Blue Jays lead early before dropping dual at No. 15 Messiah

GRANTHAM, Pa. -- Elizabethtown won three of the first five weight classes to take a 14-9 lead halfway through Friday night's dual at 15th-ranked Messiah. The Falcons answered with back-to-back pins at 165 and 174 pounds to start a run of 23 unanswered points, rallying past the Blue Jays 32-17.

Freshman Austin Jones earned a victory by forfeit at 125 to put E-town (6-5) ahead 6-0 right off the bat.

The Blue Jays were in position to potentially expand upon their lead, as fellow rookie Josh McLaughlin battled nationally-ranked No. 7/8 Hunter Harris to a 4-4 score late in the third period at 133. Harris emerged with a last minute takedown, however, winning the match 6-4 and halving Elizabethtown's lead.

Joe Ghione, who entered the national rankings at 141 for the first time this week after moving down from 149, dominated Messiah's Nick Nunez for an 17-1 third period technical fall. The win moved Ghione, ranked No. 6 by the NWCA and No. 5 by d3wrestle.com, within one victory of 20 on the season (19-3).

A pin from the Stephen Maloney at 149 drew the Falcons within 11-9, but E-town 157 pounder Chris Kummerer blanked Lee Cassel, 5-0, to put the Blue and Gray ahead by five.

No. 5/5 Jeff Hojnacki pinned freshman Eli Perry at 2:42 of the first period at 165 to put Messiah (14-5) in front for the first time, 15-14. No. 3/3 Ben Swarr followed with a 1:20 fall at 174 and Derek Beitz was the beneficiary of a forfeit at 184 to put the match out of reach.

Kyle Koser added to the Falcons advantage at 197 with a 16-1 tech fall over Rocco Hladney. Koser came into the match ranked fifth nationally by both the NWCA and d3wrestle.com.

Elizabethtown would end the night on a high note as Eric Eckstein hit the 20-win mark for the second straight season. Eckstein and Dan Kiser battled to a 1-1 tie through regulation with both wrestlers registering an escape. Early in overtime, Eckstein rolled around Kiser for the decisive takedown and a 3-1 victory.

In exhibition action, Colton Rex shutout Bryton Stidfole in an 18-0 tech fall (6:09) and Nikolay Savin pinned Roman Wagner 33 seconds into the third period (5:33).

Elizabethtown finishes the regular season next Thursday at home against Johns Hopkins in the annual Battle of the Blue Jays. Match time is set for 7 p.m.

Elizabethtown at #15 Messiah Friday, February 9, 2018 // Grantham, Pa. (Hitchcock Arena)
Wt.		EC	MESS
125	Austin Jones (EC) won by forfeit	6	0
133	#7/8 Hunter Harris (MESS) dec. Josh McLaughlin (EC), 6-4	6	3
141	#6/5 Joe Ghione (EC) tech fall Nick Nunez (MESS), 17-1 (5:38)	11	3
149	#NR/7 Stephen Maloney (MESS) pinned Dan Smith (EC), 1:55	11	9
157	Chris Kummerer (EC) dec. Lee Cassel (MESS), 5-0	14	9
165	#5/5 Jeff Hojnacki (MESS) pinned Eli Perry (EC), 2:42	14	15
174	#3/3 Ben Swarr (MESS) pinned Dan Jerrems (EC), 1:20	14	21
184	#NR/CT Derek Beitz (MESS) won by forfeit	14	27
197	#5/5 Kyle Koser (MESS) tech fall #NR/HM Rocco Hladney (EC), 16-1 (5:25)	14	32
285	Eric Eckstein (EC) dec. Dan Kiser (MESS), 3-1 (SV1)	17	32
Exhibition
141	Colton Rex (EC) tech fall Bryton Stidfole (MESS), 18-0 (6:09)
165	Kevin Diehl (MESS) pinned Dan Jerrems (EC), 3:58
197	Nikolay Savin (EC) pinned Roman Wagner (MESS), 5:33
Rankings: NWCA / d3wrestle.com NR - Not ranked CT - Contender HM - Honorable Mention

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Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein: 285; 5' 10"; Senior

Rocco Hladney: 197; 5' 11"; Senior

Dan Jerrems: 165/174/184; 5' 11"; Sophomore

Chris Kummerer: 157/165; 5' 7"; Senior

Colton Rex: 133/141; 5' 8"; Sophomore

Dan Smith: 149/157; 5' 8"; Junior

Joe Ghione: 141/149; 5' 5"; Senior

Austin Jones: 125/133; 5' 3"; Freshman

Josh McLaughlin: 133; 5' 7"; Freshman

Nikolay Savin: 197/285; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Eric Eckstein
: 5' 10"; Senior
: 285

Rocco Hladney
: 5' 11"; Senior
: 197

Dan Jerrems
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: 165/174/184

Chris Kummerer
: 5' 7"; Senior
: 157/165

Colton Rex
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: 133/141

Dan Smith
: 5' 8"; Junior
: 149/157

Joe Ghione
: 5' 5"; Senior
: 141/149

Austin Jones
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: 125/133

Josh McLaughlin
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: 133

Nikolay Savin
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: 197/285