Match Results (.pdf)
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. (Jan. 31) – The Waynesburg University wrestling team wrapped up the dual portion of its schedule on Wednesday night, when it made a road trip to West Liberty. The Yellow Jackets gave the 16
th-ranked team in Division II all it could handle, but the Hilltoppers came back in the final bout of the night to pull out a 20-19 victory.
The match got started at 197 pounds, where sophomore
Ken Burrs got Waynesburg (12-8) off to a strong start with an 8-2 decision. The Yellow Jacket lead grew to 7-0 after junior heavyweight
Jake Evans rolled to a 17-7 major decision victory. The Jacket winning streak grew to three-straight thanks to senior 125-pounder
Tristan Buxton putting together a workman-like 6-1 decision victory that made the score 10-0. Buxton defeated the number-12 ranked 125-pounder in Division II.
The Hilltoppers (5-5) fired back with four-straight wins from 133 to 157 pounds that gave the home team a 17-10 advantage. Senior
Derek Hull broke up West Liberty's winning streak with a decision victory at 165 pounds to pull his team to within four points (17-13). Freshman
Caleb Baxter continued an outstanding first collegiate season with a pin in 1:51 to put the visiting team back ahead by the score of 19-17. Baxter has now won five-straight bouts, all by fall.
That pin set up a winner-take-all showdown at 184 pounds. Waynesburg sophomore
Adam Rigney jumped ahead 2-0 with the bout's first takedown in the first period. Rigney took a 2-1 lead into the second period and was able to pick up a late escape to rebuild a two-point lead (3-1) heading into the third period.
The second-year Jacket then gave up an escape early in the third, but was still clinging to a 3-2 edge late into the match. Unfortunately, Rigney was unable to fight off the attack of his opponent and gave up the match-deciding takedown before being ridden out to close up the victory.
The Jackets close out the regular season on Saturday when they travel to Baldwin-Wallace to compete in the John Summa Memorial Invitational. Start time is scheduled for 10 a.m.
