ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Oneonta wrestling team traveled to Rochester to compete in the RIT Invitational on Saturday, and senior Carson LiCastri (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow High School) went 4-0 at the tournament with three first period falls to be crowned the 197-lb. champion. The Red Dragons were one of five teams to have an individual champion as they finished the invitational in eighth place out of 14 teams with 86.5 points, totaling one champion, a runner-up, and a third, fourth and sixth-place finisher.

The other schools that competed at the invitational were host institution RIT, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) No. 17 nationally ranked Lycoming, No. 19 nationally ranked Williams College, John Carroll (JC), Norwich, Oswego, Penn State Behrend (PSB), Pitt-Bradford, St. John Fisher (SJF), Trinity (Ct.), Utica, Wesleyan (Ct.), and the Slippery Rock Club team.

Senior Avery Leonard (Milford, N.Y./Milford Central) finished the day 4-1 with three tech falls at 141 lbs. for a second-place finish, while junior Trevor Cortwright (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley) took third place at 141 pounds with a 5-1 performance that included a fall and tech fall. Senior Kennith Jackson (New Orleans, LA/) recorded two pins and went 3-2 for a fourth-place finish at 285 lbs., and freshman Jack Borowiec () placed sixth at 133 pounds with two wins including a pin. 

LiCastri, the NWCA No. 5 Region two 197-pounder, started the tournament with a 45 second pin against Salvador Hernandez (Oswego), then he recorded a 58 second fall over Frank Gallo (JC). The Red Dragon faced Abe Keep (PSB), the No. 4 Region two ranked 197-pounder, in the semifinals and handled him for a 1:32 fall to advance to the finals. LiCastri took on Kevin Rodriguez (Norwich) in the first-place match and defeated Rodriguez in a 7-2 decision where he scored a takedown 50 seconds into the match, then another one with 15 seconds remaining.

Leonard, the NWCA's No. 13 nationally ranked 141-pounder, began the tournament with three straight tech falls. He posted a 19-3 tech with four takedowns in 2:02 against Nicholas Berrena (Norwich), an 18-3 tech fall with four takedowns in 1:49 against Michael Manieri (Wesleyan), then Leonard moved on to the semifinals with an 18-1 tech in 3:44 with three takedowns over Daniel Echeverria (Trinity).

The Oneonta senior advanced to the finals after he defeated RIT's Isaiah Shafer with an 11-5 decision, where he scored two takedowns in the second period and one more in the final seconds of the match. Leonard faced NWCA's No. 4 nationally ranked 141-pounder, Hayden Myers (Wesleyan) in the first-place match, and Myers got the upper hand with a 16-7 major.

Cortwright started his day with a 2:15 fall over Aidan Morgan (Norwich), then he won an 8-3 decision with a takedown in the second and third period against Luke Yorke (SJF). After he came up short in a 10-8 decision to Michael Santore (Oswego), Cortwright faced Jude Ballantoni (RIT) on the consolation side and won a 16-0 tech fall in 4:04. In a rematch with Yorke, the Red Dragon recorded a takedown in the opening moments, then he scored a couple of escapes and the riding time bonus for a 6-4 decision.

A medical forfeit by Shafer (RIT) advanced Cortwright to the third-place match for a rematch with Santore. Cortwright brought Santore down in the first minute of the match, then Santore scored two reversals for a 4-3 advantage going into the final period. Cortwright forced overtime with an escape with 1:02 left, then he recorded the match-winning takedown in overtime for the 7-4 sudden victory decision.

Jackson pinned Pavitar Singh (Pitt-Bradford) in 45 seconds in his first match of the tournament, then he scored a 5:00 fall against Greydon Carcich (Norwich). The Red Dragon heavyweight outlasted Nicholas Ebrahimi (Trinity) in a 6-3 sudden victory decision, where he was awarded a point with 10 seconds left because Ebrahimi was called for stalling, then tied the match with the riding time bonus. Halfway through the overtime period, Jackson recorded the match-winning takedown.

He fell to the No. 3 NWCA nationally ranked 285-pounder Josh Harkless (RIT) in the semifinals, and advanced past Emre Sensoy (Trinity) by no contest (Sensoy hit the six-match limit) to the third-place match. Jackson faced the No. 4 Region one ranked 285-pounder, Rory Nolan (Norwich), and Nolan came away with the match by pin.

Borowiec began his day with a 2:31 fall against Marco Milkanovic (Utica), then he posted a 6-2 decision over Gabe Scalise (RIT) with a takedown in the opening period and another in the final seconds of the match. He dropped a 7-3 decision in the semifinals to Derek Bernardino (SJF), and a 13-6 decision to Jake Strianese (Williams) on the consolation side. In the fifth-place match, Borowiec faced Carver Moyer (Norwich), where Moyer won by tb-3 fall. 

Freshman Jacob Schweigard (Schoharie, N.Y./Schoharie) won three matches with two tech falls at 157 lbs. He started the day with a 10-8 decision over Mamady Traore (Pitt-Bradford) with a reversal and three-point nearfall in the second period. On the consolation side, Schweigard won an 18-2 tech fall in 4:54 with three takedowns and a pair of four-point nearfalls against Gavin Bob (RIT), then he teched Anthony Avitablie (Oswego) 16-1 in 4:12 with a couple of takedowns.

Freshman Matt Verri (Little Falls, N.Y./Little Falls) recorded three wins including a fall and a major at 157 lbs. Verri started the tournament with a 4:31 fall against Wyatt Kent (Lycoming), before he won a 15-2 major with three takedowns in the third period against Utica's Hunter Morton. On the consolation side, the freshman defeated Nathan Sterner (Lycoming) in an 11-4 decision with a pair of reversals and takedowns.

Junior Billy Colloca (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon Senior High) recorded two wins at 125 lbs. with a pin and a tech fall. In his first match, Colloca pinned John Freebern (RIT) in 2:57, then he wrestled Robert Lyons (Norwich) and recorded a 24-7 tech fall in 4:29 with three takedowns and three four-point nearfalls.

Freshman Kingston Strouse (Northport, N.Y./Northport) picked up two wins at 157 lbs. that included a tech fall and a major. He won his opening match against Nathan Sterner (Lycoming) in a 16-2 major with three takedowns. On the consolation side, Strouse won a 21-6 tech fall in 5:59 against Luke Pires (RIT) with four takedowns and a reversal. He then had to medically forfeit his next match against Silvan Unger (Wesleyan).

Sophomore Ariel Waldman (/) won a pair of decisions at 133 pounds. He scored a 7-2 decision with a takedown in the second and third period against Taylor Tan (Wesleyan) in his opening match. On the consolation side, the Red Dragon won a 10-4 decision with two takedowns in the first period, and one in the second against Logan Milligan (PSB). Waldman medically forfeited his next match against Jake Strianese (Williams).

Junior Tristan Hinchcliff (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa), freshman Dave Fernandez (), and freshman Jake LeSage (Cobleskill, N.Y./Cobleskill Richmondville) all recorded a pin. Hinchcliff recorded a 2:34 fall against William Olson (Lycoming) at 125 lbs., Fernandez pinned James Thomas (Wesleyan) in 5:00 at 165 pounds, and LeSage had a 2:55 fall over Christian Bernazar (JC) at 285 lbs.

Freshman Jason Kelly (), sophomores Nelith Siriwardhana (Chester, NJ/West Morris Mendham), Luke Leshaj (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester), and senior Jack Kohrs (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury High School) all won a match in the consolation side. Kelly defeated Quinton Bartlett (Lycoming) at 149 lbs. in a 16-1 tech fall in 5:26. He scored a takedown in the first, a reversal in the third, and 10 nearfall points. Siriwardhana registered a 13-5 major with three takedowns and a reversal against Marco Milkanovic (Utica) at 133 lbs. Kohrs bested Dante Coppola (SJF) in a 16-6 major with three takedowns and a reversal at 157 lbs. Leshaj got the upper hand over Sam Watson (Oswego) in a 12-6 decision with a pair of four-point nearfalls at 157 lbs.

The Red Dragons are home for the first time this season for their next match on Saturday, December 13. Oneonta will host WPI and University of Albany in Chase Gymnasium starting at 12 pm.