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Trumbull's Cannone wins NCAA Division III national title

CLEVELAND, March 10 -- Five Connecticut wrestlers earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division III national championships Saturday night including Trumbull’s Cross Cannone, the 149-pound junior from Iowa’s Wartburg College, who won a national championship.

Cannone beat No. 3 seed Greg Warner of York, Pa., 9-1 to finish the season undefeated (34-0) and become the first Connecticut wrestler to win a Division III national title since 1982.

Cannone won four matches in the tournament – all by major decision (at least eight points). He had a pair of shutouts in the quarterfinals and semifinals and gave up just five points in the tournament on three escapes and one reversal.

Cannone helped Iowa-based Wartburg College win their third straight NCAA Division III national championship and the 14th in school history.

“I was a little nervous but I needed to stick to my game plan,” Cannone said. “That’s sticking to the basics and going out there and fighting for seven minutes. If I do that, good things will happen.”

Cannone earned All-American honors a year ago but finished second. He used that to fuel his work throughout the summer.

“Throughout the summer I was working hard. That’s where you make your gains,” he said. “(Losing in the final) gave me hunger.”

He went undefeated this season with 14 tech falls – sixth highest in Division III along with 10 major decisions and two pins. “Once, I got rolling, I knew it would be my year.”

Cannone was the first Connecticut wrestler to win a Division III championship since the late Steve Fernandes, a three-time All-American from Southington, did it in 1982 at 134 pounds for College of New Jersey -- now Trenton State.

“It feels amazing. I’m not sure if it has hit me yet,” Cannone said. “It was the pinnacle of wrestling. It felt awesome to represent Connecticut and showcase all of the hard work I have put in.”

Wesleyan senior Isaiah Bellamy (Bozrah) earned All-American honors by taking third at 285 pounds while Wesleyan’s Devon Carrillo (Middletown), Wartburg’s Michael Ross (Foran-Milford) and Johnson & Wales’ Khamri Thomas (Windsor Locks) earned All-American honors by taking eighth in their respective weight classes.

Bellamy (38-3) had an outstanding tournament going 6-1 with three pins to earn All-American honors for the first time.

After two victories, Bellamy dropped a heartbreaking 3-1 loss to Waynesburg’s Jake Evans, who got a takedown with one second left in regulation. But Bellamy remained strong with three straight wins in the consolation bracket to get to the consolation final where he pinned No. 1 seed Jake Evans of Wartburg in 4:34 for his 24th pin of the season.

Bellamy’s third place finish is the highest finish ever by a Wesleyan wrestler at the NCAA championships. His 24 pins led the nation -- in all divisions.

Carrillo (37-5, 22 pins) came into the tournament as the No. 5 seed. In his third NCAA tournament, Carrillo started off with a win with a 12-2 victory over Dylan Diebitz of Wisconsin-Stevens Point before dropped a 3-2 decision to Etini Udott of Centenary in the quarterfinals.

Carrillo earned All-American honors for the first time with a 7-5 win over No. 3 Kyle Koser of Messiah but dropped his next two bouts to finish eighth.

It’s the first time in Wesleyan’s long wrestling history that the Cardinal has two All-American wrestlers in the same season.

Ross, a 165 pound freshman from Foran in Milford, entered the tournament undefeated (22-0) for Wartburg and the No. 1 seed. He won his first match before getting hurt in a 13-1 quarterfinal loss to No. 8 seed Nick Velez of Ithaca. Ross (23-3) earned All-American honors with a 10-2 win over Adrian Gonzalez of Johnson and Wales.

Thomas wrestled had a pair of overtime decisions in his first two tournament matches. He beat Baldwin-Wallace’s Zeckary Lehman with a takedown 12 seconds into overtime, 4-2. But in the quarterfinals, Thomas dropped a 2-1 decision to fifth seed Christos Giatras of Augustana, Illinois in double overtime.

Thomas rebounded with an 8-0 win over Messiah’s Derek Beitz in the consolation round to earn All-American honors.

Coast Guard had a pair of All-American wrestlers. Junior Nick Remke (165) finished fifth at 165 pounds while sophomore Owen McClave (133) took seventh.

Thursday, March 7

Eight state wrestlers competing at NCAA Div. 3 nationals

CLEVELAND, March 7 – Eight Connecticut natives will be wrestling at the NCAA Division III national championships beginning Friday in Cleveland at the Cleveland Public Auditorium.

Wesleyan’s Devon Carrillo (197, Middletown) and Isaiah Bellamy (285, Norwich) are competing along with Wartburg’s Cross Cannone (149, Trumbull) and Mike Ross (165, Foran), Johnson and Wales’ Khamri Thomas (184, Windsor Locks) and Adrian Gonzalez (165, Fitch), Roger Williams’ Taylor Shay (165, New Fairfield) and Washington and Lee’s Zach Bylykbashi (141, Southington).

Cannone (30-0) and Ross (25-0) are both No. 1 seeds in their respective weight classes. Both are undefeated and Wartburg has won the last two NCAA Division III national championships and six of the last seven titles.

Bellamy (32-2, 21 pins) is seeded No. 4 at 285 while Carrillo is seeded No. 5 at 197 with a 35-2 mark and 21 pins. Carrillo, Bellamy and Waynesburg’s Jake Evans (285) lead Division III with 21 pins.

Thomas (42-2) has eight pins and is the No. 4 seed at 184. Shay (36-6) is seeded seventh. He is tied for the team lead in wins.

Wrestling begins on Friday at 11 a.m. Championship semifinals will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the third place, fifth place and seventh place bouts on Saturday at 5 p.m. The championship finals are at 7 p.m.

The last champion from Connecticut was the late Steve Fernandes of Southington, who won at 134 pounds for Trenton State in 1982. The most recent finalist from Connecticut was Cannone, who was second last year at 141.

No. 24 Coast Guard had a team-record four wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Division III nationals with sophomore Owen McClave (133), junior Nick Remke (165), sophomore A.J. Aeberli (174) and freshman Jonathan Wagner (197) earning invitations.

Trinity College had one wrestler earn an NCAA Division III tournament berth. Junior captain Grant Sorenson qualified at 149 pounds.

State wrestlers at NCAA Division III national championships

Cross Cannone (Trumbull), Wartburg, 149

1R: Def. Grant Sorenson, Trinity, 12-3

QF: Def. (8) Austin Bethel, Wabush, 11-0

SF: Def. (5) Alex Wilson, Augsburg, 8-0

Final: Def. (3) Greg Warner, York, 9-1

Mike Ross (Foran-Milford), Wartburg, 165

1R: Def. Blake Dixon, John Carroll, 11-1

QF: Lost (8) Nick Velez, Ithaca, injury default, 4:49, 13-1

Consolation 1R: Def. Adrian Gonzalez, Johnson & Wales, 10-2

Consolation SF: Lost Jeff Hojnacki, Messiah, 7-1

Seventh place: Lost Ben Hewson, Cornell College, medical default

Devon Carrillo (Middletown), Wesleyan, 197

1R: Def. Dylan Diebitz, Wis-Stevens Point, 12-2

QF: Lost (4) Etini Ucutt, Centenary NJ, 3-2

1R Consolation: Def. (3) Kyle Mosher, Messiah, 4-3

Consolation SF: Lost Andrew Holladay, Coe, 7-5

Seventh place: Lost Diebitz, 3-1

Isaiah Bellamy (Bozrah), Wesleyan, 285

Preliminary: Def. (4) Connor Callkins, RIT, 2:13

1R: Def. Alveno Matthews, Ferrum, 3-0

QF: Lost (5) Jake Evans, Waynesburg, 3-1

1R consolation: Def. Jonah Aureho, Johnson & Wales, 4-1

Consolation 2R: Def. Tyler Ortmann, Cornell College, 1:43

Consolation SF: Def. (3) Jake O’Brien, 7-1

Third place: Def. (1) Jake Evans, Wartburg, 4:34

Khamri Thomas (Windsor Locks), Johnson & Wales, 184

1R: Def. Zeckary Lehman, Baldwin-Wallace, 4-2 OT

QF: Lost (5) Christos Giatras, Augustana IL, 2-1, 2 OT

Consolation 1R: Def. Derek Beitz, Messiah, 8-0

Consolation SF: Lost (8) Dan Squires, Wisconsin-Stevens Point, medical forfeit

Seventh place: Lost (6) Keajon Jennings, Milliken, medical forfeit

Taylor Shay (New Fairfield), Roger Williams, 165

1R: Def. Jeremy Vester, Central Iowa 7:00

QF: Lost (2) Lucas Jester, Ausburg, 2:47

Consolation 1R: Lost Nick Remke, Coast Guard, 6:53

Zach Bylykbashi (Southington), Washington & Lee, 141

1R: Lost (1) Brett Kaliner, Stevens, 12-3

1R Consolation: Lost (8) Chase Wilson, Manchester 18-4

Adrian Gonzalez (Fitch-Groton), Johnson & Wales, 165

1R: Lost (2) Lucas Jester, Ausburg, 4:52

1R Consolation: Def. Tyler Grimsley, Olivet, 4-2

2R Consolation: Lost to (1) Mike Ross, Wartburg, 10-2

2018 NCAA Division III Championships

At Cleveland

Team results – 1. Wartburg College (Iowa) 136½, 2. Augsburg, MN 82, 3. Itacha College (NY) 79, 4. Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) 55; 5. Wabash IN 44, 6. Johnson & Wales RI 43½, 7. Wisconsin-LaCrosse 42½, 8. Messiah PA 38, 9. Wisconsin-Whitewater 35, 10. Mount Union (Ohio) and SUNY-Oneonta NY 34 ½

Others: 18. Wesleyan 24, 23. Coast Guard 19; 61. Trinity 0

Individual results

125: Final -- Jay Albis (Johnson & Wales ) dec. Carlos Fuentez (Wheaton, IL), 11-10; 3. Mike Tortorice (Wis.-Whitewater) dec. Jonathan Haas (Brockport) 3-2; 5. Nick Mancini (Mount Union) dec. Clarren Pestano (Central (IA)) 10-0; 7. Ferdinand Mase (Ithaca) dec. Christopher Doyle (Baldwin Wallace) 8-1

133: Final -- Brock Rathbun (Wartburg) dec. Sam Bennyhoff (Augsburg) 12-5; 3. Troy Stanich (Stevens) pin Austin Sisco (SUNY Oneonta) 1:50; 5. Anthony Munoz (Elmhurst) dec. Joao Vicente (Johnson & Wales (RI)) 8-7; 7. Owen McClave (Coast Guard) dec. Brenden Velez (Delaware Valley) 3-2

141: Final -- Ben Brisman (Ithaca) dec. Brett Kaliner (Stevens) 10-7; 3. Chris Williams (Millikin) pin Joseph Ghione (Elizabethtown) 6:22; 5. Josh Martin (Cornell College) pin Brendan Ladd (Alma) 1:31; 7. Jimmy McAuliffe (Elmhurst) dec. Joseph Ferinde (Johnson & Wales (RI)) 7-6 OT

149: Final -- Cross Cannone (Wartburg) dec. Gregory Warner (York (PA)) 9-1; 3. Austin Bethel (Wabash) pin Evan Drill (NYU) 1:16; 5. Alex Wilson (Augsburg) medical forfeit over Sean Peacock (Brockport) 7. Bradan Birt (Millikin) pin Trevor Corl (Lycoming) 1:32

157: Final -- Ryan Epps (Augsburg) dec. Logan Thomsen (Wartburg) 3-1, 2 OT; 3. Cole Erickson (Coe) dec. Zach Wilhelm (Stevens) 4-0; 5. Mark Choinski (Wis.-Oshkosh) pin Kevin Edwards (Messiah) 2:51; 7. Raymond Jazikoff (NYU) dec. Kyle Hatch (Wabash) 10-4

165: Final -- Lucas Jeske (Augsburg) tech fall Nick Velez (Ithaca) 15-0, 7:00; 3. Anthony Arroyo (Baldwin Wallace) dec. Frank Aiello (Wheaton (IL)) 7-5; 5. Nick Remke (Coast Guard) dec. Jeff Hojnacki (Messiah) 4-3; 7. Ben Hewson (Cornell College) medical forfeit over Mike Ross (Wartburg)

174: Final -- Jairod James (Mount Union) dec. Jon Goetz (Wis.-Platteville) 4-1; 3. Eric Devos (Wartburg) pin Darden Schurg (Wabash) 1:57; 5. Ben Swarr (Messiah) dec. Sawyer Massie (Wis.-La Crosse) 6-3; 7. Tanner Vassar (Augsburg) dec. Jake Voss (Coe) 8-3

184

Final -- Jordan Newman (Wis.-Whitewater) dec. Tyler Lutes (Wartburg) 9-1; 3. Jake Ashcraft (Ithaca) dec. John Boyle (Western New Eng.) 14-2; 5. Christos Giatras (Augustana (IL)) dec. Dan Squires (Wis-Stevens Point) 3-1, OT; 7. Keajion Jennings (Millikin) dec. Khamri Thomas (Johnson & Wales (RI)) medical forfeit

197

Final -- Kyle Fank (Wartburg) dec. Guy Patron (Loras) 8-2; 3. Wesley Schultz (Wis.-La Crosse) pin Andrew Holladay (Coe) 1:39; 5. Etiini Udott (Centenary (NJ)) dec. Triston Engle (Brockport) 5-4; 7. Dylan Diebitz (Wis-Stevens Point) dec. Devon Carrillo (Wesleyan (CT)) 3-1

285

Final -- Jake Evans (Waynesburg) dec. James Bethel (SUNY Oneonta) 10-5; 3. Isaiah Bellamy (Wesleyan (CT)) pin Lance Evans (Wartburg) 4:34; 5. Jake O`Brien (Ithaca) dec. Konrad Ernst (Wis.-La Crosse) 5-3, OT; 7. Austin Bellile (MSOE) dec. Tyler Ortmann (Cornell College) 3-2