Ben Swarr Wins NCAA Division III Championship; 5 PA Wrestlers Medal
PIAA State Medalist Ben Swarr (Garden Spot) was a NCAA Division III National Qualifier as a freshman in 2015 for Messiah College. The former District 3 star dropped to 174 lbs. for the post-season in 2016 and was a Mid-East Regional Runner-up falling in the finals to fellow Pennsylvania Native Garrett Chase (Baldwin-Wallace/Erie Cathedral Prep) score (7-6). In his second trip to Nationals Swarr earned a seventh seed.
The sophomore had a difficult road to the Championship facing the bracket’s top wrestlers along the way. After earning a tech-fall in the first round Swarr faced the #2 seed Lou Puca (SUNY-Cortland) and pulled off a (6-3) decision in the quarterfinals. He followed it up with a fall over the #3 seed Tyler Schneider (Wisconsin-La Crosse) in (3:26) to advance into the National Finals and securing his first All-American finish. In the finals he faced former Iowa Hawkeye Eric Devos (Wartburg) who was the #1 seed at 174 lbs. In the finals Swarr reached his highest achievement wrapping up a perfect run from the seventh seeded spot to win (3-1).
Swarr’s teammate Josh Thomson (Messiah/Mechanicsburg Area) ended his senior season by becoming a 4x NCAA Division III All-American. The former Mechanicsburg stand-out, who placed fourth at the PIAA State Tournament his senior season in 2012, earned his highest career finish at the National Tournament in 2016. Thomson finished third his freshman and junior seasons and fourth as a sophomore. Competing at 184 lbs. Josh advanced into his first NCAA Finals and had a daunting task facing 2x NCAA Division III Champion Riley Lefever (Wabash). Thomson fell to Lefever (12-4) who earned his third straight National Championship. Josh ended his career as one of the best ever for Messiah becoming a 4x NCAA All-American with a career record of (172-19).
Three additional Pennsylvania Natives left Cedar Rapids, Iowa with NCAA All-American status. Lycoming junior Nolan Barger (Lycoming/Clearfield Area) finished in third place for the second straight season at the NCAA Championships. The former PIAA State Third Place Medalist entered as the third seed at 165 lbs. but was upset in the quarterfinals by #6 seed Colin Navickas (Stevens Institute of Technology). Bouncing back Nolan advanced into the consolation finals for the second straight season and had a rematch with Navickas. This time around Barger came away with a (6-1) decision and his second All-American career finish. Barger’s teammate and fellow Keystone State grappler Seth Lansberry (Lycoming/Line Mountain) nearly earned a spot in the National finals at 149 lbs. falling (5-3) in the semifinals. The Lycoming junior entered as the fifth seed and finished in fourth place after his semifinals defeat. It was the former PIAA State Runner-up’s first career All-American finish.
Big Spring graduate Greg Warner (York College/Big Spring) became York head coach Duane Bastress’ first NCAA All-American in his three years at the command of the Spartans. Warner, a 3x PIAA State Qualifier for the Big Spring Bulldogs, entered his first NCAA National Tournament unseeded and wrestling in the preliminary round at 141 lbs. Going (5-2) for the Tournament Warner finished in fifth place earning his first NCAA All-American honors.
133 – Bryan Israel (Ithaca / Saucon Valley) – (1-2)
Champ. Round 1 – Bryan Israel (Ithaca) won by decision over Jaydon Rice (Hunter) (Dec 8-5)
Quarterfinal – Ryan O`Boyle (McDaniel) won by fall over Bryan Israel (Ithaca) (Fall 1:46)
Cons. Round 2 – Dustin Weinmann (Wisconsin-La Crosse) won by decision over Bryan Israel (Ithaca) (Dec 5-4)
133 – Ryan Flynn (York College / Marple Newtown) – (1-2)
Champ. Round 1 – Ryan Flynn (York, PA) won by decision over Romeo Riley (Alma College) (Dec 4-0)
Quarterfinal – Nathan Pike (New York University) won by major decision over Ryan Flynn (York, PA) (MD 14-3)
Cons. Round 2 – Connor Campo (Wartburg) won by decision over Ryan Flynn (York, PA) (Dec 7-2)
141 – Gregory Warner (York College / Big Spring) – Fifth Place
Prelim – Drew Van Anrooy (Luther) won by decision over Gregory Warner (York, PA) (Dec 3-2)
Prelim – Gregory Warner (York, PA) won by tech fall over Alvontae Drummond (McDaniel) (TF- 6:12 – 19-4)
Cons. Round 1 – Gregory Warner (York, PA) won by injury def. over Ryan Budzek (The College of New Jersey) (Inj. 0:56)
Cons. Round 2 – Gregory Warner (York, PA) won by decision over Michael Venezia (Wabash) (Dec 14-9)
Cons. Round 3 – Gregory Warner (York, PA) won by decision over Jeremy Border (Mount Union) (Dec 9-5)
Cons. Semi – Nathaniel Behnke (Wisconsin-Eau Claire) won by fall over Gregory Warner (York, PA) (Fall 4:13)
5th Place Match – Gregory Warner (York, PA) won by major decision over Chris Williams (Millikin University) (MD 17-7)
149 – Seth Lansberry (Lycoming / Line Mountain) – Fourth Place
Champ. Round 1 – Seth Lansberry (Lycoming) won by decision over Daniel Del Gallo (Southern Maine) (Dec 3-2)
Quarterfinal – Seth Lansberry (Lycoming) won by decision over Blake Santi (Elmhurst) (Dec 7-3)
Semifinal – Trevor Engle (Cornell College) won by decision over Seth Lansberry (Lycoming) (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Semi – Seth Lansberry (Lycoming) won by major decision over Dakota Gray (Luther) (MD 13-3)
3rd Place Match – Dan Mirman (John Carroll) won by decision over Seth Lansberry (Lycoming) (Dec 4-3)
157 – Ty Herzog (Roger Williams / Northern Lehigh) (1-2)
Champ. Round 1 – Ty Herzog (Roger Williams) won by decision over Larry Cannon (Messiah) (Dec 13-6)
Quarterfinal – Robert Dierna (SUNY-Cortland) won by fall over Ty Herzog (Roger Williams) (Fall 1:38)
Cons. Round 2 – Grant Parker (Augsburg) won by decision over Ty Herzog (Roger Williams) (Dec 6-4)
157 – Brett Beltz (Thiel / South Fayette)
Prelim – Grant Parker (Augsburg) won in sudden victory over Brett Beltz (Thiel) (SV-1 11-7)
Prelim – Nick Bova (Wabash) won by decision over Brett Beltz (Thiel) (Dec 7-3)
165 – Nolan Barger (Lycoming / Clearfield Area) – Third Place
Champ. Round 1 – Nolan Barger (Lycoming) won by fall over Cole Sladek (Concordia-Moorhead) (Fall 0:31)
Quarterfinal – Colin Navickas (Stevens Institute) won by decision over Nolan Barger (Lycoming) (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 2 – Nolan Barger (Lycoming) won by major decision over Benjamin Schweiger (Delaware Valley) (MD 14-0)
Cons. Round 3 – Nolan Barger (Lycoming) won by decision over Farai Sewera (Coe) (Dec 9-5)
Cons. Semi – Nolan Barger (Lycoming) won by decision over Eric Hensel (Augsburg) (Dec 8-3)
3rd Place Match – Nolan Barger (Lycoming) won by decision over Colin Navickas (Stevens Institute) (Dec 6-1)
174 – Garrett Chase – (Baldwin-Wallace / Erie Cathedral Prep) – (1-2)
Champ. Round 1 – Garrett Chase (Baldwin Wallace) won by decision over Garrett Beaman (St. Olaf) (Dec 5-4)
Quarterfinal – Tyler Schneider (Wisconsin-La Crosse) won by decision over Garrett Chase (Baldwin Wallace) (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 2 – Doug Hamann (The College of New Jersey) won by decision over Garrett Chase (Baldwin Wallace) (Dec 6-4)
174 – Ben Swarr (Messiah / Garden Spot) – Champion
Prelim – Ben Swarr (Messiah) won by decision over Stephen Aiello (Wheaton, IL) (Dec 7-4)
Champ. Round 1 – Ben Swarr (Messiah) won by tech fall over Joshua Sibblies (Centenary, NJ) (TF – 6:23 – 17-2)
Quarterfinal – Ben Swarr (Messiah) won by decision over Lou Puca (SUNY-Cortland (Dec 6-3)
Semifinal – Ben Swarr (Messiah) won by fall over Tyler Schneider (Wisconsin-La Crosse) (Fall 3:26)
1st Place Match – Ben Swarr (Messiah) won by decision over Eric Devos (Wartburg) (Dec 3-1)
184 – Josh Thomson (Messiah / Mechanicsburg Area) – Runner-up
Champ. Round 1 – Josh Thomson (Messiah) won by decision over Bryan Levsen (Wartburg) (Dec 8-2)
Quarterfinal – Josh Thomson (Messiah) won by decision over Carlos Toribio (Ithaca)(Dec 7-4)
Semifinal – Josh Thomson (Messiah) won by major decision over Austin Cook (Wisconsin-La Crosse) (MD 11-1)
1st Place Match – Riley Lefever (Wabash) won by major decision over Josh Thomson (Messiah) (MD 12-4)
197 – Kyle Koser (Messiah / Northern York) – (2-2)
Prelim – Kyle Koser (Messiah) won by fall over Eddie Terres (Lakeland) (Fall 1:49)
Champ. Round 1 – Angus Arthur (Adrian) won by fall over Kyle Koser (Messiah) (Fall 4:57)
Cons. Round 1 – Kyle Koser (Messiah) won by fall over Logan Hortop (Augsburg) (Fall 6:10)
Cons. Round 2 – Jamie Jakes (Alma College) won by decision over Kyle Koser (Messiah) (Dec 6-3)
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