GRANTHAM, Pa. – Five Ursinus College men's wrestlers advanced to the second day of competition at the NCAA Region III Championships on Friday from Messiah University.
 

Senior Franco Mazza (125lbs), juniors Michael Adams (133lbs), Anthony Cerulli (174lbs), Nils Updale (184lbs), and sophomore Braden Kmak (174lbs) have each reached the medal rounds. The Bears currently sit in 10th place overall behind 43.5 team points, while TCNJ leads the team standings with 95.5 total points. Messiah University (80.5) and Alvernia University (79.5) round out the top-three teams of the 18-team field.

 
Cerulli the No. 6 seed in the 174-pound bracket is the lone Bear to reach the championship semifinal round. The Churchville, Pennsylvania native recorded a fall at the 1:20-mark over Misericordia's Anthony Matas to open his tournament, before pinning Elizabethtown's Gavin Fehr at the 1:13-mark to reach the championships semis. In his opening match tomorrow, Cerulli will match up against the No 2 seed and seventh-ranked nationally Hunter Mays of TCNJ.

 
In the 125-pound weight class, Mazza earned a 14-4 major decision over Misericordia's Jaydein Barreto to reach the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, Mazza fell by a 9-1 decision against the No. 3 seed Keito Shaw of Alvernia, but bounced back with a 4-1 decision in sudden victory over Marymount's Ian Morales to reach the medal round. Tomorrow morning, Mazza will meet Patrick Horvath of King's University in his opening match.

 
Adams shined for the Bears in the 133-pound weight class as he defeated the No. 6 seed Wesley Wydick of Merchant Marine in his first bout. Wydick won the Centennial Conference Championship this season and previously beat Adams, 10-9 in the Bears dual meet against the Mariners on February 8th. In the quarterfinals, Adams fell by technical fall against Jacob Venezia of New York University, but responded in the consolations by earning an 18-1 technical fall over Romeo Tsai of McDaniel. Adams will face off against Muhlenberg's CJ Horvath in the consolation quarterfinals tomorrow morning.  
 

Kmak, the No. 6 seed in the 165-pound bracket opened with a 15-0 technical fall in the first period over Marymount's Xavier Castaneda. After falling against the No. 3 seed Keegan Demarest of Messiah, Kmak collected a 15-0 technical fall victory over Merchant Marine's Austin Manning to make the consolation finals. He will match up against the No. 7 seed Justice Hockenberry-Folk of Elizabethtown College in the first-round tomorrow morning.
 

Updale was the final Bear to qualify for the second day of competition as he opened with a 17-3 major decision over Jake Bobersky of King's University. The Doylestown, Pennsylvania native dropped a tough 2-1 decision in the quarterfinal round against the No. 3 seed and 14th-ranked Ryder Slayton of Messiah. Updale responded in the consolations by earning an 18-6 major decision over Noah Graber of Johns Hopkins University. Updale showcased a takedown clinic in the match as he totaled five takedowns en route to the victory.
 

Seniors Dante Monaco (157lbs) and Connor Fritsch (197lbs) each picked up a victory in their respective weight classes, but had their seasons come to an end.  Head Coach Joe Jamison spoke on the two seniors "Dante and Connor were apart of my first recruiting class and believed in the vision for the rebuild from day one. They have been incredible leaders and we are forever indebted to them."
 

The Bears return to action tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. for a chance to qualify for the NCAA National Tournament at Messiah University.