
Impressive debut for Bishop at ESU Open
11/7/2021 6:39:00 PM | Wrestling
EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - The Millersville wrestling team saw its first intercollegiate action of the 2021-22 season Sunday at the ESU Open, and among the Marauder competitors was redshirt freshman Bishop McCoy, who took fourth place at 285 pounds.
Millersville, with a banged-up roster heading into the season, sent 13 wrestlers to the event and finished in 10th place out of 26 scoring teams.
MEET HIGHLIGHTS
• McCoy made his long-awaited Marauder debut after joining the the program in 2020-21 and receiving a redshirt during the canceled season. He won the first three matches of his career, scoring a pin at 5:41 over Ferrum's George Mitchell in round one. McCoy scored an 8-1 decision of Taylan Zafis of Sussex County and a 2-1 decision over Collin Burns of Binghamton. A 2-0 loss to Centenary's Kevin Mulligan bounced him into the consolation bracket, but McCoy retaliated with a 2-0 win over Long Island's Aeden Begue to advance to the third-place match. There, he was defeated by Navy's Ryan Katka, 7-5.
• Brandon Connor also went 4-2 on the day and made a run at placewinner status in the 165-pound bracket. Both of his losses came by just one point. Connor's day started when he pinned Centenary's Timothy Pawlicki in 50 seconds. A 6-5 loss to Drexel's Jack Janda sent Connor into the consolation bracket, and he advanced with a forfeit, an 11-2 major decision and a 21-6 technical fall over Navy's Luke Artz. Connor's run ended in the consolation semis with a 3-2 loss to Drexel's Cody Walsh.
• Also in the 165-pound class, Guy Deleonardis scored a pair of decisions in the consolation bracket to finish the day 2-2. He topped Navy's Andrew Javier 3-1 and Long Island's Tommy Lascala, 8-4. In the 141-pound class, Alex Bendenelli went 2-2, winning his first two matches by a 7-3 decision against Trent Kochersperger of Kutztown and a 12-3 major decision over Donovan Fisher. Jordan Espionsa, wrestling at 285 pounds, posted a 3-2 record on the day with a pair of decisions and a medical forfeit. Redshirt freshman Matt Morris tallied a 2-2 record at 133 pounds.
REACTION FROM COACH KERRY REGNER
• On the team's performance in the first competition of the season: "It was great to see the guys compete. The team has trained hard and deserves a day of competition like today. This tournament was a good precursor for kicking off the season. I was particularly impressed with McCoy and Connor, who both went 4-2 on the day."
UP NEXT
• Millersville competes in the Journeymen Fall Classic on Sunday, Nov. 14 at Spooky Nook in Manheim, Pa.
Millersville, with a banged-up roster heading into the season, sent 13 wrestlers to the event and finished in 10th place out of 26 scoring teams.
MEET HIGHLIGHTS
• McCoy made his long-awaited Marauder debut after joining the the program in 2020-21 and receiving a redshirt during the canceled season. He won the first three matches of his career, scoring a pin at 5:41 over Ferrum's George Mitchell in round one. McCoy scored an 8-1 decision of Taylan Zafis of Sussex County and a 2-1 decision over Collin Burns of Binghamton. A 2-0 loss to Centenary's Kevin Mulligan bounced him into the consolation bracket, but McCoy retaliated with a 2-0 win over Long Island's Aeden Begue to advance to the third-place match. There, he was defeated by Navy's Ryan Katka, 7-5.
• Brandon Connor also went 4-2 on the day and made a run at placewinner status in the 165-pound bracket. Both of his losses came by just one point. Connor's day started when he pinned Centenary's Timothy Pawlicki in 50 seconds. A 6-5 loss to Drexel's Jack Janda sent Connor into the consolation bracket, and he advanced with a forfeit, an 11-2 major decision and a 21-6 technical fall over Navy's Luke Artz. Connor's run ended in the consolation semis with a 3-2 loss to Drexel's Cody Walsh.
• Also in the 165-pound class, Guy Deleonardis scored a pair of decisions in the consolation bracket to finish the day 2-2. He topped Navy's Andrew Javier 3-1 and Long Island's Tommy Lascala, 8-4. In the 141-pound class, Alex Bendenelli went 2-2, winning his first two matches by a 7-3 decision against Trent Kochersperger of Kutztown and a 12-3 major decision over Donovan Fisher. Jordan Espionsa, wrestling at 285 pounds, posted a 3-2 record on the day with a pair of decisions and a medical forfeit. Redshirt freshman Matt Morris tallied a 2-2 record at 133 pounds.
REACTION FROM COACH KERRY REGNER
• On the team's performance in the first competition of the season: "It was great to see the guys compete. The team has trained hard and deserves a day of competition like today. This tournament was a good precursor for kicking off the season. I was particularly impressed with McCoy and Connor, who both went 4-2 on the day."
UP NEXT
• Millersville competes in the Journeymen Fall Classic on Sunday, Nov. 14 at Spooky Nook in Manheim, Pa.
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