ITHACA, N.Y.—The Big Red wrestling team picked up two wins on Saturday defeating Columbia, 37-3, and followed with a 37-6 victory over Hofstra at the Friedman Wrestling Center. At 174 pounds, junior Mack Lewnes pinned both of his opponents to tie the Big Red's career pin record with 37. Kyle Dake (141) and Cam Simaz also picked up wins by fall for Cornell. The Big Red improves to 5-4-1 for the season and is 1-0 in Ivy competition.
The Big Red opened its Ivy season off right with its win over Columbia. Second-ranked Troy Nickerson faced Kyle Gilchrist in the first match of the day at 125 pounds. Nickerson notched a takedown and rode his opponent out for the rest of the first. Gilchrist chose neutral to start the second and neither wrestler scored. Nickerson won a 3-0 decision by escaping from his opening down position in the third.
At 133 pounds, No. 11 Mike Grey took on Andrew Grabfelder. Grey dominated his opponent from the opening whistle and went up 10-1 after the first period with two takedowns and two nearfalls. The Big Red wrestler continued the rack up the points in the second and won a 17-2 tech fall.
Top ranked Kyle Dake wasted no time in taking down Ryan Doyle at 141 pounds. Within 10 seconds of the referee's opening whistle Dake had a takedown and immediately turned Doyle towards his back. Dake put the Big Red up 14-0 with a pin in 33 seconds.
Corey Manson and Steve Santos were scoreless after the first period at 149 pounds, but with two takedowns in the second Manson held a 4-2 lead. With an escape from his opening down position, Manson won a 5-2 decision.
At 157 pounds, John Basting and Matt Dunn were also scoreless after the first three minutes of wrestling. Dunn reversed Basting to start the second, and the Big Red wrestler earned his first point with an escape. Basting was within a point of Dunn in the third and was shooting in looking for a takedown. Dunn countered and scored to win a 6-3 decision.
At 165 pounds, Justin Kerber and Eren Civan traded points back and forth on their way to a 4-4 tie after regulation. Kerber brought the crowd to its feet with 15 seconds left in sudden victory with a takedown to win the bout. Cornell held a 20-3 advantage going into the next match.
Top ranked Lewnes faced Stephen West at 174 pounds. Lewnes was up 6-1 after the first period. West chose to start the second down. Lewnes grabbed three more nearfall points midway through the second before pinning his opponent in 4:54.
Freshman Steve Bosak notched and takedown and three back points in the first period at 184 pounds against Cary Aldrich. Bosak quickly escaped from his opening down position and added a takedown in the second. With almost three minutes in riding time, the No. 17 ranked wrestler won a 9-0 major decision.
At 197 pounds, Simaz was up 5-0 after two periods over Lou Miller with two takedowns and an escape. Simaz let Miller up to start the third and notched three takedowns on his way to a 12-3 major decision.
At heavyweight, Josh Arnone faced Kevin Lester. Arnone grabbed two takedowns to Lester's one in the first period to take a 5-3 lead. Lester reversed Arnone to start the second, but the Big Red wrestler escaped and notched another takedown to reclaim the lead. With an opening escape in the third, Arnone won a 9-5 decision to finish Cornell's 37-3 victory.
In the second dual of the day, Nickerson faced Hofstra's Jamie Franco at 125 pounds. Nickerson notched a takedown midway through the first and road his opponent out. Nickerson continued to rack up riding time in the second never letting Franco escape from his starting down position. Nickerson quickly escaped from his starting down position in the third and with a takedown and riding time, he won a 6-0 decision.
Grey took on Luke Vaith at 133 pounds. Grey notched two takedowns in the first to take a 4-1 lead. The Big Red wrestler grabbed another takedown in the second and after five minutes of wrestling he held a 6-3 advantage. Grey switched gears in the third period to start racking up points on his way to an 18-7 major decision.
Cornell held a 7-0 lead heading into the bout at 141 where Dake faced Tyler Banks. Dake continued with his dominate wrestling from earlier in the day taking down his opponent with less than 15 seconds off the clock. Dake notched two nearfalls to take a 7-0 lead into the second. Dake rode his opponent for the entire second period and added three more back points. The Big Red wrestler continued to score in the third and won by a 15-0 tech fall in 6:18.
At 149 pounds, Manson wrestled Ryan Colmer. Colmer notched the first takedown, but Manson took a 4-2 lead with an escape, a takedown and Colmer's second stalling call. Manson notched a takedown in the second and three more in the third to earn a 14-5 major decision.
At 157 pounds, Basting faced No. 16 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman. Midway through the first period Bonilla-Bowman notched a takedown, but Basting was injured and was unable to continue the match. With the injury default, Hofstra notched its first six points of the match.
At 165 pounds, Kerber faced 17th ranked PJ Gillespie. After a scoreless first period, Gillespie had a 1-0 lead in the second after an escape. Kerber tied up the bout in the third period with an escape sending the match into sudden victory. Kerber picked up his second win of the day with a takedown 30 seconds into the sudden victory.
Lewnes quickly took down Jon Rothman at 174 pounds. The junior turned his opponent to his back and picked up three back points before winning by fall in 1:01. With his 11th pin of the season to total 37 for his career, Lewnes has tied Steve Anceravage '09 for the Big Red's career pins record.
At 184 pounds, Bosak faced Ben Clymer. Bosak notched the only two points of the first with a takedown and added an escape in the second. Clymer escaped from his starting down position in the third. Bosak won a 4-1 decision after Clymer was hit with a technical violation for an illegal hold.
Simaz took down Anthony Tortora at 197 pounds to take a 2-0 lead after the first period. Simaz grabbed two more takedowns in the second and added two in the third to have a 12-3 lead. With 13 seconds left in the bout, Simaz turned his opponent and pinned him in 6:47.
At heavyweight, Josh Arnone had a 2-0 lead over Paul Snyder with a takedown with 13 seconds left in the first. Snyder chose to start the second period down on the mat but was unable to escape. Arnone quickly escaped to start the third and with a takedown and riding time won a 6-0 decision.
Cornell will hit the road next weekend to take on Penn and Princeton.
Cornell vs. Columbia Match-By-Match Results
Cornell vs. Hofstra Match-By-Match Results
Cornell 37, Columbia 3
125: No. 2 Troy Nickerson (Cornell) dec. Kyle Gilchrist (Columbia), 3-0 (Cornell 3, Columbia 0)
133: No. 11 Mike Grey (Cornell) tech fall Andrew Grabfelder (Columbia), 17-2 (Cornell 8, Columbia 0)
141: No. 1 Kyle Dake (Cornell) Win by Fall (0:33) Ryan Doyle (Columbia) (Cornell 14, Columbia 0)
149: Corey Manson (Cornell) dec. Steve Santos (Columbia), 5-2 (Cornell 17, Columbia 0)
157: Matt Dunn (Columbia) dec. John Basting (Cornell), 6-3 (Cornell 17, Columbia 3)
165: Justin Kerber (Cornell) dec. Eren Civan (Columbia), 6-4 (Cornell 20, Columbia 3)
174: No. 1 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) Win By Fall (4:54), Stephen West (Columbia) (Cornell 26, Columbia 3)
184: No. 17 Steve Bosak (Cornell) Maj. dec Cary Aldrich (Columbia), 9-0 (Cornell 30, Columbia 3)
197: No. 5 Cam Simaz (Cornell) Maj. Dec Lou Miller (Columbia), 12-3 (Cornell 34, Columbia 3)
HWT: Josh Arnone (Cornell) dec Kevin Lester (Columbia), 9-5 (Cornell 37, Columbia 3)
Cornell 37, Hofstra 6
125: No. 2 Troy Nickerson (Cornell) dec. Jamie Franco (Hofstra), 6-0 (Cornell 3, Hofstra 0)
133: No. 11 Mike Grey (Cornell) Maj. Dec. Luke Vaith (Hofstra), 18-7 (Cornell 7, Hofstra 0)
141: No. 1 Kyle Dake (Cornell) Tech Fall (6:18) Tyler Banks (Hofstra) (Cornell 12, Hofstra 0)
149: Corey Manson (Cornell) Maj. Dec. Ryan Colmer/Jeff Rotella (Hofstra), 14-5 (Cornell 16, Hofstra 0)
157: No. 16 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra) inj. Dec. John Basting (Cornell) (Cornell 16, Hofstra 0)
165: Justin Kerber (Cornell) dec. No. 17 P.J. Gillespie (Hofstra), 3-1 (SV) (Cornell 19, Hofsra 6)
174: No. 1 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) Win by Fall (1:01) Jon Rothman (Hofstra) (Cornell 25, Hofstra 6)
184: No. 17 Steve Bosak (Cornell) dec. Ben Clymer (Hofstra), 4-1 (Cornell 28, Hofstra 6)
197: No. 5 Cam Simaz (Cornell) Win by Fall (6:47) Anthony Tortora (Hofstra) (Cornell 34, Hofstra 6)
HWT: Josh Arnone (Cornell) dec. Paul Snyder, 6-0 (Cornell 37, Hofstra 6)
