Sports
Clarion wrestling pummeled by No. 17 Kent State
Courtesy Photo / The Clarion Call (Scott Joseph)
The Clarion Golden Eagles wrestling squad traveled to Kent State University last Friday for a match against the nationally ranked, No. 17 Golden Flash, a fight that ended in a massive Kent State victory, 44-6.
Clarion began its season with a record of 3-1, but had since fallen three consecutive times before facing Kent State.
The Golden Flashes went into Friday’s match with a 10-5 record, good enough to land them a spot in the top 25 nationally ranked teams.
The opening match between Clarion’s Thomas Gowing and Kent State’s Nic Bedelyon set the tone for the rest of the match, with Gowing falling victim to Bedelyon’s pin in 1:38.
Clarion’s Trey Hicks was the next to fall when Kent State’s Tyler Small ended the duel with 1:08 off the clock.
Injuries put Clarion at a disadvantage before Friday’s match had even begun, forcing them to forfeit three matches.
James Fleming, Alex Thomas and Quintas McCorkle all suffered from injuries obtained before the match.
The seceded matches gave the Golden Flash 18 points, and helped Kent State regain a significant lead over Clarion the entire night.
Bekzod Abdurakhmonov, a Clarion wrestler who hails from Uzbekistan, out-fought Kent State’s Ross Tice for a 5-1 victory in the 165 class.
Clarion’s Scott Joseph made for two consecutive victories when he beat Kent State’s Brandonn Johnson in a close 9-7 fight in the 174 class.
These two impressive wins showcased Clarion’s ability to consistently pull out victories in the higher weight classes.
The promising Clarion true-Freshman, Anthony White, fell to upper-class opponent Marcel Clopton in one of the closest and hardest fought duels of the night.
The 149 class fight ended with a 3-2 decision.
White and Clopton had faced off once previously in the season, with White emerging as the victor.
The Clarion Golden Eagles now look toward their next match against in-state rival Bloomsburg.
Clarion Head Coach, Teague Moore, said his wrestlers need to “own their individual matches,” to come out with a much needed victory.
The anticipated match will take place on Friday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. at Clarion’s Tippin Gymnasium.
The Golden Eagles will face off against Rider University, in a home match on Sunday, Feb. 6 at noon.
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