Sports

Clarion wrestling comes out undefeated over the weekend

The Clarion University wrestling team dominated its busy three-match weekend in beating Cleveland State University 45-5 on Saturday, Feb. 11 and then defeating Franklin & Marshall University 42-4 and Princeton University 36-9 in a double dual at Princeton’s Dillon Gymnasium on Sunday, Feb. 12.

The Golden Eagles’ domination came out in full force Sunday winning 17-of-20 bouts in the double dual.

Head Coach Matt Dernlan saw a major improvement in the attitude his wrestlers possessed and how tenacious they were in the way they wrestled.

“For the first time all 10 guys went out there and competed with the attitude we have been preaching all year,” said Dernlan. “Just looking at the box score,
you can say, ‘hey, those guys competed with the attitude that we have been expecting all year.’”

In the Princeton match, the Eagles were led by juniors Joe Waltko and Tyler Bedelyon and redshirt sophomore Nick Milano, who all posted pins in the match.

Senior Bekzod Abdurakhmonov also posted a technical fall to add on to the three pins.

Perhaps the upset of the weekend came when Bedelyon pinned Princeton’s No. 11 rated Adam Krop in the 141 bout.

Bedelyon opened with two takedowns giving him a 4-1 lead.

With Krop seeming in position to reverse, Bedelyon back pinned Krop to seal the exciting win giving the Eagles a 15-0 lead.

Abdurakhmonov reached his team leading No. 26 win in scoring a 16-0 technical fall that included a takedown, reversal and four three-point near falls.

In the Franklin and Marshall match, Clarion received pins from junior James Fleming, senior Quintas McCorkle and once again Waltko en route to take nine out of the 10 bouts in the match.

On an individual note, Bedelyon came out of the weekend undefeated, upping his season record to 15-13.

Bedelyon pinned his opponents in two out of his three bouts and received a major decision in the other and was awarded for his performance when he was named the
PSAC and the EWL “Wrestler of the Week.”

Both Coach Dernlan and Assistant Coach Troy Letters see Bedelyon capable of competing with everyone in the country.

“With Tyler it’s not a matter of ability, it’s a matter of belief,” said Dernlan.

The Eagles have matches against Kent State University on Friday, Feb. 17 and Lock Haven University on Sunday, Feb. 19 before taking part in the EWL
Championships that will be held on March 4 in Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium.

Coach Letters’ main goal for the team before they reach the EWL Championships is to “peak at the right time.”

“It’s just a matter of staying sharp, training smart, staying healthy, and finishing out these last four weeks on top,” Letters said.