Carmine Ciotti (left) and Christopher Matthews (right)
Redshirt junior Christopher Matthews (right) and freshman Carmine Ciotti (left) opened the season with individual titles at the Mount Union Invitational.

Men's Wrestling Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon's Matthews and Ciotti Win Individual Titles at Mount Union Wrestling Invitational; Eleven Golden Knights Place

THE RUNDOWN
  • Event: Mount Union Invitational (Alliance, Ohio)
  • Competing Teams: Bellarmine (Ky.), Brockport State (N.Y.), Gannon (Pa.), Lake Erie (Ohio), Mercyhurst (Pa.), Mount Union (Ohio), Ohio Northern, Ohio Valley (W.Va.) and Seton Hill (Pa.).
  • Result: Gannon finished fifth out of nine teams.
  • The Short Story: Redshirt junior Christopher Matthews (Kennerdell, Pa./Franklin) (174) and freshman Carmine Ciotti (Erie, Pa./McDowell) (133) won individual championships as the Gannon wrestling team opened the 2016-17 season Saturday afternoon with 11 placewinners and a fifth-place finish out of nine teams at the Mount Union Invitational.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
GANNON'S TOP WRESTLERS
  • 133 - Ciotti captured gold during his collegiate debut with a 4-0 record ... opened the day with consecutive pins of Ohio Valley's Colton Nangle (1:28) and teammate Casey Vollmer (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) (1:00) ... moved into the finals with a 6-4 decision against Super Region I's sixth-ranked wrestler in Seton Hill's Rodney Sunday ... completed the championship run by pinning Lake Erie's Andrew Lieb in three minutes and 42 seconds.
  • 174 - Matthews was forced to use the long route to his title, winning five matches after being involved in one of three first-round matches ... kicked off the day with an 11-2 major decision against Bellarmine's T.J. Edwards ... followed with consecutive decisions against Mercyhurst Zach Breeden (4-1), Seton Hill's Zach Mattucci (10-4) and Mercyhurst's Kevin Holman (6-4) ... secured the gold medal with a 14-4 major decision against teammate Jake Stratton (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley).

GANNON'S REMAINING PLACEWINNERS
  • 125 - Abraham Guarriello (Erie, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) (3-2) | Notes: Placed seventh ... pinned Mount Union's Trent Gill in 2:23 during the seventh-place match.
  • 149 - Giovanni Ciotti (Erie, Pa./General McLane) (3-2) | Notes: Finished seventh ... recorded a 17-0 technical fall against Brockport State's Jordan Kayes during the seventh-place bout.
  • 157 - Jared Sample (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) (4-2) | Notes: Placed seventh ... posted a 10-6 decision against Brockport State's Nathan Palmer during the seventh-place match.
  • 165 - Garret Smith (Erie, Pa./Seneca) (4-1) | Notes: Finished third ... advanced to the championship semifinals, before having to win two bouts in the wrestlebacks to capture third place.
  • 174 - Jake Stratton (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) (3-1) | Notes: Was runner-up ... advanced to the finals with a pair of major decisions and one regular decision, before falling to teammate Christopher Matthews (Kennerdell, Pa./Franklin) in the title bout.
  • 174 - Louis Crawford (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) (2-2) | Notes: Placed eighth ... submitted an injury default in the seventh-place match.
  • 184 - Nicholas Costa (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) (2-1) | Notes: Finished sixth ... advanced to the championship semifinals with a pair of decisions, before falling into the wrestlebacks ... placed sixth after back-to-back injury defaults.
  • 197 - Ethan Budd (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) (3-2) | Notes: Placed seventh ... after an opening setback, rattled off a pair of decisions in the wrestlebacks ... pinned Ohio Valley's Tyler Koreski in 4:48 during the seventh-place match.
  • Hwt. - Nick Budd (Port Allegany, Pa./Port Allegany) (3-1) | Notes: Finished runner-up ... advanced to the finals with a technical fall and pair of decisions.

REMAINING GANNON RESULTS
EVENT NOTES
  • Gannon placed at least 11 wrestlers for the second consecutive season after having 12 placewinners at last year's event.
  • The Golden Knights had two individual champions for the second time in last three Mount Union Invitationals.
  • Gannon had at least one wrestler entered in every weight class.
  • A total of 18 Golden Knights participated at the Mount Union Invitational.
  • Two of Gannon's regionally-ranked wrestlers didn't compete in redshirt senior John Marotto (Verona, Pa./Plum) (141) and redshirt junior Eric Lewandowski (Depew, N.Y./Lancaster Central) (157).

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns to action Saturday, November 19 at the Findlay Open.
  • No team scores will be kept due to the open format.
  • Gannon placed nine wrestlers at last year's event.
  • Costa won the 184-pound championship at last year's Findlay Open.
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Players Mentioned

Trevor Beiter

Trevor Beiter

Redshirt Junior
197
Nick Budd

Nick Budd

Redshirt Junior
Hwt.
Nick Costa

Nick Costa

Redshirt Sophomore
184
Louis Crawford

Louis Crawford

Junior
174/184
Eric Lewandowski

Eric Lewandowski

Redshirt Junior
157
Gunner Loughman

Gunner Loughman

Redshirt Junior
197/Hwt.
John Marotto

John Marotto

Redshirt Senior
141
Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews

Redshirt Junior
165/174
Teagan O

Teagan O'Sullivan

Sophomore
165/174
Jared Sample

Jared Sample

Junior
157

Players Mentioned

Trevor Beiter

Trevor Beiter

Redshirt Junior
197
Nick Budd

Nick Budd

Redshirt Junior
Hwt.
Nick Costa

Nick Costa

Redshirt Sophomore
184
Louis Crawford

Louis Crawford

Junior
174/184
Eric Lewandowski

Eric Lewandowski

Redshirt Junior
157
Gunner Loughman

Gunner Loughman

Redshirt Junior
197/Hwt.
John Marotto

John Marotto

Redshirt Senior
141
Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews

Redshirt Junior
165/174
Teagan O

Teagan O'Sullivan

Sophomore
165/174
Jared Sample

Jared Sample

Junior
157