PITTSBURGH,
PA. – Every Camel wrestler recorded at least one victory as
the Campbell wrestling team won four dual matches at the East
Region Duals in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Saturday. The Camels move to 7-8 on the season
– the most wins by a CU wrestling team since the 2001-02 team
reached that same total.
"It's
a real testament to this team of guys to get to that total,"
explained fifth year head coach Billy Greene. "I can't take any credit for
this. They have to have
confidence and now they have it"
The
CU grapplers opened their day routing Wagner by a final margin of
48-0. The match was
highlighted by four Camels recording pins – Kelin Bidelspach,
Jake Fose, Steve Wiktorek, and Parker Burns – and freshman 149
pounder Joel Caudill's first career victory.
"Joel
has done a great job for us all year," said Greene. "He has just kept plugging away at it
and had some heart breakers along the way, but keeps persevering
and working hard and it paid off today."
Following
the Wagner matchup, Campbell met Delaware State and defeated them
by a final score of 25-12.
CJ Gittens started out the scoring for the Camels with his major
decision at 125 pounds to give CU a 4-0 lead out of the gate.
After
a Richie Apolinar decision and Bidelspach win by forfeit gave
Campbell a 13-0 lead, the Hornets fought back with two decisions of
their own to draw within 13-6. However, that would be as close as
they would get as CU would use a technical fall by Wiktorek, a Kyle
Higgins decision, and a major decision by Burns to pull away to the
final margin.
In
the third round of action, Campbell overcame a 20-11 deficit
heading into the 184 pound weight class to claim a 23-20 victory
over Duquesne. After the
Dukes recorded a major decision at 125 to take a 4-0 lead, Apolinar
would record a technical fall and Bidelspach would claim a decision
to put the Camels up by an 8-4 margin.
Duquesne
would then take three of the next four matches to take a commanding
20-11 lead with only three matches remaining. However, a Higgins decision and Burns
win by fall coupled with a forfeit at the heavyweight division
allowed the Camels to storm back for a 23-20 team
victory.
In
the final matchup of the day for CU, they defeated Millersville
21-19. The Marauders jumped
out to a quick 6-0 lead before Bidelspach drew the Camels even with
his pin at 1:07 over Sean Andel. Millersville then won the next two
matches to take a 13-6 lead into the 165 pound weight
class.
Wiktorek
would then pick up a pin, his second of the day, to pull Campbell
within 13-12. After two
Millersville decisions stretched the lead to 19-12, the Camels
needed to win the last two matchups to claim the victory. They would do just that as Burns
would pick up his fourth win of the day and Khiry Reid picked up a
win by forfeit.
"Parker
was clutch for us all day," said Greene. "If I had to pick an outstanding
wrestler for us today, it would probably be him. He won a couple of matches in must-win
situations"
The
Camels will face off with George Mason inside the John W. Pope, Jr.
Convocation Center next Saturday, February 14th. They will be looking for their
eighth win of the season – which would mark the first time
since 1997-98 CU has won more than seven matches in a
season.
"It
would mean a lot to get the eighth win," said Greene. "This group of seniors has really
persevered and stuck it out. They're learning how to win and
they're fighting for each other."
Final Team
Results
Liberty 5-1
(Team champions based on head to head win over Campbell)
Campbell
5-1
Millersville 4-2
Duquesne 3-3
Delaware State 2-4
Gardner-Webb 2-4
Wagner 0-6
Campbell
48, Wagner 0 (Team Score)
125
– C.J. Gittens (CAM) won by forfeit (CAM 6-0)
133
– Richie Apolinar (CAM) def. Nick Keshecki, 7-5 (CAM
9-0)
141
– Kelin Bidelspach (CAM) won by fall Ryan Cornell (1:15) (CAM
15-0)
149
– Joel Caudill (CAM) def. Jake Villaret, 13-6 (CAM
18-0)
157
– Jake Fose (CAM) won by fall Nick Dalcero (4:28) (CAM
24-0)
165
– Steve Wiktorek (CAM) won by fall Sean Quinn (3:27) (CAM
30-0)
174
– Ryan Ham (CAM) def. Pete Westwood, 9-3 (CAM 33-0)
184
– Kyle Higgins (CAM) def. Peter Morano, 9-3 (CAM
36-0)
197
– Parker Burns (CAM) won by fall Mark Wagner (0:41) (CAM
42-0)
HWT
– Khiry Reid (CAM) won by forfeit (CAM 48-0)
Campbell
25, Delaware State 12 (Team Score)
125
– C.J. Gittens (CAM) major dec. Wilson Williams, 12-3 (CAM
4-0)
133
– Richie Apolinar (CAM) def. Tad Bromall, 9-3 (CAM
7-0)
141
– Kelin Bidelspach (CAM) won by forfeit, (CAM 13-0)
149
– Matt Cathell (DSU) def. Joel Caudill, 8-4 (CAM
13-3)
157
– Brandon Garnder (DSU) def. Jake Fose, 13-6 (CAM
13-6)
165
– Steve Wiktorek (CAM) tech. fall Brandon Bruce, 16-0 (CAM
18-6)
174
– Kyle Skinner (DSU) def. Ryan Ham, 1-0 (CAM 18-9)
184
– Kyle Higgins (CAM) def. Chris Woodall, 8-5 (CAM
21-9)
197
– Parker Burns (CAM) major dec. Shawn Nowrey, 10-1 (CAM
25-9)
HWT
– Eric Sewell (DSU) def. Khiry Reid, 3-1 (CAM
25-12)
Campbell
23, Duquesne 20 (Team Score)
125
– Billy Chamberlain (DUQ) major dec. C.J. Gittens, 14-3 (DUQ
4-0)
133
– Richie Apolinar (CAM) tech. fall Taylor Wilde, 16-0 (CAM 5-4)
141
– Kelin Bidelspach (CAM) def. Jayk Cobbs, 11-4 (CAM
8-4)
149
– Alex Martinez (DUQ) maj. dec. Joel Caudill, 13-4
(8-8)
157
– Jake Fose (CAM) def. Dan Pauley, 5-3 (CAM 11-8)
165
– Matt Gregg (DUQ) won by fall Steve Wiktorek, 6:32 (DUQ
14-11)
174
– Ryan Sula (DUQ) won by fall Ryan Ham, 2:05 (DUQ
20-11)
184
– Kyle Higgins (CAM) def. Scott Black, 2-1 (DUQ
20-14)
197
– Parker Burns (CAM) won by fall Alex Kneisly, 1:27
(20-20)
HWT
– Khiry Reid (CAM) def. John Simmons, 8-6 (CAM
23-20)
Campbell 21,
Millersville 19
125 –
Desmond Moore (MIL) def. CJ Gittens, 3-2 (MIL 3-0)
133 –
Sean Reed (MIL) def. Richie Apolinar, 9-8 (MIL 6-0)
141 –
Kelin Bidelspach (CAM) won by fall Sean Andel, 1:07
(6-6)
149 –
Mike Greck (MIL) maj. dec. Joel Caudill, 11-1 (MIL 10-6)
157 –
J.J. Lester (MIL) def. Jake Fose, 6-5 (MIL 13-6)
165 –
Steve Wiktorek (CAM) won by fall Jeremy Brooks, 5:55 (MIL
13-12)
174 –
Shane Smith (MIL) def. Ryan Ham, 4-2 (MIL 16-12)
184 –
Jason Foor (MIL) def. Kyle Higgins, 11-4 (MIL 19-12)
197 –
Parker Burns (CAM) def. Raymond Bennett, 9-7 SV (MIL
19-15)
HWT –
Khiry Reed won by forfeit (CAM 21-19)
