The second-ever Golden Eagles Duals were held at Claymont High School on Sunday, with Kent State Tuscarawas winning one match in the seven-team field.
The home team opened the day losing to well established National Junior College Athletic Association teams, Ancilla College (30-9), Henry Ford College (33-17) and Mercyhurst Northeast (35-18). In their fourth match however, the Eagles picked up a 33-0 victory over NCAA D-III Wilmington College, before falling to NCAA D-III Otterbein University (60-0) and NAIA Rochester College 42-6.
Kent Tusc's Mason Contini (184 lbs.) won four straight matches and finished with a glowing 4-0 record, withdrawing for the day after aggravating a knee injury. He scored a pin in his first match in 2:05, picked up a 16-1 technical fall versus a Henry Ford opponent and pinned his Mercyhurst NE foe at the 4:06 mark. His fourth victory came by virtue of a forfeit against Wilmington.
Another bright spot for the Eagles was the effort by Elliot Dean in the 133 lb. division. Dean, who celebrated his twentieth birthday on Saturday, recorded a solid record of 3-3 on the afternoon. His biggest accomplishment, however, was the recording of his first and second-ever pins at the collegiate level. Both of Dean's pins came in the first period. His first against Henry Ford (1:26) and the second against Mercyhurst (2:45), as he and Contini accounted for four of the Navy and Gold's eight pins in the duals.
Also recording pins were; Tyler Ernst (141 lbs.), Collin Mancuso (157 lbs.), Chad Van Pelt (165 lbs.) and Derek Skeehan (285 lbs.). Ernst earned his at 1:32 against Rochester, Mancuso and Van Pelt got their pins against Wilmington and SKeehan pinned a Mercyhurst heavyweight in 4:21.
Ernst, Mancuso and Skeehan all won two matches on the day, while Van Pelt and Devan Welch each won once.
On Wednesday, January 15th, the Golden Eagles travel to Fairmont State (WV) for a dual match that begins at 6:00 p.m.
Mason Contini was 4-0 in the duals with two pins and a 16-1 technical fall against his Henry Ford opponent.
Chad Van Pelt works against a Mercyhurst wrestler in the 165lb. match.
Tyler Ernst (141 lb.) and Coach Meeks after winning a 13-7 decision verus Wilmington.
(Photos by Dave Contini)