GREENVILLE, Pa. – For the second time this season the Tomcat wrestling squad came up on the losing end of a tiebreaker, this time falling to Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Waynesburg University by a score of 18-17 Wednesday evening at Beeghly Gymnasium.

Against the University of Mount Union on November 19, the Tomcats and Purple Raiders finished tied 15-15 at the conclusion of the match. The match official was forced to use Criteria 3 – most match points – to decide the winning team. Mount Union held a 41-40 advantage in total points scored during the match and was awarded the 16-15 victory.

On Wednesday Shayduan Velez-Lara (Belcamp, Md./Aberdeen) made sparks fly early in Beeghly Gymnasium, earning a 3-0 decision over Alex Crown at 125 pounds. Crown, last season's fourth-place finisher at 125 at the Division III National Championships, came into the evening with a 21-5 record.

Corey Brown (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds), currently the top-ranked wrestler at 133 pounds in the January 24 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) individual rankings, posted a 15-4 major decision over Jake Vitolo to improve to 27-1 this season and 97-24 in his illustrious Tomcat career.

The Yellow Jackets responded after falling behind 7-0 following the Brown major decision with four-straight victories to take a 15-7 lead.

Jacob Lowry (Smithfield, Pa./Albert Gallatin) snapped the Yellow Jacket win streak at 174 pounds as he defeated Ryan Walters 9-3 to bring Thiel back to within five team points, 15-10.

Stephen Ceremuga (Greenville, Pa./Commodore Perry) brought the Tomcats to within one, 14-13, with his 3-2 decision over Cody Catalina at 184 pounds. One team point was taken away from Waynesburg following the 184-pound match for unsportsmanlike conduct. Wednesday's match was just the third of the season for Ceremuga and his first in front of the spirited Beeghy Gymnasium crowd.

Patrick Morris (Graysville, Pa./West Greene) added to the Tomcat lead with a 12-2 major decision victory over Patrick Jennings at 197 pounds, giving Thiel a 17-14 advantage heading into the final bout of the evening.

Waynesburg's Brandon Fedorka posted a 1-0 decision over Will Ringer (Fredonia, Pa./Reynolds) at 285 pounds to tie the match at 17-17. The team point for most pin fall victories (Criteria 2) was awarded to the Yellow Jackets and gave visiting Waynesburg the 18-17 win.

The Tomcats return to action on Saturday, February 4 at the 26th Annual John Summa Invitational, hosted by Baldwin-Wallace College. Matches are scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m.


125  Shayduan Velez-Lara (Belcamp, Md./Aberdeen) (THI) DEC 3-0 Alex Crown (WAY)    THI 3-0
133 Corey Brown (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds) (THI) MAJ DEC 15-4 Jake Vitolo (WAY)    THI 7-0
141 Aaron Mills (WAY) DEC 4-0 Sean Byham (Saegertown, Pa./Saegertown) (THI)     THI 7-3
149 Chris Milligan (WAY) DEC 10-5 Shawn King (Volant, Pa./Laurel) (THI)     THI 7-6
157 Garrett Johnston (WAY) WBF 2:44 Ryan Carson (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) (THI)    WAY 12-7
165 Sam Lombardo (WAY) DEC 7-6 Matt Lowry (Smithfield, Pa./Albert Gallatin) (THI)      WAY 15-7
174 Jacob Lowry (Smithfield, Pa./Albert Gallatin) (THI) DEC 9-3 Ryan Walters (WAY)     WAY 15-10
184 Stephen Ceremuga (Greenville, Pa./Commodore Perry) (THI) DEC 3-2 Cody Catalina (WAY)    WAY 14-13
 (One team point deducted from Waynesburg after 184-pound match for unsportsmanlike conduct)
197 Patrick Morris (Graysville, Pa./West Greene) (THI) MAJ DEC 12-2 Patrick Jennings (WAY)    THI 17-14
285 Brandon Fedorka (WAY) DEC 1-0 Will Ringer (Fredonia, Pa./Reynolds) (THI)    TIED 17-17
** Match decided by Criteria 2 (most falls)       WAY 18-17

FINAL SCORE: WAYNESBURG-18, THIEL-17
Waynesburg – 10-8, 2-0 PAC
Thiel – 6-6, 1-1 PAC
Attendance: 611