No longer will F&M wrestling be checked
off as “an easy win” on the schedules of its opponents. No longer will the
Diplomats settle for being able to count their wins on one hand.
For the first time in several years, F&M
wrestling is off to a winning start. As Davidson prepared for the start of the match,
many of the wrestlers were smiling, joking around with one another. A
surprising number of Wildcat fans made the trip to Lancaster, but both they and
their wrestlers left the building with their tails between their legs, bearing
somber and defeated expressions.
In what Assistant Coach Matt Greenberg
described as “a total team effort,” the Diplomats squeaked by Davidson 20-16, riding
out an early five-bout win streak.
Sophomore Robert Ruiz took care of business at
133-pounds, capturing a major decision over Davdison’s Anthony Elias, putting
F&M ahead 4-3. Nationally ranked Richard Durso dominated at the 141-pound
spot, recording the only pin of the night, and supplementing an additional six
points to F&M’s total. Andrew
Murano and Rob King picked up decision victories at 149 and 165-pounds, respectively, while
senior Eric Norgard secured a crucial major decision victory over Nathaniel
Powers.
The win snaps a four match losing streak in the series against the Wildcats but more importantly, marks the first time this season the team has wrestled
top-to-bottom as a full squad.
“We were greedy and unselfish at the same
time,” said Greenberg. “Guys earned bonus points where they were available and
held them from bonus points when they [Davidson] were expecting them. We asked
a lot of our entire team Friday. Guys did not know where or when they were
going to wrestle, but they were still ready when called upon to perform. We had
some injuries and even those guys stepped up big.”
Under
the tutelage of Coaches Rogers and Greenberg, F&M has never beat Davidson
until now, and the Wildcats were certainly bewildered after seeing a 4-9 team
transform itself into a 4-2 team in just two short years.
“We didn’t see them last year but I would have
to say we were looking forward to wrestling them again and knew this year was
as good a time as any for us to step up and show them things are different in
Lancaster nowadays,” Greenberg said.
And show them they did. Coach Greenberg credits
much of Friday’s win to Coach Mike Rogers’ strategizing and preparing to face
the Wildcats.
“Coach Rogers is the best coach I have ever
seen when it comes to match preparation,” Greenberg said. “We sat down and came
up with different strategies depending on all the different scenarios
match-by-match as to who would wrestle and what we needed from them. A lot of
the credit off the mats goes to Rogers and his preparation.”
F&M
will hit the mats again next weekend, as the team makes the short trip to
Millersville University for the Mid Penn Duals, beginning Saturday Jan. 19, and
concluding on Sunday.
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