Jerry Echevarria vs. Lake Erie
Bryce Dolak

Men's Wrestling Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Depleted Golden Knights Fall Just Shy of Upsetting West Liberty

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – A Gannon team that was missing four regulars in the lineup put up a game battle at West Liberty on Friday but the Golden Knights ultimately fell by a 24-18 score. The match featured a pair of highly-ranked Div. II teams with Gannon ranked 13th by The Open Mat and 14th by the NWCA while West Liberty is 16th and 10th, respectively.
 
Gannon saw its four-match winning streak come to an end as the Golden Knights are 7-4. West Liberty improved to 6-3.
 
One of two highlight match of the evening opened up the dual, with Gannon's Logan Sallot (Erie, PA/McDowell High School) squaring off against Hilltopper Logan Davis. Sallot is ranked 12th by The Open Mat and 14th by the NWCA while Davis came in seventh in The Open Mat and eighth in the NWCA poll.
 
Following a scoreless first period the two wrestlers entered the third period with Davis holding a 4-3 lead by virtue of a penalty point. Sallot opened with an escape and recorded his second takedown of the match in the final period. He went on to post an 8-5 decision to improve to 18-3.
 
Gannon went ahead 6-0 as Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) posted a narrow 2-1 decision over James Armstrong Jr. at 133 lbs. All of the scoring took place in the second period with Echevarria starting on the bottom and reversing Armstrong. Armstrong's escape ended the scoring. Echevarria, ranked ninth by the NWCA and 10th by The Open Mat, improved to 16-3.
 
West Liberty ran off wins in the next two bouts with Brock Christian (Perry, Ohio/Perry) (9-7) dropping an 8-3 decision at 141 lbs. and Isaac Piatek (Garner, N.C./Cleveland), filling in for nationally-ranked Kenny Kiser (Meadville, Pa./Saegertown) at 149 lbs., lost by major decision 17-4.
 
Gannon regained the lead at 12-7 when Chance Kimmy (McKean, PA/General Mclane High) (10-6), replacing starter Ethan Richner (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area High), posted a fall at 157 lbs. over Jayden Jett. Kimmy led 4-3 after one period then came up with the pin at 3:22 after starting the second period on top.
 
Both Gannon and West Liberty were without regular starters at 165 lbs. and the Hilltoppers ended with an 8-5 decision by Toby Abbott over Christian Scheller (Saxonburg, Pa./Mars).
 
West Liberty grabbed the team lead for good with a win in the second bout of the night featuring two nationally-ranked wrestlers. Carter Winegardner (No. 8 The Open Mat/No. 13 NWCA) won a 9-3 decision over Patrick Jackson (Harpers Ferry, WV/Spring Mills High) (No. 8 NWCA/No. 10 The Open Mat). Winegardner jumped out to a 5-1 lead after one period and led 5-2 after two. He added a second takedown in the third period. Jackson is now 16-5.
 
That left West Liberty with a 13-12 lead with the Hilltoppers sending out top-ranked Ty McGeary at 184 lbs. against freshman Gaetano Savelli (Kirtland, OH/Kirtland High). McGeary won by fall at 2:33.

Eli Reese (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) gave the Golden Knights some hope with a fall over Devon Bell at 4:25 in the 197 lb. bout. He has now won six straight matches to improve to 8-4.
 
That left Gannon trailing by a single point at 19-18 but the Golden Knights were without Dorian Crosby (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) on Friday night. Shane Davidson (Almond, N.Y./Wellsville), who has been competing at 184 lbs., faced Parker Bentley, who is ranked seventh by The Open Mat and 12th by the NWCA. Bentley won by technical fall 19-1 at 3:23 to close the score at 24-18.
 
Gannon will have a contingent of wrestlers at the Jamestown CC Open on Sunday before returning for a PSAC dual at East Stroudsburg on Friday, January 31.     
 
No. 10/16 WEST LIBERTY 24, No. 14/13 GANNON 18
Friday, January 24, 2025
ASRC "Academic Sports & Recreation Complex"
West Liberty, W.Va.
 
125 lbs. – No. 14/12 Logan Sallot (Erie, PA/McDowell High School) (GU) dec. No. 8/7 Logan Davis (WL), 8-5
133 lbs. – No. 9/10 Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) (GU) dec. James Armstrong Jr. (WL), 2-1
141 lbs. – Khyvon Grace (WL) dec. Brock Christian (Perry, Ohio/Perry) (GU), 8-3
149 lbs. – Tony Wood (WL) maj. dec. Isaac Piatek (Garner, N.C./Cleveland) (GU), 17-4
157 lbs. -- Chance Kimmy (McKean, PA/General Mclane High) (GU) fall over Jayden Jett (WL), 3:22
165 lbs. – Toby Abbott (WL) dec. Christian Scheller (Saxonburg, Pa./Mars) (GU), 8-5
174 lbs. – No. 13/8 Carter Winegardner (WL) dec. No. 8/10 Patrick Jackson (Harpers Ferry, WV/Spring Mills High) (GU), 9-3                                                           
184 lbs. – No. 1/1 Ty McGeary (WL) fall over Gaetano Savelli (Kirtland, OH/Kirtland High) (GU), 2:33
197 lbs. – Eli Reese (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) (GU) fall over Devon Bell (WL), 4:25
Hwt. – No. 12/7 Parker Bentley (WL) tech. fall Shane Davidson (Almond, N.Y./Wellsville) (GU) 19-1 (3:23)                                                                     
Rankings:  NWCA/The Open Mat
 
Records:  Gannon 7-4; West Liberty 6-3
 
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Players Mentioned

Brock Christian

Brock Christian

141
Redshirt Freshman
Shane Davidson

Shane Davidson

197
Redshirt Freshman
Jerry Echevarria

Jerry Echevarria

133
Redshirt Junior
Kenny Kiser

Kenny Kiser

149
Redshirt Junior
Eli Reese

Eli Reese

197
Redshirt Junior
Ethan Richner

Ethan Richner

157
Redshirt Junior
Christian Scheller

Christian Scheller

165
Redshirt Sophomore
Patrick Jackson

Patrick Jackson

174
Redshirt Freshman
Chance Kimmy

Chance Kimmy

157
6' 0"
Freshman
Dorian Crosby

Dorian Crosby

Hwt.
6' 2"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Brock Christian

Brock Christian

Redshirt Freshman
141
Shane Davidson

Shane Davidson

Redshirt Freshman
197
Jerry Echevarria

Jerry Echevarria

Redshirt Junior
133
Kenny Kiser

Kenny Kiser

Redshirt Junior
149
Eli Reese

Eli Reese

Redshirt Junior
197
Ethan Richner

Ethan Richner

Redshirt Junior
157
Christian Scheller

Christian Scheller

Redshirt Sophomore
165
Patrick Jackson

Patrick Jackson

Redshirt Freshman
174
Chance Kimmy

Chance Kimmy

6' 0"
Freshman
157
Dorian Crosby

Dorian Crosby

6' 2"
Graduate Student
Hwt.