WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – A narrow, 18-12 loss to 23^rd-ranked Heidelberg in the opening round of the 26^th annual Budd Whitehill Duals sent the Lycoming College wrestling team into the wrestleback bracket, where it stayed alive with a pair of wins, downing Case Western Reserve University, 38-3, and earning a 6-0 forfeit win over Trine University to wrap up its first day at the Budd Whitehill National Duals.
 
The Warriors get back on the mat for the conclusion of the Budd Whitehill Duals on Saturday, Jan. 11, when they face No. 5-seed Johnson & Wales at 9 a.m. to earn a place at the tournament for the 19^th time in its 25 years.
 
The event will also feature the dedication of a plaque that will hang in the entryway of Lamade Gym for legendary coach Budd Whitehill on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 3 p.m. before the championship round. Whitehill coached the Warriors for 37 years and won 376 matches and 10 Middle Atlantic Conference titles.
 
The Warriors won eight of nine bouts to cruise past Case Western Reserve, 38-3, in the consolation bout, led by a pin by freshman 197-pounder Skylar Ebner (Muncy, Pa./Muncy) and technical falls from freshman 157-pounder Nolan Barger (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield Area) and senior 184-pounder Greg Wetzel (Pleasant Valley, N.Y./Arlington).
 
Ebner notched a reversal before spinning around to get his second-period stick against Eric Sullivan in 4:52. Barger posted a 16-0 win over Noah Feldstein and Wetzel added a 16-0 win over Conor Driscoll. Junior 141-pounder Caleb Willey (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) also added bonus points with a 9-0 major decision against Connor Medlang.
 
Sophomore 125-pounder Jake Witmer (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy), senior 133-pounder Zack Finn (East Rochester, N.Y./East Rochester), freshman 149-pounder Seth Lansberry (Klingerstown, Pa./Line Mountain) and sophomore 165-pounder Matt Neff (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) each added decisions. Junior Nikolas Christine (Lewistown, Pa./Indian Valley) also earned six points with a default win.
 
The Warriors also earned a forfeit win over Trine to improve to 5-4 on the season. Trine pulled out of the duals on Thursday evening.
 
Against 23^rd-ranked Heidelberg, the Warriors won four bouts, but decisions by the Student Princes at 197 and 285 pounds helped them earn the 18-12 win.
 
After a pair of losses to begin the meet, the Warriors got on the board in the 141-pound match, as Willey posted a 9-6 win over Ian Gillespie. Lansberry followed with an 8-4 decision against Damon Cheek.
 
Heidelberg responded with two more wins to take a 12-6 lead before the Warriors fought back to tie it with decisions at 174 and 184 pounds. Senior Johnathan Secor (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes) posted a 6-5 win over Brennan Kelly and Wetzel followed with a 2-0 win over Richard Dowdley.
 
However, Heidelberg ran two wrestlers listed in the d3wrestle.com contender rankings to close the match and each earned three-point decisions.
 
2014 Whitehill Duals - Lycoming
Match #2 Champ. Round 1: Heidelberg defeated Lycoming, 18-12
125 - Joe Brodman (Heidelberg) over Jake Witmer (Lycoming) Dec 4-3
133 - Justin Kihn (Heidelberg) over Zachary Finn (Lycoming) Dec 6-1
141 - Caleb Willey (Lycoming) over Ian Gillespie (Heidelberg) Dec 9-6
149 - Seth Lansberry (Lycoming) over Damon Cheek (Heidelberg) Dec 8-4
157 - Aaron Banko (Heidelberg) over Brian Watkins (Lycoming) Dec 6-3
165 - Jeremy Stepp (Heidelberg) over Matthew Neff (Lycoming) Dec 5-3
174 - Johnathan Secor (Lycoming) over Brennan Kelly (Heidelberg) Dec 6-5
184 - Greg Wetzel (Lycoming) over Richard Dowdley (Heidelberg) Dec 2-0
197 - Jason Russell (Heidelberg) over Skylar Ebner (Lycoming) Dec 5-2
285 - Nino Majoy (Heidelberg) over Nikolas Christine (Lycoming) Dec 6-3
 
Match #3 Cons. Round 2: Lycoming defeated Case Western Reserve, 38-3
125 - Jake Witmer (Lycoming) over Matt Moy (Case Western Reserve) Dec 4-2
133 - Zachary Finn (Lycoming) over Jeff Gould (Case Western Reserve) Dec 5-3
141 - Caleb Willey (Lycoming) over Connor Medlang (Case Western Reserve) Maj 9-0
149 - Seth Lansberry (Lycoming) over Luke Marcelli (Case Western Reserve) Dec 3-2
157 - Nolan Barger (Lycoming) over Noah Feldstein (Case Western Reserve) TF 16-0
165 - Matthew Neff (Lycoming) over Nick Lees (Case Western Reserve) Dec 6-2
174 - David Brunk (Case Western Reserve) over Johnathan Secor (Lycoming) Dec 13-8
184 - Greg Wetzel (Lycoming) over Conor Driscoll (Case Western Reserve) TF 16-0
197 - Skylar Ebner (Lycoming) over Eric Sullivan (Case Western Reserve) Fall 4:52
285 - Nikolas Christine (Lycoming) by Forf
 
Match #4 Cons. Round 3: Lycoming defeated Trine University, 6-0
Lycoming's team score was adjusted by 6.000 for Team forfeit by Trine