No. 5 Cardinals clipped by No. 6 Pitt.-Johnstown, 19-15

November 11, 2018

By: Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

WHEELING, W.Va. (Nov. 11) - In one of the most anticipated duals in the early part of the season, the No. 5 Wheeling Jesuit wrestling team was defeated 19-15 by Pitt.-Johnstown Sunday evening at the McDonough Center.

The Cardinals (1-2) finished the day with five decisions, while the Mountain Cats earned two decisions, two major decisions and a technical fall to claim the win.

Freshman Cole Laya (Fairmont, W.Va./East Fairmont) continued his solid start to his collegiate career with a 6-2 decision at 125. Fifth-ranked sophomore Tyler Warner (Dennison, Ohio/Claymont) followed suit at 133 with a 5-0 decision of his own to vault the Cardinals ahead 6-0 early in the dual. UPJ answered back with a pair of wins, including a technical fall at 149 from their reigning National Champion Chris Eddins.

"Couldn't have asked for a better start to the dual, but that's what I expected," said Head Coach Danny Irwin. "We hit their two hammers the next two weight classes and we needed more out of Donahue & Alberts. The good thing about those two guys is they will bounce back as they are two of the most consistent workers we have.

Irwin had to make a last-second switch to his lineup card when he inserted junior Christian Rivera (Orlando, Fla./Freedom) at 157, but the junior battled to earn a decision and three points. Rivera had just wrestled the day before at the Washington & Jefferson Invite.

"Rivera stepped up big when we needed him too after competing yesterday," He stomped on the gas pedal half ways through when we asked him to and he took control of the match, so proud of that effort."

In one of the more anticipated matches of the night, UPJ's Devin Austin held off Keegan Driscoll for a decision at 3-1 at 165. Both wresters entered the match ranked among the top-eight in the country.

The Cardinals trailed 11-9 in the dual entered 174, where sophomore Connor Craig (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) scored a 10-5 decision over ninth-ranked Steve Edwards.

"Connor Craig found himself tonight in a lot of ways," said Irwin. "He just missed in some positions last weekend where tonight he settled himself down after an early deficit and executed. His maturity in a big time match shined tonight!"

"I knew what i lacked after last season and spent five months straight working on that one thing: strength," said Craig. "Bumping up from 157 to 174 is obviously going to take some adjustments, and these last two weeks I realized that I'm not that far off from where I want to be. Tonight was just what i needed to reassure myself that i'm making the right steps after beating the #9 ranked 174 pounder. Every match will lead me to bettering myself and where I need to improve, and I can't wait to get on that podium come March."

Pitt-Johnstown picked up a pair of crucial major decisions at 184 and 197, before No. 1 ranked Terrance Fanning (Bruceton Mills, W.Va./Preston) closed the evening with a 9-5 decision.

The day prior on Saturday, members of the team competed at the W&J Invitational, where junior Brandon Tenney (Buckhannon, W.Va./Buckhannon Upshur) dominated the competition at 141 to win his first tournament.

"I tried to focus on each match and position which lead to a good day on the mat," said Tenney afterwards. "I give God the glory for winning my first collegiate tournament. I just try to use my gift to be a light for him."

FINAL RESULTS versus Pitt.-Johnstown
125: Cole Laya (WJU) DEC Brendan Howard (UPJ), 6-2
133: #5 Tyler Warner (WJU) DEC Matt Siszka (UPJ), 5-0
131: #6 Joey Alexander (UPJ) DEC Jared Donahue (WJU), 7-2
149: #4 Chris Eddins (UPJ) TF Tyler Alberts (WJU), 16-0
157: Christian Rivera (WJU) DEC Gage Thomas (UPJ), 7-4
165: #5 Devin Austin (UPJ) DEC #8 Keegan Driscoll (WJU), 3-1
174: Connor Craig (WJU) DEC #9 Steve Edwards (UPJ), 10-5
184: Brock Bidldle (UPJ) MAJ #4 Aidan Pasiuk (WJU), 16-6
197: #5 Levi Niebauer (UPJ) MAJ Dalton Hoover (WJU), 12-0 285:


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