Pitt-Johnstown dominates host team in final round of Fairmont State Duals

Pitt-Johnstown, ranked 14th in the latest Division II Wrestling Coaches' Poll, used four falls and bonus points in eight of the nine bouts they won to dominate the hosts, 46-3, to close out Sunday's 2023 Fairmont State University Duals in Fairmont, W.Va. The Mountain Cats improved to 3-1.

Seventh-ranked Trevon Gray (125 lbs.), third-ranked Jacob Ealy (149 lbs.), Noah Gnibus (184 lbs.), and seventh-ranked Isaiah Vance (285 lbs.) all won by fall for the Mountain Cats.

Pitt-Johnstown outscored No. 21 Glenville State and Fairmont State 89-9 to post a 2-0 record at the duals.

The Mountain Cats got off to a quick start with Gray's first period fall over Brandan Myers at 125 lbs. and Bryon Daubert's 17-1 technical fall win over Ryan Martin at 133 lbs.

Fairmont State cut it to 11-3 at 141 lbs. when Colton Stoneking held off Mason Myers, 10-9, but Ealy quickly pinned Trace Ragland to secure his second fall of the afternoon, and Cooper Warshel earned his second win by technical fall with a 16-1 victory over Nick Kelbaugh at 157 lbs., to increase the Mountain Cat lead to 22-3.

The bonus points kept coming for Pitt-Johnstown. At 165 lbs. Kyle Keane dealt Elijah Wellings-Osha a 15-0 first-period technical fall loss, Tony Salopek shut out Evan Thompson, 8-0, at 174 lbs. and Gnibus nailed down a first period fall over Chigozie Ijeoma in the bout at 184 lbs. that pushed it out to 37-3.

The Mountain Cats then got a 7-4 decision win by ninth-ranked Dakoda Rodgers over Dwayne Johnson at 197 lbs., and Vance's second pin of the day pin at 285 lbs. Vance pinned Ethan Babay in the opening round.

Pitt-Johnstown returns to the Sports Center to host its next three matches. On Dec. 2, the Mountain Cats will host King (TN) before hosting 15th-ranked Ashland (OH) on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. and Findlay on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m.

Results:
125 lbs. #7 Trevon Gray (UPJ) Fall Brandan Myers (FSU) 6-0 UPJ
133 lbs. Byron Daubert (UPJ) Technical Fall Ryan Martin (FSU) 17-1 11-0 UPJ
141 lbs. Colton Stoneking (FSU) Decision Mason Myers (UPJ) 10-9 11-3 UPJ
149 lbs. #3 Jacob Ealy (UPJ) Fall Trace Ragland (FSU) 17-3 UPJ
157 lbs. Cooper Warshel (UPJ) Technical Fall Nick Kelbaugh (FSU) 16-1 22-3 UPJ
165 lbs. Dillon Keane (UPJ) Technical Fall Elijah Wellings-Osha (FSU) 16-1 27-3 UPJ
174 lbs. Tony Salopek (UPJ) Major Decision Evan Thompson (FSU) 8-0 31-3 UPJ
184 lbs. Noah Gnibus (UPJ) Fall Chigozie Ijeoma (FSU) 37-3 UPJ
197 lbs. #9 Dakoda Rodgers (UPJ) Decision Dwayne Johnson (FSU) 7-4 40-3 UPJ
285 lbs. #7 Isaiah Vance (UPJ) Fall Ethan Babay (FSU) 46-3 UPJ