ITHACA, N.Y. – Senior Michael Gorman, junior Jordan Thome and freshman Cole Gracey each won an individual title, and five other Black Knights placed within the top six as the Army wrestling team captured the team title at the 43rd annual New York State Championships on Sunday inside Newman Arena on the campus of Cornell University.

Army topped the 15-team field with 162.5 points and wins its first New York State title since 2008. Cornell (144.5 points) placed second, followed by Columbia (135), Buffalo (117) and Nassau (102).

Gorman wrapped up a perfect 4-0 weekend at 184 pounds by nipping Columbia’s Shane Hughes (6-5) in the semifinals and defeating Cortland’s Carl Korpi (7-2) in the championship bout.

Thome completed his unblemished run through the 133-pound bracket without surrendering a point in either the semifinal or championship bouts. The Troy, Ohio, product dispatched Ithaca’s Dominick Giacolone, 5-0, in the semis before slipping past Columbia’s Kyle Gilchrist, 1-0, in the final.

Gracey, meanwhile, took home the individual title at 165 pounds, knocking off Niagara’s Kris Schimek (7-3) and sneaking past Nassau’s Ryan Fox (4-3).

Freshman Scott Filbert placed runner-up at 125 pounds. The first-year grappler from Tucson, Ariz., slipped past Ithaca’s Ricardo Gomez (6-5) in the semifinals before dropping a 7-1 decision to Cornell’s Bricker Dixon in the title bout.

Freshman Chandler Smith turned in a second-place finish in the 157-pound bracket. The Kansas City, Mo., native edged Cornell’s Troy Sterling in overtime (2-1), but was handled by Columbia’s Jake O’Hara (5-1) in the title bout.

Senior co-captain Travis Coffey (125 pounds) and sophomore Ryan Bilyeu (149) each chipped in fourth-place efforts, while junior Casey Smith placed sixth at 141 pounds.

Army returns to its dual match schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 24, travelling to Philadelphia, Pa., to face Drexel. The non-league contest is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Team Standings
1. Army 162.5
2. Cornell 144.5
3. Columbia 135
4. Buffalo 117
5. Nassau 102
6. Cortland 84.5
7. Hunter 63
8. Ithaca 62.5
9. Brockport 56.5
10. Niagara 48.5
11. RIT 34
12. Oneonta 28.5
13. NYU 16
14. Jamestown 6
15. Oswego 3.5

Courtesy of goarmysports.com