Williamsport, Pa. -- The #8 wrestling team (10-0) remained unbeaten by beating #16 Wilkes 26-13 in Saturday's semifinal round of
Lycoming's Budd Whitehill National Duals
. Second seeded Ithaca will take on the tournament's top seed, fifth-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater, at 3 p.m. in the final. The Bombers, who won the 2005 National Duals title, will be making their fourth trip to the title bout; they advanced to the final in the inaugural tournament in 1989 and in 2004).
Junior Willie Horwath (Liberty/Bethlehem, Pa.) and sophomore Blaine Woszczak (Wall/Manasquan, N.J.), who both remained unbeaten in dual matches, improved to 4-0 in the weekend tournament. Woszczak recorded a 19-4 technical fall at 149 pounds and Horwath followed with a 4-1 win at 157. Both Woszczak (17-3 this season, 49-17 overall) and Horwath (17-2, 72-24) are ranked eighth nationally.
Junior John Paxos (Liberty/Bethlehem, Pa.) pinned his opponent at 141 to improve to 1-4 this season and 61-3 as a Bomber. Junior Scott Edwards (Liberty/Bethlehem, Pa.) picked up a 3-2 win at 165 and sophomore David Priest (Wyomissing/Douglassville, Pa.), who is now 15-3 this winter and 41-17 in his career, rounded out Ithaca's winners by posting a 5-1 win at 174 (the Bombers received a forfeit win at heavyweight).
The 20-team field features nine nationally ranked teams.
125: Shaun Farnham (WU) major dec. Anthony Lebbad (Hopewell Junction/Titusville, N.J.), 9-1
133: Josh Pauling (WU) dec. Chad Winowich (Abington Heights/Clarks Summit, Pa.), 8-6
141: John Paxos (IC) WBF Anthony Dattolo (WU),5:35
149: Blaine Woszczak (IC) TF Tom Anderson (WU), 19-4
157: Willie Horwath (IC) dec. James Histed (WU), 4-1
165: Scott Edwards (IC) dec. Richard Sparks (WU), 3-2
174: David Priest (IC) dec. Frank Heffernan (WU), 5-1
184: Buddy Gouger (WU) dec. Tom Heckman (Cedar Cliff/Mechanicsburg, Pa.), 4-2
197: Zach Pizzaro (WU) dec. Chris Carabello (Governor Mifflin/Shillington, Pa.), 10-3
285: Ithaca wins by forfeit
