KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University wrestling team concluded its season Saturday with several bright spots at the NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Championships at Kutztown University's Keystone Arena.
 
Redshirt-junior Andrew Wert battled to a sixth-place finish at 141 pounds, while sophomore Kyler Everly, sophomore Owen Koch  and freshman Diesel Koser all recorded postseason wins.
 
Wert reached the consolation semifinals, scoring an 8-2 decision over Kutztown's Jared Fulton and an 8-4 decision over American International's Aaron Morocho.
 
Pitted against Gannon's Caleb Chaves for a spot in the third place match and a shot to punch a ticket to the NCAA Championships, Wert shook off some early injury time against Chaves, trading escape points to take an even 1-1 scoreline into the final minute of the match. Chaves then scored the decisive takedown with 36 seconds left in regulation, securing a 3-1 decision.
 
Wert was later forced to medically forfeit the fifth-place match.
 
Koser won a 6-3 decision over American International senior Tommy Caracciolo in a consolation bout at 197 and was seconds away from a consolation semifinal berth.
 
In the next round of the consolation bracket, the SU freshman fell to Millersville's Bruce Vaughan via second tiebreaker, losing a tight overtime battle that was decided by a just four second difference in riding time.
 
Koch earned a 15-4 major decision against American International's Markys Lissaint in the consolation bracket at 184 pounds. He then suffered an injury default loss to Frostburg State's Nick McCarthy in the next round, a wrestler he defeated 15-5 at the Shippensburg Duals back in January.
 
Everly won a 10-5 decision in his opening round match at 157 pounds. He defeated East Stroudsburg's Eric Falleni, who he had previously lost to earlier this season.
 
The Ship wrestler took a 6-5 lead on Falleni with an escape to start the third period and clung to that slight advantage until the final seconds, scoring a late takedown and a penalty point in what turned out to be a decisive victory.
 
He dropped his quarterfinal bout to Max Stedeford of Mercyhurst, and was eliminated with a loss to Fairmont State's Dalton Parsons in the consolation bracket.
 
Wert, Koser, Calvin Lederer, Anthony Lavish, Cole Lang, Liam Bostrom and Connor Livingston all made their regional tournament debuts for Shippensburg.
 
"This is a young team," said head coach Seth Bloomquist. "It's a bunch of freshmen and sophomores and they have to develop. There are certain things that you have to do to excel, it's a matter of maturity and you have to really want to wrestle. They are slowly developing, but that is not an easy task."
 
133
Devin Flannery (VILLE) tech falls Calvin Lederer (SHIP), 15-0 (1:16)
Kyle Burkholder (SETON) inj. def. Calvin Lederer (SHIP), 1:19
 
141
Mason Myers (UPJ) pins Andrew Wert (SHIP), 4:23
Andrew Wert (SHIP) dec. Jared Fulton (KUTZ), 8-4
Andrew Wert (SHIP) dec. Aaron Morocho (AIC), 8-2
Caleb Chaves (GAN) dec. Andrew Wert (SHIP), 3-1
Aidan Micheli (VILLE) med. forfeit Andrew Wert (SHIP)
 
149
Niko Ferra (SETON) dec. Anthony Lavish (SHIP), 5-1
Gage Heilbrun (FROST) tech falls Anthony Lavish (SHIP), 15-0 (7:00)
 
157
Kyler Everly (SHIP) dec. Eric Falleni (ESU), 10-5
Max Stedeford (HURST) tech falls Kyler Everly (SHIP), 15-0 (5:56)
Kolton Parsons (FAIR) maj. dec. Kyler Everly (SHIP), 12-3
 
165
Nicholas Coreno (GAN) pins Cole Lang (SHIP), (3:39)
Alfred MacNeill (AIC) pins Cole Lang (SHIP), 2:58
 
174
Duncan Kammar (FROST) pins Liam Bostrom (SHIP), 1:27
Robert Burke (ESU) med. forfeit Liam Bostrom (SHIP)
 
184
Noah Gnibus (UPJ) dec. Owen Koch (SHIP), 9-5
Owen Koch (SHIP) maj. dec. Markys Lissaint (AIC), 15-4
Nick McCarthy (FROST) inj. def. Owen Koch (SHIP), 2:37
 
197
Dakoda Rodgers (UPJ) maj. dec. Diesel Koser (SHIP), 9-0
Diesel Koser (SHIP) dec. Tommy Caracciolo (AIC), 6-3
Bruce Vaughan (VILLE) dec. Diesel Koser (SHIP), 2-2 [TB-2]
 
285
Dustin Swanson (KUTZ) pins Connor Livingston (SHIP), 1:33
Christian Taylor (HURST) dec. Connor Livingston (SHIP), 9-3