Wrestling blanks Plymouth State with five wins by fall
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College wrestling team accomplished a rare wrestling feat, winning a 54-0 shutout victory over Plymouth State University on Sunday, February 18.
Liam Pritchard-Holland opened the festivities at 125 against Cam McMahon, and it was quick work in the second period as he was able to pin McMahon to score six for the Yellow Jackets. Joseph Aldrich followed at 133, and he did not even get to the first intermission, pinning Nick Savariego at 1:43.
After Aaron Morocho and Luke Mangiafico accepted forfeits at 141 and 149 to push AIC ahead 24-0, Kyrie Williams battled Ricky Perez at 157. Though Perez was slippery, escaping from three takedowns in the first, Williams' fourth takedown came close to winning the bout, as he nearly secured a pin at the last moment. The four nearfall points put him in position to quickly end the bout in the second, and AIC's veteran middleweight chose neutral. It took him 20 seconds to garner a final takedown and earn a 19-3 technical fall win.
Alfred MacNeill only needed to not be pinned to secure the team win for AIC, but he went all the way the other way in his battle with Evan Kramich at 165, pinning the senior at the 2:18 mark to officially give the Yellow Jackets the victory by making the score 35-0.
That set the stage for arguably the best bout of the day, the 174-pound match between Jack MacKiernan and Ty Miller. The action was furious in the first, with a strong move by Miller to garner a takedown and a brilliant reversal by MacKiernan. Both wrestlers scored one more takedown in the frame, with MacKiernan earning an escape point as well. In the second, MacKiernan defered and Miller chose bottom. It was not a choice that went well for Miller as MacKiernan earned two minutes of riding time and a nearfall point. With his opponent exhausted, MacKiernan chose bottom for the third and nearly immediately escaped, taking Miller down and nearly pinning him. Adding on the riding time point at the end, MacKiernan earned the major decision 17-7.
Matt Bremner and Colin Hile had a challenge at 184 in terms of following up the previous bout's energy, but they delivered. Both were aggressive in attacking and defending in the first, which ended scoreless. Hile chose bottom to start the second and escaped, but Bremner was able to earn the bout's first takedown, and crucially kept Hile down through the remaining time to take a 3-1 lead into the third. He then chose bottom and earned an escape point. Not content with merely hanging on, he then went on the attack again, grabbing another takedown, and though Hile escaped with a few seconds left, Bremner earned the win, an 8-2 decision once the riding time point was tacked on.
Tommy Caracciolo and Carlos Barrios locked in for the 197-pound match, and the senior for AIC was up to the task, putting his opponent's shoulders to the mat with a tremendous move after a throw at the 1:44 mark. That left heavyweights Hayden Gaudette and Jon Picon Ruiz, but their bout was the shortest contested matchup of the day as "Bird" made his opponent fly through the air with a throw-and-pin just 20 seconds in to close out the 54-0 shutout win.
AIC has one matchup left before the NCAA Super Region I Championship, the Springfield College Futures Tournament on Saturday, February 24.