Triton College Wrestling

Triton Places Two at Pat “Flash” Flanagan Open at Loras College Carter earns first two wins since 2012 Dubuque, IA--With only eight wrestlers traveling to Loras College on the weekend, the Triton College Trojans wrestling team placed two wrestlers among competition that spanned a who’s who of teams from Division I, Division III and NAIA. Sophomore Tom Angsten (Lane Tech/Chicago) placed fourth at 125 and freshman JImmy Pellegrino (Sandburg/Orland Park), wrestling up at 133 on the day, earned a fifth place finish in his bracket. “We’re fortunate that we have a lot of depth at the lower weights this season,” said Harry McGinnis, Triton head coach. “Because of this, we’re able to move some guys around and earn some wins without having our guys knocking each other off during the tournaments.” “Jimmy [Pellegrino] has been wrestling quite well in his last two tournaments,” McGinnis said. “He started the season off 1-2 and struggled with some early injuries and his weight. He’s regulated his weight, shored up most of his bumps and bruises and is looking to surprise some people.” “Tommy has been a consistent performer for us,” McGinnis said with a smile. “He’s a hard worker, in your face and doesn’t back down from anyone.” Angsten started his day slowly, losing to Purdue’s Luke Schroeder by tech fall, 18-2. “I came out really flat,” Angsten said. “I scored a takedown on [schroeder] to start the match, but then he escaped, took me down and threw in the legs. I felt tired and I just couldn’t stop his attacks from the top. That’s as bad as I have wrestled in a very long time.” Angsten bounced back in the consolation bracket with a 45 second pin against his opponent from University of Dubuque and then another fall at 1:46 against his opponent from University of Northern Iowa. In the consolation finals, Angsten would again see Schroeder, but the tone of the match would be much different. Staying away from Schroeder’s leg attack on top, Angsten, Angsten and Schroeder traded a pair of takedowns in the first two periods with Angsten trailing 6-4 going into the third period. Angsten chose top and rode Schroeder out for the entire third, earning the riding time point, but narrowly missing on two near fall opportunities to again fall, this time 6-5. “I made a few mistakes on my feet and that was the difference,” Angsten said. “My coaches and I came up with a game plan to keep it on our feet and neutralize [schroeder’s] top game. Unfortunately, I relaxed a bit and he scored twice at the very end of both the first and second periods and even with the riding time point, not being able to turn him from top is what helped cost me this match. I’ll be back at work on this tomorrow morning and be ready for what is to come the rest of this season.” Jamal Carter (sophomore/Uplift/Chicago), a 2012 National Qualifier for the now defunct Wright College program, earned two wins at 174 on the weekend and fell just short of placing. These were his first wins since 2012. “I feel good,” Carter stated. “I’m a little heavy right now and I am working my way down to weight, but I’m highly motivated to keep improving with the help of my coaches and teammates to become an All-American this season.” Freshman Ryan Fulton (Taft/Chicago) at 149 picked up another win on the day, but failed to place. Pedro Martinez (freshman/Clemente/Chicago) at 149, Patrick Jackson (sophomore/Walther Lutheran/Bellwood) at 174, Chad Kirkhove (sophomore/Milan, IL/Sherrard) at 184 and Darvell Burgess (freshman/Hope Academy/Chicago) at heavyweight all competed this weekend for the Trojans, as well. When discussing traveling with only eight wrestlers, McGinnis was very direct about his team. “This had nothing to do with injuries,” McGinnis stated. “We are dealing with serious commitment issues with some of our starters right now. Unfortunately, we have a few young men who think that they are bigger than this team and that they are going to dictate how the coaches coach. Well, they’re wrong. The integrity of this team will not be compromised, regardless of how talented some of these young men are or feel they might be. Hard work and dedication within this program are non-negotiable.” This coming weekend, the Triton Trojans wrestling team travels to Lincoln College to take on Lincoln and Muskegon Community College (Michigan) in dual meets. These meets will help to assist in determining seeding criteria for the Central District national qualifying tournament on Sunday, February 16 at Triton College. Triton College is a two year community college in near west suburban Chicago, Illinois. With 83 All-Americans, 15 National Champions, two Olympians, Four Team National Championships and 21 Top 10 Team finishes to date, we are seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/ and fill out our online recruitment form by clicking here. You may also find us through various social media outlets such as facebook and twitter. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Trojans Put Two in Finals, Eight on Medal Stand at 24th Annual Kraft Tournament Turner and Marino make finals River Grove, IL--The Triton College Trojans wrestling team placed eight wrestlers, including two finalists, at this past Saturday’s 24th Annual Art Kraft Memorial Tournament held at Triton. “We call this tournament our pre-national qualifier,” said Harry McGinnis, Triton head coach. “This tournament allows us to gauge where we are individually and as a team. The four other teams in our region are here and just about every one each of our teams projects as starters competed today. Fortunately, this is done mid-season, so we have time to improve upon the areas where we are lacking success right now in order to peak for nationals.” Robert Turner (freshman/Sierra Linda/Phoenix, AZ) at 133 and John Marino (sophomore/York/Elmhurst) at 165 both made the finals at their respective weight classes. “Robert and John are consistently winning and placing for us this season,” said McGinnis. “They work hard in the classroom, the wrestling room, the weight room and both of them are working outside of practice every day to be better. Their results continue to speak volumes for them and they are earnest about achieving their personal goals.” Turner earned his second tournament finals appearance of the season and third time on the medal stand since the season began in November. “I want to be good, so I work hard,” Turner stated. “I trust my coaches explicitly and together we’ve made [these three place finishes] happen. However, I do have a lot of work to do not only to begin winning these tournaments, but to also qualify for nationals and become an All-American this season.” Jim Pellegrino (freshman/Sandburg/Orland Park) placed fifth at 125; Jameel Carter (sophomore/Uplift/Chicago) placed third at 133; Troy Valdez (sophomore/York/Elmhurst) placed sixth at 141 while wrestling unattached; Ryan Fulton (freshman/Taft/Chicago) placed fifth at 149; Pedro Martinez (freshman/Clemente/Chicago) placed fourth at 157 while wrestling unattached; and Patrick Jackson (sophomore/Walther Lutheran/Bellwood) placed sixth at 165 for the Trojans. Pellegrino, wrestling in his first tournament since November 2, went 5-2 on the day. “That’s a big boost for Jimmy,” McGinnis stated. “He’s been injured since our first tournament and had a less than spectacular start to his college career. We’re hoping this lights a fire under his rear end as we head into the second half of our season.” Also earning wins on the day, but narrowly missing placing, were Tom Angsten (sophomore/Lane Tech/Chicago) at 125; Demond Dubose (sophomore/Bremen/Midlothian) at 133; Stan Whiting (freshman/Joliet Central/Joliet) at 141; Joe Perez (freshman/Ridgewood/Harwood Heights) at 157; Jamal Carter (sophomore/Uplift/Chicago) at 165 and Chad Kirkhove (sophomore/Sherrard/Milan) at 184. AJ Pascente (freshman/Lisle) at 125; Angel Ocasio (freshman/Morton/Cicero) at 133; Joe Coyle (freshman/Oak Forest) at 157; Larry Juliano (freshman/St. Patrick/Chicago) at 165, Pat Halpin (freshman/Sandburg/Orland Park) at 197; Richard Runyon (freshman/Elmwood Park) at 197; and Darvell Burgess (freshman/Hope Academy/Chicago) also competed. The Trojans are off from competition, but will be practicing, through the new year when they travel to Oskaloosa, Iowa for the William Penn Tournament on January 4, 2014. In the meantime, the 51st Annual Ken Kraft Midlands Tournament will feature one Triton College wrestler who has yet to be named. Triton College is a two year community college in near west suburban Chicago, Illinois. With 82 All-Americans, 15 National Champions, two Olympians, Four Team National Championships and 21 Top 10 Team finishes to date, we are seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/ and fill out our online recruitment form by clicking here. You may also find us through various social media outlets such as facebook and twitter. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton Trojans Place One in Deep Field at UW-Parkside Jerry Harris earns first two collegiate wins to place fifth Kenosha, WI--The Triton Trojans brought 11 members of their team to UW-Parkside this past weekend, coming back with one place winner, but many hard fought wins under their belts. The Trojans entered the home of the Parkside Rangers Saturday morning preparing for battle. “We sure had our work cut out for us today,” said Head Coach Harry McGinnis with a laugh. “For more than 40 years this tournament has regularly been very difficult, regardless of what team you represent. Yet, when you add nearly all of the redshirts from programs such as Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue on top of the likes of starters and alumni from UW-Parkside, Elmhurst, UW-Whitewater and other outstanding programs, this tournament requires you to be at your absolute peak in every match or you won’t come close to the medal stand here,” McGinnis continued. Out of 60 total place winners at the tournament, 31 were from Division I programs and 12 were from Division II, including a former DII national champion. NJCAA programs accounted for three wrestlers making the medal stand on the day. Jerry Harris (sophomore/Proviso West/Bellwood), competing unattached at 197 pounds, not only earned his first two collegiate victories, but placed fifth at 197. “Jerry is a testament to what hard work, perseverance and buying in to what we’re doing here [at Triton] can do for any student-wrestler,” McGinnis quipped. “His freshman season was a very rough transition for him from the sport as it is known in high school. However, once Jerry began to listen and put into practice the things we were teaching him, he comes out and places fifth at one of the toughest tournaments on our schedule, let alone the first one he’s wrestled in since last season.” Also earning wins on the day were A.J. Pascente (freshman/Lisle) at 125, Ryan Fulton (freshman/Taft/Chicago) at 149, Darius Henry (freshman/Oak Park & River Forest/Oak Park) at 149 and Joe Perez (freshman/Ridgewood/Harwood Heights) at 157. Competing unattached and earning wins were Demond Dubose (freshman/Bremen/Midlothian) at 133 and Marcel Dubose (sophomore/Oak Park/Oak Park, MI) at heavyweight. Marcel Dubose injury defaulted from the tournament in following his second match. Tom Angsten (sophomore/Lane Tech/Chicago), Jameel Carter (sophomore/Uplift/Chicago), Robert Turner (freshman/Sierra Linda/Phoenix, AZ), Stan Whiting (freshman/Joliet Central/Joliet), Joe Coyle (freshman/Oak Forest), Larry Juliano (freshman/St. Patrick/Chicago) and Darvell Burgess (freshman/Hope Academy/Chicago) all competed on the day. Pedro Martinez (freshman/Clemente/Chicago) wrestled unattached at 157 pounds, too, going 0-2 in his first collegiate competition. This weekend the Triton Trojans wrestling team place host to the 24th Annual Art Kraft Memorial Open in the gym of the Collins Center this Saturday, December 14. Skin checks and weigh-ins will take place at 7:00 a.m. and wrestling will begin at 9:00 a.m. sharp. Adults are $3, students are $1 and children under the age of 18 are $1. Triton College is a two year community college in near west suburban Chicago, Illinois. With 82 All-Americans, 15 National Champions, two Olympians, Four Team National Championships and 21 Top 10 Team finishes to date, we are seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/ and fill out our online recruitment form by clicking here. You may also find us through various social media outlets such as facebook and twitter. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton Places Three at Ben McMullen Open; Five Make Semis Marino goes 5-1 on the day while Turner goes 4-2 Muskegon, MI--The Triton College Trojans wrestling team advanced five wrestlers to the semifinals of the Ben McMullen Open this past weekend at Muskegon Community College in Michigan. Of the five, the Trojans placed three in the top four at each weight. Traveling with slightly more than a full line-up, the Triton College Trojans wrestling team had another good showing to start the season as 11 of their 16 wrestlers progressing in their brackets by virtue of earning wins on the day. “This ended up being a good tournament for us,” said Triton Head Coach Harry McGinnis. “Last year, we had zero place winners [at the Ben McMullen Open] and not one of our guys made it past the quarterfinals. This year, we have five in the semis of both the championship and wrestle back brackets. It’s a testament to the type of guys we’ve recruited, as well as the work they’re putting in to making their dreams of becoming National Champions and All-Americans a reality.” At 125 pounds, Tom Angsten (Sophomore/Lane Tech/Chicago) made his way to the finals only to lose a narrow 7-6 decision in the finals. “Tommy is a consistent grinder,” McGinnis said. “He attacks and attacks and attacks and forces a lot of bad decisions by his opponents. Though he didn’t come out on top this time, we’re expecting big things from him this season. His work ethic is second to none on this team.” At 133 pounds, freshman Robert Turner (Sierra Linda/Phoenix, AZ) earned his second place finish in as many weeks after placing fourth at his weight. Turner dropped his opening bout to the eventual champion at his weight, but rattled off three straight wins in the consolation bracket before falling in the consolation finals to his opponent from Niagara College and earning a fourth place finish. “I’m better than this finish,” Turner said. “When I come back home, I’ll be reviewing tape to make sure that I am not making the same mistakes again.” Placing is nice, but my ultimate goal is to minimize my mistakes and become a National Champion this season.” Johnny Marino (Sophomore/York/Elmhurst), a returning national qualifier from 2013, placed third at 165 on the day. Winning his first match on the day 9-0, Marino lost a close decision to the bracket’s eventual runner-up. Marino then went on a 4-0 run to earn third place on the day, including to falls and a win over former NJCAA All-American, Eric Telford. “[Third place is] not what I wanted, but it’s a nice start to my season,” Marino stated. I missed [the Yellowjacket Open] last weekend due to some poor decision making on my part, so I needed to prove to my coaches, my teammates and myself that this won’t happen again. I feel okay in saying I made good on most of that promise, but not all of it.” Chad Kirkhove (Sophomore/Sherrard) at 174 and Patrick Jackson (Sophomore/Bellwood/Walther Lutheran) at 165 made their way to the semifinals of their respective consolation bracket before bowing out of the tournament. Also picking up wins on the day were AJ Pascente (Freshman/Lisle) at 125, Stan Whiting (Freshman/Joliet Central/Joliet) at 141, Darius Henry (Freshman/Oak Park/Oak Park & River Forest) and Ryan Fulton (Freshman/Taft/Chicago) at 149, Jonathan Figueroa (Freshman/Taft/Chicago) and Larry Juliano (Freshman/St. Patrick/Chicago) at 165. Justice Parker (Freshman/Bradley Tech/Milwaukee, WI) at 125, Angel Ocascio (Freshman/Morton/Cicero) at 133, Joe Coyle (Freshman/Oak Forest) at 165, Richard Runyon (Freshman/Elmwood Park) at 197 and Darvell Burgess (Freshman/Hope Academy/Chicago) also competed on the day. The Triton Trojans wrestlers have this coming weekend off and will resume their schedule Saturday morning, November 23 when they head to Mequon, Wisconsin and take part in the Concordia Open at Concordia University Wisconsin. Triton College is a two year community college in near west suburban Chicago, Illinois. With 82 All-Americans, 15 National Champions, Two Olympians, Four Team National Championships and 21 Top 10 Team finishes to date, we are seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/ and fill out our online recruitment form by clicking here. You may also find us through various social media outlets such as facebook and twitter. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton Trojans Place Six at Yellowjacket Open to Start 2013-14 Season Team begins pre-season ranked ninth in NJCAA Rochester, MN - The Triton College Trojan Wrestling team opened the 2013-14 season by placing six wrestlers at the Yellowjacket Open, hosted by the Rochester Community and Technical College. Robert Turner (Freshman/Sierra Linda HS/Phoenix, AZ) finished as the runner-up at 133. Darius Henry (Freshman/Oak Park & River Forest HS) at 157 and Joe Urso (Freshman/St. Patrick HS/Melrose Park) at heavyweight both placed fourth. Placing sixth were Justice Parker (Freshman/Bradley Tech HS/Milwaukee, WI) at 125, Jameel Carter (Sophomore/Uplift HS/Chicago) at 133 and Richard Runyon (Freshman/Elmwood Park HS) at 197. Earning wins on the day, but narrowly missing the medal stand were Tom Angsten (Sophomore/Lane Tech HS/Chicago) at 125, Jimmy Pellegrino (Freshman/Sandburg HS/Orland Park) at 125, Ryan Fulton (Freshman/Taft HS/Chicago) at 149, Torance LaCour (Sophomore/Williamstown HS/Williamstown, NJ) at 157 and Darvell Burgess (Freshman/Hope Academy/Chicago) at 285. Also competing on the day were AJ Pacente (Freshman/Lisle HS) at 125, Angel Ocasio (Freshman/Morton HS/Cicero) at 133, Stan Whiting (Freshman/Joliet Central HS) at 141, Joe Perez (Freshman/Ridgewood HS/Harwood Heights) at 157, Larry Juliano (Freshman/St. Patrick HS/Chicago) at 165, Patrick Jackson (Sophomore/Walther Lutheran HS/Bellwood) at 165, Joe Coyle (Freshman/Oak Forest HS) at 165 and Chad Kirkhove (Sophomore/Sherrard HS) at 184. “All in all it was a good day for us,” said Harry McGinnis, Triton College head coach. “The tournament is significantly tougher this year with the addition of St. Cloud State and their 16 guys, but our wrestlers stepped up and showed a lot of heart today. “That said,” McGinnis continued, “the first tournament of the year is always an eye opener for the freshmen. It shows all of our guys that we have a whole lot of work to do in order to win a team national championship come season’s end.” Next weekend the Trojans will travel to Muskegon, Michigan to take on the Muskegon Community College Jayhawks in dual on Friday night before competing in the Ben McMullen Open Saturday morning. Pre-Season Expectations The Triton Trojans began the 2013-14 season as the ninth ranked team in National Junior College Athletic Association wrestling rankings. Four Trojan wrestlers found their way into the individual ranks, as well. They are Jameel Carter at 133, John Marino (Sophomore/York HS/Elmhurst) at 165, Chad Kirkhove at 174 and Mike DeLeon (Sophomore/Fenton HS/Bensenville) at 285. “Pre-season rankings don’t mean a whole lot to us,” McGinnis stated. “While it’s a nice recognition of what your guys have done in the past, we compete in the here and now. It’s a very long season that is loaded with numerous bench marks for progress against increasingly tougher competition each week. Our goals lay in a team title and to have 10 national champions/All-Americans come March 1, 2014. Subjective rankings will never change that.” Triton College wrestling is seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TritonCollegeWrestling and twitter: https://twitter.com/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Marino Finishes in Third at 31st Annual Al Hanke Invite Freshman goes 5-1 on the day to claim bronze River Grove, Illinois - Freshman John Marino (Elmhurst, Illinois/York) shook off an early loss, earning four straight wins to finish in third place at the 31st Annual Al Hanke Invite at Elmhurst College this past Saturday. This is Marino’s first tournament placement of the season. “John [Marino] wrestled great today,” said Triton head coach Harry McGinnis. “For a kid who has spent almost all of his season on the sidelines, he raised some eyebrows with his fortitude in wrestling deep through the backside of the bracket to finish third.” Marino, who carried a 1-2 record for the season into the tournament, came in unseeded. With a combination of takedowns, back points and more than three minutes of riding time, Marino opened the tournament with 14-0 major decision drubbing of Alma College’s Connor Edwards in the first round. Moving into the quarterfinals, Marino would face eventual tournament champion, Yousef Al-Ghoul from Elmhurst College. Al-Ghoul would use a flurry of takedowns and near fall points to score an 11-1 major decision against Marino. “I was a bit upset after my loss,” Marino stated. “I felt as though I was prepared for that match.” Given that he was the champion, I know I need listen to my coaches, focus more than I have at any point this season and really work on making big improvements before the national qualifier.” Falling to the consolation bracket, Marino would shine by rattling off four consecutive wins on his way to third place. Marino’s first opponent was Harper College’s Mike Lurz. With three takedowns and an ample amount of riding time, Marino would secure an 8-2 win to move on. In the consolation quarterfinals, Marino would face the third seed in University of Chicago’s Sam Hopkins. Hopkins was fresh off a win over Marino’s Triton teammate Torrance LaCour in his previous match. “Watching his match with Torance and then going through a match plan with my coaches, I kept the pressure on [my opponent] the entire match, which I believe made all the difference,” Marino said. Marino again used multiple takedowns and riding time to cruise to a 9-3 decision over Hopkins. A turn of events led to Marino not having to wrestle a consolation semifinal bout, as his opponent, fourth seed Mike Ryan of Elmhurst, injury defaulted from the tournament. Wrestling for third place, Marino would face conference foe Alex Contini of Waubonsee. Contini was coming off a hot streak, recording three consecutive pins in just more than 4:30 total time. “This match was important for me,” Marino related. “If I win, I earn a medal. More importantly, this match went to seeding criteria for the national qualifying tournament in a few weeks. This is a guy I am going to have to beat again if I want to make it to nationals and become an All-American.” Marino used a takedown, near fall and riding time to pull out the victory 6-3 in the third pace finals. “[Winning the third place match] felt good,” Marino said. “I could tell that he was tired and I could see that, as a result, he was falling out of position come the third period. I knew if I kept the pressure on him as I did in my previous matches that I would come through with the win.” Other Trojans earning wins on the day were freshman Denzel King (Elmhurst, Illinois/York), who finished 2-2 at 125 pounds and sophomore Travis Fuller (Millington, Illinois/Sandwich), who finished 1-2. The following Trojans competed on the day, but were not able to secure wins: freshman Lametrios Simmons (Bellwood, Illinois/Proviso West) at 125 pounds; freshman Torrance LaCour (Williamstown, New Jersey/Williamstown) at 165; freshman Chad Kirkhove (Sherrard, Illinois/Sherrard) at 174 pounds; sophomore Michael Murray (Chicago, Illinois/Lane Tech) at 184; freshman Jerry Harris (Broadview, Illinois/Proviso West) at 184 pounds; freshman Leonardo Bernal (Elmwood Park, Illinois/Elmwood Park) at 197 pounds and sophomore Jason Dalessandro (Chicago, Illinois/Fenwick). “We saw some improvements this weekend by some of our guys and it was a learning experience for many of the others,” McGinnis said. “We’re never finished improving and we have a long way to go if our guys intend on making the medal stand [at the National Tournament] in DesMoines [iowa] next month.” This coming Saturday, the Trojans will head to Harper College in Palatine, Illinois to take part in the NJCAA D-III (non-scholarship schools) national championship. 18 of the 42 NJCAA wrestling programs are considered division three. Wrestling begins at 9:00 a.m. and the top three teams and top six place winners at each weight will receive awards. Triton College wrestling is seeking hard working, disciplined, coachable student-wrestlers from across the country to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the nation at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TritonCollegeWrestling and twitter: https://twitter.com/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Three Trojans Place at Pat “Flash” Flanagan Open King, Liotta and Bernal Earn Medals in Dubuque River Grove, Illinois - In what could have been deemed a Division I “Stars of Tomorrow” tournament this past weekend, three Triton College Trojans earned three place winner spots at Loras College’s Pat “Flash” Flanagan Open in Dubuque, Iowa. Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, Northern Illinois, Iowa State and Northern Iowa all sent participants to the Flanagan, where 18 of the 20 finalists came from these schools. With names such as Thielke, Richards, Reyes, Jordan and Kingsley, among many others, the tournament, though smaller this year due to National Duals being held the same weekend, provided no less punch than it ever had before. “We were a bit surprised by the number of DI schools here today,” said Triton head coach Harry McGinnis. “But our guys did well enough to pull out a number of wins against their guys and make it to the medal stand.” “As a staff, we’re constantly telling our guys to wrestle the man in front of you, not his resume or his reputation. All of these guys can be beat and it’s our job to do just that.” Freshman Denzel King (Elmhurst, Illinois/York) opened his tournament with a first round bye, but then fed into Mark Jolclover of Northern Iowa. King would use two takedowns and an escape to score a 5-2 victory over the Panther wrestler. “I knew [Jolclover] from club wrestling in Illinois,” Kind stated. “When I saw that I would have to wrestle him first round, I was excited. He was strong, but I kept moving like my coaches said to do and I was able to counter his constant pressure for the win. It feels good.” King would then move into the semifinals against Nick Harrison of Northern Illinois University. However, things didn’t work out the same as his first match and Harrison scored a fall against King at 1:29. Moving into the consolation semi-finals, King met a very familiar foe in Brandon Walz from Waubonsee Valley. King already owned two wins, 7-6 and 4-3, against Walz this season, and this timer would be no different. King opened the match with takedown, only to give up a reversal later in the first, notching the score at 2-2. King would earn an escape seconds later to end the first period at 3-2. King then earned one more escape to start the second period and then rode our Walz in the third to pick up riding time and the 5-2 win. In his consolation finals match, King fell to Minnesota buzz saw Jordan Bremer by fall at 2:00. “I didn’t come here for fourth place, no matter what teams and who showed up,” said King. “My conditioning isn’t where it needs to be and either is my footwork. My goal is to be a National Champion and this really puts into perspective for me where I am and that I have so much more work to do for that goal to become a reality.” Triton 133 Nikko Liotta (Chicago, Illinois/Mather), a freshman who recently became eligible, finished in sixth place on the day. Liotta started his morning with a 9-1 loss to eventual tournament champion Zane Richards of Illinois. Liotta would then rattle off three wins in the consolation bracket. His first was a 16-5 major of Conner Carstens of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. He followed that up with a takedown with three seconds on the clock to earn a 6-4 decision against Raymond McQueen of Waldorf College. Liotta then used a series of takedowns to score an 8-3 decision against Luke Schroeder of Purdue. Reaching the consolation semis after his first round loss, Liotta fell victim to a 10-2 major decisions against Purdue’s Kyle Ayersman. Wrestling for fifth place, Liotta took a 2-1 score late into the third period. With 20 seconds left in the match, his opponent, Louis Mazzetta of Luther College, would come out on top of their wild scramble to earn the 3-2 victory. “I stopped wrestling,”Liotta said. “It’s that simple. I need to tighten things up a lot. My set ups need improving. My finishes need improving. My bottom work needs improving. My conditioning needs improving. I shouldn’t have been majored twice today like that, no matter who those guys were. I came to Triton because my coaches here can develop me into a National Champion. What happened today is not how a National Champion competes and I take responsibility for all of it.” Freshman Leo Bernal (Elmwood Park, Illinois/Elmwood Park) also placed sixth at 197 pounds. Bernal is expected to be down 184 this coming weekend at Elmhurst College for the Annual Al Hanke Tournament. Freshman Chad Kirkhove (Sherrard, Illinois/Sherrard) also earned a win on the day at 174, but ultimately fell short of becoming a place winner. Also competing on the day were sophomores Travis Fuller (Sandwich, Illinois/Sandwich) at 149, Don McGregor (Brookfield, Illinois/Riverside-Brookfield) at 157, Michael Murray (Chicago, Illinois/Lane Tech) at 174, heavyweights Scott Ammons (Roann, Indiana/Northfield), Jason Dalessandro (Chicago, Illinois/Fenwick) and Mike DeLeon (Wood Dale, Illinois/Fenton), as well as freshmen Patrick Jackson (Bellwood, Illinois/Walther Lutheran) at 165, Jerry Harris (Bellwood, Illinois/Proviso West) at 174. “This may have been the most difficult tournament we’ve been in to date,” McGinnis said. “Some of our guys showed that they have the ability to compete at a high level. Others went out there and were scared by the name on the other guys’ singlets. Right now, our guys are really inconsistent. We have four weeks to go before the national qualifier [tournament] and there is just so much to work on. If our guys can buckle down, maintain focus and come into that tournament with a renewed sense of purpose, I expect a lot of really good things to happen for us then and two weeks later at Nationals.” Triton College will travel to Elmhurst College this coming weekend to compete in the Annual Al Hanke Invitational. Triton College wrestling is seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TritonCollegeWrestling and twitter: https://twitter.com/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Two Trojans Earn Titles at 23rd Annual Art Kraft Memorial Open Largest Tournament Turn Out to Date River Grove, Illinois--This past Saturday, December 8, 2012, nearly 150 wrestlers from 14 different teams descended upon the 23rd Annual Art Kraft Memorial Open, making it the largest the tournament has ever been. ?The growth of this tournament is encouraging,? said Triton head coach Harry McGinnis. ?For a tournament that caters to student-wrestlers under the age of 20 years old, this kind of turn out is something we?ve long hoped for and we hope to grow upon in the coming years.? The host Triton College Trojan wrestlers also crowned two champions on the day. Denzel King (Elmhurst, Ill./York) earned the championship at 125 pounds. He was quickly followed by Nikko Liotta (Chicago, Ill./Mather) who was wrestling unattached for the Trojans at 133 pounds. ?Seeing Denzel and Nikko win the tournament while beating very tough opponents is motivating not only to them, but to the rest of the team,? McGinnis stated. ?They battle one another in the room and when they?re healthy, they are very, very tough kids to beat and they proved that today.? After the top two seeds missed weight and were bumped up, the 125 pounds bracket was redrawn, resulting in a blind draw. King opened his tournament with a pin at 1:01 over Mercyhurst?s Corey Billingham. He followed up his initial win with an 11-6 victory over Grand Valley State?s Joe Stolp in the quarterfinals. Moving into the semifinals, King would face freshman Eric English of Elmhurst College. English held a 4-3 advantage into the waning seconds of the third period when King used and underhook to an ankle pick to score the deciding takedown of the match with one second left, propelling him into the finals. In the finals, King faced conference foe Brent Walz of Waubonsee for the second week in a row. At the Wisconsin Open, King squeaked past Walz with a 7-6 victory. This weekend wouldn?t be much different. Though a lower scoring affair, the two traded takedowns and escapes. King was able to fend off a late takedown effort by Walls and earn a 4-3 victory on riding time after King rode out Walls for the entire second period. ?It?s my first collegiate tournament win, but it?s stepping stone,? said King. ? I?ve been inconsistent coming into this tournament and even today, so I have a lot to work on between now and the national qualifier [tournament]. My goal is to become a national champion this season and I intend on making that a reality.? At 133 pounds, unattached freshman Nikko Liotta opened his tournament with a 15-0 technical fall over 2012 national qualifier Jameel Carter, who transferred from Wright College to Rend Lake this season. Moving into the quarterfinals, Liotta would receive his second win of the day via injury default. In the semifinals, Liotta met with 2012 national qualifier Zack Hummel of Harper. Hummel struck first with an outside single to a well defended high leg finish. Liotta would earn a quick escape to bring the score to 2-1. From there, Liotta would score two takedowns and an escape of his own to notch the victory. In the finals, Liotta scored a 10-0 major decision, including more than 4:30 of riding time, to defeat Jacob Jones of Harper College. ?It?s nice to win, but my coaches and I talked about how I missed a lot of opportunities at easy points through out the tournament, so I?ll be working hard on those come Monday,? Liotta said. ?Am I happy with [winning] the title? Sure,? Liotta said. ?Where I need to be nine weeks from now [for the national qualifying tournament] is going to take a lot of really hard work. I came to Triton to become a national champion. It?s not going to happen overnight and I am ready to do whatever it takes to meet the goals that I have set for myself.? Sophomore Travis Fuller (Millington, Ill./Sandwich), a National Qualifier last season at 141 pounds, finished sixth on the day in the 149 pounds bracket. Wrestling unattached, Triton alum Jeremy Walters, a 2012 national qualifier at 157 pounds, also came home with a sixth place finish up at 174 pounds. Other Triton wrestlers who picked up victories but missed the medal stand were freshmen Manny Vaquez (Elmhurst, Ill./York), 1-2 at 141; Esteban Gonzalez (Cicero, Ill./Morton), 1-2 at 149; John Marino (Elmhurst, Ill./York), 1-2 at 165; Torrance LaCour (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown), 1-2 at 165; Patrick Jackson (Bellwood, Ill./Walther Lutheran), 2-2 at 174; Chad Kirkhove (Milan, Ill./Sherrard), 1-2 at 184; Tramon Thomas (Melrose Park, Ill./Leyden), 1-2 at heavyweight; and Marq Brumant (Oak Park, Ill./OPRF), 2-2 at heavyweight. Sophomores Don McGregor (Brookfield, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield), 2-2 at 157; Michael Murray (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech), 1-2 at 174; Scott Ammons (Northfield, Ind./Northfield), 1-2 at heavyweight; Jason Dallesandro (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick), 1-2 at heavyweight; and Mike DeLeon (Wood Dale, Ill./Fenton); 3-2 at heavyweight. Also competing for the Trojans were Lamertrios Simmons (Bellwood, Ill./Proviso West), Demond Dubose (Midlothian, Ill./Bremen), Jerry Harris (Bellwood, Ill./Proviso West) and Matthew Parker (Oak Park, Ill./St. Joseph). The Trojans will celebrate the holiday season with three weeks off of competition. Their next tournament will take place January 5, 2013 in Oskaloosa, Iowa at the William Penn Open. Triton College is seeking hard working, disciplined student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TritonCollegeWrestling and twitter: https://twitter.com/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton?s Torres Earns All-American Honors With Fourth Place Finish at Nationals Team places 21st; All six wrestlers earn at least one win River Grove, IL--Sophomore Jose Torres (Cicero-Morton) wrestled his way to All-American status this past weekend when he finished fourth in the 125 pounds bracket at the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) National Championships in Rochester, Minnesota. Torres opened his tournament run with a 12-3 major decision against Jesse O?Camb of Yakima Valley. Progressing to the second round, via an escape and a technical violation against his opponent, Torres would up end Ridgewater College?s Lonny Booshu, 2-1. In the championship quarterfinals, Torres used a dizzying mix of takedowns and back points to defeat fifth ranked Kamron Day of Northwest College, 10-6 to secure All-American status. ?I felt absolutely great in those first three matches,? Torres said. ?I felt confident in all of them, even the one against Booshu. Most of that was just feeling out the other guy?s style, but I was able to capitalize on his mistake and came away with the win. Against Day, I felt like I couldn?t lose going into the match. My takedowns were working and I was able to put him on his back to increase the lead to make it out of his reach. I am beyond excited right now.? In the semifinals, Torres would face 2011 NJCAA All-American Steve Romero. In a tightly contested bout that would see only one takedown scored, Torres ended up on the losing end, 4-1. Dropping to the consolation semifinals, the Triton team co-captain would record a 7-2 win against Garrett Jones of Labette to make his way to the consolation finals for third place. Much like his championship semifinals, Torres would drop a close 5-2 decision against two-time NJCAA All-American Jacob Colon to finish in fourth place. ?What can I say? Last year I didn?t win a single match at the District Tournament to qualify for Nationals and this year I end up with 40 wins and earned All-American status,? Torres said through a smile. ?I wanted to be a National Champion, but I am not at all unhappy with how this ended.? Triton Head Coach Harry McGinnis was as happy as his wrestler. ?Jose is an exceptional kid,? McGinnis said. ?He works hard in the classroom, hard in the workout room and he?s a great person to boot. I?m sad that he?ll be leaving us after this season, but I am thrilled of the opportunities he created for himself through endless amounts of hard work and dedication to becoming an All-American. I?m just proud of him.? Triton also qualified six other athletes to the tournament this past weekend. At 184 pounds, sophomore Christian Alcantara (Burbank-Reavis) had to drop out of the tournament due to a ruptured appendix he suffered the week prior to the national tournament, which required hospitalization. Triton?s 133 pounds representative, sophomore Devante McCloud (Country Club Hills-Rich Central), would go 1-2 at the tournament, recording a 7-1 decision against Blaine Smith of Iowa Lake along the way. Freshman Travis Fuller (Millington-Sandwich) would earn a 7-5 win against Devin Kammer of Niagara CC before bowing out of his first national tournament. Jose Mariscal (Cicero-Morton), a talented freshman at 149 pounds, used his unorthodox style to pull out a 16-14 decision against Terry Harris of Darton through a flurry of takedowns, back points and reversals for both men. Sophomore Jeremy Walters (Crete Monee) had a very bright spot in the tournament when he pinned returning NJCAA All-American Eric Telford of Muskegon CC in the wrestle backs at 157 pounds. ?Coach McGinnis drew up a game plan for me before the match,? said Walters. ?We were going to stay on our feet the whole match and I knew I could beat him there.? Up 6-2 via three takedowns going into the third period, Telford chose top and immediately threw in the legs. ?On top is where he always scored his points,? Walters said. ?We knew he would throw legs the moment he had a chance and this time we were ready.? With Telford on top, Walters went to a tripod stand up, shook his opponent off his back, scored a reversal and then the fall. Prior to that match, Walters was 0-4 lifetime against Telford. At 165 pounds, Triton co-captain Lenny Kuspa was unable to reach the medal stand in his last effort in the NJCAA tournament. Though he scored a major decision in the consolation first round, Kuspa would fall to his for from nearby Harper College, 7-2. ?I?m disappointed in how my tournament ended today,? Kuspa stated. ?I?d beaten [Finkenbinder of Harper] twice early on this season, but he was able to get the best of me a few weeks back and again today to knock me out of the tournament. [The loss] stings.? As a team, with all of their athletes earning a win, Triton College finished 21st overall with 20.5 points and fifth among non-scholarship colleges. ?I?m very proud of all of our guys today,? said McGinnis. ?Everyone won a match and added to the team?s total. Of course we were hoping for a few more All-Americans, but that wasn?t to be and that?s okay.? McGinnis went on to talk about next year?s team and the great things he sees from them already. ?We?ll be anchored by two returning national qualifiers in [Mariscal] and [Fuller]. Add to that our coaching staff has been recruiting kids from all across the country for next season and we?re receiving great interest from a lot of Illinois state place winners and others from Arizona, New Jersey and a few other states. The 2012-13 season is going to be an exciting one for Triton College wrestling.? Triton College Wrestling is seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trito...80827418666095 and twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

What a Difference a Year Makes Triton Qualifies 7 for NJCAA National Tournament Trojans Places Fourth as a Team; All 10 Wrestlers Place in Top 5 River Grove--With the National Junior College Athletic Association Central Division Wrestling Tournament now over, the Triton Trojans found themselves in a very different --and better--place than this time last year. At the 2011 Central Division tournament, the Trojans went without a single win and didn?t score a team point to finish tied for last place. It was the first time since 1991 and only the fourth time in team history that Triton College did not qualify a single wrestler for the National Tournament. In 2012, the Trojans qualified seven of 10 student-wrestlers for the NJCAA National Tournament in Rochester, Minn., to be held February 25 through 27. The seven qualifiers are the most for the Trojans since the team qualified eight wrestlers in 2001. Triton also scored 96 team points, up from the zero they scored in 2011. ?I?m incredibly proud of our guys today,? said Triton Head Coach Harry McGinnis. ?We?re in one of the top two national qualifying tournaments in the country with four perennial powerhouse programs, including three that offer scholarships. Today we showed that we remain among the best programs in the country and that last year?s results were a fluke.? At 125 pounds, top seeded and #10 nationally ranked Jose Torres (Cicero-Morton) received a bye first round, but was then matched up with 2011 National High School Coaches Association Senior National runner-up Antwon Davis of Rend Lake. Down 4-2 going into the second period, Torres shot in on a single leg and turned it into a Granby roll at the edge of the mat to earn the fall at 3:53. In the finals, the Triton co-captain faced a familiar opponent in Prentice Thomas of Lincoln College. As in times past, Torres came up short against Thomas, dropping a 9-2 decision to become the tournament runner-up. ?Prentice has often caused problems for me, but the match score continues to narrow each time we wrestle,? said Torres. ?I feel confident that if I continue to improve the score between the two of us, I?ll make the All-American stand this year.? Triton?s other top seed and #9 nationally ranked Lenny Kuspa (Oak Forest) had a more difficult path towards qualifying for the national tournament. After a first round bye, Kuspa faced Oshea Smith-Traylor in the semifinals. After exchanging a pair of takedowns and escapes, the score was tied 3-3 in the third period when Smith-Traylor hit a high crotch and ended up putting Kuspa on his back for the fall at 6:04. Kuspa bounced right back to score a 8-0 major decision against Jamie Spencer of Muskegon College. In the consolation finals, Kuspa would find himself on the losing end of a 7-4 battle with Lincoln College?s Darnell Thomas after attempting a risky step over maneuver and winding up on his back in a five point move. ?I?m pretty unhappy with the way I wrestled today,? Kuspa stated. ?On one hand, I am happy that I qualified for the National Tournament. On the other hand, I have some areas I have been working on to tighten up that I need to do better work on. I made the same mistake twice today and it cost me two matches. These next two weeks will be dedicated to minimizing those mistakes and making it on the awards stand as an All-American.? Freshman Chepe Mariscal (Cicero-Morton) at 149 pounds opened his qualifying tournament with a dominating 13-4 decision over Rend Lake?s Jay Lanning. Moving to the semifinals, Mariscal faced 2011 All-American and fifth ranked Mark Marianovich of Lincoln College. Marianovich pinned Mariscal in 1:29. Falling to the consolation semifinals, Mariscal roared back with a 18-2 technical fall of Khattab Iwainat of Wright College. In the third place bout, Mariscal fell victim to a 23-8 technical fall at the hands of second seed and NJCAA seventh ranked Donny Simpson of Harper. ?I?m happy [to have qualified for Nationals],? said Mariscal. ?I know I could have done better against Marianovich and Simpson. I'm not taking anything away from those guys, but I psyched myself out before both matches. I?ll be working hard with my coaches the next two weeks to adjust some things. I want to be a National Champion and I believe that I can do that this year with some small changes.? 184 pound sophomore Christian Alcantara (Burbank-Reavis) won two matches on the day to finish in fourth place and earn a bid to the National tournament. After being pinned by Harper?s Brandon Dillenbeck in his first match, Alcantara pinned Wentworth MIlitary Academy?s Justin Newton at 1:04 and followed up that performance with a 5-4 decision over Rend Lake?s Joshua Boots. In the third place bout, Alcantara again faced Dillenbeck and again fell by pin at 5:51 to place fourth. Jeremy Walters (Crete Monee), a sophomore 157 pound wrestler, also earned his way to Rochester by placing fourth at his weight. Receiving one of six ?wild card? bids to the National Tournament for the Trojans were sophomore 133 pounder Devante McCloud (Country Club Hills-Rich Central) and freshman Travis Fuller (Sandwich) at 141 pounds. Each student-athlete placed fifth at his weight class. Wild card selections are chosen by coaches at the completion of the tournament. ?We?re right where we need to be,? said McGinnis. ?Our guys have worked hard all season long and our coaching staff is dedicated to turning out National Champions and All-Americans. We don?t have a lot of time, but I am sure that our guys will be prepared for the challenge that lays ahead of them.? Triton College Wrestling is seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trito...80827418666095 and twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton Wrestlers Crown Two Champs and Earn Four Medals at Elmhurst Team places sixth with only six point scorers River Grove, IL--It was another productive week for the NJCAA 25th ranked Triton Trojans as they earned two titles and two more medals on the day while placing sixth as a team at the 30th Annual Al Hanke Invitational at Elmhurst College. ?This tournament went really well for us today,? Triton Head Coach Harry McGinnis stated. ?Last year, we finished 10th with eight points and no place winners. This year, even without entrants at four weight classes, we scored more than five times as many points [50 team points] as we did last year, had two champs and two more medalists. We still have a lot of work to do before the regional qualifier in four weeks from now, but I am happy with how our guys competed today.? Top-seeded sophomore co-captain Jose Torres (Cicero-Morton), currently ranked ninth in the NJCAA, won his third 125 pounds championship tournament title this season. His first match was a close 2-1 decision against conference foe Javier Cabrajal of Waubonsee Valley. Torres had defeated Cabrajal 14-2 in December at the Kraft Memorial Tournament. ?Today we saw that a lot of teams have been scouting our guys, specifically Jose and Lenny,? said Triton Head Coach Harry McGinnis. ?The good thing is that our wrestlers are not one-dimensional. They were able to transition into different attacks, turns and escapes and get the job done.? From there, Torres downed University of Chicago?s Willie Long 8-4 in the quarterfinals and then defeated Long?s teammate, Jake Schramm, 10-4 in the semifinals. In the finals, Torres used two takedowns to beat Harper College?s Tanis Arcos 5-3. ?I came out cold in my first match,? said Torres. ?I didn?t have my proper sweat going and I just felt tight. After that [first] match, I felt better and was able to use a number of different attacks to score from my feet and on the mat. I?m happy that I won the tournament, but I know I could have been more dominant.? Torres currently leads all 125 pound wrestlers in the nation, regardless of division, in wins with 27. NJCAA eighth ranked Lenny Kuspa (Oak Forest), a sophomore and Triton?s other co-captain, earned the 165 pounds championship by way of the second seed. In his opening bout, Kuspa built up a healthy lead against James Cansler or Carroll University before pinning him at 4:12 in the second period. In the semifinals, Kuspa kept his pace high and the pressure on as he used numerous takedowns and turns to defeat Milwaukee School of Engineering?s (MSOE) Pete Kootstra 11-1. Come the finals, Kuspa took on surprise finalist Casey Kenealy of Concordia-Wisconsin and disposed of him by a score of 8-5. ?This is my first tournament win in college,? said Kuspa. ?Outside of a few mistakes, which I will be working on immediately, I?m proud of this win.? Fourth seeded freshman Chepe Mariscal (Cicero-Morton) earned a fifth place finish on the day by going 4-2. He opened his tournament with a first period fall against the lanky Adam Crist of Carroll U before dropping a seesaw 9-8 battle to eventual runner-up Dallas Schrug of MSOE. ?I just ran out of gas in that match,? Mariscal admits. ?My conditioning has never really been an issue and I mentally let myself slip on that one because I felt tired.? Dropping to the consolation bracket, Mariscal pinned Ricky Burns of Concordia at 3:46 and followed that performance up with a 10-8 overtime win against Matt Klein of Chicago. Moving to the consolation semifinals, Mariscal was the victim of a fall at 1:13 against second seeded Josh Wengerter of MSOE. In the fifth place match, Mariscal nearly won by technical fall against Tim Grimm of Concordia, scoring an 18-4 major decision. ?Chepe is an immensely talented wrestler,? said McGinnis. ?He?s had some injuries this season which have limited his action, but when he does wrestle he takes a lot of risks in his matches and most times ends up with the rewards. He has some small things to work on before regionals, but I?m confident that he?s going to have a nice impact on the field come season?s end.? Freshman Jason Delassandro (Chicago-Fenwick) earned a sixth place finish by virtue of a first round bye in a seven man bracket. Sophomores Devantae McCloud (Country Club Hills-Rich Central) at 133 pounds, Tim Hovey (Franklin Park-Leyden) at 165 pounds and freshman Travis Fuller (Sandwich) at 141 pounds also competed. The Trojans next competition will take them to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa this coming Saturday to do battle at the Pat ?Flash? Flanagan Open against opponents from the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Illinois, Northwestern University, Northern Illinois University, UW-LaCrosse, Luther College, Cornell College and many others. Wrestling begins at 8:30 a.m. Triton College Wrestling is seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trito...80827418666095 and twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton Wrestlers Bring Home Four Medals From William Penn Open Torres wins 125 pounds bracket River Grove, IL--Led by sophomore co-captain and NJCAA ninth ranked Jose Torres (Cicero-Morton) at 125 pounds, the Triton College Trojans wrestling team, currently ranked 25th in the NJCAA, returned from the William Penn Open this past Sunday with four medals, including one champion, after facing more fierce competition from many of the top schools in NCAA Division I, II and II, NAIA and NJCAA. Torres set the tone for the team as he tore through the 125 pounds bracket to a championship. Along the way, fourth seeded Torres tech falled Aaron Schaeffer of William Penn, 17-0. In the semifinals, Torres faced two-time NJCAA All-American Deterious ?T.T.? Praether (fifth at 125 in 2009; fifth at 125 in 2011) of Missouri Valley, who was the number one seed. Down 3-1 at the start of the third period, Torres used a third period fireman?s carry to score a five point move and win 7-3. ?That match against Praether was huge for [Torres]?, said Triton Head Coach Harry McGinnis. ?Here?s a two-time college All-American [in Praether] with a high school resume as long as my arm and [Torres] kept it close all match, defending some very nice attacks and putting T.T. on his back for almost an entire minute. He earned every bit of that win.? In the finals, Torres scored two feet to back maneuvers before securing the fall against Derek Bohnsack of Missouri Valley at 2:24 in the first period. Torres has placed in six of the seven tournaments Triton has wrestled in this season top date. This was his third finals appearance and second championship. At 133 pounds, Devantae McCloud (Country Club Hills-Rich Central) was a surprise finisher. After missing weight at 125 pounds, McCloud bumped up to the next weight. Though he suffered a close 9-5 opening round loss to eventual champion Brandon Oshiro of Maryville, McCloud would wrestle back to the third place match, defeating three opponents--two from Waubonsee CC and one from Ellsworth CC--along the way. In the third place match, McCloud came up on the short end of a seesaw 9-7 bout against Logan Welch of Missouri Valley. ?This was a big step for Devantae,? McGinnis said. ?He was outsized and out muscled, but his technique and unorthodox style pulled him through. He wrestled more than 35 minutes today, which is not something he was prepared to do a year ago at this time. Devantae is peaking at the right time.? Formerly ranked 141 pound freshman Travis Fuller (Sandwich) returned to competition for the first time in nearly a month. Though he did not place, Fuller scored a first period fall against Tyler Beck of William Penn. Jeremy Walters, a sophomore from Crete-Monee High School, placed in his first tournament since the Yellowjacket Open in late November. Walters dropped his opening bout 8-0 to Ishmael Rempson of William Penn. He followed that with two consecutive pins before falling via pin to second seed Jarrett Jensen of Norther Iowa. Moving to the fifth place match, Walters would redeem himself by pinning Cornell College?s Josh Guenther 2:40 into the first period. Walters? three pins on the day boosted his 2011-12 team lead to 10 and placing him among the top five pinners in the NJCAA to date this season. ?Jeremy came flying out of the gates early this season, but then experienced a rough patch right after that,? said McGinnis. ?Our coaching staff has worked with him these last few weeks to tweak some of the things he?s doing and I think this is where we see that he?s making those necessary adjustments and ready for the portion of the season leading towards the national qualifier.? Triton wrestling co-captain and NJCAA eighth ranked 165 pounder Lenny Kuspa (Oak Forest) would also make his way to the medal stand on the day. The fourth seed, Kuspa won a 2-0 decision against Elliott Wirkler from Northern Iowa. In the quarterfinals, Kuspa would surpass Christian Loges of Maryville by a score of 12-7. Come the semifinals, Kuspa would face top seed and eventual bracket champion, Brett Rosedale of Maryville, and lose 16-7. Kuspa?s road was no easier as his next two opponents came by way of Northern Iowa University. In the consolation semis, Kuspa wrestled a very tight match with Kyle Lux before Kuspa was turned in the third period and pinned at 6:03. Wrestling for fifth place, Kuspa would drop his final bout of the day, 12-7, to Wirkler and Lux?s teammate, Tayler Berger. ?I knew this wasn?t going to be a cakewalk,? said Kuspa. ?These guys are among the best in the country and I feel very good about how I wrestled against them today. I wish I would have placed higher, but I?ll work with my coaches and make the changes I need to make before the regional comes along in five weeks.? Sophomore Christian Alcantara (Burbank-Reavis), also formerly ranked at 184 pounds before suffering an early season injury, came away without a medal, but scored a decisive 14-6 major decision against Dylan Ash of Ellsworth Community College. Sophomore 157 pounder Tim Hovey (Melrose Park-Leyden) and freshmen Michael Murray (Chicago-Lane Tech) at 165 and Jason Delessandro (Chicago-Fenwick) also competed for the Trojans. This coming Saturday, the Trojans will travel due west to Elmhurst College to take part in the 30th Annual Al Hanke Invitational. Wrestling begins at 9:00 a.m. Triton College Wrestling is seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156 and fill out our online recruitment form, http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=6939. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trito...80827418666095 and twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton Wrestlers Crown Champion and Third Place Finisher; Place Four in Top Eight Still battling through injuries, the Trojans improve at deep tournament River Grove, Ill.--The NJCAA 24th ranked Triton Trojans wrestling program crowned a champion and a third place winner this past weekend as they hosted the 22nd Annual Art Kraft Memorial Tournament. Wrestling with only 12 athletes, four Trojans placed in the top eight at the tournament. ?This was a good test for our wrestlers,? said Triton Head Coach Harry McGinnis. ?Naturally, we would have liked to have more place winners, but with four of our guys wrestling for the first time in more than a month, I?m not unhappy with our results.? Winning his first Kraft Memorial title was Jose Torres (Cicero, Morton HS) at 125 pounds. Torres opened his tournament with a fall at 5:11 against Jon Areanas of Harper College. Torres followed it up with a 14-2 major decision against Javier Cabrajal of Waubonsee Community College before racking up a 20-8 finals victory against Aaron Smith of Mercyhurst North East. ?I felt good,? Torres said. ?Finally winning a tournament this year means that my training is paying off. I still have a lot of room for improvement and know that there?s a lot of hard work to be done between now and February,? Torres went on to say. ?My goal is to be a National Champion. Not a qualifier; not a place winner, but a Champion. Oak Forest native Lenny Kuspa wrestled all the way back to earn third place following a quarterfinal loss to eventual 165 pounds bracket champion, Mike Ryan of Elmhurst College. Kuspa recorded a fall and a pair of major decisions, outscoring his opponents by a total of 26-6, to bring home the bronze medal. ?Third place is not what why I came here,? Kuspa stated. ?I am disappointed that I didn?t win the title, but after I lost I had to focus on what was in front of me and not worry about the rest.? Kuspa is currently ranked 12th at 165 pounds by the NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association. Wrestling in his first competition of the year after coming off of an early season injury, freshman Mike Williams (Park Ridge, Maine South HS) was one win away from placing in the top six this past weekend at 141 pounds. Williams dropped his opening bout 14-6 to Brad Gapinski of Elmhurst College, but wrestled back to win by injury default against Khattab Iwainat of Wright College and Cole Hanna of Lincoln. Unfortunately, Williams would again see Gapinski in the consolation quarterfinals where Gapinski was again this victor, this time 13-5. Likewise, Gybraney Onofre (Cicero, Morton HS) was back on the mat for the first time since early November and finished in the top eight at 133 pounds. He dropped a first round decision to Tim Naubert of Grand Valley State, but then won by way of 16-4 major decision against Pedro Perez of Wright College. After receiving a forfeit in the next round of consolations, Onofre fell one win short of placing top six when he ran into Prentice Thomas of Lincoln College, losing by technical fall, 21-5. The NJCAA third ranked wrestler at 125 pounds, Thomas missed weight and moved into the 133 pound bracket where he eventually placed sixth. Sophomore 125 pounds back-up Devante McCloud (Country Club Hills, Rich Central) failed to place, but earned a 4-2 win against Harper College?s Louis De La Cruz. ?I?m proud of our guys,? said McGinnis. ?Some of our guys could have done much better than they did and we have some things to improve upon and the second half of the season won?t be any easier than the first half. I am happy with our progress and believe that our guys are going to peak at the right time this season.? The next competition for the Trojans will be the 49th Annual Ken Kraft Midlands Tournament at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Receiving at large bids, sophomores Torres and Kuspa will compete in this year?s tournament. At last year?s Midlands, Torres defeated two Division I opponents from Rider University and the University of Wisconsin. Both Trojans athletes are working hard to earn spots on the medal stand at this year?s event. Following Midlands, the Trojans will resume their schedule as a team on Friday, January 7, 2012 at the William Penn Open in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Host to NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA teams, the Williams Penn Open will serve as an important test to the second half of the season for the Trojan student-athletes. Triton College is a two year community college located in the west Chicago suburb of River Grove, Illinois. A non-scholarship school nationally recognized for its excellence in higher education and affordability, the college hosts one of the most historic wrestling programs in the nation at the NJCAA level. Triton wrestling is home to four Team National Championships, 12 Top Three team finishes, 21 Top Ten team finishes, 15 Individual National Champions, 67 All-Americans, more than 100 Academic All-Americans and two Olympic place winners (Michael Foy wrestled for the U.S. in both 1988 and 1992). The Triton College wrestling team is lead by NJCAA Hall of Fame coach, Harry McGinnis. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trito...80827418666095 and twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Triton College Hosts 22nd Annual Art Kraft Memorial Tournament December 10th 10 ranked teams, nearly 40 ranked individuals and 15 returning All-Americans will compete River Grove, Ill.--Many of the top National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) and NCAA Division I and III teams and wrestlers in the nation will compete this Saturday, December 10, as Triton College hosts the 22nd Annual Art Kraft Memorial Tournament. The tournament is named in honor of the late Triton coach, who guided the Trojans to three national championships in 1977, 1983 and 1984. Kraft was a three-time National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Coach of the Year during his 18 seasons as Triton head coach from 1967-85, as well as a former two-time All-American and NCAA Champion for the Northwestern Wildcats in 1960.

Since its inception, the Art Kraft Memorial Tournament has grown to be one of the most prestigious wresting tournaments in the country. This year's tournament is no exception, as close to 40 ranked wrestlers from the NJCAA, NCAA Divisions I and III and NCWA ranks will compete. In addition to NJCAA 24th ranked Triton, of the nine junior colleges participating in the 22nd Annual Art Kraft Memorial Tournament, seven other colleges are ranked in the top 30. They are nationally led by third ranked Lincoln College (Lincoln, Ill.), 10th ranked Muskegon College (Muskegon, Mic.), 13th ranked Mercyhurst North East College (North East, PA), 18th Niagara College (Niagara, N.Y.), 19th Rend Lake College (Rend Lake, Illinois), 20th ranked Harper College (Palatine, Ill.), and 27th ranked Waubonsee Community College (Sugar Grove, Ill.). The tournament also includes student-athletes from NCAA Division III?s 12th ranked Elmhurst College (Elmhurst, Ill.) and NCWA?s 8th ranked Grand Valley State University (Allendale, Mich.).

 The other college and universities participating are: Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (Edwardsville, Ill.), Illinois State University (Bloomington, Ill.), Kennedy-King College (Chicago, Ill.), Minnesota West Technical and Community College (Worthington, Minn.), and Wright College (Chicago, Ill.). The University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Ohio University (Athens, Ohio) may also be sending wrestlers to compete at the tournament. Along with the 10 ranked teams competing on Saturday will be 15 returning All-Americans and nearly 40 ranked wrestlers spanning the various associations. The first matches of the tournament will begin at 9 a.m. and will last all day at the Robert M. Collins Center gymnasium, on Triton's main campus, 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove. Triton College is a two year community college located in the west Chicago suburb of River Grove, Illinois. A non-scholarship school nationally recognized for its excellence in higher education and affordability, the college hosts one of the most historic wrestling programs in the nation at the NJCAA level. Triton wrestling is home to four Team National Championships, 12 Top Three team finishes, 21 Top Ten team finishes, 15 Individual National Champions, 67 All-Americans, more than 100 Academic All-Americans and two Olympic place winners (Michael Foy wrestled for the U.S. in both 1988 and 1992). The Triton College wrestling team is lead by NJCAA Hall of Fame coach, Harry McGinnis. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trito...80827418666095 and twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Triton_Wrestlng. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.

Trojans Place Three in Top Three at Wisconsin Open Despite injuries, Trojans continue to improve River Grove, IL--The Triton Trojans wrestling team ventured north to Kenosha, wisconsin to participate in the Wisconsin Open at UW-Parkside. The Trojans came home with two silver medals and a bronze against competitors from Divisions II and III, National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) and the National Collegiate Wrestling Association. ?This was a very positive weekend for us,? said Head Coach Harry McGinnis. ?Though only eight of our guys competed on Saturday, we brought home some medals from a very tough tournament. Our guys wrestled hard and should be proud of their results going into the coming weekend.? Sophomore Jose Torres (Cicero-Morton) and team co-captain began his tournament with a technical fall against Nicholas Rivera of University of Dubuque. In the quarterfinals, Torres scored a 5-3 decision against Nick Sheffert of Luther College and followed that with a 2-0 decision over regional tournament foe Tanis Arcos of Harper College. In the finals, Torres ran into second ranked Division III wrestler at 125 pounds, Daniel Mendoza of Luther College. In dominating fashion, Mendoza scored a 17-1 technical fall against Torres to win the bracket. Like Torres, Lenny Kuspa (Oak Forest), Triton?s team co-captain and 165 pound starter, finished his day with an appearance finals and a bronze medal. Kuspa started his day at the top of the 165 pounds bracket with a bye. He then defeated UW-Whitewater?s Dylan Peter by a 10-1 major decision in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Kuspa major decisioned regional tournament foe Nic Fincenbinder of Harper College, 11-2. Unfortunately, Kuspa fell short in his bid for a tournament title when he lost 12-3 to Tyler Becker of UW-Whitewater. Also at 125 pounds, sophomore Devante McCloud (Rich Central) earned a third place finish in the bracket. He opened his day with a fall against Tyler Latini of Northland International University at 1:08 and then scored a major decision over Louis Dela Cruz of Harper College in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, McLoud fell victim to Luther?s Mendoza by fall at 6:27. Echoing Torres?s previous win in the day, McCloud earned 1-0 decision over Luther?s Sheffert in the consolation semis before defeating Tyler Orr of McKendree College 7-4 to take home the silver medal at 125 pounds. At 157 pounds, sophomore Jeremy Walters (Crete Monee) opened his tournament with a first round fall against Anthony Smith of Luther College at 4:54. In the second round, Walters downed Cody Bollendorf of UW-Whitewater, 10-6. In the quarterfinals, Walters lost by 17-1 technical fall to Alex Maynard of Harper College. In the consolation bracket, Walters then fell 17-2 to Donnie Simpson of Harper College, thus ending Walters? tournament one win shy of placing. Freshman heavyweight Jason Delessandro (Fenwick) recorded a fall on the day against Ronald Newman of Northland International U., but ultimately fell short of placing, going 1-2 for the tournament. Freshmen Mike Williams (Maine South), Tim Gildroy (Walther Lutheran) and Rashad Matthews (Fenger) also competed on Saturday in Kenosha for the Trojans. This coming weekend, the Triton Trojans host the 22nd Annual Art Kraft Memorial Tournament at Triton College in River Grove. Open to all college freshman and sophomores, the Kraft Memorial Tournament also serves as the regional pre-qualifier for seeding purposes at the NJCAA Central Regional Tournament at Triton College on Sunday, February 12, 2012. The Art Kraft Memorial Tournament attracts dozens of schools and nearly 150 competitors from all divisions of collegiate wrestling, including countless top teams and former All-Americans. Triton College is a two year community college located in the west Chicago suburb of River Grove, Illinois. A non-scholarship school nationally recognized for its excellence in higher education and affordability, the college hosts one of the most historic wrestling programs in the nation at the NJCAA level. Triton wrestling is home to four Team National Championships, 12 Top Three team finishes, 21 Top Ten team finishes, 15 Individual National Champions, 67 All-Americans, more than 100 Academic All-Americans and 2 Olympic place winners (Michael Foy wrestled for the U.S. in both 1988 and 1992). The Triton College wrestling team is lead by NJCAA Hall of Fame coach, Harry McGinnis. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/Content.aspx?id=7156. You may also find us through various popular social media websites such as facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Triton-College-Wrestling/180827418666095 and twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TritonWC. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.