KUTZTOWN, Pa. – A pair of pins and a major decision by the 20th-ranked Kutztown University wrestling team put an exclamation point on a come-from-behind 25-19 victory over the 14th-ranked Gannon Golden Knights inside Keystone Arena, sending the visitors to their first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference loss on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Bears (8-1, 2-1 PSAC) defeated their first-ranked opponent of the dual season, but it looked like it would favor the Golden Knights (8-5, 4-1 PSAC) in the early goings. Understanding the strength of their heavier weight classes, Kutztown held out hope that they would be able to secure bonus points in their attempt to upset one of the nation's best teams.
After a forfeit by Kutztown at 125 pounds, Gannon made it a 13-0 contest with a one-point win at 133 pounds and a major decision to follow. The Golden Knights looked to make it four in a row against a familiar foe in GU transfer Jimmy Ryan (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell). After trailing 6-0 in the bout, the 15th-ranked graduate student turned things around in the final four minutes, rattling off a pair of takedowns and two escapes to give Kutztown their first team points of the dual.
The Golden Bears had their work cut out for them with five grapplers left and a 16-point deficit. 12th-ranked 165 pound Bailey Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) blanked his opponent for a three-point decision, while 10th-ranked Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) upset the nation's eighth-ranked grappler at 174 pounds with early takedowns for another decision.
No. 2 Matthew Weinberg (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) continued his run of dominance with a one-minute pin of his opponent at 184 pounds, while Wayne McIntyre (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg North) tied the team score at 19 with a 12-0 major decision at 197 pounds.
The 285-pound bout between Kutztown's Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) and Gannon's Daeshawn Larry would decide the dual, and within seconds of the first whistle, the crowd seemed to know the likely outcome. After Retter briefly controlled Larry and lifted him off the ground, the Kutztown junior took down Larry and recorded a pin, securing the victory and sending the crowd into a frenzy. Retter improved to 3-0 on the year, with a 4-2 decision and a forfeit victory being his other two wins.
This is Kutztown's first victory over Gannon since 2019, an 18-17 affair in Erie. They improve their home record against the Golden Knights to 5-2 (since 2011). The loss snaps a five-dual winning streak for the Golden Knights, who will wrap up their conference season at ranked Pitt-Johnstown later this month.
The Golden Bears will look to build on their victory with a PSAC home dual against Millersville on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. inside Keystone Arena.
NO. 20 KUTZTOWN VS NO. 14 GANNON
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | KUTZTOWN, PA. | KEYSTONE ARENA
NO. 20 KUTZTOWN 25, NO. 14 GANNON 19
125: No. 14 Logan Sallot (GU) won by forfeit
133: No. 9 Jeremiah Echevarria (GU) dec. over
Javien DeLeon (Allentown, Pa./Liberty) (KU), 7-6
141: Brock Christian (GU) major dec. over
Joey Ortega (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) (KU), 11-2
149: No. 15
Jimmy Ryan (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) (KU) dec. over Caleb Chaves (GU), 9-6
157: Ethan Richner (GU) won by fall over
Aliazer Alicea (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) (KU), [T - 6:41]
165: No. 12
Bailey Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU) dec. over Nicholas Coreno (GU), 6-0
174: No. 10
Dalton Gimbor (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) (KU) dec. over No. 8 Patrick Jackson (GU), 9-5
184: No. 2
Matthew Weinberg (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) (KU) won by fall over Gaetano Savelli (GU), [T - 1:08]
197:
Wayne McIntyre (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg North) (KU) major dec. over Eli Reese (GU), 12-0
285:
Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) (KU) won by fall over Daeshawn Larry (GU), [T - 1:02]
