Frostburg, MD. – The 2024-2025 dual meet season kicked off for the Wheeling University Wrestling team (0-1) as they traveled to Frostburg State Wednesday. The night began and ended strong, with the Cardinals winning a pair of bouts, but in the end it wasn't enough as the Cardinals fell to the Bobcats 41-8. It was the first collegiate dual meet for three of the nine wrestlers that took the mat as they got their first Mountain East Conference (MEC) experience of the season.
The night began in the 125lb bout as Brent Bosley took the mat for the Cardinals against Frostburg State's Nate Wilhelm. He would fall behind 3-0 in the first round after a takedown and began to battle back on the mat. After the first round, he was down 4-2 and he would battle back throughout the final two rounds. Bosley would get a takedown to start the third set and took his first lead of the match at 5-4. Wilhelm gained an escape point and things were tied up again at 5-5. It would be takedowns that separated Bosley, as he scored two more take downs over the final two minutes of the match. Wilhelm would get one takedown, but that was all as Bosley picked up his first win of the season in an 11-9 decision. It jumped the Cardinals out to a 3-0 lead as they continued through the match.
Frostburg State would go on to win each of the next eight bouts of the night and entered the heavyweight match with a 41-3 lead. Wheeling was looking to end the night strong and called on Gavin Harper to take on Frostburg's top Heavywieght Gavin Bage. Bage would get the early advantage with a takedown, but a pair of escape points for Harper would make it 3-2. Bage pushed his lead to 5-3, but Harper responded with a takedown right as time expired to take a 6-5 lead after one round. Those five points were the only five that Harper would allow the rest of the night and he hit his stride. He led 14-5 after round two and finished off the night with a tech fall victory at 23-5. It was his third win of the season, and got Wheeling's points total to eight for the night.
After Bosley took the opening match, it was Christian Osbourne up next in the 133lb weight class. Frostburg State would get their first win of the night as he fell to Amir Wray-Hill in a 13-4 Major Decision. The Cardinals would have to forfeit the 141lb weight class and Caden Canning would take the mat at 149lb. He battled Frostburg State's Alexander Baker and after falling behind early, would end up being pinned at the 3:47 mark. Ethan Aguiniga was up next in the 157lb weight class, and Frostburg State's Mason Buckler picked up the second straight pin at 2:25. Brian Crevar would drop a technical fall at 167lb (17-2) and Hunter Bittinger would lose in a technical fall at 174lb (17-0). Isaac Valdez would drop an 11-4 decision at 184lb and Austin Hinzman was pinned in the 197lb bout in 2:22, before Harper's win rounded out the day.
The full match-by-match results are listed below:
125: Brent Bosley (WHL) over Nate Wilhelm (FSU) (Decision 13-10) WHL 3, FSU 0
133: Amir Wray-Hill (FSU) over Christian Osborne (WHL) (MD 13-4) FSU 4, WHL 3
141: Dylan Montgomery (FSU) over Forfeit (WHL) FSU 10, WHL 3
149: Alexander Blake (FSU) over Caden Canning (WHL) (Fall 3:47) FSU 16, WHL 3
157: Mason Buckler (FSU) over Ethan Aguiniga (WHL) (Fall 2:25) FSU 22, WHL 3
165: John Reho (FSU) over Brian Crevar (WHL) (TF 17-2 7:00) FSU 27, WHL 3
174: Owen Butler (FSU) over Hunter Bittinger (WHL) (TF 17-0 3:48) FSU 32, WHL 3
184: Andrew Wolfanger (FSU) over Isaac Valdez (WHL) (Dec 11-4) FSU 35, WHL 3
197 Alex Hoy (FSU) over Austin Hinzman (WHL) (Fall 2:22) FSU 41, WHL 3
285: Gavin Harper (WHL) over Gavin Bage (FSU) (TF 23-5 5:58) FSU 41, WHL 8
The Wheeling University Wrestling team returns to action on Sunday, November 10th, when they compete at the Ohio Collegiate Open, hosted by Case Western Reserve.
