“I told [Billy] before he went out we need at least a major because I understood the criteria and where it would go,” said head coach Scott Goodale. “The biggest thing was getting on top and scoring early. He and Coach Leonardis go over that situation, [where he ties to] transition to a turk or leg and if he gets you on his back he’s pretty good. He’s an exciting wrestler because he scores points as a heavyweight. The crowd really enjoys him and good for them, because they got their money’s worth tonight.”
The Scarlet Knights jumped on the Lions (1-3, 0-2) early on, winning the first four bouts of the match. Redshirt freshman Sean McCabe (Connetquot, N.Y.) kicked things off with a 6-2 win at 125 pounds, allowing only a reversal as time expired. McCabe, wrestling in place of usual starter Scott DelVecchio (South Plainfield, N.J.) accrued 2:28 of riding time to improve his record to 3-1 in dual action, giving him a share of the team wins lead with 17.
Redshirt senior 133-pounder Vinnie Dellefave (Toms River, N.J.) followed McCabe up with a 4-1 victory over Angelo Armenta, scoring a takedown at the 0:56 mark of the third round to seal the win. Freshman 141-pounder Tyson Dippery (Harrisburg, Pa.) earned his first win over a ranked opponent, topping No. 13/NR/NR Matt Bystol, 3-0.
Following a commanding, 5-0 decision by sophomore Ken Theobold (Toms River, N.J.) over Connor Sutton at 149 pounds, the Lions shifted the momentum by taking the next five bouts. Freshman Corey Stasenko (South Plainfield, N.J.), wrestling up at 157 pounds from 141, fell behind 9-2 midway through the second period in a bout that looked like bonus points for Columbia. However the rookie battled back, closing the gap to 10-8 with 16 seconds left in the third period. Scheidel eventually took an 11-8 win over the freshman despite the furious comeback.
The next four bouts went to the Lions by decision, with sophomore 197-pounder Hayden Hrymack (Lincroft, N.J.) losing a heartbreaker to Matt Idelson courtesy of an Idelson reversal with four seconds remaining in the bout. The win made it 15-12 Columbia, giving the Lions their first lead of the match.
But Smith responded in a big way at heavyweight, giving RU the bonus points it needed to secure its third straight dual victory. Rutgers is now 35-17 all-time against Columbia and 4-0 in Goodale’s tenure.
The Scarlet Knights return to “The Barn” on Sunday, Jan. 5 to face another EIWA opponent in Harvard. The match, which will be broadcast live on RVision, presented by AT&T, begins at 1 p.m. and represents “Youth Recreation Day.”
RU will hold a pre-match clinic for club teams interested, which will begin at approximately 11 a.m. Harvard assistant coach J.P. O’Connor, a three-time All-American and 2010 NCAA Champion at 157 pounds, will assist with the clinic.
The squad will also hold a post-match poster autograph session for all. The first 100 kids in attendance will receive a complimentary Rutgers water bottle.
If interested in bringing your youth club out to the match to participate in the pre-match clinic, please contact the RU Ticket Office. The ticket rate for groups of 15 or more is $5 a ticket, as all ticket purchases must be done through the RU Ticket Office in order to ensure a spot at the clinics. To purchase tickets, please call 1-866-445-GORU (4678).
Results:
125: Sean McCabe (RU) dec. over Penn Gottfried (CU), 6-3
133: No. NR/NR/20 Vinnie Dellefave (RU) dec. over Angelo Armenta (CU), 4-1
141: Tyson Dippery (RU) dec. over No. 13/NR/NR Matt Bystol (CU), 3-0
149: Ken Theobold (RU) dec. over Connor Sutton (CU), 5-0
157: Matthew Gancayco (CU) dec. over Corey Stasenko (RU), 11-8
165: Josh Houldsworth (CU) dec. over Nick Visicaro (RU), 11-4
174: Shane Hughes (CU) dec. over Phil Bakuckas (RU), 7-2
184: Zack Hernandez (CU) dec. over Dan Seidenberg (RU), 3-1
197: Matt Idelson (CU) dec, over Hayden Hrymack (RU), 4-3
HWT: No. NR/ 19/19 Billy Smith (RU) pin over Wyatt Baker (CU), 1:20
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