LEXINGTON, Va. – The Franklin & Marshall wrestling team headed to Virginia for a busy day of action. The Diplomats wrestled in a tri-meet, dropping a pair of bouts against Southern Conference foe Virginia Military Institute (VMI), 24-15, and ACC opponent Duke, 19-18. While the duals were going on, several Diplomats additionally competed at George Mason's Patriot Open.
Mason Leiphart (125 lbs.), Gio Diaz (133 lbs.), and John Crawford (197 lbs.) all posted 2-0 records during the duals against VMI and Duke to lead Franklin & Marshall's efforts. Josh Hillard highlighted F&M's day at the Patriot Open with a sixth-place finish.
VMI 24, Franklin & Marshall 15
Starting both duals at 141 lbs., Pat Phillips bumped up from his usual weight and got the Diplomats on the board first with a 9-2 decision against Frederick Junko of VMI. Despite the strong start, the Keydets quickly reversed that momentum with five straight victories to take a 21-3 lead. Crawford finally stopped that momentum at 197 lbs. when he secured a late takedown in the first period and had a pair of reversals in the second to key a 6-3 decision against Tyler Mousaw who is a former SoCon runner-up who has been nationally ranked at multiple points of his career.
Crawford's huge win helped the Diplomats close the dual by winning three of the final four bouts as the Keydets forfeited to Mason Leiphart before Gio Diaz capped the dual with a 7-5 victory. Diaz scored the only two takedowns of that match and was able to escape shortly after he was twice reversed. The Diplomats continued their late momentum as Aidan O'Shea secured an 11-0 major decision versus VMI's Nate Shippey in an extra match following the dual.
Duke 19, Franklin & Marshall 18
The Blue Devils jumped out to the early lead with an overtime win and a 4-0 decision to pick up six key team points. Nick Alvarez got the Diplomats on the board in the ensuing match as he used a big second period rideout that proved to be the difference as both wrestlers scored two takedowns and had two escapes. The teams alternated wins during the next four bouts, with Noah Fox (174 lbs.) and Crawford (197 lbs.) securing tight decisions.
Fox defeated Duke's Conor Becker for the second time in two weeks with a late takedown in his 3-1 match after previously defeating the Blue Devil at the Keystone Classic. Riding time also proved to be the difference in Crawford's second win of the day as he had the only takedown but was called for locked hands when his opponent took down to start the second.
A major decision from Duke's nationally-ranked heavyweight put the Diplomats down by 10 with two matches to go. A second forfeit was awarded to Leiphart, bringing the F&M team deficit down to four. Gio Diaz kept his undefeated day going with a 7-5 victory that closed the dual in a 19-18 team score.
George Mason Patriot Open
Josh Hillard had racked up bonus points all afternoon en route to his sixth-place finish. All four of Hillard's victories came by bonus points, including needing just 23 seconds to clamp down on George Mason's Sebastian Santillo. Hillard finished with three falls before punching his ticket to the medal round with a 12-2 major decision against Davidson's Noah Burstein. Also wrestling at 133 lbs. was teammate Brandon Sauter who had a 29 second pin against George Mason's Patrick Schellpfeffer before his tournament came to a close when he matched up with Hillard in the consolation rounds.
Bryce Kresho had another strong tournament for the Diplomats as he defeated a pair of opponents for the SoCon, securing a 3-2 victory against Tyler Lamon of Gardner-Webb before an injury default victory against Appalachian State's Heath Gonyer. Gonyer was a Southern Conference runner-up for the Mountaineers a season ago. Franklin & Marshall also picked up a pair of victories at 165 lbs. from both of its entrants. Makoa Niebel recorded his first collegiate victory with a 7-4 win against EIWA foe Chimenum Tasie-Arnadi of Columbia before running into Chris Hisey during the next round. In that matchup, Hisey picked up the first pin of his collegiate career.
Up Next
Wrestling will return to dual action this coming Wednesday when the Diplomats make the trip to Ursinus for a 7 p.m. start in Collegeville. That will be the final dual of the 2022 calendar year before the F&M closes out the year at the Wilkes Invitational (Dec. 22) and Midlands Championships (Dec. 29-30).
Virginia Military Institute 24, Franklin & Marshall 15
141: Pat Phillips (F&M) dec. Frederick Junko (VMI); 9-2 (F&M 3-0)
149: Ryan Vigil (VMI) dec. Avery Clarke (F&M); 6-1 (Tied 3-3)
157: Job Chishko (VMI) maj. Anthony Micci (F&M); 10-1 (VMI 7-3)
165: Braxton Lewis (VMI) TF RJ Moore (F&M); 6:49 (20-4) (VMI 12-3)
174: Jon Hoover (VMI) dec. Noah Fox (F&M); 3-2 (VMI 15-3)
184: Zach Brown (VMI) FALL James Conway (F&M); 2:50 (VMI 21-3)
197: John Crawford (F&M) dec. Tyler Mousaw (VMI); 6-3 (VMI 21-6)
285: Josh Evans (VMI) dec. Chase Thompson (F&M); 4-0 (VMI 24-6)
125: Mason Leiphart (F&M) won by forfeit (VMI 24-12)
133: Gio Diaz (F&M) dec. Dyson Dunham (VMI) (Dec 7-5) (VMI 24-15)
133 (extra): Aidan O'Shea (F&M) maj. Nate Shippey (VMI); 11-0
Duke 19, Franklin & Marshall 18
141: Jarred Papcsy (Duke) dec. Pat Phillips (F&M); 3-1 (OT) (Duke 3-0)
149: Logan Ferrero (Duke) dec. Avery Clarke (F&M); 4-0 (Duke 6-0)
157: Nick Alvarez (F&M) dec. Nick Tattini (Duke); 7-6 (Duke 6-3)
165: Gaetano Console (Duke) WBF RJ Moore (F&M); F: 1:17 (Duke 12-3)
174: Noah Fox (F&M) dec. Conor Becker (Duke); 3-1 (Duke 12-6)
184: Luke Chakonis (Duke) dec. James Conway (F&M); 4-1 (Duke 15-6)
197: John Crawford (F&M) dec. Jack Wimmer (Duke); 4-3 (Duke 15-9)
285: #21 Jonah Niesenbaum (Duke) maj. Chase Thompson (F&M); 13-2 (Duke 19-9)
125: Mason Leiphart (F&M) won by forfeit (Duke 19-15)
133: Gio Diaz (F&M) dec. Drake Doolittle (Duke); 6-3
149 (extra): Patrick Rowland (Duke) maj. Hunter Hockensmith (F&M); 10-2
George Mason Patriot Open Results
Josh Hillard – 133 lbs. (Sixth Place)
Round of 32: Bye
Round of 16: Lost vs. Brandon Wittenberg (Virginia Tech); 4-1
Consolation of 16 #2: Won vs. Jackson Sichelstiel (Davidson); F: 6:40
Consolation of 8 #1: Won vs. Sebastian Santillo (George Mason); F 0:23
Consolation of 8 #2: Won vs. Brandon Sauter (F&M); F: 3:24
Consolation Semifinals: Won vs. Noah Burstein (Davidson); 12-2
Fifth Place: Lost vs. Josh Jones (George Mason); 8-4
Brandon Sauter – 133 lbs.
Round of 32: Bye
Round of 16: Won vs. Patrick Schellpfeffer (George Mason); F: 0:29
Quarterfinals: Lost vs. Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb); TF: 4:20 (18-1)
Consolation of 8 #2: Lost vs. Josh Hillard (F&M); F: 3:24
Bryce Kresho – 141 lbs.
Round of 32: Won vs. Tyler Lamon (Gardner-Webb); 3-2
Round of 16: Won vs. Heath Gonyer (Appalachian State); INJ DEF (5:00)
Quarterfinals: Lost vs. Luke Roberts (Unattached); 10-5
Consolation of 8 #2: Won vs. Zack Zeamer (Lock Haven); 9-3
Consolation Semifinals: Lost vs. Dominic Hargrove (George Mason); 4-1
Chris Hisey – 165 lbs.
Round of 32: Bye
Round of 16: Lost vs. Oren Bost (Appalachian State); F: 6:39
Consolation of 16 #2: Bye
Consolation of 8 #1: Won vs. Makoa Niebel (F&M); F: 2:03
Consolation of 8 #2: Lost vs. Ty Finn (Virginia Tech); TF: 4:53 (20-2)
Makoa Niebel – 165 lbs.
Round of 32: Lost vs. Nate Stephenson (Davidson); 9-1
Consolation of 16 #1: Bye
Consolation of 16 #2: Won vs. Chimenum Tasie-Arnadi (Columbia); 7-4
Consolation of 8 #1: Los vs. Chris Hisey (F&M); F: 2:03
Noah Bash – 174 lbs.
Round of 32: Bye
Round of 16: Lost vs. Michael Wilson (Rider); 12-1
Consolation of 16 #2: Bye
Consolation of 8 #1: Bye
Consolation of 8 #2: Lost vs. Zander Manuel (Navy); 11-4
Harrison Shapiro – 197 lbs.
Round of 32: Bye
Round of 16: Lost Khris Walton (Newberry); 5-2
Consolation of 16 #2: Bye
Consolation of 8 #1: Lost vs. Travis Fridley (VMI); 6-4
