WASHINGTON, Pa. – Bryce Rodriguez-Uram (Carnegie, Pa. / Carlynton) and Taylor Smith (Mifflintown, Pa. / Juniata) picked up a pair of wins Wednesday to help the Washington & Jefferson College wrestling team earn a split of its matches on the opening night of the 2023-24 season.
 
The Presidents opened the evening with a 40-13 over Pitt-Bradford. W&J was unable to sustain an early lead in the nightcap before falling by a 27-16 score to Fairmont State.

W&J 40, Pitt-Bradford 13
 
The Presidents recorded wins in the first six matches versus the Panthers. After Michael Cruz (Malvern, Pa. / Great Valley) picked up a win by forfeit at 125 pounds, Hunter Swedish (Cranberry Township, Pa. / Seneca Valley) picked up an 18-2 win by tech fall in 1:56 at 133 pounds. 
 
Rodriguez-Uram needed 5:18 to secure a victory by fall at 141 pounds. Smith then followed with a 20-5 tech. fall victory in 3:37 at 149 pounds.
 
Kevin Courseault (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. / Etiwanda) and Sean Banks (Baltimore, Md. / Baltimore Polytechnical) followed with victories at 157 and 165, respectively. Courseault won by injury default while leading 14-7 late in the second period. Those victories extended the W&J lead to 34-0. 
 
Christian McChesney (Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg-Salem) added a win by forfeit at 197 pounds to round out the victory for the Presidents.
 
 
Fairmont State 27, W&J 16
 
W&J got off to a similar start in the nightcap. The Red and Black secured victories in three of the first four weights against Fairmont State. 
 
Brandon Dami (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) impressed in his collegiate debut. The freshman won by a 9-1 score for a major decision victory at 125 pounds. After FSU tied the score at 4-4 with a major decision of its own at 133 pounds, W&J posted victories at 141 and 149. 
 
Rodriguez-Uram battled to a victory by decision (10-3) at 141 pounds to record his second win of the night. Smith made it a 2-0 night by downing Colton Stoneking by decision (6-1) at 149 pounds. 
 
Fairmont secured the match by winning five of the final six matches. The lone exception came at 184 pounds where newcomer Jaden Fields (Worthington, Ohio / Thomas Worthington), who needed just 55 seconds to earn a win by fall. 
 
 
Next Up: W&J returns to competition when they travel to the Ned McGinley Invitational hosted by Kings College in Wilkes Barre, Pa. on Saturday, Nov. 4. 
 

 

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE 40, PITT-BRADFORD 13

125 – Michael Cruz (W&J) wins by forfeit (W&J 6-0)
133 – Hunter Swedish (W&J) def. Uriah Morris (UPB), by tech. fall, 18-2, 1:56 (W&J 11-0)
141 – Bryce Rodriguez-Uram (W&J) def. Nick Fegert (UPB) by fall, 5:18 (W&J 17-0)
149 – Taylor Smith (W&J) def. Ray Worsen (UPB), by tech. fall, 20-5, 3:37 (W&J 22-0)
157 – Kevin Courseault (W&J) def. Will Tigar (UPB), by injury default, 14-7, 4:56 (W&J 28-0)
165 – Sean Banks (W&J) def. Farhim Alexander (UPB), by fall, 5:30 (W&J 34-0)
174 –DJ Slovick (UPB) def. William Mitchell (W&J), by major decision, 16-3 (W&J 34-4)
184 – Colton Gietler (UPB) def. Jaden Fields (W&J) by decision, 14-8 (W&J 34-7)
197 – Christian McChesney (W&J) wins by forfeit (W&J 40-7)
285 – Gavin Thompson (UPB) def. Isaiah Payne (W&J) by fall 2:25 (W&J 40-13)

FAIRMONT STATE 37, PITT-BRADFORD 18

125 – Brandan Myers (FSU) wins by forfeit (FSU 6-0)
133 – Nathan Pelesky (FSU) def. Uriah Morris (UPB), by Tech. Fall, 12-0, 4:58 (FSU 11-0)
141 – Colton Stoneking (FSU) def. Nick Fegert (UPB) by tech. fall, 18-2, 5:40 (FSU 16-0)
149 – Trace Ragland (FSU) def. Ray Worsen (UPB) by fall, 2:23 (FSU 22-0)
157 – Kolton Parsons (FSU) def. Mamady Traore (UPB) by fall, 1:31 (FSU 28-0)
165 –Farhim Alexander (UPB) wins by forfeit (FSU 28-6)
174 – DJ Slovick (UPB) def. Chigozie Ijeoma (FSU) by Fall, 2:15 (FSU 28-12)
184 – Colton Gietler (UPB) def. Dalton Hanshaw (FSU) by fall, 1:35 (FSU 28-18)
197 – Dwayne Johnson (FSU) wins by forfeit (FSU 34-18)
285 – Ethan Babay (FSU) def. Gavin Thompson (UPB) by decision, 8-3 (FSU 37-18)

FAIRMONT STATE 27, W&J 16

125 – Brandon Dami (W&J) def. Brandan Myers (FSU) by major decision, 9-1 (W&J 4-0)
133 – Ryan Martin (FSU) def. Hunter Swedish (W&J) by major decision, 19-9 (W&J 4-4)
141 – Bryce Rodriguez-Uram (W&J) def. Nathan Pelesky by decision, 10-3 (W&J 7-4)
149 – Taylor Smith (W&J) def. Colton Stoneking (FSU) by decision, 6-1 (W&J 10-4)
157 – Kolton Parsons (FSU) def. Jaizik Sanabria (W&J) by fall (1:44) (Tied 10-10)
165 – Evan Thompson (FSU) def. Jiovanni DeChicchis (W&J) by major decision, 17-4 (FSU 14-10) 
174 – Navid Ighani (FSU) def. William Mitchell (W&J) by major decision, 11-0 (FSU 18-10)
184 – Jaden Fields (W&J) def. Chigozie Ijeoma (FSU) by fall, 0:55 (FSU 18-16)
197 – Dwayne Johnson (FSU) def. Christian McChesney (W&J) by fall, 4:44 (FSU 24-16)
285 – Ethan Babay (FSU) def. Isaiah Payne (W&J) by decision, 6-1 (FSU 27-16)