds remaining in the second period to close the gap between him and Bertulis to 6-4. Starting from the neutral position in the third period, Bertulis scored a takedown to lead 8-4. Yetzer managed an escape with 16 seconds remaining but could not score again. With the win, Bertulis becomes this first 165-pound champion in Bloomsburg history.

At 174 pounds, Bryce Hasseman used a four-point second period to defeat Edinboro's Eric Ring for the EWL title. After a scoreless first period, Hasseman scored a point for a locked hands call against Ring, then added an escape to lead 2-0. Hasseman scored his first takedown of the match with eight seconds remaining to lead 4-0 heading into the third period. In the third, Hasseman scored his second takedown with 1:15 remaining in the period. Ring scored his second escape of the period with 57 seconds remaining but could not score again.

With the win, Hasseman qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in his career and became the first 174 pound champion in Bloomsburg history. With 36 wins this season, Hasseman is one win shy from tying George Carter (1998-2003) for most wins in a single season.

At 197 pounds, Chad Hoare put forth a solid effort but fell to Lock Haven's Morgan Horner, 14-5. Horner scored a five-point move a minute into the first period to take the early lead. After a Hoare escape and takedown made the match 5-3, Horner scored a reversal with four seconds remaining in the first period to lead 7-3. Hoare chose bottom to start the second and earned an escape 10 seconds into the period. Horner, however, came back and scored an escape with 17 seconds remaining to lead 9-4 after two periods. In the third period, Horner scored a reversal and would add a takedown after cutting Hoare loose. Hoare could not score the remainder of the match and dropped the 14-5 decision to Horner.

In the consolation round, Tony Curto (Wilson/Easton) and Mike Spaid (Perkiomenville/Boyertown) picked up fifth place finishes while Brad Forbes (Downingtown/Downingtown) and Jesse Hasseman (Franklin, IN/Franklin) finished in sixth place.

Curto finished fifth at 133 pounds after pinning Clarion's Chris Lape in a consolation match. Curto led 4-2 after the first period and chose the bottom position to start the second. Lape controlled Curto for 1:44 before Curto scored a reversal. Curto quickly planted Lape's shoulder to the mat and picked up the pin.

Earlier in the first round consolations, Curto dropped a thrilling 9-7 decision as time expired to Lock Haven's Jim Collins. Curto trailed 6-3 in the third period before earning an escape and a quick takedown with 28 seconds remaining. Curto then cut Collins loose and trailed 7-6. Leading 7-6, Collins was hit with a caution warning for stalling with 20 seconds left, then, Curto was awarded a point, as Collins was given his second caution with six seconds remaining in the match. Tied at 7-7, Curto shot in on Collins' leg with two seconds remaining, but Collins circled around Curto and took offensive control, earning a takedown as time expired.

Brad Forbes took sixth at 141 pounds after an injury default to Rick McLaughlin in the fifth place consolation match.

In the morning session, Forbes battled with West Virginia's Vince Giolella but fell 4-1. Trailing 2-0 heading into the second, Forbes scored an escape 25 seconds into the period. A minute later, Giolella caught Forbes and gained offensive position, earning the takedown. Forbes held offensive position on Goilella the entire third period, but could not score bonus points, dropping the 4-1 decision.

Forbes compiled a 16-9 record this season.

In a 149-pound consolation match, George Hickman trailed 2-0 before losing by default to Pittsburgh's Mike Ciotti. Hickman was disqualified for contact after the whistle and was forced to forfeit his match and his team points for the tournament.

In the 184-pound fifth-place consolation bout, Jesse Hasseman lost a tough 3-2 decision to Lock Haven's Mike Metzger. Metzger scored an early first period takedown but Hasseman responded with an escape 55 seconds into the match. Starting on the bottom position to begin the second, Hasseman was able to escape 10 seconds into the period. Both wrestlers tied each other up and neither was able to score the rest of the period. In the third period, Metzger chose bottom position and scored an escape 16 seconds in. Hasseman could not score the rest of the period and dropped the decision.

Earlier in the first round consolations, Hasseman fell 10-2 to Edinboro's Jim Gibson. Gibson picked up takedowns in the first and second periods and scored two takedowns in the third period to pick up the major decision.

Hasseman finishes the 2005 season with a record of 8-26.

Heavyweight Mike Spaid finished fifth in the tournament after earning an 8-0 major decision over Lock Haven's Jamie Nagel. Spaid scored a takedown 55 seconds into the match to lead 2-0 after one period. In the second period, Spaid earned an escape after starting from the bottom position and added a takedown with 1:34 remaining in the period. Spaid also started on the bottom position to start the third period and earned a reversal to lead 7-0. The heavyweight piled up 5:05 of riding time to pick up the major decision.

In the morning session Spaid wrestled tough but fell 2-1 to Clarion's John Fager. After a scoreless first period, Fager chose bottom position to start the second and reversed Spaid with 23 seconds left in the period. Trailing 2-0 in the third, Spaid managed to escape with 55 left in the match but could not score again.

Spaid finishes his freshmen campaign at 15-20.