WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 13) – The Waynesburg University wrestling team earned a two-match split against a pair of Division II opponents on Tuesday night.
After dropping a 28-13 match to West Liberty State, the 16th-ranked team in the country according to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), the Yellow Jackets bounced back with an impressive 26-15 over Seton Hill.
Against the Hilltoppers, the Jackets got out to a 9-6 lead after the first four bouts of the match. Sophomore 133-pounder Nick Garber picked up another first-period fall, his 14th of the season, by sticking West Liberty's Steve Riner to his back in 1:11.
Two bouts, later freshman 149-pounder Jesse Byerly (pictured above during an earlier match) gutted out a 3-2 decision over Kayne Melko, who is ranked eighth in the country in Division II by the NWCA. The win put the Jackets ahead 9-6.
Unfortunately for the home team, the Hilltoppers went on to win the next four bouts by major decision to take a 22-9 lead and seal up the victory. The Jackets got one more win in the match thanks to first-year 197-pounder Corbin Semple, who picked up a major decision victory over Matt Hill to trim the lead to 22-13.
Freshman 125-pounder Rico Borz got Waynesburg's match with Seton Hill rolling by taking on talented Griffin junior Josh Testa. The two battled to a 1-1 tie after three periods, and the score remained knotted up through the one minute overtime period.
After Borz managed to ride Testa throughout the span of the first 30-second ride-out period, the Bethel Park native escaped from the down position with around 10 seconds left in the second ride-out period to win the bout 2-1 and put Waynesburg ahead 3-0.
After Garber received a forfeit at 133, the Yellow Jackets dropped a bout at 141 to take a 9-3 lead. Following that defeat, the Jackets rolled off three-straight victories, including two bonus-point wins.
At 149, Byerly picked up his second win of the night, this time earning a 12-3 major decision over Kurt McCamley. That win was followed by freshman Jared Roberts pinning Buck Watkins at the 4:01 mark of their 157-pound bout.
Freshman 165-pounder Alex Evanoff finished up the winning streak with a 6-4 decision win over Quade Miller to put his team up 22-3.
After the Griffins cut the Jackets' lead down to 22-12 over the next two weights, Semple clinched the win for his team with a 12-3 major decision victory over Ron Oswald.
With the split, the Waynesburg mat men improved to 7-2 in dual competition this season. West Liberty went 2-0 on the night by beating Seton Hill by the final of 25-13.
The Jackets will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they hit the road to take part in the Washington and Lee Invitational in Lexington, Va.
West Liberty 25, Seton Hill 13
125 Josh Testa (SH) dec. 4-1 Nick Wykoff (WL) 0-3
133 Steve Riner (WL) won by forfeit 6-3
141 Dallas Evans (SH) dec. 7-4 (RT) Doug Surra (WL) 6-6
149 Kayne Melko (WL) dec. 4-1 (RT) Kurt McCamley (SH) 9-6
157 Mitch Smith (WL) fall 5:36 Buck Watkins (SH) 15-6
165 Jarrod Shaw (WL) dec. 8-6 (RT) Quade Miller (SH) 18-6
174 Seth Phalen (WL) dec. 4-1 (RT) Logan Downes (SH) 21-6
184 Nick Padezan (SH) maj. dec. 13-2 (RT) Justin Goneau (WL) 21-10
197 Ron Oswald (SH) dec. 3-2 (OT) Matt Hill (WL) 21-13
285 Mike Carpenter (WL)maj. dec. 16-3 (RT) Stephen Zubach (SH) 25-13
EXHIBITION:
141 – Abdul Yusuff (WU) dec. 12-5 (RT) A.J. Gavin (WL)
149 – Garrett Johnston (WU) dec. 2-0 (OT) Matt Cunningham (WL)
157 – Jon Sanko (WU) maj. dec. 10-2 Shawn Fullerton (WL)
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West Liberty 28, Waynesburg 13
125 Wykoff (WL) dec. 3-2 Rico Borz (WU) 3-0
133 Nick Garber (WU) fall 1:11 Riner (WL) 3-6
141 Surra (WL) dec. 4-1 McCabe (WU) 6-6
149 Jesse Byerly (WU) dec. 3-2 Melko (WL) 6-9
157 Smith (WL) maj. dec. 13-5 Chris Pihiou (WU) 10-9
165 Shaw (WL) maj. dec. 14-5 (RT) Matt Zimmerman (WU) 14-9
174 Phalen (WL) maj. dec. 12-2 (RT) Jake Benczo (WU) 18-9
184 Goneau (WL) maj. dec. 11-3 (RT) Charles Thomas (WU) 22-9
197 Corbin Semple (WU) maj. dec. 11-1 (RT) Hill (WL) 22-13
285 Carpenter (WL) fall 1:52 Rich Janicki (WU) 28-13
EXHIBITION:
141 Gavin (WL) maj. dec. 10-1 (RT) Dean Baker (WU)
149 Pihiou (WU) maj. dec. 10-2 (RT) Cunningham (WL)
165 Ben Abbott (WU) fall 4:31 Fullerton (WL)
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Waynesburg 26, Seton Hill 15
125 Borz (WU) dec. 2-1 (OT, 2nd rideout) Testa (SH) 3-0
133 Garber (WU) won by forfeit 9-0
141 Evans (SH) dec. 8-2 (RT) McCabe (WU) 9-3
149 Byerly (WU) maj. dec. 12-3 (RT) McCamley (SH) 13-3
157 Jared Roberts (WU) fall 4:01 Watkins (SH) 19-3
165 Alex Evanoff (WU) dec. 6-4 (RT) Miller (SH) 22-3
174 Downes (SH) maj. dec. 11-1 (RT) Benczo (WU) 22-7
184 Padezan (SH) t. fall 19-2 (6:16) (RT) Thomas (WU) 22-12
197 Semple (WU) maj. dec. 12-3 (RT) Oswald (SH) 26-12
285 Zubach (SH) dec. 5-0 (RT) Janicki (WU) 26-15
