Wheeling, W. Va. - As we reach the 75-day mark to the start of the 2022-2023 season, the anticipation grows for another exciting season of Wheeling University Athletics Action. On this edition of the Saturday Game Rewind, we look back at one of the milestone moments that make us look back and fondly remember the 2021-2022 season. Wheeling Wrestling took their home floor for the first time in over a year and earned a milestone victory over Bluefield State. It came down to the dual matches final bout of the night and Wheeling was able to pick up the victory and put the first win on the board for head coach Daniel Ownbey as he tries to rebuild the program back to its former glory.
February 10th, 2022: Wheeling 25, Bluefield State 24
As the calendar turned to 2022, the winter sports were coming back in full force after the Holiday Break with Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Track & Field, and Wrestling all returning to competition. The Wrestling team was initially supposed to host the Wheeling Quad in early January, but a COVID bout struck the team, and they were forced to cancel. While they weren't able to make up all the dual meets that were scheduled for that day, they were able to welcome Bluefield State back to campus on February 10th. It was a big day for the team as it marked their first home match in nearly a year, and they were looking to show how much this young team had grown since the start of the season. They knew they were at a disadvantage, with only three real matches scheduled for the night, but were determined to do their best on the mat.
The night started in Wheeling's favor as Christian Zickefoose earned the first victory in the 125-pound weight class via forfeit and the Cardinals took a 6-0 lead. The first match of the night came in the 133-pound weight class when Chase Montgomery took on Bluefield's Gabriel Nosesmith. Montgomery was in control right from the get-go, scoring two early takedowns to grab a 4-0 lead early in the first. Montgomery kept his foot on the gas pedal and added six more points before the first period ended, leading 10-0 over Nosesmith. He continued his dominance of the match, not allowing a point for the first two periods and was ahead 15-0 heading into the third. Nosesmith would manage five third period points, but Montgomery's lead was established, and he walked away with a 17-5 Major Decision that brought the score to 10-0 Wheeling.
Then, the Cardinals would find themselves in a hole after back-to-back forfeits at 141 and 149-pounds that quickly turned it into a 12-10 Bluefield State advantage. Up next was freshman Brennon Reid, who had been having a strong season so far at the 157-pound weight class, as he took on Jaden Berner. It was the most evenly matched bout of the night as the two wrestlers battled throughout the first period to get on the board. Reid would take the initial lead with a takedown and finished the first with two riding time points to take a 4-1 lead. He scored three more riding time points in the second period and kept Berner off the board to lead 7-1 heading into the final two minutes. It was a valiant comeback effort from the Bluefield State wrestler, as he scored a takedown to get momentum back, but Reid was able to hold on for the 8-3 Decision and Wheeling jumped back out to a 13-12 lead.
One of the key moments of the night wasn't a match, but the double forfeit that happened in the 164-pound weight class. Wheeling was down a wrestler, but the fact that Bluefield State did not have a competitor at 164 kept Wheeling in front 13-12. The next three weight classes were all won by forfeit, with Bluefield State winning the 174-pound and 197-pound weight classes while Wheeling's Mason Kuneff won the 184-pound weight class. That brought up the 285-pound bout with Wheeling trailing 24-19. The only way they could win the match was via pinfall, but luckily for them Clarouly Meca came to the mat and entered the night with four wins by pinfall already this season.
Meca would be taking on Bluefield State's Brian Shaw and the two battled to a standstill for the first 10 seconds of the round. Then. Meca took advantage with the first takedown of the night, sending the two wrestlers outside the circle as Meca had a 2-0 lead. However, Meca showed good ring awareness and was able to keep his left toe on the inner circle to keep the match alive. While he was gaining riding time, he was looking for that last move to flip Shaw on his back and earn the pin. The two wrestlers sat like that for over a minute but, at the 1:44 mark of the first period, it was Meca that won as he rolled him to his back and got the pin. It was Meca's fifth pinfall victory of the season, and the Cardinals would win the dual meet 25-24.
It was a big moment for the team as they secured their first dual meet victory since February 8th, 2019, when the Cardinals defeated Seton Hill on their home floor 26-19. The win was also the first in the career of Wheeling Head Wrestling Coach Daniel Ownbey as he continues to rebuild the program to its former glory. The Cardinals had some big moments during the wrestling season, but this moment stood above the rest and showed the potential that this team has moving forward.
As the summer rolls on, stay tuned every Saturday for more Saturday Game Rewinds. Next week, we look back at another thriller at Bishop Schmitt Field as Wheeling Men's Lacrosse took down Felician for their first home win in over two seasons.
