WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University wrestling team cruised to perfect 3-0 record at the John Reese duals, defeating Scranton 26-12, Rochester Institute of Technology 26-22, and West Virginia University Institute of Technology 34-9 at the Marts Center on Sunday afternoon.

The Colonels improved to 16-4 in dual matches this season.

Wilkes began the day with a dominating 26-12 win over local rival Scranton. The Colonels claimed wins in seven of the ten bouts including five decisions, a technical fall and a forfeit. After Scranton forfeited at 125-pounds, Wilkes rattled off four decision wins. Pankil Chander (Cedarhurst, NY/Lawrence) took his match at 133-pounds over Nick Ciaccia 6-4 before Jessie Lopez (Everett, WA/Everett) earned a 10-4 win over T.J. Conlon at 141-pounds. Kyle Medrow (West Chester, PA/West Chester Henderson) continued his winning ways claiming a 13-6 win while Nicholas Racanelli (West Creek, NJ/Southern Regional) earned some revenge besting Ian Evans 6-0 at 157-pounds. Racanelli and Evans have started a rivalry of sorts as the Wilkes junior posted a win over Evans in last season's Regional semifinal before Evans escaped with a win in the Monarch Invitational earlier this season.
 
Michael Paskas (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) pushed the Wilkes advantage to 23-0 after a 19-1 technical fall in 5:00 at 165-pounds. Scranton finally got on the board with a decision at 174-pounds, before Tanner Kelly (Jackson, NJ/Jackson), in his first bout as a Colonel since transferring to Wilkes, earned an 8-5 win at 184-pounds to round out the Colonel scoring.
 
In the second match against RIT, Wilkes took wins in five bouts including two major decisions and three pins. The Colonels started the match with back-to-back major decisions as senior Guesseppe Rea (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) won at 125-pounds over Connor Wilkins 18-4 before Chander scored at 133-pounds 13-2 over Isaiah Ocasio. Junior Matthew Grossmann (Lancaster, PA/Manheim Township) pushed the score to 14-0 after scoring a pin at 141-pounds over Jake Sepor in 4:38. At 165-pounds Paskas recorded a pin over John Donohue in just 39 seconds to give Wilkes a 20-9 lead.

The Colonels held a 20-16 lead heading into 197-pounds before freshman Tanner Kelly (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) pinned Tim Baumer in 2:04 to give Wilkes the win at 26-16.

In the final match against WVU Tech, the Colonels won eight of 10 matches, including four decisions, two technical falls, one pin, and one forfeit. Freshman Denzel Tovar (Wall, NJ/Wall) started the scoring with an 11-6 decision over Paul Gonzales, before Chander earned his third win at 133-pounds with an 18-1 technical fall over Denis Robles in 3:39. Grossmann won by forfeit at 141-pounds to push Wilkes' lead to 14-0. Medrow earned his second win at 149-pounds with a 20-4 technical fall over Leland Swafford in 3:33 before John Ritter (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) earned a 12-8 decision at 157-pounds over Corey Palmer and Paskas earned a 7-0 decision at 165-pounds over Louis Bernard to push the lead to 25-0. Freshman Ricky Fornacairi pinned Will Van Hoose in 36 seconds at 184-pounds before senior Jordan Nochimson (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) finished the scoring with a 3-2 decision over Terry Nance II.

The Colonels return to action on Friday when they travel to Ithaca for a 7:00 p.m. dual match.

Wilkes 26, Scranton 12
125 – G. Rea (W) won by forfeit
133 – P. Chander (W) dec. Nick Ciaccia (S) 6-4
141 – J. Lopez (W) dec. T.J. Conlon (S) 10-4
149 – K. Medrow (W) dec. John Sheedy (S) 13-6
157 – N. Racanelli (W) dec. Ian Evans (S) 6-0
165 – M. Paskas (W) tech. fall Kevin Merle (S) 19-1 (5:00)
174 – Zachary D'Apolito (S) dec. J. Morel (W) 8-6
184 – T. Kelly (W) dec. Daniel D'Agostini (S) 8-5
197 – Keegan Connelly (S) dec. N. McCummings (W) 9-2
285 – Salvatore Montuori (S) fall A. Sanatan-Quintana (W) 5:49

Wilkes 26, RIT 22
125 – G. Rea (W) major dec. Connor Wilkins (RIT) 18-4
133 – P. Chander (W) major dec. Isaiah Ocasio (RIT) 13-2
141 – M. Grossmann (W) fall Jake Sepor (RIT) 4:38
149 – Colby Hall (RIT) fall K. Medrow (W) 2:02
157 – Dempsey King (RIT) dec. N. Racanelli (W) 2-0
165 – M. Paskas (W) fall John Donohue (RIT) 0:39
174 – Tory Cain (RIT) dec. B. McGill (W) 5-0
184 – Nicholas Greenquist (RIT) major dec. J. Brook (W) 14-1
197 – T. Kelly (W) fall Tim Baumer (RIT) 2:04
285 – Wyatt Morris (RIT) fall J. Nochimson (W) 4:16

Wilkes 34, WV Tech 9
125 – D. Tovar (W) dec. Paul Gonzales (WV) 11-6
133 – P. Chander (W) tech. fall Denis Robles (WV) 18-1 (3:39)
141 – M. Grossmann (W) won by forfeit
149 – K. Medrow (W) tech. fall Leland Swafford (WV) 20-4 (3:33)
157 – John Ritter (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) (W) dec. Corey Palmer (WV) 12-8
165 – M. Paskas (W) dec. Louis Bernard (WV) 7-0
174 – Colton Rowe (WV) dec. J. Morel (W) 10-9
184 – R. Fornaciari (W) fall Will Van Hoose (WV) 0:36
197 – J. Nochimson (W) dec. Terry Nance II (WV) 3-2
285 – Casey Hogg (WV) fall A. Santana-Quintana (W) 1:27