GRANTHAM, Pa. - Friday's Messiah wrestling dual against the No. 23 York Spartans came down to the final bout of the night at 285 lbs., but the Falcons finished on the wrong side of a fall and the Spartans claimed a 23-17 victory in Hitchcock Arena. Messiah's Sean Redington jumped the Falcons out to a quick 6-0 lead thanks to a second-period pin at 125 lbs.
 
Decisions by Dalton Daugherty and Nick Nunez followed at 133 and 141 lbs. to give Messiah a 12-0 lead. The Spartans fought back, winning three of the next four bouts to close the score within two at 15-13.
 
At 184 lbs., Messiah's Dan Swarr toppled No. 7 Francis Krauss in a thrilling 6-5 decision to push the Falcons' lead to five at 18-13. After a major decision from York's Jesse Huber at 197 lbs. the stage was set for a heavyweight showdown to decide the match.
 
Points were a plenty in the opening period of the final bout, with 10 points scored between Carter Urich and Brandon Ballard before a takedown late in the period by Ballard. In the final seconds of the period, Ballard closed out the bout and the match with a fall to give York the 23-18 victory.
 
Messiah will have a quick turnaround with the Messiah Open taking place tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. in Hitchcock Arena.
 
How it Happened
Late in the second period at 125 lbs., Sean Redington trailed Dylan Nuttall by one, but Redington threw Nuttall to his back in the final 30 seconds of the period and earned a pin to open the dual for the Falcons. Messiah took the 6-0 lead and doubled it thanks to decisions of 11-7 and 1--5 by Dalton Daugherty and Nick Nunez, respectively. Both Daugherty and Nunez used their aggressive nature to rack up points.
 
Daugherty claimed three takedowns and a reversal to earn his decision while Nunez racked up five takedowns without being taken down once.
 
With Messiah holding a 12-0 lead, the Spartans jumped back into the dual with Greg Warner earning an impressive fall in 1:11 at 149 lbs. to close the gap to six at 12-6.
 
Kevin Edwards swung the momentum back to the Falcons with a commanding 8-1 decision at 157 lbs. Edwards earned an early takedown and picked up two nearfall points to stake a 4-0 lead after one period. An escape and another takedown in the second built his lead to 7-0 before tacking on a riding time point at the end for the 8-1 victory.
 
After a short break, the Spartans began really cutting into the lead with back-to-back victories at 165 and 174 lbs, claiming a decision and a major, respectively. David Stevens looked to have the upper hand for the majority of the match at 165 lbs., leading 3-2 in the final seconds, but York's Jesse Rocco claimed a takedown in the final moments of the third period to steal the decision 4-3.
 
At 174 lbs., Jackson Drum used a big third period to separate himself from Brian Sherymeyer, claiming an 11-2 major decision and cutting Messiah's lead to two points at 15-13.
 
Dan Swarr then squared off with Francis Krauss, ranked No. 7 nationally at 184 lbs. Krauss had dropped just one match all season, holding a 25-1 record entering Friday's dual, but with their bout tied 4-4 Swarr earned a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the third period to clinch the decision. The 6-5 decision for Swarr handed Krauss just his second loss of the season and gave Messiah an 18-13 lead with two bouts remaining.
 
York's Jesse Huber took an aggressive approach at 197 lbs., earning three takedowns, a reversal, and two nearfall points to claim the 13-5 major and pull the Spartans within one at 18-17.
 
In the final bout of the night, Carter Urich and Brandon Ballard battled with the winner claiming the dual for their team. Ballard scored an early takedown, but after Urich escaped he threw Ballard to his back for the takedown and four nearfall points. Urich was just inches away from ending the dual with a pin, but Ballard was able to wiggle free. With 50 seconds remaining in the opening period, Urich led 7-1 and cut Ballard loose looking for another takedown, but it was Ballard that earned control late in the period. Ballard picked up a takedown before flipping Urich to his back in the final seconds of the period for the dual-ending fall.
 
York claimed four of the final five bouts of the dual to earn the 23-18 victory.
 
What's Up Next
After Friday's thrilling dual, the Falcons move to 14-5 in duals this season and will next take the mat on Saturday morning when they host the Messiah Open beginning at 10:00 a.m.
 
No. 23 York (PA) defeats Messiah - 23-18
125 - Sean Redington (MC) pins (4:53) Dylan Nuttall (YC)
133 - Dalton Daugherty (MC) dec. (11-7) over Tyson McDuffy (YC)
141 - Nick Nunez (MC) dec. (11-5) over Blake Shalbert (YC)
149 - Greg Warner (YC) pins (1:11) Michael Bellerose (MC)
157 - Kevin Edwards (MC) dec. (8-1) over Robert Fleming (YC)
165 - Jesse Rocco (YC) dec. (4-3) over David Stevens (MC)
174 - Jackson Drum (YC) maj. dec. (11-2) over Brian Shermeyer (MC)
184 - Dan Swarr (MC) dec. (6-5) over Francis Huber (YC)
197 - Jesse Huber (YC) maj. dec. (13-5) over Joe Embleton (MC)
285 - Brandon Ballard (YC) pins (3:00) Carter Urich (MC)

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