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The
Elizabethtown College Wrestling program returns this winter with a new
conference and new hopes to better their 6-5 dual record from last
year. Last season, the Blue Jays competed as an independent after the
MAC conference stopped sponsoring wrestling upon the completion of the
2005-2006 season.
The new conference will be called the
Metropolitan Intercollegiate Wrestling Association and will include
institutions such as Centenary College, Hunter College, King’s College,
SUNY-Maritime, The College of New Jersey, New York University, Scranton
University, Wilkes University, Yeshiva College, and York College (Pa.).
This year’s squad for fifth-year head coach Eric Walker will be young, with only four upperclassman and a plethora of first-years and sophomores.
Starting out for the Blue Jays will be senior Pete Achilles (Geneva, NY/Geneva), who will be wrestling at the 125-pound mark. Achilles
returns this year after a successful season last year, where he
compiled a record of 16-10, and will look to end his career with a trip
to the NCAA Division III championships.
Next up at the 133 pound class will be sophomore Eric Rhoads (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central). Rhoads
returns for his second season after a very successful campaign last
year where it saw him post 22 wins, and he brings a tremendous work
ethic to the mat according to Walker.
At the 141-pound weight class, two wrestlers will be competing for time for the Blue Jays. Sophomore Terry Bartholomew (Point of Rocks, MD/Brunswick) posted 15 wins last season, while sophomore Drew Winegar (Chatsworth, NJ/Seneca) earned eight wins a year ago. Bartholomew has an unorthodox style that makes him a threat against any competitor, while Winegar is a strong defensive wrestler.
At the 149 pound class, the Blue Jays will have sophomore Bud Croswell (Newark, DE/Sanford). Croswell
was one of Etown’s most successful wrestlers last season, finishing
with 21 victories. He is a gifted competitor who is capable of scoring
a number of points quickly.
Junior Jereme Heisey (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) will be Elizabethtown’s top wrestler at 157 pounds. Heisey
finished with nine wins last year and has 21 for his career, and has
already faced off with some of the top wrestlers in the country in his
career.
Another battle will ensue at the 165-pound class, as sophomores Mike Lussier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) and Paul Connor (Tabernacle, NJ/Shawnee) are competing hard for the spot. Both wrestlers put four wins under their belt last season and hope to better that this year. Lussier moved up from 157 pounds to 165, and Connor may make a similar move to 174.
At the 174 and 184 pound weight classes, Elizabethtown’s wrestling team welcomes two first years in Josh Cook (Gardners, PA/Boiling Springs) and Bill Meaney (Toms River, NJ/Manchester Twp.). Cook has made significant progress at 174 and has potential to be a strong competitor, while Meaney is remarkably athletic for his weight class and will be a factor at 184.
Sophomore Deron Sharp (Millville, NJ/Millville)
returns at 197 pounds after posting a 20 win season last year, and
brings a hard-nosed approach that can produce victories against any
competitor.
At the 285 pound weight class, sophomores Tim Katzaman (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing) and Mike Daub (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita) are dead-even for the lineup spot, after Daub registered 11 wins last season and Katzaman had 16.
Other members of the Blue Jay wrestling team include seniors Justin Martin (Pittsgrove, NJ/A.P. Shalick) and R.J. Mount (Pine Brook, NJ/Montville Twp.), sophomores Brett
Epps (Perth Amboy, NJ/Rutgers Preparatory), Dave Foran (Dauphin,
PA/Central Dauphin East), Josh Herbert (Middletown, OH/Madison), Chris
McCooey (Amherst, NJ/Canisius), Keith Staulters (Ballston Spa,
NY/Ballston Spa) and Matt Torresani (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham), and first year students Jarrod
Cawley (Fleetwood, PA/Oley Valley), Anthony DiMarco (Kennett Square,
PA/Unionville), Marty Harnish (Marietta, PA/Donegal), J.R. Hewitt
(Pottstown, PA/The Hill School), Brian Keyser (East Greenville,
PA/Upper Perkiomen), Nick Mazzei (Hagerstown, MD/Mercersburg Academy),
Steve Resnick (Media, PA/Haverford School), and Henry Tucker (New Castle, DE/Sanford).
-Mike Behounek '11 contributed to this story | 
