Flames wrestlers top Marymount, succumb to Kutztown in pool, slip to silver bracket at Virginia Duals
1/13/2023 10:50:02 PM | Men's Wrestling
Liberty University’s men’s wrestling team split its two matches in its pool on Friday to slip to the Silver bracket in the American College division for Saturday’s final round of the Virginia Duals, held at Hampton Coliseum. The Flames opened the day by edging Marymount University, 29-22, before winning only its first and last matches in a 36-9 loss to Kutztown (Pa.)
“It was a rough first day,” Liberty Head Coach Jesse Castro said. “We won our first match but didn’t wrestle very well (against Marymount), and in the second match against Kutztown I was much more impressed with our effort, regardless of the score. Kutztown is a nationally ranked NCAA team that proved to be a better team at this time.”
Pins by Flames freshman Blake Schmitt at 133 pounds and senior Charles Hudson at 149 and a technical fall by freshman Zachary Kaminski at 174 pounds pushed the Flames’ lead on Marymount to 23-13 before forfeits at 220 and 285 pounds clinched the victory. Senior Dante Minnino’s third-period pin got Liberty out to a fast start against Kutztown, which had dominated Marymount, 50-4, before the Flames lost the next eight matches to fall out of contention.
Liberty will wrestle Roanoke (Va.) College in Saturday’s Silver bracket semifinals before facing the winner or loser of the other semifinal between Johns Hopkins (Md.) and Averett (Va.) University for first or third place. Complete brackets are available online.
Liberty 29, Marymount 22
125: Chase Arnestad (L), by forfeit; 133: Blake Schmitt (L) p. Temuujin Erdenetuya, 4:28; 141: Mateo Hernandez (M) m.d. Grant Brammer, 14-0; 149: Charles Hudson (L) p. Brooks Coleman. 3:41; 157: Marcus Lewis (M) d. Chad Cantrell, injury default 6:49; 165: Xavery Washington (M) d. Ian McIlhenny 11-6; 174: Zachary Kaminski (L) t.f. over Isaac Ponce (Marymount University) TF 20-2; 184: Eric Washington (M) d. Gabriel Hayes, 13-10; 197: Conrad Sund (M) p. Sean Gillespie, 1:26; 220: Double forfeit; 285: Rick Weaver (L), by forfeit.
Kutztown 36, Liberty 9
125: Dante Minnino (L) p. Julien Maldonado, 6:59; 133: KJ Fenstermacher (K) t.f. Blake Schmitt, 17-2; 141: Collin Wickramaratna (K) m.d. Brammer, 11-3; 149: Kibwe McNair (K) m.d. Hudson, 11-1; 157: Sean Smith (K) d. Ian McIlhenny, 6-5; 165: Dalton Gimbor (K) m.d. Connor McCann, 18-6; 174: Ethan Baney (K) m.d. Kaminski, 9-1; 184: Matt Weinberg (K) p. Jackson Wakeland, 2:22; 197: Tyler Fisher (K) d. Josiah Murphy, by injury default, 5:40; 220: Double forfeit; 285: Jefferey Allen (L) d. Nasir Dreuitt, 6-1.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer