YORK, Pa. – The sixth-ranked Johnson & Wales University wrestling team showed why it's one of the top programs in the country Saturday at the Spartan Invitational, hosted by York College. The Wildcats finished the day in fourth place.
Johnson & Wales accumulated 125.50 points, finishing just 0.50 behind No. 11 Stevens. Third-ranked Ithaca College won the event with 149.50 points and No. 5 Roger Williams was second at 135 points.
Johnson & Wales had a pair of wrestlers take second in their weight class. Senior Stephen Jarrell (East Greenwich, RI) rolled to the finals of 174 pounds. He suffered his first loss of the year when he was beaten, 9-3, by Delaware Valley's Benjamin Schweiger. Senior Mike Labell (Stanhope, NJ) was in action for the first time this year. He made it to the finals at 184 pounds where he was pinned by Jake Ashcraft of Ithaca.
After a tough loss to second-ranked Troy Stanich of Stevens in the semifinals of 133, 10th-ranked sophomore Jay Albis (Fishkill, NY) came back to beat Ithaca's Jimmy Kaishian, 15-9, in the third-place match. Junior Daniel McBrinn (Ramsey, NJ) battled back through the consolation bracket to take fifth at 157 pounds after a victory over Anthony Fano of Ithaca, 4-0.
Following a second round loss at 125 pounds, Bobby Jordan (Nutley, NJ) battled back through the consolation bracket. He recorded a 3-1 decision over Robert Murry of Stevens to win the third-place match.
The Wildcats had two guys place high at 197 pounds. Sophomore Khamri Thomas (Windsor Locks, Conn.) got his way to the third-place match before getting pinned by Al Kowal of Stevens, the fourth-ranked wrestler in the country, at the 48-second mark. Michael DiNardo (Mahopac, NY) was pinned by Williams' Martin Strenk at the 3:44 point of the fifth-place match.
Johnson & Wales travels to Oneonta, NY, next weekend for the Northeast Duals.
