NEWBERRY, S.C. - The No. 2 Newberry College wrestling team extended its winning streak to eight in a row Tuesday evening, coming out on top with a hard-fought victory over Limestone, 25-10.

Newberry (16-4) found itself fighting off Limestone (13-7) for much of the dual but the scarlet and gray held on with several key late takedowns for its 26th consecutive win against Super Region I opponents. The last time Newberry lost to a Super Region I team came in a 23-15 loss to West Liberty on Jan. 28, 2008.

Matt Oliver (Toms River, N.J.) led off the dual for Newberry at 125 lbs. against Matt Hall. Oliver found the scoreboard first with a takedown and added an escape in the second period for a 3-0 lead heading into the final frame. The score remained the same for much of the third until Hall took down Oliver and earned back points for a 4-3 lead, but an Oliver riding time point tied the match at the end of regulation and forced overtime. After a scoreless sudden victory period, Oliver jumped ahead with a takedown and held off Hall in the second tiebreaker period for a 6-4 win. The win gave Newberry a 3-0 lead to begin the dual.

Sheridan Moran (Lafayette, La.) followed at 133 lbs. against Mike Magaha. Magaha opened the scoring with a takedown but Moran escaped make the score 2-1 after the first period. Magaha escaped and added a takedown in the second to stay ahead of Moran, eventually winning by a 6-3 score. The Limestone win brought the team score even at 3-3.

At 141 lbs., Deral Brown (Elgin, S.C.) took on Jeremy Parker, who entered the match ranked at No. 6 in the nation and No. 2 in Super Region I. Despite a near takedown from Brown, Parker earned the first points with a takedown. Brown worked to find points against the nationally ranked Parker but proved unsuccessful as the Saint went on to win a 10-0 major decision to put Limestone in the lead, 7-3.

Latra Collick (Berlin, Md.) followed next at 141 lbs. against Theran Goodale. Neither wrestler could find a point in the first period but Collick would get one first, starting from bottom position to start the second and escaping for a 1-0 lead. Two more points for Collick gave him enough to lead after a Goodale takedown and Collick came away with a 3-1 decision. The Newberry victory pulled the scarlet and gray closer, 7-6.

At 157 lbs., Sean Byrnes (Jackson, N.J.) had the opportunity to give Newberry the lead back against Zach McKeone. Byrnes scored the first points with a takedown 10 seconds into the match and never looked back, pouring on three near falls in the first period and adding two more in the second period for a 17-0 technical fall at the 4:10 mark. The win handed Newberry the advantage, 11-7.

Josh Whitelock (Rhodesdale, Md.) then took the mat against Bryce Sopko at 165 lbs. A scoreless first period found both wrestlers tied but Sopko would take a 1-0 lead with a penalty point in the second frame. Sopko extended his lead with a near fall in the third and, despite a Whitelock escape, Sopko would hold off the junior for a 4-1 decision to pull Limestone within one, 11-10.

Curtis Chenoweth (Clearwater, Kan.) looked to keep his winning ways intact against Casey Bradley at 174 lbs. Bradley scored first but Chenoweth recovered with an escape and takedown to lead after the first three minutes, 3-2. Chenoweth found another escape in the second and pulled away with a takedown and riding time point in the third to win by decision, 7-2. The win put more distance between the schools with Newberry ahead, 14-10.

At 184 lbs., Bryant Blanton (Summerville, S.C.) took on Landon Hall, who entered the match ranked No. 8 in the nation and No. 3 in Super Region I. Hall jumped ahead with a takedown in the first period but Blanton battled back to tie with an escape in each of the first two frames, 2-2. Hall opened the tense final period with an escape but Blanton benefitted from a penalty point to tie the match, 3-3. He then brought the home crowd to its feet with a takedown in the closing seconds and won, 5-4, after a penalty point assessed after the match. The win gave Newberry breathing room heading into the final two matches, 17-10.

Keeno Griffin (Jacksonville, Fla.) hoped to add to his second-best all-time Newberry win total against Mike Walsh at 197 lbs. Griffin opened the scoring with a takedown and never let up, adding another takedown and a near fall en route to a 7-2 first period advantage. Griffin built his lead by three points in the second period and overpowered Walsh in the third, piling on with eight points to win by major decision, 18-4. The four points from the win made the score 21-10 in favor of the scarlet and gray.

Karl Reed (Mount Laurel, N.J.) rounded out the dual against Charles Weber in the heavyweight division. Reed began with a takedown and a three-point near fall for an early advantage. Walsh then escaped for the only point he would score all night as Reed scored five in the second period and three in the final frame for a 13-1 major decision. The victory sent the home fans home happy as Newberry won, 25-10.

Newberry will next host the Newberry Open tournament on Sunday, February 14, before traveling to Boiling Springs, N.C. to face Division I opponent Gardner-Webb on Monday, February 15.

No. 2 Newberry 25, Limestone 10
125 Matt Oliver (NC) TB Matthew Hall (LC), 6-4
133 Michael Magaha (LC) DEC Sheridan Moran (NC), 8-3
141 Jeremy Parker (LC) MD Deral Brown (NC), 10-0
149 Latra Collick (NC) DEC Theran Goodale (LC), 3-2
157 Sean Byrnes (NC) TECH Zachery McKeone, (LC) 16-0 (4:19)
165 Bryce Sopko (LC) DEC Josh Whitelock (NC), 4-1
174 Curtis Chenoweth (NC) DEC Casey Bradley (LC), 7-2
184 Bryant Blanton (NC) DEC Landon Hall (LC), 5-4
197 Keeno Griffin (NC) MD Mike Walsh (LC), 18-4
285 Karl Reed (NC) MD Charles Weber (LC), 13-1