ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Danny Wask (174 / So. / Wantage, N.J.) stood atop the podium as an individual champion at his respective weight class, to lead the Navy wrestling team (1-3) to a third-place finish at the 12-team Navy Classic held on Saturday at the Wesley A. Brown Field House.

"The guys we typically rely on to be consistent did their job today. Danny Wask wrestled a solid match in the finals against a tough Nebraska opponent and got the job done," said head coach Cary Kolat. "Josh [Koderhandt] dropped a close match in the finals to an opponent he's faced several times before, we just need to make some adjustments and learn from that match. This was a valuable learning experience for our younger guys, competing in the Navy Classic gave them the chance to grow and improve."

Nebraska won the Navy Classic for the third-straight season and fourth title overall. Going into today's competition, a Big Ten team had won the tournament crown in each of the previous three tournaments – 2021 Michigan State and Nebraska in 2022-23.

The Cornhuskers led the way with four individual champions, Indiana followed with two, while Navy, Oregon State and Kent State had one apiece. Eight Mids placed in the top-five in their respective weight classes.

Sophomore Danny Wask became the 17th wrestler in program history to win the Navy Classic individual championship twice. He's also the first Mid to win back-to-back titles since Nicholas Gil in 2017-18. The Wantage, N.J., native recorded a 4-0 record on the day with three decision victories and a major decision. No. 22 Wask met sixth-ranked Lenny Pinto out of Nebraska in the final. Wask scored the first point of the championship bout with a takedown in the first period but was quickly reversed to go into the second stanza with a 3-2 lead. Midway through the second period, Wask recorded his second takedown to head into the final period with a 6-4 momentum lead. Wask was able to quickly escape and capped off the matchup with a takedown to secure the top 10 upset victory and the 174-pound crown.

In addition to Wask championship, Josh Koderhandt (141 / So. / Belleville, Ill.) and Daniel Williams (184 / So. / Orlando, Fla.) placed second; Brendan Ferretti (133 / Jr. / Macomb, Mich.) and Payton Thomas (197 / Fr. / Moore, Okla.) took third; Jonathon Ley (157 / So. / Miami, Fla.) and Tyler Sagi (165 / So. / Old Bridge, N.J.) finished fourth; Zyan Hall (184 / So. / Marietta, Ga.) rounded out the Mids placing fifth.

Koderhandt finished the day with a 4-1 record with two falls and a decision victory. The team captain punched his ticket to the finals with a 4-1 sudden victory over Oregon State's Nash Singleton. The bout went into an extra period following a 1-1 standstill through seven minutes, Koderhandt wasted no time to end the match as he shot for the winning takedown 12 seconds into the overtime period. In the finals he ran into No. 4 Brock Hardy from Nebraska. The Belleville, Ill., native fought hard but dropped the bout, 10-3.

Williams began his day with two major decision victories and a tech fall to dominate his way into the finals. In the championship bout his momentum was stalled by Nebraska's Silas Allred in an 8-0 bout. Williams continues to add on to his impressive start to the season with eight wins and a 7-2 record in tournaments.

Ferretti opened the day winning his first two bouts by a major and a decision. In the semifinal round, he was pinned in the opening stanza by Indiana's Angelo Rini. The Macomb, Mich., native rebounded taking third at 133-pounds with a narrow 8-7 victory over Hoosiers' Logan Frazier.

Freshman Payton Thomas made his Navy Classic debut with a quarterfinals victory over Bucknell's Dillon Bechtold, 9-3. Thomas was awarded third place with a medical forfeit victory.

Jonathan Ley opened the tournament winning his first two bouts by decision before dropping his next two matches to take fourth.

Tyler Sagi started the tournament with three hard earned victories, all coming by a decision. He ultimately lost his final two matches to place fourth in the 165-pound weight class.

Zyan Hall rounded out Navy's place winners with a gritty performance winning four-straight bouts after losing his opening match to take fifth place. Hall rebounded with a tech fall, fall and two decision victories. In the fifth-place bout, the Marietta, Ga., native executed a takedown in each period for the 16-9 victory over Ohio's Jeremy Olszko.

Up Next

Navy will enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday before returning for the Mat Town I tournament on Sunday, Dec. 1 at Lock Haven, Pa.

Navy Results at Navy Classic

125 – Jack Bergmann (0-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: lost to Jacob Moran, Indiana / Dec / 9-3

·       Cons of 16 #2: lost to Tyler Hagensen, Kent State / Dec / 10-3

125 – Garrett Totten (1-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Abram Cline, Maryland / Dec / 7-0

·       Quarterfinals: lost to Alan Koehler, Nebraska / Major / 18-7

·       Cons. of 8 #2: lost to Gylon Sims, The Citadel / Dec / 4-2

133 – Brendan Ferretti (3-1, 3rd Place)

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Nick Molchak, Cleveland State / Major / 14-1

·       Quarterfinals: defeated Damion Elliott, Oregon State / Dec / 4-2

·       Semifinals: lost to Angelo Rini, Indiana / Fall / 2:22

·       3rd Place: defeated Logan Frazier, Indiana / Dec / 8-7

133 – Hunter Heflin (1-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: lost to Chase DeBlaere, Oregon State / Fall / 4:49

·       Cons. of 8 #1: defeated Marcus Wright, The Citadel / Dec / 9-3

·       Cons. of 8 #2: lost to Vinnie D'alessandro, Bucknell / Major / 11-1

141 – Adam Heckman (2-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: lost to Krayle Stormer, Oregon State / Dec / 5-2

·       Cons. of 16 #1: bye

·       Cons. of 16 #2: defeated Ethan Lebin, Bucknell / Dec / 4-1

·       Cons. of 8 #1: defeated Michael Markulin, Cleveland State / Dec / 3-1

·       Cons. of 8 #2: lost to Henry Porter, Indiana / Fall / 2:37

141 – #9 Josh Koderhandt (4-1, 2nd Place)

·       Rd. of 32: defeated Jacob Decatur, Kent State / Dec / 5-1

·       Rd. of 16: defeated DJ Gillett, Oregon State / Fall / 3:45

·       Quarterfinals: defeated Joey Butler, Indiana / Fall / 2:11

·       Semifinals: defeated Nash Singleton, Oregon State / Dec / 4-1 SV-1

·       Finals: lost to Brock Hardy, Nebraska / Dec / 10-3

149 – James Latona (0-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: lost to Carson DesRosier, The Citadel / Fall / 3:36

·       Cons. of 16 #2: lost to Kyrell Leavell, The Citadel / Fall / 6:59

149 – Kaemen Smith (2-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: lost to Scott Robertson, Nebraska / Major / 19-6

·       Cons. of 16 #2: defeated Brandon Bower, Bucknell / Dec / 5-1

·       Cons. of 8 #1: defeated Kaden Schaefer, Bucknell / Tech Fall / 17-2

·       Cons. of 8 #2: lost to Aidan Torres, Indiana / Major / 15-4

157 – Devon Deem (0-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 16: lost to Cade Wirnsberger, Bucknell / Dec / 4-1

·       Cons. of 8 #1: lost to Reese Stephen, Cleveland State / Dec / 4-2

 

157 – Jonathan Ley (2-2, 4th Place)

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Daniel Segura, Ohio / Dec / 10-3

·       Quarterfinals: defeated Griffin Gonzalez, Lehigh / Dec / 5-1

·       Semifinals: lost to Ethan Stiles, Oregon State / Dec / 8-5

·       3rd Place: lost to Cade Wirnsberger, Bucknell / Dec / 10-9

 

165 – Tyler Sagi (3-2, 4th Place)

·       Rd. of 32: defeated Jack Lledo, Ohio / Dec / 5-0

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Hunter Andel, Kent State / Dec / 8-1

·       Quarterfinals: defeated Derek Glicher, Indiana / Dec / 5-3

·       Semifinals: lost to Bubba Wilson, Nebraska / Major / 18-7

·       3rd Place: lost to Thomas Snipes, The Citadel / Dec / 12-8

 

165 – Elijah Penton (1-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: lost to Tyler Lillard, Indiana / Major / 16-4

·       Cons. of 16 #1: bye

·       Cons. of 16 #2: defeated Richie Grungo, Lehigh / Medical Forfeit

·       Cons. of 8 #1: lost to Steele Starren, Oregon State / Dec / 5-0

 

174 – Sammy Starr (1-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: lost to Lenny Pinto, Nebraska / Tech Fall / 20-4

·       Cons. of 8 #1: defeated Gavin Ricketts, Cleveland State / Dec / 6-0

·       Cons. of 8 #2: lost to Sean Harman, Oregon State / Medical Forfeit / 6:42

 

174 – #22 Danny Wask (4-0, Champion)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Waylon Wehler, Kent State / Major / 19-6

·       Quarterfinals: defeated Sean Harman, Oregon State / Dec / 4-2

·       Semifinals: defeated Garrett Thompson, Ohio / Dec / 8-3

·       Finals: defeated Lenny Pinto, Nebraska / Dec / 10-5

 

184 – Zyan Hall (4-1, 5th Place)

·       Rd. of 32: Bye

·       Rd. of 16: lost to Tj McDonnell, Oregon State / Dec / 10-4

·       Cons. of 8 #1: defeated Anthony Bradley, Maryland / Tech Fall / 17-2

·       Cons. of 8 #2: defeated Mason Christiansen, Oregon State / Dec / 14-12

·       Cons. of 4: defeated Roy Price, The Citadel / Fall / 2:43

·       Fifth Place: defeated Jeremy Olszko, Ohio / Dec / 16-9

 

184 – #31 Daniel Williams (3-1, 2nd Place)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Micah DiCarlo, The Citadel / Major / 9-0

·       Quarterfinals: defeated Mason Christiansen, Oregon State / Major / 11-3

·       Semifinals: defeated Trent Thomas, Kent State / Tech Fall / 19-1

·       Finals: lost to Silas Allred, Nebraska / Major / 8-0

 

197 – Payton Thomas (2-1, 3rd Place)

·       Rd. of 16: bye

·       Quarterfinals: defeated Dillon Bechtold, Bucknell / Dec / 9-3

·       Semifinals: lost to Patrick Brophy, The Citadel / Dec / 8-6

·       3rd Place: defeated Camden Mcdanel, Nebraska / Medical Forfeit  

 

285 – Ben Farabaugh (2-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: defeated Logan Shepard, Bucknell / Dec / 5-3

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Mekhi Bradley, Cleveland State / Dec / 2-1

·       Quarterfinals: lost to Charles Hastriter, Oregon State / Dec / 4-1

·       Cons. of 8 #2: lost to Nolan Springer, Bucknell / Tech Fall / 19-2

 

285 – Alistair Larson (1-2, Did Not Place)

·       Rd. of 32: bye

·       Rd. of 16: defeated Mason Cover, Cleveland State / Dec / 8-5

·       Quarterfinals: lost to Brett Mower, Oregon State / Major / 11-1

·       Cons. of 8 #2: lost to Shane Cook, Cleveland State / Fall / 4:03