Flashes Send Five Wrestlers to Saturday's Final Rounds
3/8/2024 8:12:00 PM | Wrestling
KENT, Ohio- The host Golden Flashes have advanced five wrestlers to Saturday's final day of the 2024 MAC Championships and the team sits in 11th place heading into the final rounds.
Pablo Castro IV and Blake Schaffer advanced to the championship semi-finals before dropping into the wrestle backs. Castro, coming in as the six seed, knocked off the three-seed Nick Molchak of Cleveland State by major decision in the quarterfinals. He know awaits the winner of Vince Perez of Central Michigan and Marcel Lopez of SIU-E.
Schaffer, the tournament's three seed, won a pair of decisions before getting upended by Ben Smith of Cleveland State, the tournament's second seed. Schaffer now awaits the winner of Ethan Wiant of Clarion, who Schaffer beat in the opening round, and Tyler Kocak of George Mason. Both Schaffer and Castro must win twice to earn third-place honors.
At 149 pounds, Matt Ryan rebounded from an opening round loss to defeat Kaleb Burgess of Buffalo, 8-5. He now faces Derek Raike of Ohio and is also two wins away from a third-place crown. At 165, Aaron Ferguson lost his opening match to top-seeded Garrett Thompson of Ohio after receiving a first-round bye. He bounced back nicely with a 11-1 major decision over Clarion's Eli Brinsky. He will take on Tommy Bennett of Northern Illinois tomorrow in the consolation quarters.
AJ Burkhart paved a similar path as Ferguson at 174 pounds. The graduate student dropped his opening match to Dom Lopez of SIU-E, 6-3. After a bye in the opening round of the consolation bracket, he knocked of DeAndre Nassar of Cleveland State, 5-2. He will face Buffalo's Jay Nivison tomorrow in the consolation quarters.
Central Michigan has a 6.5 point lead on Rider for the overall team standings after day one. Kent State's full Friday results are below. Saturday's action resumes at 11:30 a.m. in the MAC Center with the consolation quarterfinals with the championship rounds slated for a 3 p.m. start.
125. Adan Benavidez (10-20)
- Champ. Round 1 - Blake West (Northern Illinois) 27-5 won by tech fall over Adan Benavidez (Kent State) 10-20 (TF-1.5 5:52 (18-0))
- Cons. Round 1 - Adan Benavidez (Kent State) 10-20 won by decision over Bronson Garber (Bloomsburg) 14-21 (Dec 8-1)
- Cons. Round 2 - JB Dragovich (George Mason) 8-13 won by decision over Adan Benavidez (Kent State) 10-20 (Dec 4-1)
133. Pablo Castro IV (17-9)
- Champ. Round 1 - Pablo Castro IV (Kent State) 17-9 won by decision over TJ England (Clarion) 9-14 (Dec 7-4)
- Quarterfinal - Pablo Castro IV (Kent State) 17-9 won by major decision over Nick Molchak (Cleveland State) 13-14 (MD 12-2)
- Semifinal - Richie Koehler (Rider) 20-9 won by decision over Pablo Castro IV (Kent State) 17-9 (Dec 8-1)
141 Billy Meiszner (20-13)
- Champ. Round 1 - Billy Meiszner (Kent State) 20-13 received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal - Jacob Brya (Northern Illinois) 13-3 won by decision over Billy Meiszner (Kent State) 20-13 (Dec 2-0)
- Cons. Round 2 - Caleb Brooks (Buffalo) 7-13 won by fall over Billy Meiszner (Kent State) 20-13 (Fall 1:15)
149 Matthew Ryan (12-11)
- Champ. Round 1 - Nick Stonecheck (Lock Haven) 18-12 won by major decision over Matthew Ryan (Kent State) 12-11 (MD 15-5)
- Cons. Round 1 - Matthew Ryan (Kent State) 12-11 received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 2 - Matthew Ryan (Kent State) 12-11 won by decision over Kaleb Burgess (Buffalo) 16-17 (Dec 8-5)
157 Keegan Knapp (18-19)
- Champ. Round 1 - Keegan Knapp (Kent State) 18-19 won by decision over Munktulga Zuunbayan (Northern Illinois) 8-5 (Dec 3-2)
- Quarterfinal - DJ Mcgee (George Mason) 25-4 won by decision over Keegan Knapp (Kent State) 18-19 (Dec 4-3)
- Cons. Round 2 - William Morrow (Bloomsburg) 12-20 won by decision over Keegan Knapp (Kent State) 18-19 (Dec 4-2)
165 Aaron Ferguson (19-15)
- Champ. Round 1 - Aaron Ferguson (Kent State) 19-15 received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal - Garrett Thompson (Ohio) 19-4 won by decision over Aaron Ferguson (Kent State) 19-15 (Dec 8-1)
- Cons. Round 2 - Aaron Ferguson (Kent State) 19-15 won by major decision over Eli Brinsky (Clarion) 9-12 (MD 11-1)
174 AJ Burkhart (8-7)
- Champ. Round 1 - Dominic Lopez (SIU Edwardsville) 2-1 won by decision over AJ Burkhart (Kent State) 8-7 (Dec 6-3)
- Cons. Round 1 - AJ Burkhart (Kent State) 8-7 received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 2 - AJ Burkhart (Kent State) 8-7 won by decision over DeAndre Nassar (Cleveland State) 8-13 (Dec 5-2)
184 Kyle Snider (14-19)
- Champ. Round 1 - Colin Fegley (Lock Haven) 17-16 won by tech fall over Kyle Snider (Kent State) 14-19 (TF-1.5 5:39 (16-1))
- Cons. Round 1 - Kyle Snider (Kent State) 14-19 received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 2 - Matt Zuber (Northern Illinois) 20-7 won by decision over Kyle Snider (Kent State) 14-19 (Dec 7-0)
197 Blake Schaffer (25-10)
- Champ. Round 1 - Blake Schaffer (Kent State) 25-10 won by decision over Ethan Wiant (Clarion) 7-16 (Dec 6-3)
- Quarterfinal - Blake Schaffer (Kent State) 25-10 won by decision over Jack Kilner (Edinboro) 20-14 (Dec 2-1)
- Semifinal - Benjamin Smith (Cleveland State) 22-5 won by decision over Blake Schaffer (Kent State) 25-10 (Dec 8-3)
285 Josh Boggan (14-20)
- Champ. Round 1 - Josh Boggan (Kent State) 14-20 received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal - David Szuba (Rider) 22-8 won by tech fall over Josh Boggan (Kent State) 14-20 (TF-1.5 3:46 (17-1))
- Cons. Round 2 - Lonnell Owens-Pabon (Buffalo) 14-16 won by decision over Josh Boggan (Kent State) 14-20 (Dec 8-5)
Players Mentioned
