Bucknell Wrestling Finishes 21st at Cliff Keen Invitational
Dec. 6, 2008
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Bucknell's three wrestlers who advanced to the NCAA Championships last March were placewinners at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Saturday. Nationally ranked Bison David Marble (133) and Andy Rendos (165) each placed sixth in his respective weight class, while Shane Riccio (174) earned an eighth-place showing. Bucknell finished 21st overall in the team standings with 41 points. Marble and Rendos each advanced to the semifinals, but lost there to top-five ranked opponents. Marble then dropped a pair in the wrestlebacks to finish sixth, while Rendos posted a pair of medical forfeits to drop to sixth place. Marble, who went 3-3 at the two-day event, faced a total of four nationally ranked opponents. He defeated T.J. Dillashaw of Cal State Fullerton in Friday night's quarterfinals by a 3-2 margin. However, Dillashaw upended Marble 8-1 in the fifth-place match Saturday. Marble has defeated Dillashaw, who is ranked 17th nationally, at each of the last two NCAA Championships. Marble's loss in the semifinals came to eventual champion and No. 3-ranked Jimmy Kennedy. Rendos lost his semifinal match to Cornell's Mack Lewnes, the top-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds. He had advanced to the semifinals with a 4-0 shutout of No. 8 Zach Shanaman of Penn. It was his second win this season over a top-10 opponent. Riccio took a different path to his eighth-place finish as he lost in the second round and needed to win three consecutive bouts in the consolation bracket. He advanced to the consolation quarterfinals, but was pinned by Jesse Feinsad (New Mexico) and Shane Onufer (Wyoming) to finish eighth. Riccio, who unlike Marble and Rendos did not face a ranked opponent, did post back-to-back 7-0 decisions against Mike Wolfer (Columbia) and Eric Starks (Arizona State). Derek Reber (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg) posted four total victories in the consolation bracket and was 4-2 at the two-day event, but came one win shy of guaranteeing a top-eight finish. His weekend came to an end with a 2-2 overtime loss against No. 19 Ben Kjar. Earlier Reber had defeated Lehigh's John McDonald by a 10-1 major decision. Overall, Bison wrestlers were 5-1 against EIWA foes, including Reber's 1-0 showing. Kevin LeValley (149) and David Thompson (184) were also in action on Saturday. LeValley finished the weekend with a 2-2 record, while Thompson was 1-2. Jay Hahn went 0-2 on Friday to round out the seven Bison who were in action at the tournament. Bucknell (2-4, 1-1 EIWA) will return to duals action Dec. 19 with a tri-meet against Cleveland State, Drexel and Wagner. 125: Derek Reber (No. 13 seed), Fr., Lewisburg, Pa. 133: No. 16 David Marble (No. 4 seed), Jr., Harpursville, N.Y. 149: Kevin LeValley (No. 11 seed), So., Hugo, Colo. 165: No. 14 Andy Rendos (No. 5 seed), Jr., Brockway, Pa. 174: Shane Riccio (No. 6 seed), Jr., Warren, N.J. 184: David Thompson, So., West Liberty, Ohio 197: Jay Hahn, So., Malvern, Pa.
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