THE RUNDOWN
- Final Score: Kent State 19, Gannon 12
- Records: Gannon (0-1) | Kent State (1-2)
- Location: Kent State Field House — Kent, Ohio
GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
KEY SEQUENCE
- With bouts going on simultaneously on two mats, it came down to the final few matchups to determine a winner in Gannon's 2020-21 season opener. Kent State held a slim 13-12 heading into the last two weights, and held on through a comeback attempt by Joel Leise (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) at 197 and a hard charge from Freddie Nixon (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) at 285 to secure the dual.
HOW IT HAPPENED
125
Seeing his first action in a Gannon singlet,
Charlie Lenox (Erie, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) was aggressive early, but surrendered the first takedown of the day just under two minutes in against Kent State's Jake Ferri. Ferri closed the period with another takedown, and went on to score the only bonus point of the dual in a 15-3 major.
133
Jacob Dunlop (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) fought out of an early shot from Kent State's Patrick Gould to keep things scoreless heading into the second, and took the lead on an escape there. Gould tied it up quickly in the third, but Dunlop closed strong, getting in on a single for the go-ahead points and getting two back points for insurance in a 5-1 decision.
141
Austin Hertel (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton) allowed the opening takedown to Kent's Avry Mutschler, but quickly escaped to draw back within a point. That 2-1 score held as Hertel rode out the entire second period to amass a solid riding time advantage. That proved to be the difference, as Hertel slipped out less than 20 seconds into the third and got the riding time point for a 3-2 win.
149
Dom Means (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) continued the comebacks for the Golden Knights, giving up a first-period takedown, but getting away for an escape and adding another early in the second to tie things up 2-2. He won a battle for his first takedown against Kody Komara midway through the second, and blitzed him for another later in the period for a 6-3 advantage, cruising to a 10-4 decision.
157
Evan Fisler (Sewell, N.J./Washington Township) engaged in one of the best bouts of the night with Kent State's Ian Senz, giving up the first points on a takedown and a big riding time advantage in the first, but charging back. A flurry of action in the second saw the two trade takedowns and wind up in a 6-6 stalemate headed to the final two minutes. There, Fisler got the go-ahead takedown to go up 8-7 with 30 seconds to go, but decided to cut Senz — who had the riding time point assured — and go for the win in regulation, and came up just short.
165
An escape late in the second period pushed
Alex Farenchak (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) into a 5-4 lead against Kent's Brady Chrisman, but Chrisman tied things up with an escape to start the third. Farenchak nearly had the go-ahead points with a shot midway through the final period, and then converted on a takedown near the edge after a restart to earn a 7-5 decision.
174
Luigi Yates (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) fought off an early shot from Kent State's Mike Caniglia, but Caniglia would get the bout's only takedown midway through the first period. Yates put forth a solid ride to start the second, but eventually ceded the escape to make it 3-1. He put the pressure on in the third, but wasn't able to take Caniglia to the mat before the final horn.
184
Cameron Page (Falconer, N.Y./Falconer Central) had the first chance of the bout, hitting a double-leg early, but Kent State's Joe Andrassy wouldn't let him get his head free, forcing a stalemate. The two kept at it through the second until Adrassy was able to convert for the first offensive points of the match with a takedown right as the horn blew, and went on to squeeze by with a 4-3 decision
197
Leise and Kent State's Colin McCracken each had to fight off a strong shot from each other in the first two minutes, and Leise nearly thwarted another, but surrendered the first points on a takedown in the final moments of the period. McCracken built that to a 6-2 margin through the second, but Leise popped through for a reversal to halve that margin early in the third. He built some riding time, but couldn't turn McCracken, who escaped and held on for a 7-4 decision.
285
Freddie Nixon (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) snapped and spun around for the first points of the bout with just 20 seconds remaining in the first, but Kent's Jacob Cover got free to make it 2-1. Nixon brought it even with an escape in the second, and tied things up again thanks to a stalling call in the third to make it 3-3. After a scramble near the edge though, Cover just kept is toe in while wrapping up Nixon's ankles with just 19 seconds left for what turned out to be the winning points in a 5-4 decision.
EXTRA BOUTS
- Set to become a more regular occurrence due to COVID-19 limiting opportunities for competition, wrestlers from both teams engaged in extra bouts that did not count for dual scoring, but count as regular matchups on their individual records.
- Parker Loera (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) busted things open with a four-point move on his way to a 7-3 decision.
- Nick Young (Batavia, N.Y./Alexander) got a six-point move early, and added another late in the second to build a 13-6 lead, ultimately winning by injury default.
- Matt Long (Union City, Pa./Union City) put the pressure on early, but couldn't find the big move, dropping a 6-2 decision.
- Joey Petrella (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) had to work extra for his win, as things were tied 1-1 after regulation, and 2-2 after the first sudden victory and tiebreak periods. Down 3-2 and needing points in the final 30-second tiebreaker, he rolled through for a reversal and held on for a 4-3 victory.
- Lenox scored points from the start, building up a solid lead before finishing the night off with a fall at 5:19.
MATCH NOTES
- Lenox, Page, Loera, Petrella and Long made their debuts for Gannon Wednesday night. Lenox is a graduate transfer from N.C. State, Loera and Petrella are freshmen, and Page and Long competed unattached last year while redshirting in their first season with the program.
UP NEXT
- The Golden Knights return home to host Edinboro at the Hammermill Center on Jan. 27. The 7 p.m. start will follow a matchup between the Fighting Scots and Mercyhurst at 5 p.m.
