Rutgers University
Navy
Hrymack, Smith Ward Off Navy For 20-15 Win
Jan 31 | Wrestling
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - With a flair for the dramatic, Rutgers wrestling 197-pounder Hayden Hrymack (Point Pleasant, N.J.) and heavyweight Billy Smith (Wantage, N.J.) earned key decisions to halt a Navy surge and end the dual on top, 20-15, Saturday afternoon at the College Ave. Gym.
Navy Play-By-Play
The No. 22 Scarlet Knights (11-5, 1-5 Big Ten) match their overall dual record from the 2013-14 season entering a Big Ten showdown with No. 4 Ohio State (10-3, 6-1 Big Ten) Sunday at "The Barn."
Trailing, 3-2, with a minute left in the 197-pound matchup, Hrymack needed a takedown to end a string of three-straight Navy wins. The Christian Brothers Academy (N.J.) product converted at the 33-second mark and rode tough to close, hanging on before Steban Cervantes could escape along the edge in a 4-3 win.
RU owned a 17-15 dual lead versus the Midshipmen (3-4, 1-2 EIWA) entering the heavyweight match, where a convincing, 8-1, decision by Smith locked up the Scarlet Knights' 11th win of the season.
After Navy's Cameron Timok edged out Sean McCabe (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.), 6-4, at 125 pounds, RU responded with four consecutive wins, including a pair by major decision.
No. NR/19/NR 133-pound sophomore Scott DelVecchio (South Plainfield, N.J.) clocked 2:19 minutes of riding time in a 7-4 win against former NCAA qualifier Colton Rasche, improving his record to 15-6 overall.
No. 9/7/12 141-pounder Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) returned to the win column with an 11-2 major decision versus Patrick Prada, his second major of the season. He is 18-4 overall and a team-best 14-2 in duals with unanimous No. 1 Logan Stieber of Ohio State looming on the horizon.
No. 17/17/17 149-pounder Ken Theobold (Toms River, N.J.) won his sixth-straight match, 6-1, against Cody Wilding, recording a monstrous 4:03 of riding time. His 19-4 overall record leads the Scarlet Knights, as he now sits three victories shy of his win total from last season.
At 157-pounds, 2014 All-American Anthony Perrotti (Roseland, N.J.) got back on track with a dominant, 11-1 major decision against Navy's Drew Daniels. The No. 17/20/17-ranked Perrotti posted four takedowns and 2:51 of riding time in the win, his 13th of the year.
With RU leading, 14-3, at the intermission, the Midshipmen quickly closed the gap.
Tight wins at 165 and 174 pounds against Nick Visicaro (Long Branch, N.J.) and No. 19/17/18 Phillip Bakuckas (Hammonton, N.J.), respectively, narrowed the Rutgers advantage to 14-9.
Navy went back on top a match later, as Mike Woulfe pinned Anthony Pafumi (Westfield, N.J.) in 3:22 to give the Midshipmen a 15-14 lead.
The win set Hrymack up for late heroics, as he held on for a 4-3 decision. The win was his first win since Dec. 5, making way for Smith's 8-1 decision to seal the Scarlet Knights' seventh victory against the Naval Academy in series history.
Rutgers is back at "The Barn" tomorrow at noon for a matchup with No. 4 Ohio State - the fourth top-five opponent Rutgers will face this season. Doors will open 90 minutes prior to the match, which will stream live on RVision.
No. 22 Rutgers 20, Navy 15
Dual started at 125 pounds
Location: College Ave. Gym | Attendance: 1,345
Official: Jim Rivello
125: Cameron Timok (NAVY) dec. over Sean McCabe (RU), 6-4; Navy leads, 3-0
133: No. NR/19/NR Scott DelVecchio (RU) dec. over Colton Rasche (NAVY), 7-4; Match tied, 3-3
141: No. 9/7/12 Anthony Ashnault (RU) major dec. over Patrick Prada (NAVY), 11-2; Rutgers leads, 7-3
149: No. 17/17/17 Ken Theobold (RU) dec. over Cory Wilding (NAVY), 6-1; Rutgers leads, 10-3
157: No. 17/20/17 Anthony Perrotti (RU) major dec. over Drew Daniels (NAVY), 11-1; Rutgers leads, 14-3
165: No. 16/15/11 Peyton Walsh (NAVY) dec. over Nick Visicaro (RU), 4-2; Rutgers leads, 14-6
174: Jadaen Bernstein (NAVY) dec. over No. 19/17/18 Phillip Bakuckas (RU), 6-4 (SV); Rutgers leads, 14-9
184: Mike Woulfe (NAVY) wins by fall over Anthony Pafumi (RU), 3:22; Navy leads, 15-14
197: Hayden Hrymack (RU) dec. over Steban Cervantes (NAVY), 4-3; Rutgers leads, 17-15
285: No. 14/18/20 Billy Smith (RU) dec. over Colynn Cook (NAVY), 8-1; Rutgers wins, 20-15
Rankings (-/-/-): InterMat / The Open Mat / WIN Magazine (Jan. 27)
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