NEWBERRY, S.C. - The No. 2 Newberry College wrestling team sent its seniors off in style, pounding Anderson in the scarlet and gray's last dual of the season on Senior Night, 31-12.
Newberry (18-4) took the lead in the latter half of the dual and never relinquished control, taking advantage of a technical fall and two falls in succession for the win over Anderson (6-14).
Armed with a scoreboard advantage at 15-12, Newberry sent Bryant Blanton (Summerville, S.C.) to face John Hamrick at 184 lbs. Blanton slowly built a lead throughout the match while shutting Hamrick out but finally turned the Trojan for a fall at 5:58. The fall gave Newberry a 21-12 lead and Blanton his 17th fall of the season, setting a new Newberry season record. The match also served as Blanton's 34th win of the season, giving him third place in the Newberry record books for that category.
Keeno Griffin (Jacksonville, Fla.) would prove why the night belonged to seniors in his match against Luis Audelo. Griffin leapt to a 6-2 lead after the first period and added what would eventually be three moot points in the second period. Griffin took control quickly in the second and ended the match at 4:08 with his fourth fall of the season to push Newberry's lead to 27-12.
In the dual's final match, Jake Elkins (Trussville, Ala.) faced Chase Duke at the heavyweight level. Elkins earned five points on a takedown and near fall in the opening period for a 5-0 lead. Elkins benefitted from a penalty point after two stall warnings on Duke in the second period and closed out the Trojan and the team in the third stanza, pulling away for a 10-0 major decision. The win moved the score to its final edition, 31-12 in favor of Newberry.
Steven McLeod (Gilbert, S.C.) led off the dual for Newberry at 125 lbs. against Dequan Wagner. McLeod managed three points from escapes, but Wagner overpowered McLeod for a fall at the 4:42 mark for a 6-0 Anderson lead.
At 133 lbs., Sheridan Moran (Lafayette, La.) squared off against Cory Monteforte. Moran took the match to the Trojan, scoring on three takedowns in the first period and three more in the second frame for a 13-4 advantage heading into the final period. Moran added four points in the final two minutes for a 17-5 major decision, cutting Anderson's team lead to 6-4. The major decision also gave Moran his eighth major decision of the year, tying the fourth-best mark of major decisions in a season that Keeno Griffin set last year. The senior also now stands tied for third with Brandon Kelly in Newberry history with 14 career major decisions.
Deral Brown (Elgin, S.C.) then took the mat at 141 lbs. against Chris Francis. A scoreless first period found the wrestlers tied in the second before Brown took the lead with an escape. Brown took the 1-0 lead into the third but Francis found the scoreboard with a takedown and pulled out the win, 3-1. The win gave Anderson three points for a 9-4 lead.
At 149 lbs., Latra Collick (Berlin, Md.) faced Melchisedac LaVergne with a chance to cut into the Anderson advantage. Both wrestlers worked for the first points of the match and Collick succeeded with a reversal in the second period. Collick added a takedown after an escape for a 4-1 lead heading into the final stanza. Though LaVergne opened the period with an escape, the senior Collick added a takedown and riding time point for a 7-2 decision. Newberry narrowed the gap with the win, 9-7.
Sean Byrnes (Jackson, N.J.) got the start for the scarlet and gray at 157 lbs. against regionally ranked J.J. Jackson. Jackson entered the match with the No. 4 ranking in Super Region I but Byrnes would not be intimidated, taking a 1-0 lead after two periods. Byrnes opened a tense third period with a takedown and allowed Jackson only an escape to come away with a Newberry win, 3-1. The win gave the scarlet and gray the lead for the first time, 10-9.
After the 157 lbs. match, head coach Jason Valek honored seniors Ernie Young (Baker County, Fla.), Sheridan Moran, Latra Collick and Keeno Griffin in a matside ceremony. Since the seniors first donned a Newberry singlet five years ago, the program has risen from a startup squad to the No. 2 team in the country.
At 165 lbs., Josh Whitelock (Rhodesdale, Md.) took on Jordan Lide. Both grapplers found themselves tied after the first period but Whitelock broke the deadlock in the second for a 5-4 lead. Unfortunately for Newberry and the junior, Lide turned Whitelock for back points in the third period and pulled out a 9-7 win. Anderson retook the lead with the decision, 12-10.
Curtis Chenoweth (Clearwater, Kan.) then faced Jordan Lide at 174 lbs. Chenoweth went on the offensive immediately, scoring eight points in the first period and keeping Lide off of the scoreboard. Chenoweth worked to blank Lide while adding three points in the second period and four points in the third for a 15-0 technical fall at 7:00. The lead belonged to Newberry after the fall, 15-12.
Newberry's next competition comes on Friday, February 26, and Saturday, February 27, when the team heads to Johnstown, Pa., for the Super Region I tournament.
No. 2 Newberry 31, Anderson 12
125 Dequan Warner (AU) FALL Steven McLeod (NC ), 4:42
133 Sheridan Moran (NC ) MD Cory Monteforte (AU), 17-5
141 Christopher Francis (AU) DEC Deral Brown (NC ), 3-1
149 Latra Collick (NC ) DEC Melchisedac LaVergne (AU), 7-2
157 Sean Byrnes (NC ) DEC Jonathan Jackson (AU), 3-1
165 Trevor Sanford (AU) DEC Josh Whitelock (NC ), 9-7
174 Curtis Chenoweth (NC ) TF5 Jordan Lide (AU), 15-0 (7:00)
184 Bryant Blanton (NC ) FALL John Hamrick (AU), 5:58
197 Keeno Griffin (NC ) FALL Luis Audelo (AU), 4:08
285 Jake Elkins (NC ) MD Chase Duke (AU), 10-0
