WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University wrestling team broke open a tied match with a pair of pins late to secure a 26-14 victory over King's College Friday night at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes finishes dual match competition with a 7-14 overall record while King's closes out the year with a 6-6 dual mark.
 
King's opened the match with a fall at 125-pounds as Gus Petruske turned Austin Fashouer (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) over and onto his back in the second period at 3:30 to give the Monarchs a 6-0 lead. Wilkes answered back at 133-pounds as Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) made quick work of Cole Anderson taking the bout by technical fall 17-0 in 4:11 to cut the Monarch advantage to 6-5.
 
The Colonels took their first lead of the match after Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) earned an 11-6 decision at 141-pounds over Hugh Bittenbender as Wilkes led 8-6 after three bouts. Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) added to the Wilkes lead when he escaped with seconds remaining in the third period on way to a 3-2 decision. King's Shane Kibler was issued an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which resulted in one team point deduction for the Monarchs following the bout as Wilkes led 11-5.
 
The Colonels advantage grew to 14-5 following Cody Dix's (Egg Harbor, NJ/Egg Harbor Township) 4-1 decision over Bret Murphy as the senior finished off his home career on the mat with a victory. King's got back on the board at 165-pounds when Frankie Theroux took a 6-3 decision over James Geiger (Dallas, PA/Dallas) to pull the Monarchs within six trailing 14-8.
 
In a tight bout the whole way at 174-pounds, Kade Kravits escaped late in the second period then held off Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood) in the third and used riding time to secure the 2-1 decision as King's trailed 14-11 after seven bouts. King's tied the match at 14 using a sudden victory decision at 184-pounds when Richard Fronheiser claimed an 8-6 decision over Hunter Lowe (Westminster, MD/Winters Mill).
 
Wilkes then put the match away with falls at 197-pounds and 285-pounds as Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) (:44) and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) (:29) pinned their way to the 12-point dual match victory. The fall also marked Burkhart's 20th on the season tying the program season record in the process.
 
In a special presentation midway through the match, Wilkes and King's honored Mitch Marcks, former King's wrestler and Wilkes assistant coach, with his 2022 Middle Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame plate. The Wilkes wrestling team also recognized former Equipment and Facilities Manager Tom Dunsmuir, who retired last fall, and current Athletic Director Addy Malatesta for all their service to the program over the years.
 
The Colonels close out the regular season competition on Sunday when they travel to Muhlenberg College for the Futures Mid East Tournament starting at 10:00 a.m.
 
Wilkes 26, King's 14
125 – G. Petruske (K) fall A. Fashouer (W) 3:30
133 – J. Bauer (W) tech. fall C. Anderson (K) 17-0 (4:11)
141 – M. Richardson (W) dec. H. Bittenbender (K) 11-6
149 – J. Hartranft (W) dec. S. Kibler (K) 3-2 (One team point deduction for unsportsmanlike conduct – Kibler)
157 – C. Dix (W) dec. B. Murphy (K) 4-1
165 – F. Theroux (K) dec. J. Geiger (W) 6-3
174 – K. Kravits (K) dec. C. Nuss (W) 2-1
184 – R. Fronheiser (K) dec, H. Lowe (W) 8-6 SV
197 – C. Butka (W) fall B. Grace (K) :44
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall J. Feese (K) :29