HAMPTON, Va. – The Kutztown University wrestling team outlasted Alvernia, 22-16, on
Dustin Swanson's (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) pin at heavyweight in the semifinals of the American College Division Gold Bracket, but a repeat result wasn't in the cards in the final Saturday night at the Hampton Coliseum. The Golden Bears fell for the first time in six trips to the Virginia Duals, 32-16, to 16th-ranked Glenville State.
KUTZTOWN 22, ALVERNIA 16
Through nine weight classes the outcome hung in peril, but redshirt freshman
Dustin Swanson (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) delivered the biggest win of his young career to lift the Golden Bears over the Golden Wolves in the Gold Bracket semifinals.
The teams were tied at 16 heading into the heavyweight bout, but Swanson jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Zachary Scheffler in the second behind an escape and a takedown. Nearing the midway point of the third, Swanson scored another takedown and quickly stuck Scheffler for the victory.
Kutztown (5-0) had to play catchup after watching Alvernia go up 12-6 following the 165-pound weight class. The Bears' only points over the first six matches came on a 6-2 decision from
KJ Fenstermacher (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) at 133 and an 8-4 win by
Kibwe McNair (Lansdale, Pa./Methacton) at 149.
Ethan Baney (Hanover, Pa./South Western) and
Matthew Weinberg (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) accelerated the comeback, each scoring technical falls to put KU in front 16-12. Baney went up 10-1 on James Circle at 174 after a period and added six back points in the second of a 16-1 win that lasted 4:09. Weinberg followed with a 17-2 victory over Isaac Kassis at 184, using five takedowns and six back points to help pave the way.
Mauro Pellot earned a 15-2 major decision at 197 for Alvernia to tie the match before Swanson pulled it out for the Maroon and Gold.
It was a great first meeting between mentor and protégé. Kutztown head coach
Robert Fisher coached Alvernia head coach Kriss Bellanca during Bellanca's senior season at KU (2000-01), before Bellanca joined Fisher's staff as an assistant coach for 11 seasons from 2008-19.
#16 GLENVILLE STATE 32, KUTZTOWN 16
Kutztown's 16-match winning streak at the Virginia Duals was halted by the nationally-ranked Pioneers, who scored the first 15 points and claimed 6-of-10 weights to double up the Bears, 32-16.
Devin Easton registered a 4:40 fall at 125 and No. 10 Gavin Quiocho followed with a 2:57 pin at 133 for a quick 12-0 Glenville State lead. Ethan Hardy held off
Collin Wickramaratna (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), 4-2, at 141, before Kutztown (5-1) got on the board with a McNair pin at 2:30 against Cam Barr.
Unfortunately, momentum was short-lived for KU. Tristan Pugh answered with a pin at 157 to make it 21-6 Pioneers.
Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) blanked Gaetano DeLeonardis, 5-0, at 165, unbeaten Weinberg grabbed a 9-1 major decision over Cole Houser at 184 and
Tyler Fisher (Lenhartsville, Pa./Kutztown) defeated Devan Gauldin, 7-2, at 197 to account for Kutztown's remaining points.
The Golden Bears will look to return to the win column Wednesday night when they host another nationally-ranked opponent, No. 8 Millersville, at Keystone Arena beginning at 7 p.m.
