MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- A dominant opening day of competition for the Ithaca College wrestling team at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Northeast Regional has the Bombers holding the team scoring lead with 75.5 points and has laid the foundation to send numerous wrestlers to the national championships later this month.
The Bombers advanced wrestlers to the semifinals in 8 of 10 weight classes and has two other wrestlers still alive in the consolation bracket. The top three finishers in each weight class earn bids to the NCAA Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 14-15. Action continues Sunday at 10 a.m ET.
In the 125-pound weight class, Jimmy Kaishian had a bye to the quarterfinals and then won a 13-5 major decision against the sixth-seeded Khalil Newbill of Southern Maine. Kaishian will face second-seeded Brian Amato of WPI in the semifinals.
Returning all-American Alex Gomez advanced to the semifinals with a pair of convincing wins at 133 pounds. He won his opening bout by first-period pin in 2:37 and then defeated his quarterfinal opponent by 10-2 major decision.
Dominick Giacolone, an NCAA qualifier in 2013, was seeded second in the 141-pound bracket and won two matches to gain a spot in the semifinals. Giacolone won his first match by pin in 2:20 and then scored a 7-1 decision victory against seventh-seeded Jacob Strohman of Springfield. Giacolone will face the tournament's third seed, Benjamin Mikac of Oneonta in the semifinals.
At 149 pounds, Eamonn Gaffney won his first round match by pin at 1:45 and then defeated third-seeded Abubakar Sow of Oswego with a 6-0 decision victory. Gaffney, seeded sixth at this tournament, will face second-seeded Eric Hamrick of Springfield in Sunday's semifinals.
Kevin Collins made it five consecutive semifinal qualifiers when he picked up a pair of victories at 157. Collins won by tech fall in his first bout, getting the 16-1 margin at the end of the match. He then faced fourth-seeded Francisco Colom of Roger Williams in the quarterfinals and Collins picked up a 2-1 decision win. Collins will face top-seeded Everet Desilets of Johnson & Wales (R.I.) in the semifinals. Desilets is ranked ninth nationally in the 157-pound weight class.
Top-seeded Kristopher Schimek won his first two matches in the 165-pound bracket. Schimek got an 11-3 major decision victory and a 7-1 decision win to go to the semifinals. He will face fourth-seeded Shaun Gillen of Oneonta in the semifinals.
Carlos Toribio is the second seed in the 174-pound bracket and won his first match by 7-5 decision and his quarterfinal by 9-3 decision to gain a spot in the semifinals. Toribio will face Colin Lenhardt of Johnson & Wales in the semifinals. Lenhardt is the third seed and is nationally ranked in the 184-pound weight class, but has dropped to 174 for this championship.
At heavyweight, Shane Bartrum is in the semifinals following a 19-4 technical fall victory to start the tournament and a 3-1 sudden-victory win in the quarterfinals against fourth-seeded Anthony Joyce of Norwich. Bartrum will face a familiar foe in the semifinals, Cortland State's Lance Moore. Bartrum has posted two victories against Moore so far this season.