WILLIAMSPORT, PA. – The Cortland wrestling team won two out of its three matches at the 16-team Budd Whitehill National Duals on Friday at Lycoming College. The Red Dragons (3-3) will now compete for a possible fifth-place finish on Saturday after finishing second in Group B, facing Springfield College in the Group 5-8 semifinals, Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Cortland opened with a thrilling 25-21 decision against Messiah University in a match that came down to the final bout. The teams were tied, 10-10, after the first four weight classes as senior J.C. Cardenas (Brooklyn/Grand Street Campus), ranked 12th nationally at 133 pounds, earned a 19-4 technical fall at 125 pounds and sophomore Angelo Centrone (Mahopac), ranked fourth nationally, registered a 25-10 technical fall at 149 pounds.

The Falcons took a 13-10 lead midway through the match, but a 15-0 technical fall by junior Hunter Hughes (Selden/Newfield) at 165 pounds and a 10-2 major decision from senior Dan Cassera (East Setauket/Ward Melville) at 174 pounds put the Red Dragons in front, 19-13.

A decision at 184 pounds and a technical fall at 197 pounds for Messiah gave the Falcons a narrow, 21-19, advantage with the 285-pound bout to decide the outcome of the match. Senior Dylan Houseknecht (Odessa/Odessa-Montour) registered an early takedown and let his opponent up immediately. A short time later, Houseknecht recorded a second takedown and turned the move into a fall at 1:59 to give Cortland the 25-21 win.

In Cortland's second match of the day, the Red Dragons fell to nationally eighth-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 35-7, as the Blugolds captured the final six weight classes to pull away from a tight match. 

Cardenas opened with a 13-6 decision at 125 pounds before a technical fall from the seventh-ranked wrestler and a major decision put Wisconsin-Eau Claire ahead for good at 9-3. The 149-pound bout featured a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers. Centrone remained unbeaten on the season, using seven three-point takedowns to earn a 21-9 major decision over sixth-ranked Zach Sato.

From that point, the Blugolds pulled away, closing the match with a pin, two technical falls, a major decision and two decisions with two ranked wrestlers earning points.

Cortland concluded the day with a 35-20 victory against Williams College as all six of the Red Dragons' individual wins earned bonus points, including forfeit wins at 125 and 133 pounds to build an early 12-0 lead.

Williams recorded a fall at 141 pounds to make it 12-6, but Centrone registered his team-high 12th technical fall of the season to raise his record to 19-0 overall with his 19-4 win at 149 pounds. The Red Dragons took complete control of the match with back-to-back pins and 157 and 165 pounds, respectively. Sophomore Christian Paredes (East Moriches/Connetquot) earned a fall in 2:03, followed by a pin from Hughes in just 1:20.

The Ephs won the next three weight classes by decision, technical fall and pin before Houseknecht closed out the match with his second pin of the day in 1:09 at 285 pounds for the 35-20 final. 
 
Cortland 25, Messiah 21 
125 – J.C. Cardenas (CORT) tech. fall Bryce Arnold, 19-4 
133 – Asa Brunk (MESS) major dec. Rocco Futia, 13-1 
141 – Josiah Gehr (MESS) pinned Culley Bellino, 3:33 
149 – Angelo Centrone (CORT) tech. fall Camerin Deville, 25-10 
157 – Clay Gainer (MESS) dec. Kyle Klein, 14-10 
165 – Hunter Hughes (CORT) tech. fall Mikey Hollar, 15-0 
174 – Dan Cassera (CORT) major dec. Chris Cratsley, 10-2 
184 – Ryder Slayton (MESS) dec. Robby Cunningham, 6-0 
197 – Sawyer Dereszynski (MESS) tech. fall Chris Bold, 18-0 
285 – Dylan Houseknecht (CORT) pinned Christian Conner, 1:59 
 
Records after match: Cortland (Red Dragons) 2-2, Messiah (Falcons) 7-7 
 
Wisconsin-Eau Claire 35, Cortland 7 
125 – J.C. Cardenas (CORT) dec. Carter Schulz, 13-6 
133 – Tyler Fleetwood (WEC) tech. fall Cody Merwin, 17-2 
141 – Andrew Kested (WEC) major dec. Culley Bellino, 12-4 
149 – Angelo Centrone (CORT) major dec. Zach Sato, 21-9
157 – Colton Sund (WEC) dec. Michael Barker, 14-8 
165 – Tristan Massey (WEC) major dec. Justin Klein, 13-0 
174 – Jared Stricker (WEC) pinned Pat Ross, 1:56 
184 – Connor Collins (WEC) tech. fall Robby Cunningham, 24-7 
197 – Cole Matulenko (WEC) tech. fall Chris Bold, 15-0 
285 – Jackson Schichel (WEC) dec. Dylan Houseknecht, 3-0
 
Records after match: Cortland (Red Dragons) 2-3, Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Blugolds) 14-4 
 
Cortland 35, Williams 20 
125 – J.C. Cardenas (CORT) won by forfeit 
133 – Rocco Futia (CORT) won by forfeit 
141 – Tylor Stubbs (WILL) pinned Shane Walczyk, 4:47 
149 – Angelo Centrone (CORT) tech. fall Donnie Morton, 19-4 
157 – Christian Paredes (CORT) pinned Leonardo Maiuolo, 2:03 
165 – Hunter Hughes (CORT) pinned Sean Tansey, 1:20 
174 – William Smith (WILL) dec. Nick Ross, 12-5 
184 – Dante Gutbrod (WILL) tech. fall Karam Saraireh, 15-0 
197 – David LaPrade (WILL) pinned Robby Cunningham, 3:53 
285 – Dylan Houseknecht (CORT) pinned Thomas Goodwin, 1:09
 
Records after match: Cortland (Red Dragons) 3-3, Williams (Ephs) 0-7

"JV" Matches 
165 – Brandon Bulatao (Stevens) won by injury default vs. Tristan Robinson-July (Cortland)
125 – Logan Barkey (York) pinned Wyatt Gentzel (Cortland), 3:59 
174 – Preston Carlisle (Wisconsin-Eau Claire) pinned Dan Cassera (Cortland), 4:19 
141 – Vinny Ziccardi (Washington & Lee) dec. Shane Walczyk (Cortland), 2-0 
157 – Christian Paredes (Cortland) pinned Charlie Lepage (Messiah), 2:06 
157 – Harper Meacham (Washington & Lee) pinned Gabe Lynch (Cortland), 4:23 
165 – Justin Klein (Cortland) dec. Carter Friend (Wisconsin-Eau Claire), 7-0 
149 – Jacob Cunningham (Messiah) major dec. Noah Orser (Cortland), 15-1 
157 – Ethan Struck (Wisconsin-Eau Claire) pinned Gabe Lynch (Cortland), 4:02 
184 – Jackson Campbell (Cortland) dec. Sean Wilwert (MSOE), 9-5 
133 – Justin Amendola (Cortland) tech. fall Joel DeFreytas (York), 18-1