It’s championship season and the No. 4 ranked Bombers are preparing for the NCAA Championships. Unfortunately, the team will not be going in as the three-time defending Empire Conference Champions.

The Blue and Gold finished third behind SUNY-Cortland (141.5 points) and SUNY-Brockport (126 points) with 124.5 points. While the Bombers had seven of their ten participants in the final round, Cortland and Brockport both finished better due to having more wrestlers finish in the back spots of third and fourth place.

However, even though the South Hill squad did not win the tournament, five wrestlers will represent the Bombers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for nationals. Conveniently, the five wrestlers that are going are the first five in the Bombers line-up.

Senior tri-captain Chad Winowich, who was seeded second, won the 133-pound weight class by defeating the top seed in the finals. He recorded a technical fall and two decisions.

Junior Jeremy Stierly, who has stepped up big in the 141 pound class, posted a technical fall, major decision and decision to make his first trip to the national championships.

Junior Blaine Woszczak, as the nation’s top-ranked wrester at 149 pounds, qualified for nationals for the third year in a row by winning his matches by way of pin fall, major decision and decision.

Senior Willie Horwath won the 141-pound weight class by way of pin fall, technical fall and decision.

Senior tri-captain Jon Gregory was the only one of the five to not qualify by winning his weight class. At 125 pounds, Gregory won his first two matches by way of decision, and then lost in the finals. He earned one of the five wild card bids.

Seniors Dave Sbriscia and Joe Goetz came up short in the 197-pound and heavyweight classes respectively. Sbriscia pinned his first opponent, then recorded a decision in the semi-final round, but fell in the finals 6-1.

Goetz, a tri-captain, won his first two matches by decision, but lost by a point in the championship round. Neither wrestler earned a wild card bid.

The NCAA Championships are in two weeks, March 5 and 6, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.