Grantham, PA - No. 3 Messiah College defeated The College of New Jersey this afternoon with a score of 36-7 in a home dual meet in Brubaker Auditorium. Six top-ten ranked wrestlers in total took to the mat, No. 8
Ricardo Plummer (174) took the biggest win of the day for the Falcons by defeating No. 7 Zach Zotollo from TCNJ.
Securing a big win for TCNJ though was No. 4 Brian Broderick (184) by defeating No. 6
Josh Thomson in an 8-4 decision. Thomson held a 4-2 lead at one point in the match but Broderick was able to put together a flurry in the middle of the third period and hold on for the win. The win is also Broderick's 100th of his career.
Three out of the first five bouts resulted in major decisions in favor of the Falcons. No. 6
Lucas Malmberg (125), No. 1
Kaleb Loht (141), and
Larry Cannon (157) were all able to come out with 15-point major decisions in the match.
Shortly after Cannon's matchup,
Jonathan Goodwin (165) also came out scoring, but in the third period got a good hold on Joe Paton and finished it off for Messiah's first pin of the afternoon (5:45). The win raises Goodwin's record this season to 18-14 and he collected his fifth pin on the year.
Later at 197 pounds,
Ben Kramer (197) kept Nathaniel Leer scoreless in the bout, taking a 4-0 decision. Kramer was able to keep the bigger Leer at bay with a reversal and a few lifts throughout the second and third periods.
To finish off the afternoon,
Charles Jones (285) made quick work of Sigala Fosan by pinning him in just 28 seconds.
The win brings Messiah's dual record to 20-2 on the season and the loss drops the Lions to 8-8 for the year. The Falcons will next face McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., on Tuesday Feb. 18. That will be the last matchup for the Falcons this season before they travel to the NCAA Regionals on March 2 in York, Pa.
Results:
No. 3 Messiah 36, TCNJ 7
125 – No. 6
Lucas Malmberg (Mess) 15-4 maj. Dec. Kevin Corrigan (TCNJ) … 4-0
133 – Jared Furry (Mess) win by forfeit … 10-0
141 – No. 1
Kaleb Loht (Mess) 15-3 maj. Dec. Steve Schneider (TCNJ) … 14-0
149 – Dylan Thorsen (TCNJ) 11-1 maj. Dec.
Greg Kabakjian (Mess) … 14-4
157 –
Larry Cannon (Mess) 15-3 maj. Dec. Jesse Thorsen (TCNJ) … 18-4
165 –
Jonathan Goodwin (Mess) Fall 5:45 Joe Paton (TCNJ) … 24-4
174 – No. 8
Ricardo Plummer (Mess) 4-3 dec. No. 7 Zach Zotollo (TCNJ) … 27-4
184 – No. 4 Brian Broderick (TCNJ) 8-4 dec. No. 6
Josh Thomson (Mess) … 27-7
197 –
Ben Kramer (Mess) 4-0 dec. Nathaniel Leer (TCNJ) … 30-7
285 –
Charles Jones (Mess) Fall 0:28 Sigala Fosam (TCNJ) … 36-7
