Fairfax, VA – Following a promising 2023-24 season, the Williams College wrestling team was eager to return to action with a strong first year class, including
Christopher Colon at 125,
John Schneider at 141,
James Evarts and
Will Rorech at 174, and
Fisher Stites at 165. This weekend, the team traveled to Fairfax, Virginia, to compete in a quad dual against Bloomsburg University, George Mason University, and Millersville University. The chance to face high-level Division 1 competition provided the Ephs with an opportunity to sharpen their skills and assess their progress. The squad had the chance to build confidence, recognize their strengths, and identify areas to improve as they embark on the long road ahead.
Against Bloomsburg University, the Ephs earned a decisive 21–10 victory. First-year
Christopher Colon at 125 notched his first collegiate win for Williams with a 4-1 win by decision. He displayed immense defensive skill, holding his opponent, Major Lewis, to a mere one point throughout the entire match. Colon scored three points for the Ephs in their opening bout, setting the tone for the rest of the duel.
Next, at 141 and 149, Tyler Stubbs and Caleb Seyfreid secured wins for the Ephs. Stubbs scored 18 points in the match, demonstrating his talent for disrupting his opponent and putting points on the board. Caleb Seyfreid followed Stubbs' performance with a hard-fought 7-6 victory by decision. Seyfreid was a highly consistent performer last year for the Ephs, and today, he once again showed how to get the job done under pressure.
First-year
Fisher Stites also recorded his first collegiate victory at 165 against Bloomsburg. He made quick work of his opponent, Leo Hess, with a 17-7 major decision. His win, alongside
Christopher Colon's victory, showed promising signs that some younger members of this Williams squad are ready to make their mark on this year's campaign.
With two matches left, the duel against Bloomsburg was tied at 10 points apiece.
David LaPrade and
Thomas Goodwin stepped up to the challenge, securing 11 points for the Ephs. LaPrade handled his match with a 17-2 tech fall victory, and senior Goodwin showcased his experience, scoring a victory by fall just three minutes in.
Against Millersville and George Mason, the Williams College wrestlers suffered two difficult defeats. Despite the losses, the Ephs gained valuable experience and put forth some strong performances. These duals were highlighted by two convincing victories from junior
Peter Kane. Kane, who made an impressive run to the NCAA DIII final last year and showed he is prepared to do the work to get back there. He notched a 4-1 decision victory against Millersville, followed by a 10-5 win versus George Mason. His ability to command these matches emphasized his competitiveness and the maturity of his game.
After a successful trip to Virginia, including encouraging victories from the first years and positive performances from the returners, the Ephs are headed back to Williamstown. Eph head coach
Scott Honecker had this to say on behalf of his team's outing: "What a great opportunity to compete against 3 higher division programs. We had our points of emphasis of effort and contesting every situation in the match. We graded an A+ when it comes to the criteria we set out for the weekend. The good news is if you do those things, and the opportunity to win presents itself, you'll be in position. Just the ability to compete against D1 teams is a big deal for this program. And to prove we are competitive and get a dual win on the day is something that sets the tone for the season. On to the next week and the celebration of 100 years of Williams Wrestling."
Next up for the Ephs is the celebration of 100 years of wrestling at Williams next Saturday the when they will take on Cortland at noon, Utica University at 2:00 PM and Roger Williams University at 3:30 PM in historic Lasell Gym.
Results against Bloomsburg:
Christopher Colon (125) win by 4-1 decision over Major Lewis
Tylor Stubbs(141) win by major decision 18-10 over Ashton Campbell
Caleb Seyfried (149) win by 7-6 decision over Hayden Coy
Peter Kane (157) loss by 4-1 decision to William Morrow
Fisher Stites (165) loss by 17-7 major decision to Leo Hess
Sean Tansey (174) vs Leo Hess N/A
James Evarts (184) loss by 12-6 decision to David Tuttle
David LaPrade (197) win by tech fall 17-2 (5:00) over Mason Rebuck
Thomas Goodwin (285) win by 3:00 fall over Shane Noonan
Results against Millersville:
Christopher Colon (125) loss by 8-6 decision to Bryce Beatty
Jack Napeloni (133) loss by 7-4 decision to Taylor Robinson
Tylor Stubbs (141) loss by 13-5 major decision to Nicholas Cottone
Caleb Seyfried (149) loss by 19-9 major decision to Richie DeFulvio
Peter Kane (157) win by 4-1 decision over Timothy Uhler
Fisher Stites (165) win by 5:00 fall over Nicholas Bennet
Sean Tansey (174) win by 8-1 decision over Mitch Bivona
Zach Borzio (184) loss by 8-6 decision to Cole Dubois
Max Hall (184) loss by 5:00 fall to Riley O`Boyle
Results against George Mason:
Christopher Colon (125) loss by 20-3 4:08 tech fall to Gunner Chambers
John Schneider (133) loss by 10-6 decision to Geoffrey Whelan
Tylor Stubbs (141) loss by 2:10 fall to Dominic Hargrove
Donnie Morton (149) loss by 19-4 2:46 tech fall to Cale Roggie
Peter Kane (157) win by 10-5 decision over Thomas Stofka
Fisher Stites (165) loss by 21-5 6:04 tech fall to Sean Coughlin
Sean Tansey (174) loss by 13-4 major decision to Riley Hackworth
Zach Borzio (184) loss by 7-4 decision to Malachi DuVall
Max Hall (197) win by 9-5 decision over Colin Pedersen
Thomas Goodwin (285) loss by 3:48 fall to Ean Winchester
