Top-seeded Builder Colton Messick captured the lone title for Apprentice.  After a first round bye, Messick punched his ticket to the finals with a pair of pins.  In the championship bout he would hang on to a 7-2 decision over Noah Hodges of NCAA D2 Alderson Broaddus for the 125 lb title.  Colt is now 16-5 on the season with 9 bonus point victories and is only the 3rd Builder to ever win gold at this event, joining teammate Kolin Johnson and alumni Josh Rodriguez.

 

Four more Builders finished in the top-six at the event.  Dillon Messick was 6th (125), Raekwon Jackson 5th (133), Shalek Colon 5th (141) and Wes Sorey in 4th (197).

 

After dropping his opening bout to Hodges, Dillon would bounce back with a pair of pins over Southwest Virginia and Ohio Northern to secure a top-six finish before dropping his final two for 6th place.

 

At 133 lbs, third-seeded Jackson started the day with a first period pin over Alvernia, followed by a major-decision over Gettysburg to advance to the semi-finals.  After falling to eventual champion Seth Transue of Ohio Northern in the semi-finals, Ray Ray lost a close 2-0 overtime bout to drop to the 5th place match.  In one of the most exciting bouts of the tournament, he secured a late come-from-behind pin over Harley Constable of host Waynesburg.  Both wrestlers found multiple 6 point throws in the bout and exchanged leads throughout.

 

After a first round bye at 141 lbs, fourth-seeded Colon advanced to the quarter-final with a decision over Trinity College in a bout that saw Shalek and his opponent put a combined 39 points on the scoreboard.  In the quarters, Shalek fell to the eventual champion from Lake Erie College only to bounce back with a major decision and a pin to advance to the consolation semi-finals.  After dropping that bout, Shalek found another pin over Waynesburg for 5th place.  Shalek is now 11-5 on the season with 7 pins.  All but two of his wins have come with bonus points.

 

At 197 lbs, second-seeded Sorey advanced to the semi-finals with a pin and a 10-0 major decision before being stuck by eventual champion Chris Droege of Lake Erie.  After another pin over Adrian, Wes dropped an 8-4 decision in the consolation finals for 4th place.  He now has 12 bonus point victories on the season.

 

Other notable performances;

 

Freshman Thomas Allison was 2-2 at 149 lbs with a pin.  His only losses were to 2nd and 3rd place finishers.

Freshman David McElravy was 2-2 at 174 lbs.

Sophomore Peter Cortapasso recorded a pin in his first bout at HWT.

Sophomore Russ Pierce was 2-2 at HWT with a pair of pins.

 

:NEXT UP FOR THE BUILDERS:  Jan 10-11.  Apprentice will be competing in the 40th annual Virginia Duals, an event that features top NCAA teams from around the country as well as top local and national High School talent.