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    Kyler sets wins record at Army

    LANCASTER, Pa. -- Senior captain Matt Kyler established a new Army record for career victories and was among four wrestlers to win individual championships at the Shorty Hitchcock Memorial Classic, Sunday at Pucillo Gymnasium.

    Kyler posted a 5-0 mark on the way to winning the 149-pound championship and now boasts a career mark of 137-29. Phillip Simpson posted a career record of 134-19 prior to his graduation in 2005.

    Lance Penhale (125), Travis Coffey (133), Kyler and Richard Starks (197) all won individual championships and Army had at least one wrestler place in all 10 weight classes in the open, non-scoring event.

    Kyler won 31 matches as a freshman, 43 as a sophomore and 40 as a junior and is now 23-2 this season. A 9-2 decision in the quarterfinals vaulted him past Simpson.

    After losing a dual meet to American because of a schedule conflict, Army decided to wrestle in the Hitchcock Memorial Classic and came away with four champions, three runners-up, a third and three fourth-place finishers. Final results of the event were unavailable until early afternoon on Monday.

    Kyler, ranked #8 in the latest Intermat poll, collected a fall and major decision on his way to the title at 149 pounds.

    Classmate Penhale went 4-0 to win the 125-pound championship. A technical fall and pin moved Penhale to the semifinals where a default and decision garnered him the title.

    Coffey opened his tournament with a pin and then recorded four straight decisions to follow Penhale to the top of the podium.

    Starks, who moved to #14 in Intermat’s national rankings, battled to the championship at 197 pounds with four decisions.

    Ryan Renkey went 4-1 at 125 pounds and his only loss was to Penhale in the finals. Renkey won three straight decisions and advanced to the finals with a fall before dropping a 9-4 decision to Penhale.

    Patrick Marchetti collected a technical fall and major decision while finishing second at 165 pounds, while Michael Gorman won three straight decisions to place second at 174 pounds. Collin Wittmeyer collected two decisions and a default in finishing second at 184 pounds.
    Casey Thome opened the event with two pins en route to finishing third at 141 pounds, securing a decision after dropping into the consolation bracket.

    Jimmy Rafferty won four matches, one by fall, to finish fourth at 149 pounds, while Alan Lutterman rebounded from an opening match loss to place fourth at 285 pounds. Rudy Chelednik won four matches, including one via technical fall to place fourth at 157 pounds.

    Army will continue its tournament competition this weekend in Ithaca, N.Y., at the two-day New York State Championships. Wrestling begins Saturday at 10 a.m.

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