NOVEMBER 5, 2011

KING'S DESIR, STARK WIN MONARCH INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS, REILLY SECOND IN BATTLE OF ALL-AMERICANS AT 184

COMPLETE BRACKETS AND TEAM SCORING  -  PDF

WILKES-BARRE — King's College crowned two individual champions and one runner-up at the season-opening 2011 Monarch Invitational Tournament Saturday in Scandlon Gymnasium. Tommy Desir (157) and Shane Stark (174) captured tournament titles while all-American Mike Reilly settled for second place at 184-pounds.

The tournament ranks as one of the biggest in King's history as 252 wrestlers competed in the event.

At 157-pounds, Desir (Scranton/Scranton) was top-seeded in a massive 31-man bracket Desire won by a 22-7 technical fall, then a pin in 4:42 to adance to the semi-finals. There he downed Matt Ellery of Wilkes by a 11-6 count to advance to the title match. There he posted a 9-5 decision over Tom Demetrio  of York.

Stark (Harvey's Lake/Lake Lehman) was seeded sixth in the event at 174-pounds and battled his way through a 26-man bracket. Stark won by scores of 9-1 and 10-2 to reach the semi-funals. There he posted a 4-2 overtime decision over York's Matt Heisey to reach the finals. There he won a 4-2 decision over fifth-seeded Nick Fuschino of R.I.T. to claim the championship.

In the feature match of the day at returning Metropolitan Conference champions Alex Martocello (184) and Mike Reilly (174) of King's squared off in the 184-pound championship. Both standouts earned all-American honors last season in their respective weight classes at the NCAA Division III national Tournament. Reilly (Mountain Top/Crestwood) won his first match of the Monarch Tournament 7-2 before posting a 16-0 technical fall. In the quarterfinals Reilly scored a pin in 6:00 over Vince Buttice of Cortland State to reach the final. There, Reilly opened a 2-0 lead but Martocello battled back to win an exciting 11-9 decision to claim the tournament crown.

At 285, King's Peter Dwyer was seeded fourth. Dwyer (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Medina) won his first match by a pin in 1:19, but fell by fall in 4:34 in the quarterfinals. In the consolation bracket, Dwyer posted decisions of 11-2 and 3-1 in overtime to reach the consolation semi-finals.  Suffering a minor injury, Dwyer withdrew from the tournament for precautionary reasons and settled for sixth place.

Team Scoring:
Wilkes, 149.5
York, 117.0
Cortland State, 95.5
Oneonta State, 91.0
Roger Williams, 78.0
Washington & Jefferson, 76.0
King's, 75.5
Gettysburg, 67.0
Hunter, 65.0
Western New England, 64.5
Rocjhester Institute of Technology, 61.5
Scranton, 22.5
Muhlenberg, 19.5