The Elizabethtown College wrestling team was unable to best a second straight nationally ranked team in their most recent meet against No. 13 Wilkes University on Nov. 16.
After their narrow win over No. 16 Johns Hopkins University only a few days prior, the Jays were looking for another upset. As in their match against Johns Hopkins, the win came down to the final match of the night, unfortunately the team was unable to pull out a back-to-back win.
The Jays did not put themselves in a good position at the beginning of the night. They strayed from the convention of starting the match with the 125 lb. weight class and opted for the heavier 133 lb. weight class. First-year Chad Lammer was defeated by major decision (12-4) allowing the Colonels to grab the lead. Fellow first-year Jesse Meaney brought the Jays back with a 4-2 decision at the 141 lb. weight class.
Etown would fall behind once again with losses in both the 149 lb. and 157 lb. weight classes. First-year Mike Lammer lost in Wilkes’ second major decision 14-0. Sophomore Jordan Moser was forced to stop due to an injury at 4:19 minutes in the match.
The Jays would not go down easily though, rallying back with four wins in the next five matches. Sophomore Woodie Hermann started the Jays’ comeback streak with a win in the 165 lb. weight class. Junior Julian Meaney grabbed the second win in as many matches at the 174 lb. weight class. Sophomore Phil Landis pinned Wilkes’ Dave Oberrender in 1:56 minutes in the 197 lb. weight class and sophomore Jeremy Rieth won at the 285 lb. weight class. Rieth’s sixth win in six tries gave the Jays their only lead of the evening at 19-18.
The Jays ended the meet with the traditionally first 125 lb. weight class match. The final match would again determine the meet’s winner, but unfortunately, junior Kyle McNulty was unable to surpass the Wilkes’ competitor and lost 19-5 bringing Etown’s run to an end.
The Jays’ next and final meet before Winter break will be the New Standard Corporation Invitational hosted by York College of Pennsylvania on Saturday, Dec. 1. The Jays will once again face Division III nationally ranked competition in No. 8 Ithaca College, No. 20 York College, No. 30 Johnson & Wales University and No. 21 the College of New Jersey. Head Coach Eric Walker said of their upcoming competitors, “Our guys are really excited to be going up against some stiff competition before break. We are working hard and I have seen a lot of improvement from many of the guys. We will see where we stack up against these ranked teams and improve from there.”
The Jays will also face the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Millersville University, the United States Coast Guard Academy, the Apprentice School, Delaware Valley College, the College at Brockport: State University of New York and University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
While everyone on campus will be preparing for their finals, the wrestling team will be practicing and preparing for their upcoming meet. Walker said, “It is always difficult to manage a tough academic schedule while preparing for a competition, but luckily we won’t have to do that during the week before finals like we have in the past. The guys are looking to end this semester on a high note, and they will hopefully be prepared when they come back for the second semester.”
The Jays will work to overcome their academic and athletic battles this Saturday and hope to come out as the victors in the New Standard Corporation Invitational at York.