WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Wilkes University wrestling team won two of three matches on the opening day of the 2019 Budd Whitehill Duals hosted by Lycoming College on Friday afternoon.
 
Wilkes began the day with a close 20-17 loss to Springfield before capturing wins over Ohio Northern 31-16 and No. 21 Washington and Lee 24-12 to finish second in its group. The win over W&L marked the second victory over a ranked opponent this season and moved the teams' overall dual record to 12-3. The Colonels move into the fifth through eighth place bracket tomorrow (Saturday).
 
In its first match of the day in group C, Wilkes fell behind 6-0 after decision losses at 125 and 133. Thomas Stokes (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) put the Colonels on the board with a thrilling 3-1 sudden victory win at 141 to cut the deficit in half. After a Springfield technical fall at 149, John Ritter (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) dominated Nick Monteleone 16-0 at 157 picking up bonus points and Nicholas Racanelli (West Creek, NJ/Southern Regional) inched closer to the 100-win plateau recording a 5-2 decision at 165 tying the match at 11 after six bouts.
 
Ashton Gyenizs (Madison, CT/Daniel Hand) gave the Colonels their first advantage of the match using an 11-6 decision over Aarin Feliz at 165. Springfield used a major decision one bout later to go up 15-14 before Moustafa Almeky (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) earned a 4-3 decision over Ryan Gray at 197 giving Wilkes a 17-15 lead heading into the final bout. From there heavyweight Joe Fusco scored a technical fall for Springfield sealing the win in the process.
 
Two forfeits at 125 and 133 pushed Wilkes ahead 12-0 to start the match against Ohio Northern. Stokes added a 5-2 decision for his second victory of the day at 141 as the Colonel advantage grew to 15-0. Ohio Northern earned its first points of the match with a decision at 149 before Ritter claimed more bonus points with a major decision (12-0) at 157.
 
Racanelli broke through for his 100^th career win on a fall in 2:06 at 165 as Wilkes led 25-3. Racanelli became the fourth Colonel wrestler in the last seven years to reach the milestone in victories. Almeky finished off the Colonel scoring in the match picking up a forfeit at 197.
 
In the final match of the day Nicholas Bauer (Coplay, PA/Wyoming Seminary) opened the Wilkes scoring with a 3-1 victory at 125. After a W&L decision at 133 tied the match, Stokes took a forfeit at 141 to open a 9-3 lead after three bouts.
 
W&L picked up six points with a fall at 149, but Ritter answered back with a 9-5 decision, his third victory of the day, to keep Wilkes ahead 12-9. Racanelli continued the Colonel scoring with his third win of the afternoon claiming a 3-1 decision at 165 before Gyenizs pushed the advantage to 18-9 with an 8-2 decision at 174. Almeky and Roger Horton (Towanda, Pa./Athens) sealed off the Colonels second victory over a ranked opponent this year with decision wins, 3-2 and 4-3 respectively, to close out the day.
 
Wilkes will wrestle Wisconsin-Eau Claire tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. with the winner moving onto the fifth place match against the winner of Messiah and SUNY Oswego. Fifth place bout will take place at 1:30 p.m.
 
Springfield 20, Wilkes 17
125 – Nick DeRosa (S) dec. K. Trout (W) 3-2
133 – Jacques St. Jean (S) dec. D. O'Connor (W) 7-2
141 – T. Stokes (W) dec. Mike Vietri (S) 3-1
149 – Kearney Gutierrez (S) tech. fall K. Medrow (W) 16-1
157 – J. Ritter (W) tech. fall Nick Monteleone (S) 16-0
165 – N. Racanelli (W) dec. Ryan Harty (S) 5-2
174 – A. Gyenizs (W) dec. Aarin Feliz (S) 11-6
184 – Severianel Burgos (S) major dec. A. Santana-Quintana (W) 15-6
197 – M. Almeky (W) dec. R. Gray (S) 4-3
285 – Joe Fusco (S) tech. fall R. Horton (W) 19-2
 
Wilkes 31, Ohio Northern 16
125 – K. Trout (W) won by forfeit
133 – D. O'Connor (W) won by forfeit
141 – T. Stokes (W) dec. Brandon Bartlome (O) 5-2
149 – Jeff Andrews (O) dec. K. Medrow (W) 10-8
157 – J. Ritter (W) major dec. Schuyler Caprella (O) 12-0
165 – N. Racanelli (W) fall B. Bookless (O) 2:06
174 – Clayton Thompson (O) fall A. Gyenizs (W) 2:33
184 – Cash Thompson (O) major dec. A. Santana-Quintana (W) 10-0
197 – M. Almeky (W) won by forfeit
285 – Austin Keeley (O) dec. R. Horton (W) 7-4
 
Wilkes 24, No. 21 W&L 12
125 – N. Bauer (W) dec. Ethan Hartman (WL) 3-1
133 – Charlie Cunningham (WL) dec. D. O'Connor (W) 3-1
141 – T. Stokes (W) won by forfeit
149 – J. Salerno (WL) fall K. Medrow (W) 3:16
157 – J. Ritter (W) dec. Joe Dunn (WL) 9-5
165 – N. Racanelli (W) dec. Shane Conners (WL) 3-1
174 – A. Gyenizs (W) dec. Alecsander Horne (WL) 8-2
184 – Robert Rosen (WL) dec. A. Santana-Quintana (W) 7-2
197 – M. Almeky (W) dec. Brad Basham (WL) 3-2
285 – R. Horton (W) dec. Clay Chadwick (WL) 4-3