LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Old Dominion freshman wrestler Abner Romero went 3-0 en route to his first collegiate tournament title at 174 lbs. Sunday, as the Clovis, California native won the Mat-Town Open II at Lock Haven University. Fellow freshman Ali Wahab finished as the runner-up at 285.
Romero started off the tournament with a 12-3 major decision over Jake Kocsis from Binghamton. In the semis, he posted a 7-3 decision over Pitt's Donovan McAfee. In the championship match, the Monarch freshman took down Gabe Stark from Cleveland State, 9-3, to clinch the 174 lb. crown. The title gave Romero his second tournament win of the season.
Dearborn Heights, Michigan native Ali Wahab also posted his highest finish of his collegiate career, earning second place at heavyweight. After pinning Bloomsburg's Saul Wilkins in 2:31 in the opening round, Wahab secured his second fall of the day in the semis, pinning Princeton's Obi Ajah in 5:36 before falling to Ryan Cloud from Rider, 14-4, in the finals.
Luke Drugac split matches at 165, defeating Cleveland State's John Vaughn by fall before losing to Penn's Brooks Martino, 10-3, to finish second in a round robin style 165 lb. bracket.
Also competing unattached for the Monarchs, Chris Mauriello went 1-2 at 157 and Dean Drugac posted a 1-2 record at 174.
Many of the unattached Monarch wrestlers will be back in action on Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Warriors Winter Open at East Stroudsburg in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.