SCRANTON, PA – The Wilkes University wrestling team earned its first shutout victory of the 2022-23 season defeating the host University of Scranton 42-0 on Sunday afternoon. Wilkes picked up three of its 10 wins by fall.

With the victory Wilkes improved to 6-13 in dual matches on the season while Scranton fell to 5-9 overall. The Colonels improved to 11-1 against the Royals dating back to the 2008-09 season and earned their first shutout in the series since January 11, 2012.

Austin Fashouer (Scranton, PA/West Scranton), ranked fifth in the Southeast Region by the NWCA, earned a 5-3 decision at 125-pounds to put Wilkes ahead 3-0. Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) followed with a 9-0 major decision at 133 to up the Colonels lead to 7-0. Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central), sixth at 141-pounds in the Southeast Region, also won by a major decision. The senior put Wilkes ahead 11-0 with a 13-0 score.

Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua), in his first match at 149-pounds this season, earned a 2-1 decision to keep Wilkes rolling and ahead 14-0. Cody Dix (Egg Harbor, NJ/Egg Harbor Township) then earned the Colonels their second consecutive one-point decision as he won 3-2 at 157 to increase the lead to 17-0 at the midway point.

James Geiger (Dallas, PA/Dallas) followed with the Colonels fourth decision of the match as he won 7-3 at 165-pounds as the visitors led 20-0. Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood), ranked sixth in the Southeast Region, then earned Wilkes its first fall to increase the lead to 26-0. The sophomore pinned Jake Rudy with 14 seconds left in the first period. Hunter Lowe (Westminster, MD/Winters Mill), wrestling down at 184 for the first time this season, followed with his own fall. He pinned Ryan Bihasa-Lenahan in 2:26 as Wilkes went ahead 32-0.

Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton), nationally ranked 14th and second in the Southeast Region at 197-pounds, earned an 8-0 major decision to make the score 36-0. Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville), ranked sixth at 285 in the Southeast Region, closed the dual with a fall at the 4:28 mark over Hunter Marhan to close the score at 42-0. The fall was Burkhart's 19th of the season, putting him one shy of tying the school record of 20.

Wilkes returns to the Marts Center to host No. 15 Ithaca College on Friday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m.

WU 42, Scranton 0
125 – A. Fashouer (W) dec. J. Schifter (S) 5-3
133 – M. Richardson (W) major dec. A. Boyd (S) 9-0
141 – J. Bauer (W) maj. dec. S. Nadir (S) 13-0
149 – J. Hartranft (W) dec. K. Mavrikidis (S) 2-1
157 – C. Dix (W) dec. D. Kosinski (S) 3-2
165 – J. Geiger (W) dec. J. Oakes (S) 7-3
174 – C. Nuss (W) fall J. Rudy (S) 2:46
184 – H. Lowe (W) fall R. Bihasa-Lenahan (S) 2:26
197 – C. Butka (W) major dec. J. Falcon (S) 8-0
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall H. Marhan (S) 4:28
 
Exhibition:
184 – J. Devito (W) fall J. Sklavounos (S) 0:54