WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University wrestling team hosted the 2023 John Reese Duals going 0-3 in its three matches Saturday afternoon in the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes dropped a 27-19 decision to Muhlenberg followed by a close 22-21 defeat against Oneonta. The Colonels closed out the day with a 37-16 setback against Springfield in a match of two programs with over 1,000 dual matches wins each.
 
In the first match of the day against Muhlenberg, Wilkes took its first lead after the 133-pound bout when Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) earned a 15-2 major decision to give the Colonels a 4-3 advantage. Muhlenberg then rattled off three straight wins in the next three bouts including two decisions and a fall at 157-pounds to take the lead back up 15-4. James Geiger (Dallas, PA/Dallas) answered back for the Colonels when he pinned his opponent in 2:47 to cut into the deficit with Wilkes trailing 15-10. Two straight falls for Muhlenberg at 174-pounds and 184-pounds sealed the match with the Mules leading 27-10 with two bouts remaining. Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) wrestled to a 10-7 decision at 197-pounds and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) added to his falls count on the season with another pin in 3:30 to finish out the scoring for the Colonels. It marked Burkhart's 18^th fall on the season in all division competition.
 
In the second match of the day against Oneonta, Austin Fashouer (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) began the match with a fall in 4:11 at 125-pounds to give the Colonels a 6-0 lead. Oneonta then used two extra-point victories at 133 and 141 including a major decision and fall to open up a 10-6 lead after three bouts. In the 149-pound bout, Ben Grater (Saddle Brooke, NJ/Saddle Brook) used a late takedown with under five seconds remaining in the match to steal a 5-4 decision and pull Wilkes to within one trailing 10-9. After an Oneonta decision at 157, Geiger used his second fall of the day at 165 to put the Colonels ahead 15-13 with four bouts remaining. Oneonta answered back with a decision at 174 and a fall at 184 to take a 22-15 lead with two bouts left. Butka then held on for a 9-7 win using the riding time in the match to escape with the two-point decision with Wilkes still trailing 22-18. Oneonta then held on for the one-point team win as Burkhart's 9-5 decision fell just short of the major decision needed to tie the match.
 
In the final match of the day, Springfield opened up a 25-0 lead halfway through the match thanks to four extra-point wins including falls at 125, 133 and 157. Wilkes picked up its first points on a fall from Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood) in 3:54 at 174-pounds before John Devito (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) took a forfeit at 184 with Springfield still leading 31-12. Butka finished off the Colonel scoring in the match with a 14-3 major decision.
 
Wilkes returns to the mat next Sunday with a dual match at the University of Scranton at 1:00 p.m.
 
Muhlenberg 27, Wilkes 19
125 – J. Lamparelli (M) dec. A. Fashouer (W) 2-0
133 – M. Richardson (W) major dec. B. McCaw (M) 15-2
141 – C. Dalmau (M) dec. B. Sitton (W) 7-1
149 – C. Sockler (M) dec. B. Grater (W) 11-7
157 – B. Bowles (M) fall C. Dix (W) 2:55
165 – J. Geiger (W) fall R. Grevera (M) 2:47
174 – A. Dewar (M) fall C. Nuss (W) 4:57
184 – R. Fairchild (M) fall J. Devito (W) 1:02
197 – C. Butka (W) dec. P. Parise (M) 10-7
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall A. Franklin (M) 5:30
 
Oneonta 22, Wilkes 21
125 – A. Fashouer (W) fall D. Poggi (O) 4:11
133 – A. Romero (O) major dec. S. Kimmel (W) 18-7
141 – M. Blando (O) fall B. Sitton (W) :50
149 – B. Grater (W) dec. A. Klosner (O) 5-4
157 – M. Yahre (O) dec. N. Partsanakis (W) 4-1
165 – J. Geiger (W) fall N. Sergi (O) 4:41
174 – K. Sauer (O) dec. C. Nuss (W) 4-2
184 – J. Ryan (O) fall J. Devito (W) 1:09
197 – C. Butka (W) dec. N. Kennedy (O) 9-7
285 – C. Burkhart (W) dec. J. Pine (O) 9-5
 
Springfield 37, Wilkes 16
125 – J. Manginelli (S) fall A. Fashouer (W) 3:35
133 – G. Manginelli (S) fall S. Kimmel (W) 1:04
141 – J. Parsons (S) major dec. B Sitton (W) 13-3
149 – C. Parrott (S) dec. B. Grater (W) 15-9
157 – J. Deguire (S) fall N. Partsanakis (W) :32
165 – M. Leonard (S) fall C. Everdale (W) 4:33
174 – C. Nuss (W) fall B. Grim (S) 3:54
184 – J. Devito (W) won by forfeit
197 – C. Butka (W) major dec. D. Clark (S) 14-3
285 – M. Filieri (S) fall T. Gitski (W) 1:58
 
Exhibitions:
285 – T. Gitski (W) dec. K. Davila (M) 3-1
174 – C. Everdale (W) dec. M. LaRosa (M) 9-2
125 – C. Kucek (W) fall T. Farley (O) 5:26