GRANTHAM, Pa. - York wrestling placed fourth with a pair of individual champions and five all-conference performances in their inaugural appearance at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championship on Saturday at Messiah University.
Jared Kuhns (125) and Dalton Rohrbaugh (133) captured individual titles for the Spartans. Eric Hutchinson (2nd - 165), Camden Farrow (2nd - 197) and Jared Bair (3rd - 149) also earned All-MAC honors for their top-three performances in their respective weight classes.
No. 8 Stevens won its second-straight team title as the Ducks compiled 134.5 points with four individual titles. Messiah (114.0) finished second, Alvernia (98.5) took third, the Spartans (89.5) came in fifth and Wilkes (88.5) rounded out the top-five.Â
The Champs Â
Jared Kuhns captured York's first-ever individual MAC title as he defeated top-seeded Akhil Vega (Stevens) 6-4 in overtime for the 125-pound title. Kuhns trailed 2-1 after one period, but escaped from bottom to start second and then scored a takedown to lead 4-3 after two. Vega chose down to start third and escaped to tie the score, 4-4, early in third. Vega had a takedown waved off in the third so the match remained tied at the end of regulation. Not long into overtime, Kuhns attacked the waist and went on to take Vega down to the mat to clinch the bout and the title.
Kuhns advanced to the title bout with a fall (6:18) over Gio Luciano (Del. Valley) in the quarterfinals and a 9-1 victory over Keito Shaw (Alvernia) in the semifinals. Kuhns accounted for 18 team points on the day in his three bouts. He is now 18-7 overall this season and has placed in two different tournaments, placing first in each time.
Dalton Rohrbaugh clinched the second-straight title for York on the day when he defeated Jack Bauer (Wilkes), 8-4, in the 133-pound finals. Bauer scored the first takedown of the bout, but Rohrbaugh got one of his own right before time expired in the first period as he went ahead 3-2 at the end of one. Rohrbaugh rode out the second and scored a tilt for two in the closing seconds of the second to take a 5-2 advantage after two. Rohrbaugh escaped from bottom to start the third, but Bauer got one back right away with a takedown. Rohrbaugh then managed to get back to his feet for an escape which ultimately sealed the win.
Rohrbaugh entered the tournament as the top seed. He advanced to the finals with a fall (5:00) against Kyle Seibert (Alvernia) in the quarterfinals and punched his ticket to the title bout with an 18-3 technical fall over Nick Germano (King's). Rohrbaugh accounted for the most team points on the day with 18.5. Rohrbaugh remains a perfect 12-0 on the season and has placed first in all three tournaments he has competed in.
More All-Conference Performers
Sixth-ranked Eric Hutchinson advanced to the 165-pound title bout where he finished runner-up to No. 7 Matt Lackman (Alvernia) in a 6-2 decision. Lackman scored a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the first period and nearly had a tilt as he led 2-0 at the end of one. Hutchinson escaped midway through the second and nearly had a takedown, but was unable to get his leg free from underneath Lackman to get control. Hutchinson erased Lackman's riding time in the third and then cut Lackman loose to go to neutral, but Lackman used an ankle pick to get into a high crotch takedown which ultimately sealed the match.
Hutchinson entered as the top seed and advanced to the finals with a 9-6 victory over Preston Rogers (Lycoming) in the first round, followed by a 10-3 win over Cooper Kidd (Del. Valley) in the quarterfinals and a fall (3:00) against James Snyder (Stevens) in the semifinals. Hutchinson accounted for 15 team points on the day. He is now 11-4 on the season and has reached the finals in each tournament he has competed in this season.
Camden Farrow reached the 197-pound finals where he came up just short in a 3-2 loss to No. 7 Michael Dooley (Stevens) as the two met for the second time this season. Dooley notched the first takedown of the bout, but Farrow managed to escape quickly as he trailed 2-1 at the end of period. Dooley escaped from bottom to start the second to extend his lead. Farrow was in deep on a single leg later in the second, but the Spartan was unable to score from his position and trailed 3-1 at the end of two. Farrow managed to earn a quick escape to start the third and was in deep again on a shot late, but Dooley defended Farrow's shot well and held on to the one-point win.
Farrow advanced to the title bout with a 5-0 victory over Joe Embleton (Messiah) in the quarters and then defeated Gable Crebs (Lycoming), 5-2, for the second Saturday in a row to punch his ticket to the finals. Farrow has now placed in all four tournaments this season, reaching the finals three times, as he improves his record to 19-5.
Jared Bair battled back from a semifinal round loss and won more matches to capture all-conference honors with a third-place finish. Bair began the day with a fall (2:11) over Allen Kokilananda (Wilkes) as he defeated the Colonel for the second Saturday in a row. Bair racked up another pin in the quarterfinals over Malachi Harvey (Del. Valley) before falling, 5-4, to Jake Coniglio (Messiah) in the semifinals.
Bair stormed back through the consolation bracket, beginning with a 16-6 victory over Logan Bartlett (Lycoming) and capping the day with a dominating 18-3 win over Greg Croce (Del. Valley) in the third-place bout.
Bair accounted for 18 team points on the day to tie for second-most on the squad. The sophomore is now 24-6 on the season and has placed in three-straight tournaments.Â
Notes
Bryan Diaz (3.5), Nick Paolucci (3) and Garrett Butt (0.5) also scored team points … Jared Bair led the Spartans with a pair of falls and had the team's fastest fall (2:11) on the day … Bair and Dalton Rohrbaugh tied for the team lead for the most single-match points with 18.
Up Next
The Spartans are off until Friday, January 28 when they return home to take on Johns Hopkins in the annual dual meeting.
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Gallery: (1-15-2021) 2022 MAC Wrestling Championship
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