Baltimore, MD - The Messiah wrestlers lost a heartbreaker at Johns Hopkins University, giving up the first five matches but winning the last five to lose 20-19.
Unfortunately the difference could not be made up by the Falcons when sophomore
Kaleb Loht had to forfeit because of an injury, which gave the opposing team six points and a 14-0 lead in the dual. The team tried their hardest to come back though, as freshman
Josh Thomson (184) secured a major decision and junior
Charles Jones (285) won with a pin.
The injury came when Paul Marcello was up 6-5 in the match. Currently Loht is ranked No. 5 in the nation for division III wrestlers at 141 lbs.
It was very unfortunate for the Falcons to have started the match out the way they did. Of course with the injury, but also with the fact that only two points seperated the wrestlers in three of the five losses. If only one of those turned into a victory they would have won the dual.
Junior
Ricardo Plummer got the team going at 165 lbs. with a 6-4 decision over Christian Ostrowski. Classmate
Ben Kramer also won his match with a big 11-5 decision over Jody Gowen.
Keeping the hopes af victory alive was Thomson with his 9-1 major decison over Kyle Spangler. Thomson is still ranked 6th in the nation for division III wrestlers at 184 lbs.
Senior
Travis Ebersole then picked up another win with a 3-1 decision over Evan Johnson but that put the score at 20-13. A seven point defecit with one bout to go is not the most ideal position to be in.
Charles Jones did all that he could though, scoring the maximum six points by pinning Joey Tilson at 4:45.
The wrestlers will not get much of a break as they return to the mats tomorrow, Feb. 9, for duals at Gettysburg College vs. the hosts as well as Stevens Institute of Technology and Washington & Lee University.
Johns Hopkins-20, #16 Messiah-19
125 - Paul Bewak (JHU) tech fall
Kurt Rodriguez (M), 18-1 (5-0)
133 - Ray Yagloski (JHU) dec.
Zach Snow (M), 6-4 (8-0)
141 - Paul Marcello (JHU) won by inj. def. over
Kaleb Loht (M) (4:13) (14-0)
149 - Henry Stauber (JHU) dec.
Chris Williamson (M), 6-4 (17-0)
157 - Chistian Salera (JHU) dec.
Jake English (M), 7-5 (20-0)
165 -
Ricardo Plummer (M) dec. Christian Ostrowski (JHU), 6-4 (20-3)
174 -
Ben Kramer (M) dec. Jody Gowen (JHU), 11-5 (20-6)
184 -
Josh Thomson (M) maj. dec. Kyle Spangler (JHU), 9-1 (20-10)
197 -
Travis Ebersole (M) dec. Evan Johnson (JHU), 3-1 (sv) (20-13)
285 -
Charles Jones (M) pin Joey Tilson (JHU) (4:45) (20-19)
