Jamestown, NY -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford wrestling team was back on the mats on Saturday, wrestling as individuals at the Jamestown Jayhawk Open. Nikolas Fegert and Cade Stern both placed in their respective weight classes, while 5 other Panthers earned victories and just missed out on podium spots.
Nikolas Fegert was the top finisher for the Panthers, as he took 5th in the 149 lb. weight class. Fegert started the day with three straight victories to earn a spot in the class semifinal. He began with a 50-second pin in his opener, before winning 4-1 in a sudden victory overtime period, and then in a 10-5 decision. He fell to the consolation bracket with a tough 10-8 loss by decision, and then lost by pin to move into the 5th-place match. In that match, he won 5th place by virtue of a forfeit.
Cade Stern was the other Pitt-Bradford grappler to earn a spot on the podium at 125. He lost his opener, but found his footing in the consolation bracket, pinning his next two opponents in 1:32 and 3:57. He won his next match by a 16-10 decision, and then won a spot in the consolation semifinal with a dominant 16-0 major decision win. Unfortunately, he lost in the semi-final, and then was out of matches for the day, so dropped into 6th place with a no-contest loss.
Three other Panthers just missed out on placement matches, falling in the 5th consolation round.
At 174, D.J. Slovick fell in his first match, but then won with a pin at 2:25 in his next bout and won by medical forfeit in the following two. Once back on the mat, he could not get his momentum back and fell by a 9-2 decision.
Gavin Thompson had a strong day at 197, going 3-2. He began his day with a pin at 3:57, but then fell to the consolation bracket after being pinned in the second round. He picked up another fall victory, this time in 4:27, and then grinded out a 5-2 decision victory. He was unable to move into the podium spots; however, as he fell by pin in the 5th round.
In the heavyweight class, Cameron-Carter-Green had a tough matchup, falling to the same wrestler from Division II Gannon twice. He lost his opener 5-1, but then battled back with a pair of pins. He defeated his teammate, Pavitar Singh, in 2:05, and then won his third match in 2:16. Carter-Green picked up one last win by a 9-6 decision, but then in his rematch fell 5-0, ending his competition.
Raymond Worsen and Peyton Mitchell each picked up a pin at the event. After a tough 3-1 loss to start his day at 157, Worsen picked up a pin at 1:43, but then lost in overtime 10-7 in the next round. At 165, Peyton Mitchell pinned his opening opponent in 1:22, but then lost his next two by decision.
The Panthers will return to action next weekend, when they travel to Williamsport to compete in Lycoming's Rennie Rodarmel Allstate Invitational. The action is slated to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 1st.
