EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University interim head wrestling coach Joey Rivera has announced the results of this fall's wrestle-offs that set the Warriors lineup heading into the 2007-08 season.

ESU will start the season by hosting the 41st Annual ESU Open this Saturday at Koehler Fieldhouse. Registration and weigh-ins begin at 7 a.m., with wrestling on 10 mats set to start at 9 a.m. More than 500 wrestlers are already signed up to compete in 10 weight classes.

The Warriors will open their dual season on Saturday, Dec. 1 against Drexel at Northampton High School. The home opener will be Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. against Army.

Redshirt sophomore Matthew Benedetti will start for ESU at 125, where he knocked off junior Stephen Gambino, the returning starter. Rivera expects Benedetti and Gambino to battle for mat time at 125 throughout the season.

Redshirt junior Matt Swallow will open the year at 133, where he was 2-5 in dual meets a year ago. Freshman Adam Hluschak, a four-time state placewinner at Northern Lehigh, will also be in the mix to earn time.

At 141 pounds, senior Sean Carr posted a 7-4 record last season and is the returning starter.

Redshirt senior Scott Heckman, the PSAC champion at 149 pounds last winter, will wrestle for his spot when he returns from an offseason injury. Redshirt junior Alex Bimes gets the nod to start the season after beating freshman Tony Cariddi last week.

Redshirt sophomore Kyle Heselpoth defeated redshirt junior Joe Schick and will start at 157. Heselpoth had a 6-9 overall record last season and was 1-4 in dual meets.

Returning starters will fill the weight classes at 165, 174 and 184 pounds. Redshirt junior Leif Ruschmeyer (165) was 3-7 in duals last year and may be pushed by one of the Warriors' six wrestlers currently listed at 157.

Redshirt sophomore Shane Mallory (174) and senior Dave Williams (184) tied for the team lead in dual meet victories with identical 8-5 records last year and will be competitive in the PSAC and EIWA Championships this season.

At 197, freshmen Jake Martin and Tom Serabian will compete for the spot throughout the year, with Martin earning the starting spot to begin the year.

Sophomore Chris Birchler will give the Warriors a legitimate chance to compete every night at 285 pounds. He was a standout high school wrestler at Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, N.J. and comes to ESU from Caldwell College (N.J.).