WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University wrestling team hosted the 90th Wilkes Open Friday at the Marts Center, placing five wrestlers in the top six of their weight class including 184-pound champion Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood). The Wilkes Open features wrestlers from Division I, II, and III teams as well as others from club teams and unattached wrestlers.

Full Results

Nuss remained undefeated on the season, moving to 8-0, as the junior earned his second title of the year. He opened the tournament with a Round of 16 win by fall over Xavier Aitelmajouh of West Chester University in 3:13. Nuss then earned an 11-3 major decision in the Quarterfinals over Jacob Hachtman of King's College as he had three takedowns in the bout. A first period takedown and third period escape earned Nuss a 4-2 decision in the Semifinals over Jessie Orbin of Waynesburg University. Nuss was awarded the 184-pound title as Hudson Stewart of the University of Virginia forfeited the Finals bout.

Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville), ranked No. 12 in the latest NWCA Division III rankings at 285, earned second place honors at heavyweight. The junior began his tournament with a fall in the Quarterfinals over Nicholai Brotzman of Penn College. The fall came at the 1:30 mark. Burkhart then won by a 12-8 decision over Binghamton University's Trent Sibble in the Quarterfinals. He earned eight nearfall points in the second period to help earn the win. Trailing 9-3 entering the third period of his Semifinal bout against Kyle Epperly of Rutgers University, Burkhart was able to start on the top and pin Epperly 24 seconds later. Josh Harkless, wrestling unrostered, earned a 10-2 major decision over Burkhart in the Finals.

Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton), ranked No. 7 in the latest NWCA rankings at 197-pounds, placed third. The junior won his Round of 16 bout over University at Buffalo's Lonnell Owens-Pabon with an 11-3 major decision. Butka won by a 4-3 decision over Army's Tom Godbee in the Quarterfinals as he scored an escape and a takedown in the second period. Trailing by three in his Semifinal bout against Virginia's Colden Dorfman, Butka was able to get a third-period takedown to tie the score but Dorfman was able to get an escape and a takedown with 33 seconds left to earn the 10-5 decision and hand Butka his first loss of the season. Butka then placed third as unrostered Davis Lee had a medical forfeit in the Third Place Bout. Butka is now 17-1 overall this season.

Cadden Kucek (Forty Fort, PA/Wyoming Valley West) placed sixth at 125-pounds for his first career tournament placement as a Colonel. The junior started his day with a Round of 16 loss to unrostered Dorian Hoffman by a 10-7 decision. In the Consi of 8 #1 Kucek defeated teammate Rocky Finnegan (Laporte, PA/Sullivan County) by a 12-3 major decision. In the Consi of 8 #2 he defeated Penn College's Luke Heimback by a 6-1 decision. Kucek then defeated teammate Noah Rosa (Reading, PA/Berks Catholic) by a 4-1 decision in the Consi of 4 to wrestle his way back to the Fifth Place Bout. There Tommy Link of USMAPS Army Prep won by fall as Kucek placed sixth with a 3-2 record.

First year Lucas Miller (Kempton, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) earned his first career tournament placement as he took sixth at 184-pounds. Alexander Uryniak of St. Benedict's Prep earned a Round of 16 major decision by a 18-9 score over Miller to send him to the consolation bracket. There, he started in the Consi of 8 #1 with a fall in 28 seconds over Michael Nwosu of Union County College. He defeated Hachtman of King's by a 5-2 decision in the Consi of 8 #2. A 10-8 decision over John Steele who was unrostered in the Consi of 4 moved him to the Fifth Place Bout. Nate Taylor of Greens Farm Academy earned a technical fall as Miller placed sixth with a 3-2 mark.

Twenty-Eight Colonels took to the mats on the day.

The Division I institutions of Virginia and Binghamton each had three champions. Division I Army and Buffalo had one champion and one champion was unrostered to go along with Wilkes' title by Nuss.

The Colonels return to action in the New Year as they head to the Manganaro Duals in Collegeville, Pa. Wilkes is set to face the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Shippensburg University, Ursinus College, and Trinity College on Saturday, January 6.