Oswego State picked up decisions in four weight classes, but Ithaca won six bouts, including four of the first five matches, and never trailed throughout as the eighth-ranked Bombers remained undefeated in dual matches with a 22-12 victory in an Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference match at Max Ziel Gymnasium on Saturday, Dec. 13.

The Bombers (6-0) are ranked eighth in the latest Brute/Adidias National Wrestling Coaches Association (NCWA) Division III Poll, while Oswego takes a 1-1 record into the semester break.

Ithaca opened the match with decisions at 125 and 133 pounds before senior captain Derrick Smith (Mexico) picked up the Lakers' first win of the day with a 5-3 triumph over Ithaca senior John Paxos to improve to 15-3 on the season. Paxos entered the match ranked third in the latest NCWA Brute/Adidas individual ranking

The Bombers responded by winning four of the next five matches to jump out to a insurmountable 22-6 advantage. Sophomore Cameron Mills (Fulton/G. Ray Bodley) earned the Oswego win in the middle weights with a 2-1 win over Scott Edwards of Ithaca, improving to 15-5 on the year.

Sophomore Joel Ford (Sterling/Red Creek) and junior Eric Leusch (Rochester/Irondequoit) claimed the final two bouts of the day by decision at 197 and 285 pounds, respectively.  Ford posted his fourth consecutive victory, improving to 11-2 on the season, with a 7-1 triumph over Jamie Facenda of Ithaca College, while Leusch registered a come-from-behind 8-6 win over David Sbriscia to go to 7-4 on the season, registering a two-point near fall in the final 45 seconds of the match and earning the additional point on riding time.

The Lakers will resume their season after the holiday break on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the New York/Pennsylvania Duals hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology.

EMPIRE COLLEGIATE WRESTLING CONFERENCE DUAL
#8 Ithaca College (6-0) 22, Oswego State (1-1) 12

125 pounds:  Anthony Lebbad (I) dec. Scott McGregor (O), 5-2
133 pounds:  Chad Winowich (I) dec. Paul Slaver (O), 18-4
141 pounds:  Derrick Smith (O) dec. John Paxos (I), 5-3
149 pounds:  Blaine Woszczak (I) def. Mike Howard (O), 20-3, tech. fall (5:44)
157 pounds:  Willie Horwath (I) dec. Marc Collins (O), 12-2
165 pounds: Cameron Mills (O) dec. Scott Edwards (I), 2-1
174 pounds:  David Priest (I) dec. Craig Becker (O), 7-3
184 pounds:  Tom Heckman (I) dec. Tom Lester (O), 5-1
197 pounds: Joel Ford (O) dec. Jamie Facenda (I), 7-1
285 pounds:  Eric Leusch (O) dec. David Sbriscia (I), 8-6