ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- King's College won the last three bouts to escape with a 22-21 victory over Elizabethtown College in a battle of nationally-ranked Metropolitan Conference wrestling teams Wednesday night at Thompson Gymnasium.
The Monarchs (13-9 overall, 5-2 Metropolitan), ranked 19th in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll, used a 5-2 victory from Chris Rash at 285 pounds to earn the victory over the 29th-ranked Blue Jays (8-4 overall, 3-2 Metropolitan), who put up a valiant effort despite missing six starters from their lineup.
The Blue Jays earned bonus points in all four of their victories, picking up three technical falls and a pin from
Josh Cook at 174 pounds to take a 21-12 lead. However, the Monarchs received a 7-5 decision from Frank Marinucci at 184, a 9-0 major decision from Peter Dwyer at 197 and Rash's 5-2 decision to make up the deficit.
Will Bentley opened the match with a 16-0 technical fall of Mike Tabasco in 5:22 at 125 pounds, but the Monarchs answered with a pin from Tony Miele in 5:41 at 133 and a 9-3 decision by Frankie Davis at 141 to take a 9-5 lead.
Tye Boyer used a late escape to clinch a technical fall in an 18-3 win over Chris Puorro at 149 and give the Blue Jays a 10-9 lead, but Taylor Green answered with an 11-8 win at 157 to put King's back on top 12-10. Elizabethtown received its third technical fall of the night at 165, where
Bud Croswell shut out Jerry Robbins 15-0 in 5:02 to go back ahead 15-12.
In the match of the night, Cook broke a third-period tie with a takedown and went on to pin the Monarchs' Dave Foley in 6:15 at 174 to extend the Blue Jay lead to 21-12, but the Monarchs stormed back with wins in the final three bouts.
King’s 22, Elizabethtown 21
125-Will Bentley (E) t.f. Mike Tabasco, 16-0 in 5:22 (0-5)
133-Tony Miele (K) p. Colin Sheridan, 5:41 (6-5)
141-Frankie Davis (K) d. Jarrod Cawley, 9-3 (9-5)
149-Tye Boyer (E) t.f. Chris Puorro, 18-3 in 7:00 (9-10)
157-Taylor Green (K) d. Jarred Kane, 11-8 (12-10)
165-Bud Croswell (E) t.f. Jerry Robbins, 15-0 in 5:02 (12-15)
174-Josh Cook (E) p. Dave Foley, 6:15 (12-21)
184-Frank Marinucci (K) d. Paul Connor, 7-5 (15-21)
197-Peter Dwyer (K) m.d. Henry Tucker, 9-0 (19-21)
285-Chris Rash (K) d. Mike Daub, 5-2 (22-21)