The Shippensburg University wrestling team faced three NCAA Division III programs on Saturday at the 2017 North-South Duals, dropping two close matches to nationally-ranked opponents surrounding a win over SUNY Cortland in competition held at Ursinus College.
 
Shippensburg (5-8) lost 24-21 to No. 16 Wilkes, defeated SUNY Cortland 29-14, and lost 28-21 to No. 14 Delaware Valley. The Raiders had to forfeit at least one weight class in each dual meet and had a couple of regulars out or limited due to illness.
 
Junior Evan Ramos, ranked atop Super Region I and No. 5 in the country at 197 pounds, added three more wins to his ledger that improved his season record to 15-1. Ramos pinned Wilkes' Jake Brook in 6:45 and Cortland's Ricardo Dawkins in 2:20 while also winning by forfeit against Delaware Valley.  
 
Junior Mike Springer returned to the mat and won all three of his matches at 149 pounds. He began with a 10-8 decision over Wilkes' Jake DiMarsico in which he recorded an early four-point near fall but weathered a takedown in each of the final two periods. Springer won 5-0 over Cortland's Matt Caputo, clinching that victory with a third-period reversal, before pinning Delaware Valley's Robert Duxbury in 2:33.
 
Sophomore Adam Martz, fourth in Super Region I at 157 pounds, improved to 12-5 overall with three more wins. Martz wrestled up to 165 versus Wilkes and notched a takedown in each period to defeat Michael Paskas, 8-4. Back at 157 pounds against Cortland, Martz used two first-period takedowns, a second-period escape and a riding-time advantage to win 6-4. He concluded his day with an entertaining 4-3, TB2 win against Delaware Valley's Sekou Harris.
 
Freshman Cole Rush impressed at 133 pounds, pinning Wilkes' Pankil Chander in 2:06 and Cortland's Josh Antoine in 2:35. Rush dropped a 5-3 decision to Delaware Valley's Kordell Rush, who is ranked No. 10 in the country at 125 pounds and was wrestling up one weight class.
 
Sophomore Dustin Steffenino, fifth in Super Region I at 125 pounds, returned to competition and won two of his three bouts, including a pin of Delaware Valley's Brenden Velez in 4:52.
 
Freshman Derek Berberick also won twice, winning 3-1 in sudden victory over Cortland's Zack Gifford and 5-1 over Wilkes' Jordan Nochimson thanks to two third-period takedowns.
 
Senior Karl Lightner, fourth in Super Region I, competed just once on the day and notched a third-period technical fall, 17-2, against Cortland.
 
The Raiders faced multiple Division III nationally-ranked wrestlers on the day. Berberick clashed with the No. 1-ranked heavyweight, Delaware Valley's Zach Roseberry, and fell 9-4. Junior Hunter Fenk was felled at 174 pounds by Delaware Valley's No. 7-ranked Benjamin Schweiger.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Mike Hafer held his own despite having to wrestle up one class against two of the Top 4 wrestlers in Division III – Wilkes's No. 1-ranked Matthew Grossman and Delaware Valley's No. 4-ranked Tim Ambacher.
 
Shippensburg returns to action on Friday with a 7 p.m. Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) dual meet at East Stroudsburg.
 
No. 16 Wilkes 24, Shippensburg 21
125: Denzel Tovar (WU) dec. Dustin Steffenino (SU), 2-1 (3-0)
133: Cole Rush (SU) pins Pankil Chander (WU), 2:06 (3-6)
141: #1 Matthew Grossman (WU) dec. Mike Hafer (SU), 7-1 (6-6)
149: Mike Springer (SU) dec. Jake DiMarsico (WU), 10-8 (6-9)
157: John Ritter (WU) pins Cody Blankenship (SU), 1:30 (12-9)
165: Adam Martz (SU) dec. Michael Paskas (WU), 8-4 (12-12)
174: Justin Morel (WU) pins Hunter Fenk (SU), 2:45 (18-12)
184: Nasser McCummings (WU) wins by forfeit (24-12)
197: #5 Evan Ramos (SU) pins Jake Brook (WU), 6:45 (24-18)
285: Derek Berberick (SU) dec. Jordan Nochimson (WU), 5-1 (24-21)
 
Shippensburg 29, SUNY Cortland 14
125: Dustin Steffenino (SU) dec. Eric Orellana (Cort), 5-4 (3-0)
133: Cole Rush (SU) pins Josh Antoine (Cort), 2:35 (9-0)
141: Karl Lightner (SU) tech falls Austin O'Reilly (Cort), 17-2 (14-0)
149: Mike Springer (SU) dec. Matt Caputo (Cort), 5-0 (17-0)
157: Adam Martz (SU) dec. Greg Cherry (Cort), 6-4 (20-0)
165: Zack Zupan (Cort) maj. dec. Cody Blankenship (SU), 11-3 (20-4)
174: Colin Barber (Cort) maj. dec. Hunter Fenk (SU), 10-1 (20-8)
184: Brendan Nunziata (Cort) wins by forfeit (20-14)
197: Evan Ramos (SU) pins Ricardo Dawkins (Cort), 2:20 (26-14)
285: Derek Berberick (SU) dec. Zack Gifford (Cort), 3-1, SV1 (29-14)
 
No. 14 Delaware Valley 28, Shippensburg 21
125: Dustin Steffenino (SU) pins Brenden Velez (DVC), 4:52 (0-6)
133: #10 Kordell Rush (DVC) dec. Cole Rush (SU), 5-3 (3-6)
141: #4 Tim Ambacher (DVC) maj. dec. Mike Hafer (SU), 12-3 (7-6)
149: Mike Springer (SU) pins Robert Duxbury (DVC), 2:33 (7-12)
157: Adam Martz (SU) dec. Sekou Harris (DVC), 4-3, TB2 (7-15)
165: Brandan Rudy (DVC) wins by forfeit (13-15)
174: #7 Benjamin Schweiger (DVC) pins Hunter Fenk (SU), 2:25 (19-15)
184: Anthony Snyder (DVC) wins by forfeit (25-15)
197: Evan Ramos (SU) wins by forfeit (25-21)
285: #1 Zachery Roseberry (DVC) dec. Derek Berberick (SU), 9-4 (28-21)