University of Mount Olive’s Len Mathurins, left, tries to wiggle away from UNC Pembroke’s Joseph Bruscino during their 125-pound match Sunday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
The official calls a statemate between University of Mount Olive’s Dallas Wilson and nationally-ranked Jake Piccirilli, front, during their 149-pound match. Wilson upset Piccirilli, who entered the match sitting at No. 5 among the nation’s top Division II wrestlers. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive senior Hayden Waddell, left, collected a third-period pin against UNCP 141-pounder Avery Buonocore. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Noah Williams, right, tries to avoid a takedown move from UNCP 197-pounder Garrett Steele. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
UNCP 184-pounder Christopher Dickey, right, takes UMO’s Calan Staub down to the mat. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Ranked No. 1 in the country, UNCP 174-pounder Scott Joll keeps leg control against UMO’s Seth Thomas. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Aaron Bancroft, left, works against UNCP’s Caleb Grau during their 165-pound match. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Jake Nicolosi, back, tries to turn and take control against UNCP’s Keegan Roberson during their 157-pound match. Roberson, ranked No. 6 nationally, escaped Nicolosi, 9-6. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive heavyweight Slade Watkins, right, tries to get wrist control against UNCP football standout Nick Minacapelli. Watkins won the match, 7-5. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Timothy Decatur, top, works against UNCP freshman during their 133-pound match. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive battled nationally-ranked and in-state rival UNC Pembroke toe-to-toe on the wrestling mat Sunday afternoon.
Then came the middleweights.
Keegan Roberson started a match-clinching 19-0 run that capped a 28-12 conquest of the Trojans inside venerable Kornegay Arena. UNCP emerged as the East division leader at 7-1 in Conference Carolinas action.
The highly-anticipated duel drew a large turnout mixed with vocal UMO and UNCP fans.
“It’s kind of a win-win,” Trojans head coach Dan Willis said. “It’s a great atmosphere … second match in a row that we’ve had a big crowd. They’re the No. 6-ranked team in the country, and that’s the kind of team you want to host and test yourself with.”
Early on, UMO refused to relinquish its nine-match win streak.
The Braves took a 9-0 lead with an overtime decision at 125 and an injury default at 133.
Hayden Waddell, one of seven seniors honored before the match, pinned the Braves’ Avery Bounocore in 95 seconds at 141 pounds. Teammate Dallas Wilson followed with a 7-3 decision at 149 against Jake Piccirilli, who entered the match ranked No. 5 nationally among Division II grapplers.
“I told them don’t build one [dual] match up more than another because it will take your wind and it will make you feel like you’re out of shape sometimes if you build matches up,” Willis said. “I don’t build that match [with UNCP] up any more than I build any matchup. You know, it’s not a rivalry until we win a match and we haven’t beaten [them], so it’s not a rivalry in my opinion.
“They’re there [on top] and they’re where we want to be.
Roberson scored an escape and takedown in the final 45 seconds to knock off Nicolosi, 9-6, at 157. Caleb Grau recorded back-to-back escapes in the third period and fended off UMO redshirt sophomore Aaron Bancroft, 5-2, in their 165-pound match.
Scott Joll, the nation’s top-ranked Division II wrestler, posted a 17-1 tech fall over 171-pounder Seth Thomas. Christopher Dickey edged the Trojans’ Calan Staub, 4-2, at 184.
With the overall outcome sealed, 197-pounder Garrett Steele collected a 20-5 tech fall over UMO redshirt sophomore Noah Williams.
Slade Watkins, a redshirt sophomore, halted the Braves’ momentum with a 7-5 triumph over heavyweight Nico Minacapelli. Watkins broke a 5-5 with a reverse move in the closing seconds of the third period.
“It could have definitely been closer,” said Willis, who looked at the bigger picture ahead. “Yeah, we lost a [dual] match, but I don’t feel like we wrestled bad at all. We wanted to make sure some of the [key] guys are not hurt … wanted to get out healthy.
“Let the cards fall where they fell.”
The Trojans (11-2 overall, 6-2 East) travel to Newberry on Thursday. The winner clinches the division’s No. 2 seed for the inaugural Conference Carolinas dual-team championship.
UNC Pembroke 28, UMO 12
125: Joseph Bruscino (UNCP) dec. Lens Mathurin (UMO), 12-10 (OT); 133: Logan Robinson (UNCP) inj. def. Timothy Decatur (UMO), 6:43; 141: Hayden Waddell (UMO) wbf Avery Buonocore (UNCP), 1:35; 149: Dallas Wilson (UMO) dec. Jake Piccirilli (UNCP), 7-3; 157: Keegan Roberson (UNCP) dec. Jake Nicolosi (UMO), 9-6; 165: Caleb Grau (UNCP) dec. Aaron Bancroft (UMO), 5-2; 174: Scott Joll (UNCP) tech fall Seth Thomas (UMO), 17-1; 184: Christopher Dickey (UNCP) dec. Calan Staub (UMO), 4-2; 197: Garrett Steele (UNCP) tech fall Noah Williams (UMO), 20-5; 285: Slade Watkins (UMO) dec. Nico Minacapelli (UNCP), 7-5.
