NEWBERRY, S.C. - The No. 2 Newberry College wrestling team won its eighth straight dual and 25th consecutive victory against Super Region I opponents with a dominating performance against Belmont Abbey on Tuesday night, 41-9.
Newberry (15-4) took advantage of four six-point wins in a row from three falls and a forfeit to top Belmont Abbey (1-14).
To begin the dual, Steven McLeod (Gilbert, S.C.) got the nod for Newberry at 125 lbs. against Shane Summerlin. McLeod matched an early Summerlin takedown with a reversal for an initial 2-2 tie, but Summerlin escaped for a 3-2 first period lead. McLeod managed a reversal in each of the next two periods but Summerlin pulled away for an 11-6 win to start Belmont Abbey off with a 3-0 lead.
Next at 133 lbs., Sheridan Moran (Lafayette, La.) faced off against Graceson Pastirik. Moran set the tone of the match from the opening whistle with a first period takedown for a 2-0 lead after the first three minutes. Moran added four points with a takedown and a near fall in the second period before a Pastirik escape for a 6-1 advantage through two periods. Pastirik scored with a takedown in the final 30 seconds, but he couldn't overcome Moran's lead and the Newberry senior won handily, 8-3. The dual then stood tied at 3-3.
Deral Brown (Elgin, S.C.) then matched up with Tashawn Takeall at 141 lbs. Brown got off to a fast start with six points from takedowns and near falls in the opening period for a 6-2 lead. Brown kept up his success in the second, taking down Takeall twice and scoring on a near fall to help take a 14-3 tally into the final frame. The third period also belonged to Brown as the redshirt freshman used three takedowns and a riding time point to earn a 21-6 technical fall, giving the scarlet and gray an 8-3 team lead.
At 149 lbs., Latra Collick (Berlin, Md.) had the chance to put more room between Newberry and Belmont Abbey in his match against Ross Patterson. Collick wasted little time building a lead against Patterson with two takedowns and a near fall for a 6-1 first period lead. The second followed a similar pattern as Collick took down Patterson once and earned three near falls to end the match at 4:57 with a 17-1 technical fall. The technical fall gave Newberry a 13-3 lead.
Mike Rogers (Easton, Pa.) followed for Newberry with a match against Peter Petties at 157 lbs. Rogers used Collick's blueprint early in the match, nearly pinning Petties three times for an 11-0 advantage after the opening stanza. Petties drew closer with one point in the second period to make the score 11-1 and did the same in the third, but Rogers' lead proved too much and the senior came away with an 11-3 major decision. Newberry's lead grew to 17-3 with the victory.
At 165 lbs, Josh Whitelock (Rhodesdale, Md.) faced Jake Varilek, who entered the match with the No. 6 ranking at 165 lbs. in Super Region I. Both wrestlers battled for the first points throughout the first period with neither finding the scoreboard. Varilek scored first with a reversal and ended the match soon after with a fall at 3:47, narrowing Newberry's lead to 17-9.
Curtis Chenoweth (Clearwater, Kan.) took the mat next against Ryan Gregory. Chenoweth opened with a takedown and won six points back for Newberry with a fall at 1:14, pushing the scarlet and gray's advantage to 23-9.
Dave Newman (Toms River, N.J.) won by forfeit at 184 lbs., handing Newberry six more points for a 29-9 lead.
Bryant Blanton (Summerville, S.C.) moved up a weight class for a match against Tom McGee at 197 lbs. Blanton went ahead almost immediately with a takedown for a quick 2-0 lead. Blanton then turned McGee on his back for Blanton's 16th fall of the season, tying the Newberry single-season record for falls that he set last year. The fall extended Newberry's lead 35-9.
In the heavyweight division, Jake Elkins (Trussville, Ala.) faced Kyle Spar to end the dual. Elkins followed Chenoweth's and Blanton's examples, starting with a takedown and following up with a fall at the 2:05 mark. The fall marked Elkins' third fall of the season and closed out Belmont Abbey by a final score 41-9.
No. 2 Newberry 41, Belmont Abbey 9
125 Shane Summerlin (BA) dec. Steven McLeod (NC), 11-6
133 Sheridan Moran (NC) dec. Graceson Pastirlik (BA), 8-3
141 Deral Brown (NC) TECH Tashawn Takeall (BA), 21-6 (7:00)
149 Latra Collick (NC) TECH Ross Patterson (BA), 17-1 (4:57)
157 Mike Rogers (NC) MD Peter Petties (BA), 11-3
165 Jake Varilek (BA) FALL Josh Whitelock (NC), 3:47
174 Curtis Chenoweth (NC) FALL Ryan Gregory (BA), 1:14
184 Dave Newman (NC) For.
197 Bryant Blanton (NC) FALL Tom McGee (BA), 1:35
285 Jake Elkins (NC) FALL Kyle Spar (BA), 2:05
