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FEBRUARY 6, 2002
BOB ZIADIE
KING'S WRESTLERS GAIN FIRST-EVER WIN
OVER DELAWARE VALLEY, 25-13
WILKES-BARRE -- In the midst of its winningest season ever,
the King's College wrestling team achieved another milestone as the host
Monarchs posted a 25-13 victory over Delaware Valley College Wednesday
in front of an estimated crowd of 500 people in Scandlon Gymnasium.
The win marked King's first-ever victory over the traditional Middle
Atlantic Conference and NCAA Division III national power. With the
victory, King's, ranked fourth nationally in Division III, improved to
22-2, while the Aggies fell to 8-5. The Monarchs also denied Aggie
coach Bob Marshall (399-104-7) his 400th career victory.
In the first bout at 141-pounds, Aggie sophomore Jim Moll used a
five-point play on King's freshman Tim Martinez (15-13) to take a 5-1 lead
into the second period. Moll added a second period reversal to build a 7-1
advantage heading into the final period. Moll then added a third period
reversal and back points to post a 12-3 major decision and give the Aggies
a 4-0 lead.
At 149, King's reigning MAC champion Jim Morgan (22-3) scored a take down
and three nearfall points to build a 5-1 first period lead over fellow
sophomore Jeremy Messinger. After an escape by Messinger cut the score to
5-2, Morgan posted a takedown to push the lead to 7-2 but Messinger again
escaped to bring the score to 7-3 entering the final period. Morgan
escaped to start the third period but Messinger scored a takedown to
bring the score to 8-5. Morgan then escaped and registered another
takedown en route to a 12-8 decision.
At 157, Dave Shafer (29-1) scored a first period takedown and two back
points to build a 4-0 lead over Joe Jones. After a reversal by
Jones, Shafer countered with a reversal of his own to lead 6-2. Jones
would escape but Shafer would post another takedown to take a 8-3
advantage into the second period. After an escape by Jones, Shafer gained
another takedown to build a 10-5 lead. The Monarch junior would let Jones
up and score another takedown to lead 12-5. Shafer would one again
turn Jones free and register another takedown to take a 14-6 lead into the
final frame. Shafer added a third period takedown to gain a 19-7
major decision and give King's a 7-4 lead.
At 165, King's Jesse Martinez (23-8) scored a takedown to take a 2-0 first
period lead over freshman Jason Shivak. Martinez gained a second
period escape to lead 3-0 entering the final period. Shivak would choose
the neutral position and gained a point when Martinez was called for
stalling, but the Monarch senior would hold on for a 3-1 decision and push
King's advantage to 10-4.
At 174-pounds, Aggie sophomore Josh Housekeeper broke a scoreless tie with
a second period escape on Joe Arnone. Arnone (25-7) would take a 2-1 lead
on a third period reversal, then add two nearfall points and a riding time
point to gain a 5-1 decision and push the Monarch lead to 13-4.
At 184, the anticipated showdown between all-Americans Jason Schlingman of
King's and Aggie junior Andy Povenski never took place as Povenski missed
the match with an illness. But Delaware Valley substitute Luke
Morris gained a takedown to take a 2-1 lead heading into the second
period. Morris would then escape and post another takedown to build a 5-1
lead.
Schlingman then escaped and scored a takedown to cut the advantage to 5-4.
After a Morris escape Schlingman tied the bout at 6-6 with a
takedown. He then turned Morris free and scored another takedown to take a
8-7 lead into the final period. Schlingman (30-5) extended the lead to 9-7
with an escape, then added three more takedowns to earn a 15-10 decision
and give the Monarchs a 16-4 lead.
At 197, King's Tegan McKee (25-8) scored a first period takedown but Mika
Miller escaped and scored his own takedown to build a 3-2 lead. McKee
would then escape to tie the score at 3-3 heading into the second period.
Miller would escape to take a 4-3 lead into the final period, but the pair
traded reverses as the Aggie sophomore led 6-5. After a McKee escape tied
the score at 6-6, Miller would pick up the 7-6 decision with a riding time
point to cut the King's advantage to 16-7.
At heavyweight, Aggie freshman Kyle Phipps took a 2-0 lead but Monarch
sophomore reserve Kyle Burton countered with an escape and takedown, to
take a 3-2 lead into the second period. Phipps would take a 5-4 lead
before turning Burton over into a fall at 4:29 to cut the King's lead to
16-13 with two bouts to go.
After a scoreless first period at 125, King's sophomore Mitch Marks (30-2)
rode out Aggie rookie Michael Weston in the second period, then gained a
third period escape to take a 1-0 lead. The bout would remain
scoreless and Marcks would pick up a riding time point to earn a 2-0 decision
and give the Monarchs a 19-13 lead.
With Delaware Valley needing a pin to gain a tie in the final bout,
Marshall surprised the crowd when he refused to put freshman B.J. Wise on
the mat, giving reigning MAC champion Mike Griffith a forfeit victory and
enabling King's to post a 25-13 triumph.
Including the forfeit, the Monarchs won seven of the 10 bouts on the day
while winning their sixth straight match. King's also improved to a
perfect 5-0 in the MAC.
"We did not wrestle up to our potential tonight but it was a good win
and we will take it," Monarch coach Ned McGinley stated. "The
guys were a bit tentative out there and maybe were a little nervous at
times but they responded and came through. It was a big win for our
program and it feels good to get their first win over them (Delaware
Valley) and get that monkey off our back. Now we can focus on the
remainder of the season and set our sites on the MAC tournament."
King's will return to action Saturday when the Monarchs travel to meet
15th ranked Western Maryland and Messiah College at 5:30 p.m. in
Westminster, Md.
King's 25 - Delaware
Valley 13
141 Jim Moll (DV) maj. dec. Tim Martinez, 12-3
149 Jim Morgan (K) dec. Jeremy Messinger, 12-8
157 Dave Shafer (K) maj. dec. Joe Jones, 19-7
165 Jesse Martinez (K) dec. Jason Shivak, 3-1
174 Joe Arnone (K) dec. Josh Housekeeper, 5-1
184 Jason Schlingman (K) dec. Luke
Morris, 15-10
197 Mika Miller (DV) dec. Tegan McKee, 7-6
285 Kyle Phipps (DV) pinned Kyle Burton, 4:29
125 Mitch Marcks (K) dec. Michael Weston, 2-0
133 Mike Griffith (K) won by forfeit
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