WILKES-BARRE – The No. 20 Wilkes University wrestling team cruised to a 3-0 day in a home quad meet held at the Marts Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Colonels took their first match 44-9 over Keystone College followed by a 52-4 victory over Elmira College. Wilkes rounded out the perfect dual match day with a convincing 36-13 decision over New Jersey City University.
 
Wilkes stands 3-1 in dual matches son the season following the three-match event.
 
In the win over Keystone, Ben Grater (Saddle Brooke, NJ/Saddle Brook) was a technical fall winner (20-4) at 149-pounds after Wilkes received three straight forfeits to begin the match. Another extra point victory at 157-pounds pushed the Colonels lead ahead thanks to a technical fall from Conner Sklavounos (Township of Washington, NJ/Westwood Regional). Omari Watson (Clayton, NJ/Clayton) scored a major decision at 174-pounds and Jared Bilinski (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville Central) pinned his opponent at 184-pounds in 2:52 to continue the extra point wins for Wilkes.
 
In the victory over Elmira, Wilkes raced out to a 12-0 lead and never looked back scoring extra point in every bout including five falls. Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) (141), Jackson Brady (Goshen, NY/Goshen Central) (149), Brayden Shannon (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) (157), Joshua Wilkins (Mount Laurel, NJ/Holy Cross) (174) and Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) (285) all posted falls in the lopsided win.
 
In the closes match of the afternoon, New Jersey City took a 8-0 lead after two bouts against the Colonels. Ryan Santiago (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) responded with a major decision at 141-pounds to cut the lead to 8-4. After a NJCU technical fall at 149, Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) answered with a technical fall of his own 20-3 before Caleb Lawrence (Larksville, PA/Wyoming Seminary) made it two straight technical falls with a 16-0 blanking at 165-pounds.  Lucas Miller (Kempton, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) added a major decision at 174-pounds and two forfeits from NJCU sealed the win for the Colonels. Burkhart rounded out the day with his second pin in as many bouts.
 
Wilkes is back on the mat next Saturday when the Colonels travel to Shenandoah University to compete in the Shenandoah Invitational starting at 9:30 a.m. in Winchester, Virginia.
 
Wilkes 44, Keystone 9
125 – R. Finnegan won by forfeit
133 – C. Kerwin won by forfeit
141 – E. Washburn won by forfeit
149 – B. Grater (W) tech fall R. Nieves (K) 20-4
157 – C. Sklavounos (W) tech fall M.Palinkas (K) 22-5
165 – C. Bomboy (K) fall M. Sutter (W) 2:08
174 – O. Watson (W) major dec. D. Klinges (K) 14-6
184 – J. Bilinski (W) fall M. Monacelli (K) 2:52
197 – C. Nuss (W) won by forfeit
285 – R. Arduini (K) dec. L. Abilio (W) 4-2
 
Wilkes 52, Elmira 4
125 – C. Kucek (W) won by forfeit
133 – R. Finnegan (W) won by forfeit
141 – M. Richardson (W) fall M. Leyva Del Carmen (E) 1:10
149 – J. Brady (W) fall P. Stauring (E) :23
157 – B. Shannon (W) fall K. Ellis (E) :52
165 – H. Berry (E) major dec. S. Keppel (W) 19-5
174 – J. Wilkins (W) fall C. Littrell (E) 1:36
184 – S. Diarra (W) tech fall G. Roskelly (E) 24-8
197 – P. Gordon (W) tech fall K. Smith (E) 18-2
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall N. Lopez (E) :18
 
Wilkes 36, New Jersey City 12
125 –D. Terracciano (NJCU) major dec. R. Finnegan (W) 16-4
133 – L. Torre (NJCU) dec. C. Kerwin (W) 7-0
141 – R. Santiago (W) major dec. D. Constantino (NJCU) 23-9
149 – Z. Vera (NJCU) tech fall J. Bettencourt (W) 20-4
157 – J. Hartranft (W) tech fall M. Cross (NJCU) 20-3
165 – C. Lawrence (W) tech fall D. Viera (NJCU) 16-0
174 – L. Miller (W) major dec F. Acuna (NJCU) 13-3
184 – C. Nuss (W) won by forfeit
197 – P. Gordon (W) won by forfeit
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall W. Thomas (NJCU) 1:02
 
Exhibitions:
149 – E. Washburn (W) tech fall J. Santiago (K) 18-1
149 – M. Gashi-Brito (L) fall H. Troutman (W) 1:30
157 – J. Lagunes (W) fall J. Almonte (L) 1:02
197 – A. Salazar (L) fall L. Cerchiaro (W) 5:54
149 – H. Troutman (W) fall V. Hyland (E) 2:20
141 – A. Beras (NJCU) fall K. Murphy (W) 3:49