Vince Cornella wasted no time on the mat on Sunday at the Edinboro Open, with three first period pins and a quick technical fall on the way to the championship at 141 pounds. In his opening bout, he took Chris Mullins down and added several turns for the 16-0 victory. He then pinned Michigan State's Blake Noonan in 1:25 and Appalachian State's Riley Edwards in 2:34 to punch is finals ticket. In the title match, he avenged an earlier season loss to Central Michigan's Drew Marten with a fall in less than a minute.
Also making it to the championship bout was Ethan Fernandez at 133 pounds. Fernandez topped Lehigh's Carter Bailey, a placer at the Midlands (Matmen Open) this season, 4-2, in his initial bout before besting Raymond Lopez and Ryan Franco by matching 3-1 scores. He nabbed second after dropping a decision to Jordan Titus in the finals.
A pair of Spartan wrestlers took home fifth place (with just one loss each) - Erik Gibson at 165 and Evan Canoyer at 174. Gibson won four bouts, including a gritty 4-3 decision in his first contest versus Jack Blumer of West Virginia. After a one-point loss in round two, Gibson came back with three consecutive victories, including a pin against Lehigh's Patrick Edmondson and an 8-3 victory over Ethan Wiant of Clarion.
Meanwhile, Canoyer went 5-1 at 174. He began with a 13-3 major over a foe from Maryland and then captured a back and forth match with Kent State's Michael Caniglia. After dropping a close contest, Canoyer took three straight decisions against opponents from Buffalo, Virginia, and Ohio State, including a 3-2 triumph over Bryer Hall of the Buckeyes for fifth.
Three Spartan wrestlers collected two victories each at Edinboro - Brett Ungar at 125, Vince Napolitana at 141, and Christian Hansen at 174.
Ungar continued his stellar season full of bonus point victories with a first period fall before medical forfeiting out of the event. Napolitana also notched a pin, against Buffalo's Jack Marlow, and followed up with a 6-5 decision, while Hansen topped opponents from Buffalo and Ashland.
Brody Oleksak got his hand raised with a 4-3 win over Sammy Hepler of Lock Haven at 165, while Nate Wade injury defaulted at 149.
Good show for the rooks.