SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Bridgewater State College senior wrestlers John Marsh (New Bedford, MA) and Frank Cammisa (Danbury, CT), and junior Zachary Bates (Leyden, MA), have all advanced to the winner's bracket final in their respective weight classes during day one action at the 2010 New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Division III Championships hosted by Western New England College.
Bridgewater State is currently in sixth place in the team standings with 63.5 points. The remainder of the tournament will take place on Sunday starting at 10 AM.
Seeded first in the 149-pound weight class, Marsh (29-1) posted a win by fall and a 9-3 decision in his first two matches and then knocked off number five seed Tyler Howe of WPI to advance to the winner's bracket final against second seeded Kevin Sutherland of Rhode Island College.
Cammisa, the number two seed at 157, notched back-to-back pins and then edged third seeded Mike Willey of Plymouth State University, 3-2 in overtime, to advance to the winner's bracket final. Cammisa (26-6) will take on top seed Carl Breitenstein of Williams College.
Bates, a four seed, earned an 11-5 decision and a win by fall in his first two bouts out of the 174-pound weight class. He then posted a big 11-9 upset victory over number one seed Colin Lenhardt of Johnson and Wales University. Bates (31-7) will take on third-seeded Greg Hurd of Wesleyan University in the winner's bracket final.
After posting a 17-2 tech fall victory as well as a win by disqualification, junior Ethan Raymond (Middlebury, VT) dropped a 14-5 major decision to top-seeded Mike Morin of the University of Southern Maine in the winner's bracket semifinals of the 165-pound weight class . Raymond (26-12) will compete tomorrow in the consolation bracket, needing three wins to advance to the championship round.
Sophomore Andrew Frazer (West Hartford, CT) will also need three wins on Sunday to advance to the championship round. Competing at 197, Frazer posted a win by fall in his first bout of the day and then lost to top seed Ryan Malo of Williams. In the wrestleback, Frazer picked up another pin and then knocked off Patrick McCrohan of Johnson & Wales, 6-0.
Marsh, Cammisa, Bates, Raymond and Frazer are all guaranteed All-New England status.