WILLIAMSPORT, PA. – The Cortland wrestling team finished 2-1 in its group during the first day of competition at the 16-team Budd Whitehill Duals, hosted by Lycoming College. The Red Dragons opened with a 36-12 win over Wesleyan (Conn.) and a 39-13 victory against Southern Virginia before ending the day with a 40-0 loss to nationally 12-ranked The College of New Jersey.

Cortland (5-1), by finishing second in its group, will participate in the "5-8 group" on Saturday. The Red Dragons will meet Ohio Northern at 10:30 a.m. and will then wrestle in either the 5th-place or 7th-place match vs. Wis.-Stevens Point or Springfield at 1:30 p.m.
 
The Red Dragons fell behind Wesleyan, 8-0, before rallying for the win. Junior Jeremy Pond (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) earned Cortland's first points with a 6-1 decision at 141 pounds. Freshman Ryan Burgbacher (Medford/Patchogue-Medford) pulled the Red Dragons to within 8-6 with a 4-0 decision at 149 pounds. After Cortland was awarded back-to-back forfeits at 157 and 165 pounds, Wesleyan made it an 18-12 score with a major decision at 174 pounds. Cortland closed the match, however, with a pin from senior Kevin Morgans (Liberty) in 4:51 at 184 pounds, a forfeit win at 197 pounds and a pin by junior Zach Herbert (Sparta, NJ) in 4:15 at 285 pounds.
 
Cortland opened its match against Southern Virginia with a forfeit at 125 pounds before a major decision at 133 pounds for Southern Virginia made it a 6-4 score. The Red Dragons then strung together three pins to take a commanding 24-4 lead. Pond started the run with his fall in 4:59 at 141 pounds. Freshman Chandler Merwin (Walton) followed with a pin in 2:06 at 149 pounds, and junior Gianno Silba (Newark Valley) pinned his opponent in 4:39 at 157 pounds. Southern Virginia broke the streak with a decision at 165 pounds, but sophomore Demitreus Henry (Brooklyn/Grand Street Campus) recorded a 16-0 technical fall at 174 pounds, Morgans earned an 11-3 major decision at 184 pounds and junior Dylan Dubuque (East Greenbush/Columbia) registered a pin at 4:16 at 197 pounds in his first bout of the season to make it 39-7. Southern Virginia ended the match with a pin by nationally eighth-ranked Nico Ramirez at heavyweight for the 39-13 final.
 
Against the College of New Jersey, the Lions earned two major decisions from nationally ranked wrestlers at 125 and 133 pounds to start the match. A technical fall at 141 pounds put The College of New Jersey ahead, 13-0. At 149 pounds, Burgbacher dropped a tough 2-0 decision before the Lions recorded a major decision and a pin in the next two weight classes. At 174 pounds, Henry lost a 4-0 decision to Daniel Kilroy, a two-time All-American. The Lions then recorded back-to-back major decisions at 184 and 197 pounds, and Herbert narrowly was defeated, 3-2, at 285 pounds to close out the match. 
 
Cortland 36, Wesleyan 12

125 – Amir Daouk (WES) dec. Ben Lloyd, 6-1
133 – Tristan Stetson (WES) tech. fall Amos Rivera, 16-1
141 – Jeremy Pond (CORT) dec. Dylan Jones, 6-1
149 – Ryan Burgbacher (CORT) dec. Jaymin Choi, 4-0
157 – Gianno Silba (CORT) won by forfeit
165 – Charlie Buckley (CORT) won by forfeit
174 – Marco Gaita (WES) major dec. Alex Leone, 8-0
184 – Kevin Morgans (CORT) pinned Pablo Sanchez, 4:51
197 – Dylan Dubuque (CORT) won by forfeit
285 – Zach Herbert (CORT) pinned Owen Verespy, 4:15

Cortland 39, Southern Virginia 13
 
125 – Pat Owens (CORT) won by forfeit
133 – Eric Freidhof (SOVA) major dec. Ben Lloyd, 13-0
141 – Jeremy Pond (CORT) pinned Aldair Moran, 4:59
149 – Chandler Merwin (CORT) pinned Matthew Rosson, 2:06
157 – Gianno Silba (CORT) pinned Nicolas Korhonen, 4:39
165 – Morgan Peterson (SOVA) dec. Charlie Buckley, 4-2
174 – Demitreus Henry (CORT) tech. fall Gavin Blair, 16-0
184 – Kevin Morgans (CORT) major dec. Cole Oldham, 11-3
197 – Dylan Dubuque (CORT) pinned Matt Speelman, 4:16
285 – Nico Ramirez (SOVA) pinned Sean Dall, 1:01
 
TCNJ 40, Cortland 0
 
125 – Dan Ortega (TCNJ) major dec. Ben Lloyd, 13-2
133 – Jake Giordano (TCNJ) major dec. Amos Rivera, 14-1
141 – Robert Dinger (TCNJ) tech. fall Jeremy Pond, 20-5
149 – Anthony Gagliano (TCNJ) dec. Ryan Burgbacher, 2-0
157 – Matthew Sacco (TCNJ) major dec. Gianno Silba, 9-0
165 – John Garda (TCNJ) pinned Charlie Buckley, 1:19
174 – Daniel Kilroy (TCNJ) dec. Demitreus Henry, 4-0
184 – Daniel Surich (TCNJ) major dec. Kevin Morgans, 13-4
197 – Quinn Haddad (TCNJ) major dec. Dylan Dubuque, 15-4
285 – Thomas Marretta (TCNJ) dec. Zach Herbert, 3-2
 
Day 1 Group Records:
 
Group A
1) TCNJ: 3-0
2) Cortland: 2-1
3) Southern Virginia: 1-2
4) Wesleyan: 0-3
 
Group B
1) Messiah: 3-0
2) Wis.-Stevens Point: 2-1
3) Lycoming: 1-2
4) Williams: 0-3
 
Group C
1) Wis.-Eau Claire: 3-0
2) Springfield: 2-1
3) York: 1-2
4) Oswego: 0-3
 
Group D
1) Washington & Lee: 3-0
2) Ohio Northern: 2-1
3) Castleton: 1-2
4) Wilkes: 0-3