Results

ERIE, Pa. (Feb. 26, 2016) - Sophomores Joe Calderone (Huntington Station, N.Y.) and James Louison (Hauppauge, N.Y.) secured spots in the championship semifinals Friday, as the LIU Post wrestling team kicked off competition at the 2016 NCAA Division II Super Region I Tournament at the Mercyhurst University Athletic Center.

In the 133-lb. bracket, Calderone, the third-ranked wrestler in the region at his weight class, made quick work of Gannon's Aaron Smith in the first round, 8-2. He followed that up with a hard-fought 11-9 win versus West Liberty's Bryce Humphreys.

Meanwhile, at heavyweight, Louison won both of his matches via pinfall to reach the semis. He pinned Ohio Valley's Dane Mills in 3:34 and upset No. 2 regionally-ranked grappler Tyson Searer of East Stroudsburg in 5:46.

Freshman Dan Arkow (Merrick, N.Y.) and sophomore Ronnie King (Islip, N.Y.) individually advanced to Saturday's action at 174 and 184 lbs., after strong performances in the wrestlebacks.

Arkow rallied from a 6-0 deficit to oust Seton Hill's Christian Bosco in the opener, 9-8. He also recorded a 21-6 technical fall of West Liberty's Daniel Carpenter in his first consolation match of the day. King claimed respective 5-1 and 13-8 wins against Doug Sizemore of West Liberty and East Stroudsburg's Tyler Richardson.

Junior Vinny Turano (Wantagh, N.Y.), sophomore Matt Langan (Wantagh, N.Y.) and red-shirt sophomore Jackson Mordente (Farmingville, N.Y.) all won their opening bouts. Turano teched Micah Powell of Alderson-Broaddus, 16-0, at 141. Langan defeated AIC's Favian Williams by an 8-2 count in the 149-lb. weight class. Mordente earned a thrilling 4-3 tiebreaker victory over No. 5 regionally-ranked Adam Martz of Shippensburg at 157.

The Pioneers wiill now look to have their grapplers qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships, when they wrap up Super Region I Tournament action on Saturday (Feb. 27) in Erie.