CORTLAND, N.Y. – Ithaca won six straight matches to overcome an early 8-5 deficit and the Bombers defeated host Cortland, 31-14, in a non-league wrestling match.
 
Cortland closes its dual-match season with a 4-9 record, while Ithaca improves to 14-5. Cortland will send competitors to the Mideast Futures Open, hosted by The College of New Jersey, on Sunday, Feb. 25, and will compete at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional at RIT on March 1-2.
 
Cortland opened with a 17-2 technical fall in seven minutes by J.C. Cardenas (Brooklyn/Grand Street Campus) at 125 pounds. Ithaca responded with a technical fall, 18-3 in seven minutes, by nationally 14th-ranked Isaiah Torres at 133 pounds, but the Red Dragons regained the lead when Culley Bellino (Canastota) earned a 1-0 decision at 141 pounds after an escape early in the second period.
 
Ithaca's six-match run started with a 19-2 technical fall in 5:23 by nationally 11th-ranked Matthew Beyer at 149, followed by a 6-0 decision by Wenchard Pierre-Louis at 157 and Konrad Parker's 10-4 decision at 165. Jackson Gray won by injury default at 174, Jake Jones won 10-3 at 184 and Ryan Galka posted a pin in 4:45 at 197. Cortland closed the night with a forfeit win by Dylan Houseknecht (Odessa/Odessa-Montour) at 285.
 
Prior to the match, Cortland honored 12 seniors - Cardenas, Houseknecht, Justin Amendola (Rocky Point), Adam Barker (Holbrook/Sachem North), Michael Barker (Holbrook/Sachem North), Chris Bold (Miller Place), Dan Cassera (East Setauket/Ward Melville), Tyler Goodemote (Berne/Berne-Knox-Westerlo), Hunter Hughes (Selden/Newfield), Roman Jellick (Johnson City/Maine-Endwell), Kyle Klein (Miller Place) and team manager Nicole Flynn.

 
FINAL SCORE:  Ithaca 31, Cortland 14

125 - J.C. Cardenas (CORT) tech. fall Cosmo Damiani, 7:00 (17-2)
133 - Isaiah Torres (ITH) tech. fall Cody Merwin, 7:00 (18-3)
141 - Culley Bellino (CORT) dec. Matt Haycook, 1-0
149 - Matthew Beyer (ITH) tech. fall Noah Orser, 5:23 (19-2)
157 - Wenchard Pierre-Louis (ITH) dec. Kyle Klein, 6-0
165 - Konrad Parker (ITH) dec. Hunter Hughes, 10-4
174 - Jackson Gray (ITH) won by injury default vs. Pat Ross, 6:07
184 - Jake Jones (ITH) dec. Robby Cunningham, 10-3
197 - Ryan Galka (ITH) pinned Roman Jellick, 4:45
285 - Dylan Houseknecht (CORT) won by forfeit

Exhibitions:
157 - Christian Paredes (CORT) dec. Aaron Nelson, 10-3
165 - Brian Bienus (ITH) major dec. Justin Klein, 13-4


Records after match: Ithaca (Bombers) 14-5, Cortland (Red Dragons) 4-9