ITHACA, N.Y. – The Bomber wrestling team, ranked fifth nationally, rolled to a 15.5 -point win at the 27th Ithaca Invitational. Four Ithaca wrestlers won individual titles as the Bombers won their 12th tournament title and third straight.

Two bouts featured Bomber teammates squaring off for individual titles. At 125 pounds, junior Max Cohen (Williamsville East/East Amherst), seeded eighth, edged Ithaca freshman Dominic Giacolone (Cato-Meridian/Cato), the seventh seed, by a 4-3 score. Cohen, who posted a win by major decision on his way to the final, raised his career total to 10 wins. Giacolone, who won by major decision in the second round and pinned his semifinal opponent, is now 4-1 this season.

At 157 pounds, junior Derek Brenon (Immaculate Heart Central/Watertown), the second seed, outlasted top-seeded Nick Sanko (Hamburg Area/Lenhartsville, Pa.). Brenon had earned bonus points in his first four bouts, pinning his first two opponents before winning by major decision and technical fall in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. He's now 24-6 in his career. Sanko won twice by major decision on his way to the final and raised his overall mark to 23-13. The confrontation was a rematch of last year's Ithaca Invitational final, which Brenon won by medical forfeit.

Senior David Priest (Wyomissing/Douglassville, Pa.) was a winner at 174 pounds. Priest, seeded second in the tournament and ranked eighth nationally, went 5-0 winning twice by major decision, once by technical fall and once by pin before recording an 11-5 win in the final. Priest raised his career record to 82-26 with 12 major decisions and 15 falls.

Sophomore Josue Mendez (Brentwood/Brentwood) knocked off the top seed to claim the individual crown at 184 pounds. Mendez earned a fall and a major decision en route to the final, where he was a 2-1 winner. He's now 17-16 in his career.

Two other Bombers reached the finals. Junior Seth Ecker (Pottstown/Pottstown, Pa.) placed second at 133 pounds, pinning his first three opponents before losing to the nation's top-ranked wrestler. Ecker, the second seed in the tournament, is ranked sixth nationally. He raised his career record to 50-13 (he's 4-1 this winter) with 18 pins.

Sophomore Dave Foley (Fairport/Fairport), seeded fourth at 165 pounds, beat his first three opponents before finishing second. Foley, a transfer from King's in his first year at Ithaca, is now 20-14 in his career and 4-1 as a Bomber.

Four other Bombers were place-winners. Senior Blaine Woszczak (Wall/Manasquan, N.J.) placed third at 149 pounds, recording a 14-7 win in the third/fourth-place bout. Woszczak, seeded first in the tournament and ranked fourth nationally, won three matches over the weekend (including one by technical fall). He's 4-1 this season and 106-33 in his career; Woszczak moved into the top 10 on the program's all-time win list; he's now 10th and two wins shy of eighth place.

At 141 pounds, senior Junior Amazan (Uniondale/Hempstead), placed fifth (one spot higher than his seed) after pinning his opponent in the fifth/sixth-place match. Amazan is now 39-40 in his career and picked up two wins by fall.

Junior Hank Penree (Frankfort-Schuyler/Ilion) placed fourth at 197 pounds. Seeded third, his two wins on the weekend included a victory by major decision.

Teammate Shane Bartrum (Oswego/Oswego) placed sixth at the same weight class. The unseeded freshman won four matches – including one by major decision – over the weekend.

The Bombers resume dual-meet action Saturday, traveling to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., for the John Reese Duals, hosted by Wilkes.