PEMBROKE, N.C. - The No. 2 Newberry College wrestling team faced a red-hot opponent in UNC Pembroke on Tuesday night and the team found itself in a tight contest, but Newberry battled back from an early deficit to win its seventh straight dual, 25-12.
Newberry (14-4) came back with two falls and a major decision after trailing 9-3 to knock off UNC Pembroke (13-7), who entered the dual with a streak of five straight wins and the No. 2 ranking in Super Region I. The win improves Newberry's record to 5-1 all-time against the Braves.
Behind by a team score of 9-3 at 184 lbs. after the dual began with the 149 lbs. match, Bryant Blanton (Summerville, S.C.) had an opportunity to cut into the UNCP lead against John Sturrock. A scoreless first period found Blanton starting from bottom position in the second frame. Blanton scored first with a reversal and turned Sturrock on his back for the win, earning the fall at the 4:12 mark to tie the contest, 9-9.
The fall gives Blanton 15 on the season, putting him in second place in the Newberry record books for falls in a season. He now trails the record of 16 that he set last season. Blanton also adds to his record setting all-time fall count of 42 and is now tied for seventh place with most wins in a season, with 30.
Keeno Griffin (Jacksonville, Fla.) followed next at 197 lbs. against Shane Nolan. Griffin struck first with a takedown and added another for a 4-1 lead through the first period. A Nolan escape brought the Brave one point closer but Griffin piled on in the third period, scoring three more points and a riding time point for an 8-2 win. The win gave Newberry the lead for the first time, 12-9.
In the heavyweight match, Jake Elkins (Trussville, Ala.) got the nod for Newberry against Erik Stancil, who entered the match with the No. 3 ranking in Super Region I. Elkins found the scoreboard first with an opening takedown and added an escape in the second frame for a 3-0 lead heading into the final two minutes. Stancil escaped for a point but Elkins retaliated with a takedown and a riding time point after a Stancil escape for a crucial win, 6-2. Newberry's advantage improved to 15-9 after the decision.
At 125 lbs., Matt Oliver (Toms River, N.J.) took on Russell Weakley, ranked No. 2 in Super Region I. Oliver fell behind after a near fall and, despite a riding time point, could not score against Weakley. Oliver dropped the contest, 6-1, to make the score 15-12 in favor of the scarlet and gray.
Sheridan Moran (Lafayette, La.) started for Newberry at 133 lbs. against Timdarius Thurston. Moran dominated the match, beginning with a takedown for a 2-0 first period lead. Four Moran points after a penalty point, escape and a takedown gave the Newberry senior 6-0 lead after two periods. Moran tacked on two more takedowns and a riding time point for an 11-1 major decision win, pushing Newberry's lead to 19-12.
At 141 lbs., Ernie Young (Baker County, Fla.) capped the dual against Wes Whitman. Young jumped ahead with a takedown and ended the match in lightning fashion, earning the fall against Whitman just 1:02 into the match. The fall put an exclamation point on a Newberry win with a final score of 25-12.
The dual began at 149 lbs. with a matchup that saw Deral Brown (Elgin, S.C.) take on Brandon Bradley. Neither wrestler scored in the first period but Brown fell behind 2-1 in the second frame. Brown escaped in the third period but the point proved too little, too late and Bradley came away with the win, 3-0. The Bradley win put UNCP ahead first, 3-0.
At 157 lbs., Mike Rogers (Easton, Pa.) took on Michael Williams. Williams took a 2-0 lead with a takedown but Rogers narrowed the gap with an escape in the first period. Unfortunately for Rogers, the senior could not score and Williams escaped in the third period and tacked on a riding time point for a 4-1 UNCP win to give the Braves a 6-0 lead.
Looking to score Newberry's first team points, Latra Collick (Berlin, Md.) started for the scarlet and gray at 165 lbs. against Rashaad Saunders. Collick scored first with three points in the first period and escaped in the second for a 4-0 lead heading into the final stanza. Saunders managed an escape but Collick kept the Brave off of the scoreboard and came away with the 4-1 win to give Newberry its first points of the dual, 6-3.
Curtis Chenoweth (Clearwater, Kan.) suited up for Newberry at 174 lbs. against J.J. Davis, who was ranked No. 5 in the nation. Davis scored first with a takedown but Chenoweth took the lead in the second period, 4-3. Davis tied the match in the final frame with an escape to force a sudden victory period that belonged to Davis, as he scored first on a takedown to win the match, 6-4. The dual then stood at 9-3 with UNC Pembroke ahead before Blanton's fall.
Newberry will stay at home for its next two duals when the scarlet and gray host Belmont Abbey and Limestone on Tuesday, February 9. Newberry will first take on Belmont Abbey at 6 p.m. before facing Limestone at 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 Newberry 25, UNC Pembroke 12
125 Russell Weakley (UNCP) dec. Matt Oliver (NC) D 6-1
133 Sheridan Moran (NC) maj. dec. Timdarius Thurston (UNCP) M 11-1
141 Ernie Young (NC) pinned Wes Whitman (UNCP) F 1:03
149 Brandon Bradley (UNCP) dec. Deral Brown (NC) D 8-2
157 Mike Williams (UNCP) dec. Mike Rogers (NC) D 4-1
165 Latra Collick (NC) dec. Rashaad Saunders (UNCP) D 4-1
174 J.J. Davis (UNCP) dec. Curtis Chenoweth (NC) D 6-4 SV
184 Bryant Blanton (NC) pinned John Sturrock (UNCP) F 4:12
197 Keeno Griffin (NC) dec. Shane Nolan (UNCP) D 8-2
285 Jake Elkins (NC) dec. Erik Stancil (UNCP) D 6-2
Starting Weight: 149
