WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's wrestling team finished 1-1 at the 2025 John Reese Duals Saturday at the Marts Center. The Colonels fell 32-18 against No. 16 Ithaca College before recording a 36-15 victory over Oneonta in their final match of the day.
 
Wilkes moved to 10-7 overall in dual matches following the event.
 
Connor Kerwin (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley) started the match against Ithaca with a 10-2 major decision over Tomah Gummow to give Wilkes the early lead. After a medical forfeit by Wilkes at 133-pounds, Ithaca answered back with a decision win at 141 and technical fall at 149 to take a 14-4 advantage. Jaryn Hartranft (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) earned a hard-fought 6-3 decision over Brian Bienus at 157-pounds to cut the deficit to 14-7 after five bouts.
 
Ithaca then clinched the match with three straight falls at 165, 174 and 184 respectively pushing the lead to 32-7. Cameron Butka (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) made history in his bout at 197-pounds as the senior earned a 20-5 technical fall and collected his 122^nd career victory, breaking the school record for wins in the process which was previously held by Guesseppe Rea in 2017. Caleb Burkhart (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) rounded out the scoring for Wilkes with a forfeit win at heavyweight.
 
Wilkes used six extra-point victories in its seven total wins to earn the double-digit decision over Oneonta in its last match of the day. Kerwin began the match with a fall over Cameron Hinchcliff in 39 seconds before a major decision from Oneonta kept the score tight with the Colonels leading 6-4. Ben Grater (Saddle Brooke, NJ/Saddle Brook) pinned Ariel Waldman in 1:01 at 141-pounds to keep Wilkes ahead 12-4. After a technical fall from Oneonta at 149, Hartranft won his second match of the day with a 12-2 major decision at 157-pounds pushing the advantage to 16-7.
 
Lucas Miller (Kempton, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) (174) and Melquan Warren (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) (184) went back-to-back with a fall and technical fall to clinch the match for Wilkes leading 27-7 with two bouts remaining. Butka continued his climb at the top spot for career wins with a tough 8-5 decision over Carson Licastri before Burkhart notched his team-best 17^th fall in 3:39 to close out the Colonels scoring in the match.
 
Wilkes remains idle until Friday when the Colonels travel to Wheaton, Illinois to compete in the Pete Wilson Invitational hosted by Wheaton College. The two day tournament begins at 11:00 a.m. both Friday and Saturday.
 
#16 Ithaca 32, Wilkes 18
125 - C. Kerwin (W) major dec. Tomah Gummow (I) 10-2
133 - Isaias Torres (I) won by medical forfeit 
141 - Matt Haycook (I) dec. B. Grater (W) 4-1
149 - Wenchard Pierre-Louis (I) tech. fall C. Thorpe (W) 20-3 (4:30)
157 - J. Hartranft (W) dec. Brian Bienus (I) 6-3
165 - Konrad Parker (I) fall B. Shannon (W) 2:15
174 - Jackson Gray (I) fall M. Warren (W) 1:12
184 - Xavier Pommells (I) fall S. Diarra (W) 2:27
197 - C. Butka (W) tech. fall E. Callaghan (I) 20-5 (3:32)
285 - C. Burkhart (W) won by forfeit
 
Wilkes 36, Oneonta 15
125 - C. Kerwin (W) fall Cameron Hinchcliff (O) :39
133 - Danny Poggi (O) major dec. E. Washburn (W) 10-2
141 - B. Grater (W) fall Ariel Waldman (O) 1:01
149 - Avery Leonard (O) tech. fall C. Thorpe (W) 18-1 (3:25)
157 - J. Hartranft (W) major dec. Ryley Monica (O) 12-2
165 - Mason Rappold (O) fall B. Shannon (W) 0:31
174 - L. Miller (W) fall Matthew Coffey (O) 2:53
184 - M. Warren (W) tech. fall Joel Zea Marino (O) 22-4 (5:00)
197 - C. Butka (W) dec. Carson Licastri (O) 8-5
285 - C. Burkhart (W) fall Kenny Jackson (O) 3:39