Wheeling, W. Va. - On Saturday, the Wheeling University Wrestling team will meet the best of the best in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) for the MEC Championships. Before that, they will get the chance to compete in one final tune-up when they face Fairmont State in a conference dual on Wednesday at 7 PM. They have wrestled in two duals already this season and have gained valuable experience while growing the young team.
The last time they took the mat was on January 21st when they faced Davis & Elkins looking to rebound from a loss at Notre Dame College. The Cardinals fell 44-12 in that dual, picking up back-to-back wins in their final two matches of the night. The Cardinals had three wrestlers compete on the night, Austin Mele in the 157-pound match, River Pappas in the 197-pound match, and Clarouly Meca in the 285-pound match, and all three wrestlers got good experience.
Leading the way was Meca in the 285-pound weight class. He was looking to bounce back after a loss at Notre Dame College and would get his chance when he faced Davis & Elkins' Daimere Wilson-Turner. Meca would end the night with a pin at the 2:19 mark of the match which helped bring the final score to 44-12. For Meca, it was his sixth win of the season improving his overall record to 6-4. Of those six wins, four have come via pinfall as he continues to find a way to get it done in the middle of the match.
The other win for Wheeling came from River Pappas in the 197-pound match. After starting the match with the lead, Pappas would end up taking the bout via medical forfeit, giving the Cardinals their first victory of the night. In the other match of the day, Mele battled in the 157-pound match, but in the end fell in a 6-5 decision. It was one of the most exciting matches of the night, and something that the freshman can build off the rest of the way.
As Wheeling gets set to head into the MEC Championships this weekend, they have several wrestlers who are beginning to stand out in their weight class. Meca is shining in the 285-pound weight class, but Wheeling is also getting contributions from their midweight wrestlers. Freshman Brennan Reid leads the team with eight wins this season in the 164-pound weight class and fellow freshman Joshua Sharron has come on strong in the 141-pound weight class. Everyone will look to be on their game as Wheeling tries to climb the conference ladder.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Falcons are meeting up for the second time in team history, with Fairmont State taking the first meeting last season. However, this will be the first time that the two teams meet in Fairmont, West Virginia. Their previous matchup came as part of a dual tournament at Davis & Elkins college in a match that Fairmont State won 27-15.
In that dual event, Wheeling got a pair of wins from former Cardinals Norman Richmond and Deshawn Mercadel. Norman got the first win of the night with a pinfall in the 164-pound class with a pinfall at the 4:40 mark. Mercadel came next in the 184-pound match and got the win in an 8-5 decision. Wheeling is hoping to come back stronger this time around and find a way to put more points on the board.
The Details
The first match of Wednesday's dual is scheduled to begin at 7 PM on the campus of Fairmont State. You can watch the dual live by clicking HERE.
