Wilkes Barre, PA... The College of New Jersey wrestling team extended its season-opening win streak to four straight as the Lions started fast before beating King's College by the score of 38-3 on Tuesday.
The Lions, ranked 12th in the latest Brute –Adidas National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll, started strong winning the first seven weight classes and won nine of 10 overall.
TCNJ's Dan Hughes (Delran, NJ/Delran) opened the dual meet with 13-4 major decision at 125 pounds and sophomore Dan Herr (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) then posted a 17-0 win by technical fall at 133 giving the Lions a 9-0 lead.
Sophomore Jim Somma (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) followed with a 9-7 triumph at 141 and senior Tyler Branham (Newton, NJ/Kittatinny) ran the score to 18-0 winning by fall in 3:54 at 149. With that win, Branham remained undefeated on the season at 11-0 and is now three wins shy of 100 for his career.
At 157, Dan DiColo (Budd Lake, NJ/Mount Olive) collected a 5-0 win and junior Justin Bonitatis (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) made it six straight wins for the Lions picking up a 7-4 decision at 165 pounds. That win gave Bonitatis a team-leading 15 wins on the season.
Senior Al Wonesh (Columbus, NJ/North Burlington) extended TCNJ's margin to 29-0 at 174 pounds as he won a by technical fall with a score of 15-0.
In the Monarchs ended TCNJ's run of wins in the 184-pound bout as nationally-ranked Mike Reilly held off Lion junior Mike Denver (Bayville, NJ/Central Regional), 9-4.
The Lions capped the victory with two final wins as Adam Koziol (Paramus, NJ/Paramus) won 7-3 at 197 pounds and heavyweight Ed Broderick (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) followed with pin in 3:41.
TCNJ returns to the mat this weekend competing at the Spartan Invitational hosted by York (PA) College.
Weight by weight summary
#12 TCNJ 38, King's College 3
125: Dan Hughes (TCNJ) major dec. Michael Tabasco (KC), 13-4
133: Dan Herr (TCNJ) tech. fall over Anthony Dietrick (KC), 17-0
141: Jim Somma (TCNJ) dec. Franklin Davis (KC), 9-7
149: Tyler Branham (TCNJ) pinned Noah Blackwell (KC), 3:54
157: Dan DiColo (TCNJ) dec. Taylor Green (KC), 5-0
165: Justin Bonitatis (TCNJ) dec. Jerry Robbins (KC), 7-4
174: Al Wonesh (TCNJ) tech. fall over Frank Marinucci (KC), 15-0
184: Mike Reilly (KC) dec. Mike Denver (TCNJ), 9-4
197: Adam Koziol (TCNJ) dec. Peter Dwyer (KC), 7-3
285: Ed Broderick (TCNJ) pinned Christopher Rash (KC), 3:41
