WILKES-BARRE, PA (February 1, 2024) -- Bill Grace (Gr.) forced an overtime in the heavy weight bout within a thriller matchup against #16 Centenary but did not get enough points to bring a tie. The King's College wrestling team fell in a 19-22 nailbiter to the Cyclones of Centenary (3-0) on Thursday afternoon. The Monarchs are now 3-4 on the season.
 
In the first match in McGrane Gymnasium, Patrick Horvath (So.) pestered Jack Thode through three periods at 125 and lost in an 11-3 major decision. Cole Anderson (So.) dropped his 133 contest to Danny Haws in a 15-0 technical fall. Noah Clawson (Jr.) put tallies on the board for the Monarchs as he had a big takedown on Justin Gerkhardt in the first period. Clawson was able to withstand Gerkhardt and get a 7-2 decision win in the 141-weight division. At 149, Shane Kibler (So.) had a hard felt battle against Aaron Biscoe. The score was 8-5 heading into the third period when Kibler was able to get a take down and near fall to control the affair. Kibler won in a 15-7 major decision to put King's within two at 7-9. MJ Turi (Fy.) tacked on six team points as he defeated Mark Venson Jr. by a 5:25 pinfall at 157 to put the Monarchs ahead 13-9.
 
Centenary answered back in the 165 match with Bret Murphy (Jr.) frustrating TJ Pawlicki as he was able to withstand a technical fall in the first period by assembling a near fall to make it 6-16. Murphy ultimately succumbed to an 18-8 major decision against Pawlicki to tie it at 13-13. At 174, Xavian Ramos (So.) fell to Angelo Piazza in a 19-2 technical fall. Connor Wrobleski (So.) outlasted Aaron Llanas in a 4-2 decision at 184. Richard Fronheiser (Jr.) battled hard with the 12^th ranked wrestler at 197 but lost in a 16-5 major decision against Keevon Berry. The score was 16-22 heading into the final tilt of the evening with King's needing a pinfall to create a tying score. Bill Grace (Gr.) was down early in his heavy weight contest with Arik Hums. Heading into the third period the score was 3-9, Grace was able to produce two takedowns to get within one at 9-10. With an escape in the final seconds, Grace tied the matchup at 10-10 to force an overtime for the Monarchs. The veteran wrestler tallied a takedown to win in a 13-10 decision and made the final score 19-22.
 
King's have a short turnaround as they will take on York and Johns Hopkins in a tri-meet on Saturday, February 3^rd with a start time of 1 p.m. The squad will be back on the road for a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) matchup against Delaware Valley at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 8^th.