12/26/24

SCRANTON, Pa. -- As we approach the end of 2024, Lackawanna College Athletics is reflecting on the top moments from the 2024 athletics calendar, and revealing them one day at a time between now and the new year! 

Today's top event comes to us from Lackawanna Wrestling!

#6: Wrestling Crowns Three District Champions, Places Six At Nationals
For the second straight season, Lackawanna College Wrestling had three student-athletes win a district championship and qualified six wrestlers for the NJCAA Wrestling National Tournament. 

The 2024 Falcons crowned three champions at the 2024 Gulf Atlantic District Championships on February 17th inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.

First-year grappler John Koroma (Woodbridge, VA) was champion at 174 lbs. Koroma won by fall in just 1:12 in his first round bout, then got a technical fall in the semi-final at 20-4 to get to the championship bout. He faced Garrett College's Tyberious Clayton, who he beat 21-6 in a technical fall to secure the 174 lbs. championship.

Sophomore wrestler Simeon Hunte (Burlington Twp., NJ) was next to win at 197 lbs. Hunte scored a pin inside 30 seconds in his first-round match-up, then won a narrow 8-4 decision in the semi-finals to reach the championship bout. Against Michaels Marin from Bergen CC, Hunte managed to break open a tight contest with a pair of takedowns late in the bout, winning a 10-3 decision to snag the 197 lbs. championship.

Finally, sophomore wrestler Shannon Clark (Scranton, PA) took down the 285 lbs. title. Clark, who had lost in 2023 in the championship round, earned back-to-back wins by fall to make hte championship round. Against Peyton Wentzel from Thaddeus Stevens, Clark struggled initially, then turned it on in the second round with a big take down, which set off a scoring run for Clark that eventually ended in an 18-4 major decision victory and a championship at 285 lbs. 

On top of the three champs, the Falcons also earned national qualifiers at three other spots. Sophomore Dylan Hogan (Bushkill, PA) finished second at 165 lbs., earning his spot in the national tournament. Sophomore Felix Mendez (Pittston, PA) earned a fifth-place finish to qualify at 149 lbs. Finally, first-year wrestler Edward Lauritsen (Brodheadsville, PA) finished sixth at 125 lbs., but earned a wild card spot from the qualifiers to make the tournament, giving Lackawanna six different wrestlers at the national tournament in Council Bluffs, IA two weeks later.

On the national stage, Koroma and Clark each picked up first-round victories before dropping their next two matches, while Hunte fell in his first match and then won two straight consolation matches to make the night session, before falling there. Lauritsen and Mendez fell in each of their two matches, while Hogan also dropped his two, which included a wild 23-22 decision in the consolation bracket to end his season.

In all, the Falcons sent six wrestlers to the national tournament for the second straight season and captured three district championships. That's six championships and 12 national qualifiers in 2023 and 2024 for Lackawanna College. 

Top 14 Moments Of 2024 For Lackawanna College Athletics  
14) Women's Basketball Knocks Off Harcum College
13) Women's Soccer Returns To The Postseason
12) John Fox Comes Home For Wrestling
11) Danny Berg Returns To The Soccer Sidelines
10) Esports Raises $11.8K For Charity
9) Softball's Winning Streak and Maloney's Big Week
8) Three Football Players Named NJCAA POTW
7) Bikrom Chanda's Unbeaten Regular Seasons And Rainbow Six Winning The East
6) Wrestling Wins Three District Championships, Qualifies Six For Nationals
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