WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Wilkes University wrestling team split a pair of matches on Saturday at the 2020 Budd Whitehill Duals hosted by Lycoming College to place 14th out of the 16 teams. Wilkes now carries a 6-8 overall record on the season after going 1-4 at the tournament.

The Colonels opened the day with a match against Wesleyan College at 9:00 a.m. After trailing 9-0 following a forfeit at 125 and a decision at 133 the Colonels won seven of the next eight bouts to advance to the 13th-place match.

Kyle Medrow (West Chester, PA/West Chester Henderson) started the scoring for Wilkes with a 17-0 technical fall at 141-pounds. Cody Dix (Egg Harbor, NJ/Egg Harbor Township) then evened the match at 9-9 with a 15-2 major decision at 149. Dylan O'Connor (Somerset, NJ/Bishop George Ahr) gave the Colonels the lead in the match with a 12-4 major decision in the 157-pound bout as Wilkes led 13-9. Max Shaffer (Doylestown, PA/Archbishop Wood) continued the extra-point scoring with a 13-2 major at 165.

Wesleyan used a fall at 174 to pull within two points at 17-15 but John Devito (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) pinned his 184-pound opponent in just 47 seconds after an early takedown to earn the Colonels six points. Moustafa Almeky (Shavertown, PA/Dallas) received a forfeit win at 197 and Roger Horton (Towanda, Pa./Athens) finished the scoring with a third-period fall at 5:38 at heavyweight to provide the 35-15 final.

In the 13th-place match the Colonels took on Williams College. Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) started the scoring for Wilkes with a 16-0 technical fall at 133-pounds after a forfeit at 125 to bring the Colonels within one early at 6-5. Four consecutive victories by Williams widened its margin to 23-5 following the 165-pound bout.

Devito won his second match of the day as he came out on top of a 9-7 decision at 174-pounds. A Williams pin at 184 clinched the match in its favor but Almeky returned the favor with a fall in 1:39 at 197-pounds. Horton won for the second time on the day at 285 with a 13-6 decision to bring the final score to 29-17.

The Colonels will return to Williamsport, Pa. next Saturday to wrestle in the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships hosted by Lycoming College.

Wilkes 35, Wesleyan 15
125 – Amir Daouk (Wesleyan) won by forfeit
133 – Tristan Stetson (Wesleyan) over J. Bauer (Wilkes) Dec 4-2
141 – K. Medrow (Wilkes) over Dylan Jones (Wesleyan) TF 17-0
149 – C. Dix (Wilkes) over Jaymin Choi (Wesleyan) Maj 15-2
157 – D. O'Connor (Wilkes) over Andrew Hennessy (Wesleyan) Maj 12-4
165 – M. Shaffer (Wilkes) over Kasim Khan (Wesleyan) Maj 13-2
174 – Marco Gaita (Wesleyan) over C. Walters (Wilkes) Fall 4:03
184 – J. Devito (Wilkes) over Pablo Sanchez (Wesleyan) Fall 0:47
197 – M. Almeky (Wilkes) won by forfeit
285 – R. Horton (Wilkes) over Owen Verespy (Wesleyan) Fall 5:38
 
Williams 29, Wilkes 17
125 – David Yeh (Williams) won by forfeit
133 – J. Bauer (Wilkes) over Dietrich Hatman (Williams) TF 16-0
141 – Joseph Rossetti (Williams) over D. O'Connor (Wilkes) Maj 9-1
149 – Albert Xing (Williams) over C. Dix (Wilkes) Maj 10-1
157 – Yo Akiyama (Williams) over K. Tino (Wilkes)Fall 2:05
165 – Brendan Kiernan (Williams) X. Barber (Wilkes) Dec 10-8
174 – J. Devito (Wilkes) over Nick Anselmi (Williams) Dec 9-7
184 – William Smith (Williams) over D. Tallant (Wilkes) Fall 2:58
197 – M. Almeky (Wilkes) over Dylan Millson (Williams) Fall 1:39
285 – R. Horton (Wilkes) over Olamide Adeyeri (Williams) Dec 13-6