SCRANTON – The Wilkes University men's wrestling team cruised to a 42-14 victory at fellow Landmark Conference foe the University of Scranton Thursday night in the John Long Center.
 
With the win Wilkes moved to 9-6 overall in dual match play. Head coach Jon Laudenslager also collected his 300^th career coaching victory at Wilkes now owning a 300-150-5 record in 22 seasons at the helm of the program.
 
Connor Kerwin (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley) began the match with one of Wilkes' six falls taking his 125-pound bout in 1:35. Michael Richardson (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) continued the fall trend with a pin in :46 over Charles Arobone at 133. Ben Grater (Saddle Brooke, NJ/Saddle Brook) made it three in a row for six points as he pinned Kevin Cordero in 1:56. Jacob Bettencourt (Dighton, MA/Bristol Plymouth) was the fourth pin-fall winner as he bested Shkeb Nadir in :50. Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) (157) closed out the five straight falls to begin the contest as he won in 1:28 to give Wilkes a 30-0 lead halfway through the match.
 
Scranton picked up a technical fall at 165, decision at 174 and a fall at 184 to conclude its scoring in the match. Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) took the forfeit win at 197 as the senior moved to 26-2 on the season. He also tied the school record for career wins at 121, held by Guesseppe Rea who graduated with a mark of 121-29. Butka now stands 121-23 overall in his career on the mat for the Colonels.
 
Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) picked up his team-high 27^th win of the season and 16^th fall of the year pinning Max Shnipes in :51 to round out the Colonels scoring in the match.
 
Wilkes returns home Saturday to host the 2025 John Reese Duals starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Marts Center. The Colonels will face Ithaca and Oneonta in their two matches on the day.
 
Wilkes 42, Scranton 14
125 – C. Kerwin (W) fall Mark Ortiz (S) 1:35
133 – M. Richardson (W) fall Charles Arobone (S) :46
141 – B. Grater (W) fall Kevin Cordero (S) 1:56
149 – J. Bettencourt (W) fall Shkeb Nadir (S) :50
157 – J. Hartranft (W) fall Aidan Vierun (S) 1:28
165 – Donnell Young (S) tech. fall C. Skalvounos (W) 17-1
174 – Jake Rudy (S) dec. J. Wilkins (W) 9-7
184 – Jacob Burgette (S) fall P. Gordon (W) 1:25
197 – C. Butka (W) won by forfeit
285 – C. Burkhart (W) fall Max Shnipes (S) :51