The Midshipmen now hold a commanding 42-5-5 advantage, including a 24-1-3 record in matches wrestled in Annapolis. Meanwhile, for the third-consecutive year, the win by Navy's wrestling team clinched the annual Star Series for the Midshipmen, as Navy claims bragging rights for the 12th-consecutive year. The Midshipmen own a 13-6 record against the Black Knights this season in all competitions, including a 12-3 advantage in Star Games with seven remaining events (men's and women's basketball, men's lacrosse, men's and women's outdoor track, tennis and baseball).
"I'm really proud of our guys, the ones who won and lost," said Navy head coach Bruce Burnett, who owns an 8-0 record against Army. "It was a close match throughout and both teams were fighting. We really came out and wrestled aggressively. Allan (Stein) and Joey (Breen) both put forth solid efforts, while our seniors did a nice job of leading the way. And Bryce Saddoris, did he come up big for us or what?"
Before the match even began, Navy was dealt a blow when two of its starters, 125-pounder Joey Boone and 141-pounder Glenn Shober, were unable to make weight.
"I've never had that happened in all my years as a coach," said an astounded Burnett. "We've had to face our share of adversity this year and this was a prime example. You often wonder how something like that happens, but you can't let your mind wander too far. Instead you have to refocus on the task. I told the guys before the match that you can't worry about the things that are not in your control and we needed to go in a take care of business on the mat."
Following a prematch ceremony honoring Navy's seniors and their families, senior heavyweight Ed Prendergast (St. Louis, Mo.) opened the match by facing an unfamiliar foe in junior Michael Sprigg. After a scoreless opening period, third-ranked Prendergast scored the first point by escaping to begin the second and never looked back as he gave the Mids the early lead behind a 6-3 victory. For Prendergast, it was his 30th win of the season, marking the second straight season in which he has reached the 30-win plateau. Additionally, it pushed his winning streak to 20 in a row.
Army knotted the match when senior Fernando Martinez earned an 8-3 victory over Navy freshman Allan Stein (Portland, Maine) at 125 pounds. Martinez took down Stein at the 1:56 mark in the opening period and held the lead throughout the match. Stein did give Martinez a scare when he came within one to open the second period, however, Stein was hit with a second stall warning to give Martinez the wiggle room.
In one of several All-Academy Championship rematches, Navy junior Joe Baker (Poway, Calif.)matched up against the Black Knights' Whitt Dunning. Baker earned a takedown at the edge of the mat to open the match, but a minute later, Dunning was able to get out of Baker's grasp. With 45 seconds left in the opening period, Baker snapped his elbows and in doing so slipped and was called for an illegal move after accidentally head-butting Dunning. With the match tied at two apiece, Dunning deferred to open the second, giving Baker the opportunity to escape and then close out the second period with a takedown for a 5-2 lead. Baker went on to win the match 10-5 with riding time and improve to 6-0 all-time against Army competitors.
Army's lone nationally-ranked wrestler, 141-pounder Matt Kyler found his match against Navy rookie Joey Breen (Pasadena, Md.) more competitive than he had anticipated. At the end of one period, Breen found himself down by three, 4-1, but worked his way back into the match in the second period. Breen closed within one with an escape, but Kyler earned a single-leg takedown to take a 6-2 lead with just over a minute to go in the second. Breen, though escaped and followed up with a takedown of his own with 56 seconds to go in the period. Kyler escape to end the seconds and reversed Breen late in the third to earn a hard-fought 10-5 victory.
With the match once again tied up (6-6), it would be a pair of freshmen battling it out at 149. Saddoris and Army's Casey Thome met just three weeks ago at the All-Academy Championship with Saddoris taking the title with a 6-3 win. After studying his foe both on the mat and on film, Saddoris felt comfortable heading into the match. So comfortable, in fact, it took him less than the first period to pin Thome. Saddoris shot hard at Thome's legs, knocking him off balance and earning the takedown at 2:29. Just eight seconds later, Thome's shoulders were pinned to the mat and Navy took a six-point (12-6) advantage, a lead Navy would never relinquish.
"It clearly turned the momentum in our favor," said Burnett in regards to Saddoris' fall. "It got the crowd on their feet and we really focused in."
"Coach Burnett prepared us well," said Saddoris, whose win Friday night gave him 30 for the year, becoming only the third Navy wrestler to win 30 or more matches in his freshman year. "I knew what to expect heading into the match. It felt great to get that win. I think it really stopped any momentum they may have built."
Following Saddoris' win, the Midshipmen earned three straight victories by members of the senior class. Chattanooga, Tenn., native Spencer Manley faced Christian Snook for the second time in 2008 at 157 pounds. Snook took a 1-0 lead in the second after a scoreless opening period. Manley, though, took a 2-1 advantage with 52 seconds remaining in the second by taking Snook down. The third period began with Manley choosing the neutral position. In doing so, he set himself up for a second takedown at 1:31 in the final stanza to take a 4-1 lead. Snook was able to escape with over a minute to go, but Manley would go on to earn a 5-2 win with riding time.
For senior Justin Jacobs (LeRoy, Mich.), it was his first look at Army's Chris Grill. Jacobs did not wrestle at the All-Academy Classic and entered Friday's dual match having lost both previous matches against his arch rival. Jacobs earned an early 2-0 advantage through one and had pushed his lead to five, 6-1, by the end of two periods. Despite three escapes and a takedown, Grill was unable to get any closer than four and Jacobs earned his first win over an Army foe, 11-6, with riding time.
While Saddoris' pin helped push the momentum in Navy's direction, it was senior captain Matt Stolpinski (Westfield, Mass.) who clinched the win for the Midshipmen. Stolpinski pinned Army sophomore Ryan Mergen at the All-Academy Championship to claim the title and he had every intention of duplicating that result. The two wrestlers took swats at one another, but it wasn't until 15 seconds remaining in the first period that Stolpinski was finally able to take a 2-0 lead. The 2008 EIWA 174-pound champion and All-American earned a pair of three-point nearfalls in the final 43 seconds of the second period to own a commanding 8-0 lead. After starting the final period in the neutral position, Stolpinski took Mergen down to the mat and was then awarded a two-point nearfall with 15 seconds remaining. Stolpinski earned a 13-0 major decision en route to picking up a team-best 34th win of 2007-08. The win gave the Midshipmen a 22-6 advantage with two matches to go and put the match out of reach for Army.
The Black Knights went on to win the final two matches of the night. Senior Scott Ferguson outlasted Navy junior Casey Caldwell (Liberty, Ind.), 5-3, while second-year standout Richard Starks held off Navy senior Matt Parsons (Dunkirk, Md.) for a 6-2 victory.
The Midshipmen will use the next two weeks to prepare for the EIWA Championship held March 8-9 at Franklin & Marshall.
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