FEBRUARY 3, 2017

KING'S GRAPPLERS DOWN ELIZABETHTOWN ON "NED McGINLEY DAY

WILKES-BARRE — The King's College wrestling team won four of the last five bouts to rally from a 12-9 deficit halfway through the match to post a 30-16 victory over Elizabethtown College on "Ned McGinely Day" Friday night in Scandlon Gymnasium.

With the win King's improved to 8-13 on the year while Elizabethtown slipped to 2-11. It also marked the 453rd victory for McGinley and the 902nd dual meet of his career.

On Thursday Wilkes-Barre City mayor Anthony George proclaimed Friday would be Ned McGinley day in honor of the long-time Monarch head coach who is retiring after 48 years following the season. A number of former King's wrestlers returned for the match to see McGinley presented with a proclamation by City Administrator Ted Wampole.

The Monarchs jumped out to a 3-0 lead when Dakota Quick gave up an early takedown but fought back for a 10-4 decision. After Elizabethtown knotted the score at 3-3 with a decision at 133, the Monarchs recaptured the lead at 141 when James Wright posted a pin in 4:52 to give the Monarchs a 9-3 advantage. At 149, King's Tony Immediate built an 8-3 lead but was caught and pinned in 2:20 as the Blue Jays knotted the score at 9-9.

After Elizabethtown picked up a decision at 157 to take a 12-9 lead the Monarchs went to work. At 165, Howard Kilpatrick was dominant and on the verge of a technical fall before posting a pin in 5:36 to put King's on top 15-12. At 174, Zach Smith picked up a hard-fought 6-1 decision to push the score to 18-12.  In the 184-pound class, Elizabethtown picked up a 14-5 major decision to close to within 18-16 with two bouts left.

At 197, King's Eddie Merrill and Blue Jay Quinn Ruble battled in a wild back-and-forth match that ended with the Monarch sophomore posting a pin in 4:13 to push the score to 24-16, clinching the match for King's.  In the final matchup at 285, King's junior heavyweight returned for the first time since a January 14 injury and registered a pin in 6:50 in the final bout of the evening.

In all, the Monarchs posted four pins on the night.

KIng's returns to the mat Tuesday at 7:00 p.m, with a matchup against 19th ranked Centenary College in Scandlon Gymnasium.

King's 30 - Elizabethtown 16
125 - Dakota Quick (K) dec. Philip Torresani (E), 10-4
133 - Bryan Pflanz (E) dec. Jake Daniel (K), 9-4  
141 - James Wright (K) pinned Colton Rex (E), 4:52
149 - Dan Smith (E) pinned Tony Immediato (K), 2:20
157 - Chris Kummerer (E) dec. David White (K), 8-5     
165 - Howard Kilpatrick (K) pinned  Dan Jerrems (E), 5:36
174 - Zach Smith (K) dec. Dayne Ross (E), 6-1
184 - Rocco Hladney (E) major dec. Nick Price (K), 14-5
197 - Eddie Merrill (K) pinned Quinn Ruble (E), 4:13
285 - Ralph Bernardo (K) pinned Max Rhoden (E), 6:50

Team Records:
Elizabethtown 2-11
King's College 8-13

Referee: Robert Gentilezza