Wrestling 1/5/2017 7:11:00 PM Chris Myers

Cardinals Wrestlers Post Upset Pair at National Duals

Coach Doyle Postgame Interview
National Duals Updated Bracket
FT. WAYNE, Ind. – Cardinals wrestling made their national mark on Friday afternoon. After dropping three close matches at last year's event, Wheeling Jesuit upset both No. 8 Findlay 26-12, and No. 3 Maryville (Mo.), 18-17, in the program's best dual-match one-day results.

The Cardinals (7-1) opened a 15-0 early lead over the Oilers (0-1) behind a Nolan Whitely fall at 2:00 in the 133-pound bout and never trailed the entire match. Trailing 7-3, Dominick Nania used scoop cradle and pinned Maryville's 149-pounder, before Greg Brusco (157), Nic Skonieczny (165) and Reyse Wallbrown (174) claimed close decision wins on the way to the big upset of the No. 3 Saints.

"Today was a pretty special day for us, and although, we still have a big day in front of us tomorrow, it was a big step for our program," noted WJU head coach Sean Doyle. "Last year, we went 0-3 here and battled hard, but it was part of the process for us. We've done a really good job of learning from our experiences and getting better."

WJU moves on to Friday's semifinal against No. 21 Colorado State Pueblo, which upset No. 2 Notre Dame College, 18-17. The semifinal will begin at 11 a.m.

"Our guys are extremely confident in our ability to compete at a high level and you can't replace that. In the past three weeks, we've had our biggest wins to date. When the rankings came out yesterday and we were out of the top 20, it may have given us a little extra motivation. For us to beat the No. 3 team in the country, it was special and our guys deserve a lot of credit for their commitment to the process," added Doyle.

The big WJU day on the mat was a total team effort. Freshmen Brusco and Jake Donahue were the only Cardinals without a loss. Brusco had two decision wins, while Donahue received an opening forfeit, before a second-match decision.

Brusco had a flare for dramatics in his pair of wins. The first-year 157-pounder scored a bout-winning takedown in the final seconds over the No. 10-ranked wrestler nationally in Findlay's Joey White for the 3-1 victory.

Brusco equaled the dramatics in his late match. After he went out to a 6-0 first-period lead, Brusco saw Nick McGhee of Maryville come back late and take an 8-7 lead at the end with a takedown. Brusco, though, had over three minutes of riding time for the bonus point to tie the score, 8-8, for overtime. In only 19 seconds, the Cardinal grappler took down McGhee for the 10-8 sudden victory win.

WJU vs. No. 8 Findlay

After Donahue received a forfeit, Whitely pinned Findlay's Devin Rogers at 2:00. At 141, Daniel Romero was able to have a second-period takedown hold up for a tight 2-1 victory and pushed WJU ahead 15-0.

A battle of two of the top five 149-pound wrestlers followed. Top-rated Nic Goebel took away a hard-fought decision, 7-4, over Dom Nania off a third-period reversal.

Following Brusco's late win, Findlay took a pair of close decisions at 165 and 174 and cut its deficit to 18-9.

At 184, Nate Starkey sealed the Cardinals victory. He logged a takedown and four near-fall points for a 6-0 lead. The redshirt junior did not let up and finished with an 11-0 major decision over the Oilers' Charles Wells III. The Starkey win gave WJU a 13-point lead, 22-9, with two classes remaining.

For good measure, Terrance Fanning dominated his 197-match by an 11-3 major decision, before Maxwell Lacey (285) dropped a tough, 3-1 sudden victory decision, for the 26-12 final.

WJU vs. No. 3 Maryville

The opening match was a reflection of the entire dual. At 125, Jake Donahue escaped with 34 seconds left and remained active to where he received a stalling penalty point with 11 ticks left on Maryville's Alex Waggoner for the 2-1 decision.

After a Saints 133-pound decision and 141-pound major, Nania put the Cardinals on top for good. The senior put No. 10 ranked James Krischke into a scoop cradle and pinned him in 1:37. The Nania fall helped WJU regain the lead, 9-7.

Following Brusco's sudden victory win at 157, Skonieczny and Maryville's Derrick Swaney tied, 2-2, due to riding time. Like Brusco, the 165-pound Skonieczny took down his opponent, but faster in only eight seconds for the 4-2 win.

Wallbrown gutted out a 4-3 win at 174 behind a takedown in each of the first and second stanzas to make it 18-7 Cardinals.

The Saints won a 9-4 and 6-4 sudden victory decisions in the 184 and 197 bouts and trailed by only 18-13 heading into the final matchup.

Lacey held Maryville's No. 4 ranked Donnell Walker in the 285-pound match for only an 11-2 major decision. It was enough for WJU to still take away the 18-17 upset victory.

Wheeling Jesuit 26, No. 8 Findlay 12
125 – Jake Donahue (WJU) forfeit –– WJU 6-0
133 – Nolan Whitely (WJU) fall Devin Rogers (UF), 2:00 –– WJU 12-0
141 – Daniel Romero (WJU) dec. Josh Wimer (UF), 2-1 –– WJU 15-0
149 – Nic Goebel (UF) dec. Dominick Nania (WJU), 7-4 –– WJU 15-3
157 – Greg Brusco (WJU) dec. Joey White (UF), 3-1 –– WJU 18-3
165 – Alonzo Turner (UF) dec. Nic Skonieczny (WJU), 2-1 –– WJU 18-6
174 – Bradley Metz (UF) dec. Reyse Wallbrown (WJU), 3-0 –– WJU 18-9
184 – Nate Starkey (WJU) maj. dec. Charles Wells III (UF), 11-0 –– WJU 22-9
197 – Terrance Fanning (WJU) maj. dec. Chancellor Sonnenburg (UF), 11-3 –– WJU 26-9
285 – Luke Fleming (UF) dec. Maxwell Lacey (WJU), SV1 3-1 –– WJU 26-12

Wheeling Jesuit 18, No. 3 Maryville (Mo.) 17
125 – Jake Donahue (WJU) dec. Alex Waggoner (MU), 2-1 –– WJU 3-0
133 – Dakota Bauer (MU) dec. Nolan Whitely (WJU), 10-4 –– Tied
141 – Nate Rodriguez (MU) maj. dec. Daniel Romero (WJU), 9-0 –– MU 7-3
149 – Dominick Nania (WJU) fall James Krischke (MU), 1:37 –– WJU 9-7
157 – Greg Brusco (WJU) dec. Nick McGhee (MU), 10-8 SV –– WJU 12-7
165 – Nic Skonieczny (WJU) dec. Derrick Swaney (MU), 4-2 SV –– WJU 15-7
174 – Reyse Wallbrown (WJU) dec. Travis Lang (MU), 4-3 –– WJU 18-7
184 – Zeb Wahle (MU) dec. Nate Starkey (WJU), 9-4 –– WJU 18-10
197 – Ethan Sherertz (MU) dec. Terrance Fanning (WJU), 6-4 SV –– WJU 18-13
285 – Donnell Walker (MU) maj. dec. Maxwell Lacey (WJU), 11-4 –– WJU 18-17

-GoCards-

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Players Mentioned

Terrance Fanning: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore

Maxwell Lacey: 6' 0"; Senior

Dominick Nania: 149; 5' 10"; Senior

Reyse Wallbrown: 157/165; 5' 8"; Junior

Nolan Whitely: 133; 5' 4"; Junior

Greg Brusco: 5' 7"; Freshman

Daniel Romero: 5' 7"; Junior

Nic Skonieczny: 165; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Terrance Fanning
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore

Maxwell Lacey
: 6' 0"; Senior

Dominick Nania
: 5' 10"; Senior
: 149

Reyse Wallbrown
: 5' 8"; Junior
: 157/165

Nolan Whitely
: 5' 4"; Junior
: 133

Greg Brusco
: 5' 7"; Freshman

Daniel Romero
: 5' 7"; Junior

Nic Skonieczny
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior
: 165