ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca College wrestling program played host in their first competition of the New Year. The Bombers welcomed the Oswego State Lakers and the Nassau Community College Lions to Ben Light Gymnasium for a tri-meet. The Bombers began their day against Oswego State, took a short break, then followed up with their second meet against Nassau. The Bombers were missing some key wrestlers due to injury, but that didn't stop IC from walking out of the Hill Center undefeated on the day. The team is now a perfect 2-0 record in 2023 and 4-2 overall. Even more impressive than the two victories were the very high bonus point percentage. A look into how Ithaca racked up those bonus points continues below.

Ithaca vs. Oswego State
Ithaca Over Oswego State 36-10

125- Matt Haycook over John Vicario via MD 14-4
Haycook started off the day hot with a quick shot into a tight cradle that was remarkably close to a pinfall. While Vicario fought off his back preventing the fall, he wasn't able to prevent bonus points. Haycook hit a few more takedowns and turns to cruise to a major decision and pointed the Bombers in the right direction.

133- Isaias Torres over Michael Santore via Dec. 9-4
Definitely Torres' less flashy win of the day (spoiler), but a quality win in itself. The first-year was in control of the entire match. His neutral game was on point never giving up a takedown while collecting four of his own.

141- Michael Snowden over William Piatti via 2nd Period Fall
Snowden was filling in for the NCWA ranked Luis Hernandez at 141. If you're Oswego State, you're hoping to be able to pull away and take a bonus point victory from this matchup with your healthy starter. Snowden was in on a ton of shots in the first period but was unable to finish. The second period looked to be much of the same, until Snowden caught Piatti attempting to funk roll through a show and stuck him for six. This match was a perfect example of how pressure and creating quality scoring opportunities typically works out in the end. Huge pin for Snowden and the Bombers.

149- Tyler Rossini over Pedro Cruz via Dec. 7-6
Cruz was another fill in for typical starter Matthew Beyer, but wrestled like he belonged in a starting lineup. Cruz narrowly lost to Rossini on a riding time point, who is a D3Wrestle honorable mention. Despite the constant tension and ticking fuse throughout the match, those big six-point explosions never really happened. Rossini was able to reign it in and keep those big moves to only a 2 point reversal or takedown, which is what allowed him to scrape by with a victory.

157- Travis Jones over Logan McGloine via 2nd Period Fall
Jones had a funky match. At one point on a transition from a double leg he threw in a turk with a reverse bow and arrow and claw position for back points. Then to end the match, Jones sat through on bottom attempting to come out of the backdoor. McGloine had his arm twisted, so he attempted to step over to regain positioning on top only to be hit by what could only be described as a seated jap whizzer. A very fun, super funky match by Jones.

165- Jackson Gray over Steven Felice via Tech 19-4
Every recap I feel guilty because Gray doesn't get the word count, he deserves. Each one of Gray's wins go along the same lines no matter the point differential. Slick shots? Check. Clean finishes? Check. Tight technique? Check. Dominant ride on top? Check. Quick stand up? Check. Riding Time? Check. Jackson Gray- this is my apology. I'll try to be better next time.

174- Charlie Grygas over Konrad Parker via MD 13-3
Parker had trouble on bottom against #4 in the country, but that's Grygas game. He's a grinder on top that looks to wear you down and score a few takedowns from neutral because of it. What was impressive was Parker's neutral game this match. Grygas has a brick wall defense that Parker surely tested. He even managed to claim a takedown that showed how dangerous the first year can be.

184- Bryce Smith over Ryan Galka via Dec 12-6
Galka managed to score a nice takedown when Smith attempted to go huge in the first period with a headlock. Besides that moment, this match was all Smith. All of Galka's other points came off of exchanges that benefitted D3 Wrestle Contender Smith.

197- Eze Chukwuezi over Anthony Cascen via First Period Fall
The quickest match of the night by far at 36 seconds. Chukwuezi hit a double leg for two. He followed up with a mean bow and arrow to secure a quick fall.

HWT- Jeremy Mazzella over Evan Cataldo via First Period Fall
Much like Eze's match, this was very quick and almost no contest. Ending in just over a minute, Mazzella forced a fall.

Ithaca vs Nassau Community College
Ithaca over Nassau CC 29-15
 
125- Joe Petrone over Matt Haycook via First Period Fall
Haycook scored a takedown in an intense scramble early to give him the lead for the majority of the period. Petrone hit a disgusting Judo style foot sweep that caught Haycook off guard and eventually secured the fall. The Bombers started out in an unexpected six-point hole.

133- Isaias Torres over Kevin Lopez via 3rd Period Fall
While the outcome of this match was spoiled earlier, the recap cannot capture the electrifying energy this match showcased. Torres gave up the first takedown and then flipped a switch. It was an absolute clinic from there forward. The match would have ended via tech fall if Torres didn't manage to pin Lopez after a busted cradle ended in a reverse half position. There were all types of scoring opportunities via tilts, cradles, takedowns. You name it and he probably tried it this match. If Torres would have hit a big throw then he could have talked about completing the wrestling cycle. The only point he didn't score was a stall point. That was only due to Torres not giving Lopez enough room to breathe let alone enough time to get hit for stalling. Amazing match for the Bombers and flipped the energy in the gym after tying the dual.

141- Quincy Howard over Michael Snowden via MD 14-0
The first period made this match look like it was about to be a defensive dual. The second period started 0-0 with both wrestlers unable to come up with any points despite a very large amount of offensive attempts. Howard then found his groove on top and scored 14 unanswered points. Snowden deserves credit for fighting off his back on multiple occasions to avoid getting pinned or giving up another nearfall point to end the match in a tech.

149- Kris Ketchum over Pedro Cruz via Tech 16-1
Ketchum was a wildcard coming into today. After his first match where he simply dominated D3 Honorable Mention Tyler Rossini, it was clear that Ketchum was a JUCO stud. Cruz battled to try to create some scramble situations to catch Ketchum out of position. The points just never went in Cruz's corner and Ketchum was able to finish the bout early via tech.

157- Wenchard Pierre-Louis over Adam Bassillio via MD 15-2
Pierre-Louis split matches with Travis Jones today at 157 for IC. Bassillio looked like a worthy opponent in his previous match as he cruised in a victory against Oswego State scoring with all different types of turns and tilts. Pierre-Louis and Bassillio both kept each other at arm's length until one long scoreless scramble in the first period. It looked that Bassillio had a knee injury partway through the second period but continued to wrestle through it. The moment after the injury is when Pierre-Louis switched into a different mode. His entire energy changed after Bassillio began calling his own injury times. The energy on the Ithaca Bomber's bench erupted with every Pierre-Louis score.

165- Jackson Gray over Joe Russo via Dec 11-8
Remember when I talked about before how every match Gray wins seems to be the same? Well, it was a set up. Russo hit Gray with a six-point cement mixer early on in the match, much like when Gray got pinned in the dual against Stevens. This time Gray fought off his back and made a miraculous comeback. Gray then hits a reversal and a deep half nelson for his own six-point combo. Russo fought off his back, reverses Gray, and almost collects more back points in the process. The first period ends 8-6 with Russo in the lead. The second period had Russo try the same exact move that scored him a six-point lead in the first, but Gray managed to clamp an overhook and secure a takedown. The third period had the score tied until the Bomber hit a double leg, secured riding time, and came out with an electric 11-8 comeback victory.

174- Konrad Parker over Stephen Dickenson 14-8
This match was very cut and dry. A lot of points due to Parker recognizing a weakness in Dickenson's lead leg in his stance. Parker kept shooting drop singles to the lead leg and exposed the Lion's stance the entire match. Unfortunately, he gave up a late reversal to negate the major decision, but still a quality win.

184- Ryan Galka over Jameson Shea via Dec 8-6
This match was razor close the entire way trading points. Galka took the lead after coming out the backdoor on a shot to go up 6-4 with riding time secured and with under 30 seconds remaining. Shea managed to score a reversal with 20 seconds left, but needed to cut Galka because of the riding time point. Shea is unable to score on two separate deep shots and Galka squeaks out a decision victory.

197- Eze Chukwuezi over Matthew Clarkson via First Period Fall
Another quick win for Eze. He scored in practically the same way as the first match, just more often. Takedown, turn, cut, repeat.

HWT- Jeremy Mazzella over James Clarkson via MD 12-4
Mazzella wanted to finish this match via cradle very badly. He kept going back to it despite being able to score in a multitude of ways even though Clarkson was much heavier and harder to cradle than many of Mazzella's smaller opponents he would see at 197. Still, cruises to a major decision victory to end the night.