WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - On Friday, the Messiah wrestling team competed in the first day of the NCAA Division III Southeast Regional hosted by Lycoming College. The Falcons advanced three wrestlers into the second day of competition with
Josiah Gehr (141 lbs.) and
Nick Barnhart (157 lbs.) both alive in the Championship Bracket with a chance to win the Regional.
Joe Embleton (197 lbs.) remains in the consolation bracket, needing three victories tomorrow to claim third place at the regional and punch his ticket to the National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in two weeks.
As a team, Messiah currently sits in ninth place with 48.5 team points. The Alvernia Golden Wolves are the team to beat, leading the Tournament after Day One with 103.5 points. Stevens (94 points), Averett (78), Wilkes (66), and Washington and Lee (65.5) round out the top five in the team standings
Day Two of the NCAA Regional gets underway tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. As a reminder, the top three finishers in each weight class will advance to the NCAA Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Mar. 11-12.
On To the Semifinals
Both
Josiah Gehr (141 lbs.) and
Nick Barnhart (157 lbs.) advanced to Saturday's action with undefeated days on the mat. Gehr went 2-0 with a decision and a first-period fall while Barnhart won all three of his matches with a pair of falls and a 10-0 major decision.
Gehr won his round of 16 match with a 9-2 decision over York's Tyson McDuffy. Then in the quarterfinals, Gehr earned a quick pin in 2:37 to jump into Saturday's Semifinals against Brandon Woody of Averett.
Barnhart had to wrestle in a pigtail match to begin his day, but made easy work of Gettysburg's Jake Dressler with a second-period pin in 4:55 to move into the round of 16. Once there, Barnhart earned another fall this time over Patrick Haskin from Greensboro in 2:46. In the quarterfinals, Barnhart earned a commanding 10-0 major decision over Liam Flaherty from Wilkes to move into the semifinals against Stevens' Hunter Gutierrez.
Alive in the Consolation Bracket
Joe Embleton remains alive in the consolation bracket after going 2-1 on Friday. Embleton started his day by dropping a 9-5 decision against Wilkes' Cameron Butka, but responded with a second-period fall over Thiel's Braydon Herbster in 3:21 and a 14-10 decision over Braden Homsey (Ferrum) to move into Saturday's competition.
Closing Out the Year
Messiah had seven wrestlers see their 2022 season come to a close.
At 184 lbs., Ryder Slaton earned a pair of victories on the day, picking up a 9-3 decision over Christopher Richardson (Delaware Valley) and a 5-2 decision over Peter Kenny (Lycoming).
Carter Urich also claimed two victories on Friday at 285 lbs. Urich won his first two bouts of the day with a 55-second fall over Seth Phillips (Thiel) and a 15-0 technical fall over Joe Newara from PSU - Erie.
Dalton Daugherty (133 lbs.),
Jake Coniglio (149 lbs.),
Zach Needles (165 lbs.), and
John Sumner (174 lbs.) all earned victories on the day. Daugherty and Coniglio claimed major decisions while Sumner and Needles picked up technical falls.
What's Up Next
The Falcons will continue their journey through the Regional Tournament tomorrow morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. Day Two of the Tournament will see 10 weight-class champions crowned and a total of 30 wrestlers (three per weight class) punch their ticket to the National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Mar. 11-12.
