Sasso makes finals, Lehigh eliminated
Sammy Sasso is one win away from NCAA wrestling gold.
The Nazareth High School graduate, competing for Ohio State at 149 pounds, pinned Oklahoma State’s Boo Lewallen in the tournament semifinals Friday night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
Earlier Friday, Sasso won in the quarterfinals with an 8-3 decision over Yahya Thomas of Northwestern. This, after surviving in the Round of 16 with an 11-10 decision over Kyle Parco of Fresno State on Thursday night.
Sasso is the only wrestler from the Lehigh Valley still in gold-medal contention at this tournament, but Bethlehem Catholic graduate Mikey Labriola of Nebraska (174) remains alive for third place. He wrestled a consolation bout late Friday night that ended too late to make this edition.
All others from the Lehigh Valley, including 10 from Lehigh University, have been eliminated. Five Mountain Hawks failed to make it past the first day. The other five all were eliminated Friday, marking the first time Lehigh failed to crown an All-American since 2009.
Three of the five Mountain Hawks who advanced to Friday’s action won their first match before being eliminated one match shy of Friday night’s All-America round of 12.
Lehigh heavyweight Jordan Wood (Boyertown High) was the last to fall, making it to the third round of consolations, where he dropped a 7-6 decision to Wyatt Hendrickson of Air Force. Hendrickson was up 6-0 before Wood came back to get within a takedown of a victory by the end.
Wood also fell in Thursday night’s Round of 16 before rebounding with a 6-0 decision over Buffalo’s Sam Schuyler in the second round of consolations Friday.
Labriola made it to the quarterfinals, where he fell to Bernie Truax of Cal Poly 4-2.
Also eliminated on Friday were Navy’s Andrew Cerniglia (Notre Dame-Green Pond) at 157 and Lehigh’s Jaret Lane (125), Malyke Hines (133), Jake Logan (174) and Jake Jakobsen (197).
Lane began the day with a 13-12 decision over Liam Cronin of Nebraska at 125. Lane was keyed by a second-period takedown and four back points. In his third-round consolation, riding time was the difference against No. 12 seed Michael DeAugustino of Northwestern in a 2-1 loss.
Hines provided Lehigh’s lone bonus point of the day with a 10-2 major decision over Sean Carter of Appalachian State in the second round of consolations.
Against No. 9 Michael McGee of Arizona State, Hines led 5-4 with riding time advantage early in the third period when he was taken down for two. McGee also scored four back points for a 15-7 major decision eliminating the EIWA champion.
Jakobsen faced the No. 2 seed, Eric Schultz of Nebraska, in his second-round consolation. Schultz scored four takedowns and reversed in the final seconds after Jakobsen rode most of the third period to claim a 10-2 major decision.
Jakobsen, who won his first EIWA championship last month, went 8-5 this season.