RIT Tops Wrestling 20-16 In Back-And-Forth Dual https://t.co/GZeLKEofNk
— SJF Cardinals (@FisherAthletics) January 31, 2026
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher wrestling team went blow for blow with RIT in a SUNYAC dual on Friday night but fell 20-16 as the Tigers' Josh Harkless, one of the top heavyweight wrestlers in Division III, secured his team a dual victory with a pin in the final match.
The Cardinals dropped to 6-2 (2-1 SUNYAC) in dual competition with the loss. RIT improved to 7-4 overall and 4-0 in league action.
Senior Carl Santariello (125 pounds) started the night with an 18-11 win by decision over Johnathan Freebern to give Fisher a 3-0 lead, but RIT responded with two straight wins to go in front. Jackson Rush (133 pounds) earned a 14-2 major decision over senior Derek Bernardino to make it 4-3, and Isaiah Shafer (141 pounds) claimed an 8-5 victory by decision to extend RIT's advantage to 7-3.
The Cardinals then ripped off three consecutive victories to regain the lead. Sophomore Trevor Bishop (149 pounds) beat Marco Rivera 17-7 by major decision to tie the dual at seven before decisions by junior Paul Lichter (157 pounds) and senior Trevor Sheehan (165 pounds) gave the Cardinals a six-point lead, 13-7.
RIT's Jack Lamson (174 pounds) pulled the Tigers within three with a 4-3 decision over senior Torin Bishop. Mason Grodzki (184 pounds) put RIT ahead by one, 14-13, with a major decision over junior Dylan Devine.
The score flipped in Fisher's favor one last time as senior Braydon Vandenberg claimed the 197-pound bout with a 10-7 decision over Elon Martin, but Harkless needed little time to seal the victory for the Tigers. The No. 3-ranked 285-pounder in DIII pinned freshman Micah Gillespie in 43 seconds to make the final team score 20-16.
Match-By-Match Results: RIT 20, St. John Fisher 16
125: Carl Santariello over Johnathan Freebern – Dec. 18-11… SJF 3, RIT 0
133: Jackson Rush over Derek Bernardino – MD 14-2 … RIT 4, SJF 3
141: Isaiah Shafer over Luke Yorke – Dec. 8-5… RIT 7, SJF 3
149: Trevor Bishop over Marco Rivera – MD 17-7… RIT 7, SJF 7
157: Paul Lichter over Max Watson – Dec. 4-1… SJF 10, RIT 7
165: Trevor Sheehan over Josh Warland – Dec. 2-0… SJF 13, RIT 7
174: Jack Lamson over Torin Bishop – Dec. 4-3… SJF 13, RIT 10
184: Mason Grodzki over Jeremy Devine – MD 11-3… RIT 14, SJF 13
197: Braydon Vandenberg over Elon Martin – Dec. 10-7… SJF 16, RIT 14
285: Josh Harkless over Micah Gillespie – Fall :43… RIT 20, SJF 16
Up Next
The Cardinals will compete in the John Summa Invitational next Saturday, Feb. 7, at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.