“We have had some success early in this season,” Azevedo said. “We are showing a lot of fight, and we’re winning some matches. I hope to see our guys build on what we have accomplished so far, and I hope we can start to win the close matches.”
The Dragons finished fifth out of 12 schools in what was a successful tournament. Heavyweight redshirt-senior Kyle Frey and 165-pound junior captain Joe Booth both took home titles in their respective weight classes.
Frey pinned his first opponent midway through the second period, followed by a 3-2 decision in his second match over host Cornell’s Stryker Lane. In the semifinals against Bloomsburg’s Zac Walsh, Frey earned a convincing 7-2 decision. In the final match, Frey defeated Nick Gwaizdowski of Binghamton, earning his first heavyweight title at the Body Bar.
Booth began his day with a 4-1 decision and an impressive 9-3 decision in his first and second matches over Dylan Caprio of Lock Haven and Alexander Smith of Army, respectively. In the semifinals, Booth blanked Kent’s Ross Tice in an 8-0 major decision. He then went on to beat Buffalo’s Mark Lewandowski 3-1 in the finals to win the title.
After splitting his matches, 141-pound junior Frank Cimato placed fourth in his class, while redshirt-sophomore Brandon Palik earned sixth place in the 197-pound weight class — capping off Drexel’s impressive day on the mat.
Both Frey and Booth remain undefeated this season with 6-0 records. They look to keep their winning streak alive at the Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas.
“Booth and Frey are wrestling very well right now,” Azevedo said. “They are both 6-0 and need to keep it going this weekend. The Cliff Keen/Las Vegas Invitational will be their chance to shine on the national scene.”