After two postponed meets and one cancelled meet this season, all due to snow, the Elizabethtown College wrestling team was looking to end the regular season with a pair of wins this past Friday.
The Jays started their last meet of the regular season on their Senior Night against two ranked opponents, No. 19 Messiah College and No. 16 York College.
The Jays started the meet on top, grabbing 13 of the first 17 points. Etown took the first match of the meet starting in the 125 pounds division with junior Kyle McNulty pinning Messiah’s Daniel Rodriguez in 2:15 in the first period. The Falcons battled back in the second match (133 pounds) with a major decision win as Messiah’s Kyle Coblentz ended the three periods up by more than eight points (13-2) against junior Michael Henning.
The Jays picked up two more wins with first-year Jesse Meaney earning a major decision at 141 pounds (9-0) and senior Colin Sheridan a decision at 149 pounds with a closer margin of 3.
The Falcons came back again when Jake English won by fall against first-year Mike Lammer in 0:51in the 157 pounds, bringing the score to 13-10. The Jays would not leave it unanswered as sophomore Woodie Hermann beat out Messiah’s Ricardo Plummer, 10-4, to bring the Jays back up to a six-point lead, 16-10.
The Jays’ lead was challenged once again as sophomore Zeke Zimmer and junior Julian Meaney both recorded a loss to a decision (5-9) and a fall at 4:48, respectively. The two wins gave the Falcons the lead, 19-16.
The Jays’ man in the 197 pounds slot and 9th ranked in the d3wrestle.com and NWCA polls, sophomore Phil Landis, responded with a decision over Messiah’s Travis Ebersole, 8-4. Landis came from behind with an escape early in the third period to even the score at four, and then got a takedown and a nearfall in the final minute of regulation.
The meet came down to the last match with Messiah’s heavyweight, Charles Jones, facing off against Etown’s sophomore Jeremy Rieth. The match ended in a suspenseful overtime with Rieth’s win by sudden victory 3-1, giving the Jays a 22-19 win over the Falcons.
After the Jays first ranked team win of the night they could not be stopped. No. 16 York College came into the meet with nine wins in their last 11 duals, but would be turned away from their tenth win.
York was forced to forfeit in the 125 pounds match with no wrestlers making weight, giving the Jays the first lead of the night. Although Henning lost in a major decision in the 133 pounds, Jesse Meaney stepped up once again and got his second win of the night, 3-2.
The Jays hit a rough patch, losing the next three duels, bringing the score to 19-9. Sheridan went down to major decision (9-23), Lammer lost by technical fall, which is defined as losing by more than 15 points, after 3:56, and Herman was pinned in 3:36.
The Jays would be undefeated through the rest of the meet to capture the win. Zimmer, Julian Meaney, Landis and Reith would all pick up wins to secure the win.
Etown’s next wrestling appearance will be at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships in Ada, Ohio. on Saturday, Mar. 2. Upon success, the Jays will head to the NCAA Division III Championships held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.