WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University wrestling team bounced back in fine fashion following a tough dual match loss against ranked TCNJ a night before as the Colonels cruised to a 40-12 victory over Lackawanna College Saturday afternoon at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes evened its dual match record at 1-1 following the home win.
 
Rocky Finnegan (Laporte, PA/Sullivan County) began the match at 125-pounds with one of four straight technical falls for Wilkes posting a 16-0 win in 2:55. Ethan Washburn (Ringwood, NJ/Bergen Catholic) followed with another technical fall scoring a 16-0 win in 2:29 at 133-pounds. The extra point victories kept coming for the Colonels as Mason Livio (Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Pinelands Regional) (18-1/1:45) and Ben Grater (Saddle Brooke, NJ/Saddle Brook) (16-0/2:49) rounded out technical fall wins pushing the Wilkes lead to 20-0 after four bouts.
 
Lackawanna got on the board at 157-pounds and 165-pounds with back-to-back falls at 4:10 and 1:18 respectively cutting the deficit to 20-12 before a forfeit win at 174-pounds from Jared Bilinski (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville Central) pushed the advantage back to 26-12 with three bouts remaining.
 
Lucas Miller (Kempton, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) then clinched the match at 184-pounds with an 8-2 decision over James Forsette. Hunter Lowe (Westminster, MD/Winters Mill) added a fall in 6:05 at 197-pounds and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) finished off the scoring with a 19-3 technical fall in 2:56 at heavyweight.
 
The Colonels are back on the mat next Saturday when they compete in the Doug Parker Invitational hosting by Springfield College starting at 10:00 a.m.
 
WU 40, Lackawanna 12
125 – R. Finnegan (W) tech. fall Edward Lauritsen (L) 16-0 (2:55)
133 – E. Washburn (W) tech. fall Carlos Cruz (L) 16-0 (2:29)
141 – M. Livio (W) tech. fall Anthony D'Angelis (L) 18-1 (1:45)
149 – B. Grater (W) tech. fall Breyon Moore (L) 16-0 (2:49)
157 – Evan Raposo (L) fall J. Brady (W) 4:10
165 – Dylan Hogan (L) fall H. Saylor (W) 1:18
174 – J. Bilinski (W) won by forfeit
184 – L. Miller (W) dec. James Forsette (L) 8-2
197 – H. Lowe (W) fall Simeon Hunte (L) 6:05
285 – C. Burkhart (W) tech. fall Shannon Clark (L) 19-3 (2:56)