11/7/26

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Six wrestlers competed for Lackawanna College men's wrestling on Saturday at the Ned McGinley Invitational, hosted by King's College all day inside the McGrane gymnasium.
 
The big story was Richard Leslie (Peckville, PA), who earned a sixth-place finish at 165 lbs. Leslie picked up a first-round win by fall over Peter Orlando from Wilkes, but then fell in the next round to fall to the consolation bracket. Leslie then rattled off four-straight wins, three by fall and one by a 7-0 decision, to finish sixth.
 
At 133 lbs., Damian Melendez (Rockville, MD) fell in his first collegiate bout, dropping a 16-4 major decision to Kenna Gioffre from Roger Williams. Melendez bounced back for a 4-3 decision against Christopher Cordero from Scranton in the consolation bracket, but lost to Sidney O'Donnell from King's by a 17-8 major decision in the next match.
 
John Almonte (Scranton, PA) competed at 141 lbs., but dropped a pair of falls to his opponents from Hunter College and the University of Scranton.
 
Connor Ondek (Scranton, PA) and Cael Harmon (Scott Twp., PA) each competed at 149 lbs. for the Falcons. Ondek fell in his opening match against an opponent from Stevens, but bounced back with a 13-6 decision in the consolation bracket against Jacob Bettencourt from Wilkes. Ondek fell in the next match, though, losing 11-5 to Ryan Brown from York College. Harmon won his first match, a tech fall over Nathaniel Tone from the Merchant Marines, but he lost the round of 16 bout to John Mairano from NYU in an 18-6 major decision. In the consolation bracket, he won 13-3 over Michael Cea from Scranton, but then fell by an injury default to Christian Anzaldo from Scranton to wrap up his day.
 
At 285 lbs., Adan Salazar (Scranton, PA) went 1-2, picking up a win in the consolation bracket before dropping with a fall against a competitor from Hunter College.
 
Lackawanna finished 12^th for the competition. NYU won the team competition with 154 points, placing three wrestlers as champions and picking up four second-place finishes. Stevens was second with 140 points, placing three champs and one second-place finish.