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    Rutgers downs Princeton, George Mason

    PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The No. 13 Rutgers wrestling team (9-1) used solid wrestling throughout its lineup to win a pair of duals over George Mason and Princeton this evening at College Ave. Gym. The Scarlet Knights downed GMU, 36-9, in their opening dual and followed up with a shutout victory over in-state rival Princeton, 42-0.

    RU started the dual with George Mason at 285. DJ Russo (Netcong, N.J.), the third-ranked heavyweight in the nation, started strong for the Scarlet Knights as he picked up a fall on Hunter Mansplie just 1:40 into the match to give RU a 6-0 lead. Matt Fusco (Belleville, N.J.) kept the RU momentum going as he earned a 3-2 decision over Zack Huxford. GMU didn’t wrestle anyone at 133 pounds which allowed RU to take a 15-0 lead.

    After the Patriots took bouts at 141 and 149, Daryl Cocozzo (River Edge, N.J.) snatched momentum back with a pin of Shohei Takagi at the 1:27 mark of the match. Nick Visicaro (Long Branch, N.J.) earned a 6-1 decision and then No. 18 Alex Caruso (Green Brook, N.J.) pinned Greg Scott at 4:32 to push RU’s lead to 30-6. George Mason forfeited at 184 and then earned a victory by decision at 197 to end the match at 36-9 in favor of the Scarlet Knights.

    Russo again set the tone for RU in the Princeton matchup as he pinned Bobby Grogan with just a second left in the first to give the Scarlet Knights an early 6-0 lead.

    The next match was perhaps the most exciting of the day as Joe Langel (Howell, N.J.) took on No. 13 Garrett Frey of Princeton. Frey took a 4-2 lead into the second and started down. Langel rode out Frey for the entire second frame to earn a huge advantage in riding time. Langel still found himself down with a minute and a half remaining in the final frame but used a timely escape to even the score. With just under 30 seconds left, Frey took a shot at Langel’s legs which Langel blocked and turned into a take down for a 5-4 advantage which sent the College Ave. crowd into a frenzy. Langel was able to ride out Frey for the remainder of the frame and earned the 6-4 victory.

    After the Langel victory, RU ran off three straight victories by decision from Mike Demarco (Lyndhurst, N.J.), Trevor Melde (Hewitt, N.J.) and No. 5 Mario Mason (Moorestown, N.J.). Cocozzo earned a 14-2 major decision over Dan Kolodzik to push the RU lead to 22-0 before Princeton forfeited bouts at 165 and 174.

    A Dan Rinaldi (Lodi, N.J.) tech fall and Mike Wagner (South Plainfield, N.J.) decision closed out a 42-0 victory for the Scarlet Knights.

    Rutgers returns to action on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30 as it travels to Evanston, Illinois for the 48th Midlands Championships.

    Rutgers 36, George Mason 9
    285: No. 3 DJ Russo (RU) pins Hunter Mansplie (GM), 1:40
    125: Matt Fusco (RU) dec. Zack Huxford (GM), 3-2; Rutgers leads, 9-0
    133: George Mason forfeits; Rutgers leads, 15-0
    141: Deny Herndon (GM) dec. Jordan Beverly (RU), 5-4; Rutgers leads, 15-3
    149: Brandon Bucher (GM) dec. Joe Mcauley (RU), 4-1; Rutgers leads, 15-6
    157: Daryl Cocozzo (RU) pins Shohei Takagi (GM), 1:27; Rutgers leads, 21-6
    165: Nick Visicaro (RU) dec. Aaron Keeton (GM), 6-1; Rutgers leads, 24-6
    174: No. 18 Alex Caruso (RU) pins Greg Scott (GM), 4:32, Rutgers leads, 30-6
    184: George Mason forfeits; Rutgers leads, 36-6
    197: No. 6 Cayle Byers (GM) dec. Mike Wagner (RU), 6-2; Rutgers wins, 36-9

    Rutgers 42, Princeton 0
    285: No. 3 DJ Russo (RU) pins Bobby Grogan (PU), 2:59; Rutgers leads, 6-0
    125: Joe Langel (RU) dec. No. 13 Garrett Frey (PU), 6-4; Rutgers leads, 9-0
    133: Mike DeMarco (RU) dec. Adam Kropp (PU), 5-2; Rutgers leads, 12-0
    141: Trevor Melde (RU) dec. Zach Bintliff (PU), 4-1; Rutgers leads, 15-0
    149: No. 5 Mario Mason (RU) dec. Brandon Rolnick (PU), 9-3; Rutgers leads, 18-0
    157: Daryl Cocozzo (RU) m. dec. Daniel Kolodzik (PU), 14-2; Rutgers leads, 22-0
    165: Princeton forfeits; Rutgers leads, 28-0
    174: Princeton forfeits; Rutgers leads, 34-0
    184: Dan Rinaldi (RU) tech. fall Travis Erdman (PU), 16-1 (7:00); Rutgers leads, 39-0
    197: Mike Wagner (RU) dec. Charles Fox (PU), 6-1; Rutgers wins, 42-0

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