EDINBORO, Pa. -- The Golden Eagles wrestling team traveled to Edinboro for their 10th dual meet of the season. The Golden Eagles dropped to .500 in conference matches, losing 28-11 to the Fighting Scots.
Newly ranked No. 33 Travis Clawson opened the dual meet for the Golden Eagles at 125 pounds. Clawson fell behind in the 1st period allowing two takedowns and falling behind 6-2 at the end of the period. Clawson then chose the down position after Chris Vargo deferred his choice to the 3rd period. He escaped quickly into the period, making it a one takedown match. Midway through the 2nd period, Clawson turned defense into offense after Vargo's shot off the whistle and even the match at 6 with a takedown. He then rode Vargo out the rest of the period, keeping the match even heading into the final period. Vargo chose neutral to start the period and after a lot of back-and-forth attempts to try and score that takedown, the match went to a sudden victory period. After a minute down in the sudden victory period, Vargo got in on a single leg shot against Clawson and then tried to lock up a cradle for the takedown. But Clawson fought it off and then shot in on a double leg and took Vargo to his back to secure the takedown. Edinboro challenged the call disputing the takedown, however the call stood and so did the 9-6 decision victory for Clawson. An electric start for the Golden Eagles who took the first match and a 3-0 lead.
Next up for the Golden Eagles was Joey Fischer at 133 pounds. Fischer started the scoring with a nifty fireman's carry for the takedown to take the early 3-0 lead. He then was able to finish the period on top with a tough ride out on Landon Bainey. Fischer then chose the down position to start the period and midway through the period earned a hard-fought reversal to increase his lead to 5-0. He then completed another ride out and finished the period on top heading into the final two minutes. Bainey chose down but Fischer elected to start the 3rd period neutral giving Bainey the one-point escape, as he looked to get a takedown to secure the major decision victory. Fischer was busy throughout the period looking for the score but could not secure the takedown. He won the match nonetheless by a 6-1 decision after a riding time point was added. The Golden Eagle lead increased to 6-0.
Scott Johnson took the mat for the Golden Eagles at 141 pounds looking to continue their early momentum. But the Fighting Scots bounced back with a 1st period pinfall victory (2:23) for Jacob Brenneman evening the score at 6 through three matches.
The next three matches the Golden Eagles lost in close fashion. First at 149 pounds Oliver Fairchild dropped a 9-4 decision to Ryan Michaels. The 157-pound match between Clarion's Wesley Barnes and Edinboro's Garrett McChesney went to a sudden victory period tied at 1-1. Both guys had scoring opportunities, but it was McChesney who came out on top for the Fighting Scots winning 4-1. At 165 Pounds Alejandro Herrera-Rondon went up against No. 30 Ryan Burgos of Edinboro. The match came down to the wire, but Herrera-Rondon fell short losing a 5-4 decision. 6 matches in, Edinboro led 15-6.
At 174 pounds, Gabe Lilly dropped his match via major decision to Edinboro's Tate Geiser 20-6. Edinboro's lead increased to 19-6.
Adrian Gacek came out for the Golden Eagles at 184 pounds. Gacek came out of the gates on fire with two takedowns in the first half of the 1st period. But he was not done there as he proceeded to get two more takedowns in the next 50 seconds before riding out Easton Belifore to take a 12-3 lead heading into the 2nd period. Gacek deferred his choice to the 3rd period and Belifore chose the down position. Belifore earned a quick escape, but it didn't take long for Gacek to get right back on the offense as he secured his fifth takedown of the match just 20 seconds into the period. Gacek continued to have his way offensively as he earned two more takedowns, making that 7 total in the match as he earned a tech-fall victory by a score of 21-6 (4:37). This put the Golden Eagles in striking distance with 2 matches to go, cutting Edinboro's lead to 19-11.
Ethan Wiant was the next Golden Eagle up at 197 pounds going up against Edinboro's Brody Evans. Wiant fell just short in the 3rd period, dropping a tight 2-1 decision as Edinboro secured the dual victory and increasing their lead to 22-11. The Golden Eagles forfeited the 285-pound weight class, giving Edinboro's Aden Roe the victory and a final score of Edinboro 28, Clarion 11.
Edinboro 28 | Clarion 11
125: No. 33 Travis Clawson (Clarion) def. Chris Vargo (Edinboro) Dec. 9-6 SV | Clarion 3-0
133: Joey Fischer (Clarion) def. Landon Bainey (Edinboro) Dec. 6-1 | Clarion 6-0
141: Jacob Brenneman (Edinboro) def. Scott Johnson (Clarion) Fall (2:23) | Tied 6-6
149: Ryan Michaels (Edinboro) def. Oliver Fairchild (Clarion) Dec. 9-4 | Edinboro 9-6
157: Garrett McChesney (Edinboro) def. Wesley Barnes (Clarion) Dec. 4-1 SV | Edinboro 12-6
165: No. 30 Ryan Burgos (Edinboro) def. Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Clarion) Dec. 5-4 | Edinboro 15-6
174: Tate Geiser (Edinboro) def. Gabe Lilly (Clarion) MD 20-6 | Edinboro 19-6
184: Adrian Gacek (Clarion) def. Easton Belifore (Edinboro) TF 21-6 (4:37) | Edinboro 19-11
197: Brody Evans (Edinboro) def. Ethan Wiant (Clarion) Dec. 2-1 | Edinboro 22-11
285: Aden Roe (Edinboro) def. Clarion by Forfeit | Edinboro 28-11
