NEWBERRY, S.C. - The No. 2 Newberry College wrestling team kicked off hosting the Super Region I Duals in impressive fashion, blasting Shippensburg, 35-3.
Newberry (9-4) won nine matches, racking up five major decisions and a fall en route to the dual win over Shippensburg (2-3).
Matt Oliver (Toms River, N.J.) helped Newberry to a fast start at 125 lbs., nearly pinning Justin Morris twice in the first period to build a 10-0 lead after the first period. He allowed Morris one escape in the third period and piled on the points to win handily, 15-1, giving Newberry a 4-0 lead after the major decision.
Sheridan Moran (Lafayette, La.) faced off against Russell Davidson at 133 lbs. Moran led after the first two periods thanks to three takedowns and a reversal, but broke open the match in the third period. Moran put together three takedowns and a near fall in the final frame, winning by major decision, 18-5, to bump Newberry's lead to 8-0.
Deral Brown (Elgin, S.C.) started for Newberry at 141 lbs. against Thomas Wiechelt. Brown took down Wiechelt three times in the first period and headed into the first break ahead, 6-2. Brown built his lead in the second period with three unanswered points and kept Wiechelt at bay in the third, winning by a 14-5 major decision tally. The win made the team score 12-0 in favor of the scarlet and gray.
At 149 lbs., Dale DeBacco Jr. (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) matched up against Devan Jones. DeBacco nearly won by fall in the first period to lead 4-1 and let Jones score a point only once more with an escape in the final frame. DeBacco prevailed with three more points to win, 8-2, pushing Newberry to a 15-0 lead.
Latra Collick (Berlin, Md.) squared off against William Purvis at 159 lbs. Collick and Purvis battled through a scoreless first period, with Collick gaining an advantage on the scoreboard first with a reversal from bottom position in the second frame. Collick then found his groove in the third, taking down Purvis four times to win by major decision after a riding time point, 11-3. The major decision put Newberry further in command, 19-0.
At 165 lbs., Dustin Harvey (Marietta, Ga.) got the nod for Newberry against Nathan Reese. Reese struck first with a takedown in the first period to lead 2-0, but Harvey escaped to begin the second period and tacked on three more points, letting Reese escape and adding a riding time point for the 5-3 win. Harvey's victory put Newberry's advantage at 22-0.
Curtis Chenoweth (Clearwater, Kan.) faced sixth-ranked Chris Barrick at 174 lbs. Chenoweth almost ended the match prematurely with a near fall, but Barrick held him off and Chenoweth took the points for a 5-1 first period lead. The second period saw Chenoweth score two on a reversal before he scored four in the third, winning by an 11-2 major decision to put Newberry ahead, 26-0.
At 184 lbs., Bryant Blanton (Summerville, S.C) went up against Jonathan Hade. Blanton fell behind after a takedown but escaped and recovered in the second period to tie the match, 2-2. Blanton attempted to pull ahead but could not find a point while Hade built up riding time and earned a decisive riding time point to win, 3-2. The Shippensburg win marked the team's first and only points of the dual, 26-3.
Keeno Griffin (Jacksonville, Fla.) faced off against Keith Dahlheimer at 197 lbs. Griffin jumped in the lead early with two takedowns, while Dahlheimer escaped three times to make the score 4-3 after the first period in favor of Griffin. Griffin scored two points in the second period with a reversal and only allowed two more escapes for the rest of the match for the victory, 7-4. The decision gave Newberry a 29-3 lead.
In the dual's final match at the heavyweight class, John Gibson (New Castle, Del.) took on Tyler Zittle. Gibson scored on a takedown for all the points he would need, as he won by fall at the 1:14 mark to finish off the Red Raiders, 35-3.
No. 2 Newberry 35, Shippensburg 3
125 Matt Oliver (NC) MD Justin Morris (SU), 15-1
133 Sheridan Moran (NC) MD Russell Davidson (SU), 18-5
141 Deral Brown (NC) MD Thomas Wiechelt (SU), 14-5
149 Dale DeBacco Jr. (NC) dec. Devan Jones (SU), 8-2
157 Latra Collick (NC) MD William Purvis (SU), 11-3
165 Dustin Harvey (NC) dec. Nathan Reese (SU), 5-3
174 Curtis Chenoweth (NC) MD Christopher Barrick (SU), 11-2
184 Jonathan Hade (SU) dec. Bryant Blanton (NC), 3-2
197 Keeno Griffin (NC) dec. Keith Dahlheimer (SU), 7-4
285 John Gibson (NC) FALL Tyler Zittle (SU), 1:14
