Wrestling | 11/3/2025 11:20:00 AM
EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg wrestling team had an impressive showing at the ESU Open on Sunday, earning multiple podium finishes and showcasing strong depth across the lineup in one of the region's largest early-season tournaments.
At 125 pounds, freshman
Justin Jones (Orange County/Locust Grove) led the charge with a four-win performance that included two technical falls and a pin on his way to the semifinals. Jones opened the day with an 18-0 tech fall over Keon Gavin (Garrett) before adding a 33-second fall against Kean's Pedro Toledo and a 16-1 tech fall versus Mount Olive's Luke Green. He then secured an 8-0 major decision over Pitt-Johnstown's Pepper Martin in the quarterfinals before bowing out to USMAPS' Cadell Lee. Jones went on to face Dominic Terracciano from NJCU in the bronze bout, with Terracciano taking third after a fall in 18 seconds.
At 133,
Kade Kluce (Dundee, Mich./Dundee) and
Aiden Grogg (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) both notched multiple bonus-point wins to reach the late rounds. Kluce recorded four victories, including pins against East Stroudsburg's Sean Campbell and Union County's Sal Randazzo, along with a 10-6 decision over NYRTC's Brady Kaupp. Grogg opened with back-to-back dominant wins - a 14-0 tech fall over Bluefield State's Aiden Arnold and a fall over Campbell - before narrowly falling 9-6 in sudden victory to Sacred Heart's Anthony Clem in the quarterfinals.
Bloomsburg's Richie Wood also earned a podium finish at 141 pounds, placing fifth after a 5-2 day that included a technical fall (16-1) and decision wins over opponents from Bluefield State and Pitt-Johnstown. Wood capped his run with a 2-0 victory over East Stroudsburg's Joe Aldrich to secure fifth place.
At 149 pounds, sophomore
Jay Chase (Wallingford, Conn./Martin T Sheehan) impressed with a strong tournament run, tallying a technical fall (17-1) and two decision wins before finishing fifth. Freshman
Alec Baxley (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) picked up an early-round victory in his first collegiate competition.
Hassin Maynes (Grand Junction, Colo./Grand Junction) turned in one of the day's most resilient efforts at 174 pounds, earning four pins and advancing deep into the consolation rounds. Maynes posted falls over opponents from Garrett, Springfield Tech, East Stroudsburg, and Penn State Altoona before being edged in a 5-3 decision against American's Hunter Hohman.
In the upper weights,
Connor Hudak (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford) (184) opened with a 20-3 tech fall and an 8-5 decision to reach the quarterfinals before falling to USMAPS' Nash Banko, while
Jared Haers (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon) (197) went 3-2 with a fall and major decision victory. At heavyweight,
Eli Torres (New Castle, Del./William Penn) posted three wins, including a 3-1 overtime decision, and teammate
Gavin Hannah (Brookville, Pa./Brookville) notched back-to-back pins to start his tournament.
The Huskies get back on the mat on Saturday when they head to the George Mason duals to take on Williams, The Citadel, and Campbell.
