WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Wilkes University wrestling team opened day one of the 2024 Budd Whitehill Duals dropping all three of its matches in the opening round of competition. The Colonels fell 35-15 against Ithaca College before falling 27-15 against former MAC foe Stevens Institute of Technology. Wilkes finished off the day with a tough 25-22 defeat against McDaniel College.
 
Wilkes saw its dual match record move to 1-5 following the first of two days of competition at the event.
 
The Colonels saw three winners in the loss against Ithaca as Connor Kerwin (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley), Jack Bauer (Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) each recorded extra-point victories. Kerwin notched a technical fall (17-1) at 125-pounds over Cosmo Damiani to begin the match for Wilkes. Bauer added to the lead with a 10-3 major decision at 141-pounds before Ithaca posted wins in the next five bouts to take the lead for good. Butka earned his fourth fall and 18^th win of the season over Trey Darmody-Latham in 4:13 at 197-pounds.
 
Three Colonels were winners in the 12-point loss against former MAC opponent Stevens in round two. Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) pinned Andrew Finateri in 3:27 at 133-pounds to give Wilkes a 6-5 lead after two bouts. Stevens then rattled off wins in the next six bouts to take command of the match. Butka and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) went back-to-back with a decision and fall to finish off the match. Butka was a 4-2 decision winner over Blaise Wagner and Burkhart posted his 10^th fall in 4:22 over Maximo Ruiz at 285-pounds.
 
In its final match of the day, Wilkes and McDaniel split wins with each squad earning five victories. The Colonels fell behind 6-0 before Richardson won by major decision 10-2 at 133-pounds to cut the lead to 6-5. Bauer gave the Colonels a 9-6 advantage when he earned a 15-0 technical fall at 141-pounds. After a McDaniel fall at 149-pounds, Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) posted Wilkes' second extra-point victory with a 14-5 major decision at 157-pounds as Wilkes took back the lead at 13-12. Back-to-back McDaniel wins, including a fall and major decision, put the Green Terror ahead 22-13 with three bouts remaining. Christopher Nuss (Gore, VA/James Wood) brought Wilkes closer with a 7-1 decision at 184-pounds, but McDaniel a sudden victory by McDaniel at 197-pounds sealed the victory before Burkhart finished off the scoring with his second fall of the day in 2:28.
 
Wilkes resumes action tomorrow (Saturday) at 9:00 a.m. with a matchup against Oswego State in the 13^th-16^th place bracket.

Ithaca 35, WU 15
125 – C. Kerwin (Wilkes) over Cosmo Damiani (Ithaca) TF 17-1
133 – Isaias Torres (Ithaca) over M. Richardson (Wilkes) Dec 10-3
141 – J. Bauer (Wilkes) over Matt Haycook (Ithaca) Maj 13-3
149 – Matthew Beyer (Ithaca) over B. Grater (Wilkes) TF 20-5
157 – Wenchard Pierre-Louis (Ithaca) over J. Hartranft (Wilkes) Fall 6:43
165 – Konrad Parker (Ithaca) over C. Wells (Wilkes) Fall 5:52
174 – Jackson Gray (Ithaca) over M. Warren (Wilkes) Fall 2:57
184 – Jake Jones (Ithaca) over C. Nuss (Wilkes) Fall 3:45
197 – C. Butka (Wilkes) over Trey Darmody-Latham (Ithaca) Fall 4:13
285 – Jeremy Mazzella (Ithaca) over C. Burkhart (Wilkes) SV-1 8-5
 
Stevens 27, WU 15
125 – Akhil Vega (Stevens) over C. Kerwin (Wilkes) TF 18-1
133 – M. Richardson (Wilkes) over Andrew Finateri (Stevens) Fall 3:27
141 – Nico Diaz (Stevens) over J. Bauer (Wilkes) Dec 4-1
149 – Carmen Cortese (Stevens) over C. Thorpe (Wilkes) Dec 7-1
157 – Steven Dalling (Stevens) over J. Hartranft (Wilkes) Fall 4:24
165 – Harrison Hinojosa (Stevens) over T. DuBoff (Wilkes) Maj 17-4
174 – Christopher Stathopoulos (Stevens) over L. Miller (Wilkes) Dec 4-0
184 – Joel Martsinovsky (Stevens) over H. Lowe (Wilkes) Dec 9-4
197 – C. Butka (Wilkes) over Blaise Wagner (Stevens) Dec 4-2
285 – C. Burkhart (Wilkes) over Maximo Ruiz (Stevens) Fall 4:22
 
McDaniel 25, WU 22
125 – Romeo Tsai (McDaniel) over C. Kucek (Wilkes) Fall 1:34
133 – M. Richardson (Wilkes) over Alex DuFour (McDaniel) Maj 10-2
141 – J. Bauer (Wilkes) over Connor Bollinger (McDaniel) TF 15-0
149 – Thomas Monn (McDaniel) over C. Thorpe (Wilkes) Fall 3:52
157 – J. Hartranft (Wilkes) over Andre Allen (McDaniel) Maj 14-5
165 – Ryan Ohler (McDaniel) over C. Wells (Wilkes) Fall 1:58
174 – Dalton Pearl (McDaniel) over L. Miller (Wilkes) Maj 17-3
184 – C. Nuss (Wilkes) over Valentino Pryor (McDaniel) Dec 7-1
197 – Jaedyn Harris (McDaniel) over C. Butka (Wilkes) SV-1 4-1
285 – C. Burkhart (Wilkes) over Ezekiel Gayle (McDaniel) Fall 2:28