NEW LONDON, Conn. - Emmanuel men's wrestling made a strong first impression at their inaugural appearance at the NCAA Region I Championships, sitting in 12th place out of 19 teams, following the first day of bouts from the Dr. Hallie Gregory Fieldhouse on the campus of the Coast Guard Academy. A trio of Saints wrestlers remains in contention for a trip to the NCAA National Tournament in two weeks, as the top three finishers in each weight class automatically qualify for a trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Among the three Saints still in contention, first-year Zachary Brzoska is one of the last eight competitors in the 133 weight class. Unranked going into the tournament, Brzoska started his day with an upset win over the No. 8-seeded wrestler from Williams, Jake Strianese. In a high-scoring affair, Brzoska scored a 16-15 decision in the round of 16, to advance in the winner's bracket. After a loss to the top-seeded wrestler in the 133 division, Brzoska picked up an 8-4 win in the consolation bracket, keeping him in contention for a spot in the NCAA's.

At 141, first-year Jared Hood had a similar day to his fellow rookie, Brzoska, as Jared Hood opened the day with a 3-2 victory over the No. 7-seeded wrestler, Western New England senior Austin Monteiro. Jared Hood fell in his next bout, an 8-0 major decision loss, before bouncing back with a pinfall victory in the next round, as he is one of the last eight in the 141 division.

In the 165 weight class, junior Justin Hood, who came into the day as the No. 5-ranked wrestler at 165, had to overcome an upset loss in his opening round, as he was sent to the consolation bracket. Justin Hood kept his tournament chances alive with back-to-back victories on the consolation side, earning a 13-1 win, followed by a 2-0 victory, as he remains in play for an NCAA spot.

First-year Ethan Martel scored a pair of victories in the 157 weight class, while first-years Seth McGrew, Luke Driscoll, and Jack Disharoon all earned one win at Regionals in the 149, 184, and 285 weight classes, respectively.

The Division III Region I Championships conclude tomorrow, March 1, as competition for the day starts at 10:00 a.m.