Full Results (.pdf)
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (Jan. 13) – The Waynesburg University wrestling team traveled to Lycoming College for the first day of the Budd Whitehill National Duals on Friday. The Yellow Jackets went 1-2 over three matches.
Waynesburg (7-12) started with a 24-20 loss to Millikin (8-6), but bounced back with a come-from-behind 23-22 victory over Wesleyan (0-3). The Jackets' day ended with a 27-16 loss to the host Warriors (14-2).
Junior 125-pounder
Tristan Buxton got the day off to a roaring start by scoring a pin in 4:28 against Millikin. After taking a forfeit at 133, the Big Blue took its first lead of the day with a decision win at 141 to go up 9-6. Freshman 149-pounder
Shaun Wilson rolled to a 15-0 technical fall to cut Waynesburg's deficit down to 12-11.
Unfortunately for the Jackets, Millikin won the next four weight classes to build a 24-11 advantage. After suffering a one-point loss at 174, Waynesburg looked like it was getting back on track at 184, where senior
Ryan Shank trailed by just one point heading into the third period. However, Shank had built up over a minute of riding advantage and chose down, looking to tie the score. Surprisingly, the usually dependable Shank wound up getting caught on his back and pinned by Keajion Jennings, who, like Shank, is featured in the upper half of the D3Wrestle.com rankings.
After having the match sealed by the fall, the Jackets closed the contest with freshman
Adam Rigney winning by injury default at the end of the first period and sophomore
Jake Evans picking up a 7-2 decision at heavyweight.
Buxton got Waynesburg off to another strong start against Wesleyan with a 13-5 major decision. The Cardinals picked up a forfeit at 133 and added a major decision at 141 pounds to open a 10-4 lead, before Wilson joined Buxton at 2-0 over the first two matches following an injury default victory in 2:51. Wilson held a 4-2 advantage at the time of the stoppage.
A pin at 157 pounds rebuilt a 10-point advantage for Wesleyan (16-6), but freshman
Dan Verhovsek cut the deficit in half with a 3-0 victory at 165 pounds. A tough 2-1 loss at 174 made the score 19-13, but Shank responded with a 15-4 major decision.
Rigney faced a tough opponent in Wesleyan's Devon Carrillo, who is featured in the D3Wrestle.com rankings. With his team down by two points, Rigney knew he had to avoid bonus points against Carrillo. The rookie did just that, giving up just a 4-1 decision, which allowed a forfeit to Evans to provide the match-deciding points.
Buxton completed a perfect 3-0 day with a pin in just 1:06 against Lycoming. Once again, Waynesburg was forced to take a forfeit at 133, but senior
Filippo Crivelli efficiently put together a 4-0 win at 141 pounds to give his team a 9-6 lead.
Wilson then took the mat for his biggest challenge in his young collegiate career. The Waynesburg native squared off with senior Seth Lansberry, who is currently ranked second in the country and placed fourth at last year's NCAA Division III National Championships. Wilson showed no fear of Lansberry and took him the distance of the seven-minute match. Unfortunately, the Jacket freshman came up short in a 4-0 decision against the now 25-0 Lansberry. It was only the sixth time Lansberry didn't win a bout with bonus points.
That victory was the first of four-straight for the Warriors, who led 24-9 going into 184 pounds. Shank snapped Lycoming's run with an 8-2 decision. Rigney again stood tall against yet another opponent featured in the D3Wrestle.com national rankings, giving up just a 4-0 decision at 197 pounds.
Evans ended the day with his third win, picking up a 10-1 major decision.
The Jackets will wrestle in the ninth-12
th-place bracket tomorrow, facing off with Williams at 9 a.m. Waynesburg will finish its day against either Rochester Institute of Technology or SUNY Oswego at 12 p.m.
