SALEM, Va. - The No. 23 Messiah wrestling team traveled to Salem Va. this weekend for the Southeast duals hosted by Ferrum College. The Falcons went 2-2 on the day in four dual matches. The Falcons defeated Greensboro (31-14) in their second dual of the day before turning around and topping Averett (34-12). Messiah was defeated by No. 6 Mount Union (32-15) and Ferrum (37-11) in their other two duals.
Josiah Gehr continued the strong start to his Messiah career with a stellar, 4-0 record on the day. The freshman went undefeated at 125 lbs. with a fall, a technical fall, and a pair of major decisions in his four bouts on the afternoon.
Mount Union defeats Messiah - 32-15 - Results
The Falcons took an early lead on the Purple Raiders thanks to a late fall by
Josiah Gehr over Nolan Wochna at 125 lbs. Gehr put six team points on the board in his first bout of the day with a fall at 6:53. Mount Union took an 8-6 lead with a technical fall and decision at 133 and 141 lbs.
Stephen Maloney put Messiah back in front with a dominating, 18-0 technical fall in just 1:13. His five team points gave the Falcons the lead back at 11-8. Mount Union again battled back with three straight wins in the middle-weights to take a 20-11 lead, but
Brian Shermeyer claimed a 12-4 major decision at 184 lbs.
Falls at 197 and 285 lbs. were earned by the Purple Raiders and Mount Union claimed the 32-15 over the Falcons.
Messiah defeats Greensboro - 31-14 - Results
Messiah quickly took a 14-0 lead over the the Greensboro Pride with major decisions by
Josiah Gehr (125 lbs., 16-4) and
Dalton Daugherty (133 lbs., 15-5) as well as a forfeit victory by
Ike Bryner at 141 lbs.
The Pride closed the gap to 14-9 with a fall at 149 lbs. and a decision at 157 lbs. before the Falcons rattled off three-straight wins.
David Stevens earned a 9-5 decision at 165 lbs.,
Dan Swarr completed a technical fall at 174 by a 21-6 score in 7:00, and
Brian Shermeyer earned his second victory of the day with a fall in 1:15.
Those three-straight victories gave Messiah a commanding 28-9 lead and after a technical fall for Greensboro at 197 lbs.,
Denny Karas capped off the Falcons' first dual win of the day with a 6-4 decision at 285 lbs. for a 31-14 Messiah win.
Messiah defeats Averett - 34-12 - Results
Messiah took an 18-0 lead over the Averett Cougars though five bouts in their third dual of Saturday. Just as he did in the first two duals, Gehr got Messiah off to a fast start with four team points thanks to a major decision. Gehr finished just one point shy of a technical fall with a 24-10 final score in his bout at 125 lbs.
Dalton Daugherty (133 lbs.) and Nick Nuez (141 lbs.) earned decisions by scores of 12-5 and 7-5, respectively, before
Stephen Maloney made quick work of Averett's Caleb Harmon at 149 lbs. with a 17-0 technical fall. At 157 lbs.
Lee Cassel claimed a 14-9 decision to build the Messiah lead to 18-0.
Averett claimed a pair of falls at 165 lbs. and 197 lbs., but it was not enough to take down the Falcons as Messiah's
Spencer Clements claimed an 11-0 major decision at 174 lbs. while
Joe Embleton (184 lbs.) and
Carter Urich (285 lbs.) earned first period falls.
Urich's pin of Averett's Hagan Smith gave the Falcons their second-straight dual victory with a 34-12 victory over the Cougars.
Ferrum defeats Messiah - 37-11 - Results
Josiah Gehr completed his stellar day with a 16-1 technical fall in 3:00 over Ferrum's Jalen White to start the final dual of the day for the Falcons. Following a
Nick Nunez fall at 141 lbs., Messiah held an 11-6 lead, but the Panthers would claim the final seven bouts en route to a 37-11 victory over the Falcons.
What's Up Next
Messiah will take a week off from competition for the Thanksgiving holiday and be back on the mats in the Messiah Petrofes Invitational on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
Results
Mount Union defeats Messiah - 32-15
125:
Josiah Gehr (MESS) over Nolan Wochna (MOUN) (Fall 6:53)
133: Jordin James (MOUN) over
Brooks Robinson (MESS) (TF 17-1 3:25)
141: David Massey (MOUN) over
Matthew Darok (MESS) (Dec 8-4)
149:
Stephen Maloney (MESS) over Luke Hernandez (MOUN) (TF 18-0 1:13)
157: Antwon Pugh (MOUN) over
Lee Cassel (MESS) (MD 12-3)
165: Michael McIntire (MOUN) over
David Stevens (MESS) (Dec 5-4)
174: Jairod James (MOUN) over
Victor DeFrance (MESS) (Fall 5:39)
184:
Brian Shermeyer (MESS) over Robert Valenti (MOUN) (MD 12-4)
197: Tyler Stepic (MOUN) over
Roman Wagner (MESS) (Fall 3:34)
285: Grant Martin (MOUN) over
Carter Urich (MESS) (Fall 1:59)
(MOUN Unsportsmanlike conduct 174 -1.0)
Messiah defeats Greensboro - 31-14
125:
Josiah Gehr (MESS) over Joey Ferigne (GRNB) (MD 16-4)
133:
Dalton Daugherty (MESS) over Paul Bauberger (GRNB) (MD 15-5)
141:
Ike Bryner (MESS) over (GRNB) (For.)
149: Hai Siu (GRNB) over
Michael Bellerose (MESS) (Fall 5:12)
157: Conan Wilson (GRNB) over
Joshua Paige (MESS) (Dec 8-3)
165:
David Stevens (MESS) over Joel Kanagy (GRNB) (Dec 9-5)
174:
Dan Swarr (MESS) over Tyron Dudley (GRNB) (TF 21-6 7:00)
184:
Brian Shermeyer (MESS) over Anthony Clavijo (GRNB) (Fall 1:15)
197: Luis Oropesa (GRNB) over
Roman Wagner (MESS) (TF 16-1 5:40)
285:
Denny Karas (MESS) over Vince Wilson (GRNB) (Dec 6-4)
Messiah defeats Averett - 34-12
125:
Josiah Gehr (MESS) over Samuel Braswell (Ave) (MD 24-10)
133:
Dalton Daugherty (MESS) over Korpesh Gootee (Ave) (Dec 12-5)
141:
Nick Nunez (MESS) over Brandon Woody (Ave) (Dec 7-5)
149:
Stephen Maloney (MESS) over Caleb Harmon (Ave) (TF 17-0 1:54)
157:
Lee Cassel (MESS) over Joshua Linkous (Ave) (Dec 14-9)
165: Jared Lough (Ave) over
Tyler Riley (MESS) (Fall 3:19)
174:
Spencer Clements (MESS) over Darian Johnson (Ave) (MD 11-0)
184:
Joe Embleton (MESS) over Demontay Wimbush (Ave) (Fall 2:52)
197: Jonathan Bishop (Ave) over
Roman Wagner (MESS) (Fall 4:25)
285:
Carter Urich (MESS) over Hagan Smith (Ave) (Fall 2:02)
Ferrum defeats Messiah - 37-11
125:
Josiah Gehr (MESS) over Jalen White (FECO) (TF 16-1 3:00)
133: Levi Englman (FECO) over
Dalton Daugherty (MESS) (Fall 1:32)
141:
Nick Nunez (MESS) over Javiaughn Basnight (FECO) (Fall 1:59)
149: Collin Saunders (FECO) over
Stephen Maloney (MESS) (Dec 8-4)
157: Austin Smith (FECO) over
Lee Cassel (MESS) (SV-1 3-1)
165: Andrew Tolbert (FECO) over
David Stevens (MESS) (TF 26-10 5:49)
174: Blake Rosenbaum (FECO) over
Victor DeFrance (MESS) (Dec 9-6)
184: Braden Homsey (FECO) over
Brian Shermeyer (MESS) (Inj. 0:53)
197: Antavian Leary (FECO) over
Roman Wagner (MESS) (TF 20-2 4:19)
285: Alveno Matthews (FECO) over
Denny Karas (MESS) (Fall 2:40)
