Photo by: Tim Cowie/DavidsonPhotos.com
'Cats Return to Belk for SoCon Showdown With Bellarmine
2/1/2024 4:45:00 PM | Wrestling
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Davidson wrestling team welcomes the Bellarmine Knights into Belk Arena for a Southern Conference dual on Friday night.
Match Information
Date | Time: Feb. 2, 2024 | 7 p.m.
Location: Davidson, N.C.
Site: Belk Arena
Live Results: TrackWrestling
Watch: FloWrestling
History
Last Meeting: L, 27-12 (1/15/23)
All-Time Series: Davidson leads 2-1
'CATS ON THE COME UP
A plethora of Wildcats are coming off solid performances last week and take that momentum into tomorrow night's SoCon dual.
Freshmen Tyler-Xavier McKnight and Dylan Smith went a combined 8-2 at last week's Appalachian Open after both took third place in their respective weight classes. McKnight (149) has piled up 18 wins entering the month of February and recorded his first collegiate pin last weekend. Smith (197) returned to the mat for the first time since November and went 3-1 with two major decisions and a tech fall. Fellow first-year man Wyatt Ferguson won his 184-pound bout against Chattanooga, marking his third straight victory, and now sits 2-0 in SoCon dual action.
Sophomore Tanner Peake also benefited from a solid performance in Boone by winning three of his four matches to earn a third-place finish. After a five-match skid, Peake moved his overall record to 10-14 behind two tech falls and a major decision in the third-place match. The Flemington, N.J., native has wrestled in numerous close matches this season with six of his 24 bouts going to extra time, easily a team high.
Davidson also got a much-anticipated return from senior captain Jaden Hardrick. Hardrick, who won 13 matches last season, wrestled for the first time since last March and took fourth place at 174 pounds at the Appalachian Open. The Dayton, Ohio, product is likely to make his 2024 dual debut at 174 tomorrow night.
Also coming off victories are fellow seniors Bryce Sanderlin (165) and Jake Fernicola (heavyweight). Sanderlin stormed back from an early takedown to win 11-5 over Chattanooga and moved his overall record to 6-3. He is also 5-1 in duals. Fernicola racked up 13 points in a 13-2 major decision for his sixth win of the year.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
Bellarmine enters with an unblemished 12-0 overall record and a perfect 2-0 mark in Southern Conference duals. The Knights defeated Presbyterian 40-9 on Jan. 19 and most recently beat Gardner-Webb 23-15 last Sunday.
Last season, Bellarmine came into the Duke Family Performance Hall and took down the Wildcats 27-12. The Knights took six bouts, two by fall, one by tech fall, and one by major decision to build an early lead and hang on after the 'Cats ended with three wins.
The Knights are led by Zac Cowan (149), Grant O'Dell (165), Cole Nance (174), and Thadd Huff (heavyweight) who each have at least 20 wins on the year. Cowan, Huff, as well Trayce Eckman, all earned wins over Davidson in last year's dual and return for Friday night's clash.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Davidson
125 – Enis Ljikovic
133 – John Hager or Hale Robinson
141 – Joshua Viarengo
149 – Tyler-Xavier McKnight
157 – Tanner Peake
165 – Bryce Sanderlin
174 – Jaden Hardrick or Brett Sanderlin
184 – Wyatt Ferguson
197 – Cameo Blankenship or Dylan Smith
HWT – Jake Fernicola
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will compete on the road at Gardner-Webb next Friday (Feb. 9) at 7 p.m.
Match Information
Date | Time: Feb. 2, 2024 | 7 p.m.
Location: Davidson, N.C.
Site: Belk Arena
Live Results: TrackWrestling
Watch: FloWrestling
History
Last Meeting: L, 27-12 (1/15/23)
All-Time Series: Davidson leads 2-1
'CATS ON THE COME UP
A plethora of Wildcats are coming off solid performances last week and take that momentum into tomorrow night's SoCon dual.
Freshmen Tyler-Xavier McKnight and Dylan Smith went a combined 8-2 at last week's Appalachian Open after both took third place in their respective weight classes. McKnight (149) has piled up 18 wins entering the month of February and recorded his first collegiate pin last weekend. Smith (197) returned to the mat for the first time since November and went 3-1 with two major decisions and a tech fall. Fellow first-year man Wyatt Ferguson won his 184-pound bout against Chattanooga, marking his third straight victory, and now sits 2-0 in SoCon dual action.
Sophomore Tanner Peake also benefited from a solid performance in Boone by winning three of his four matches to earn a third-place finish. After a five-match skid, Peake moved his overall record to 10-14 behind two tech falls and a major decision in the third-place match. The Flemington, N.J., native has wrestled in numerous close matches this season with six of his 24 bouts going to extra time, easily a team high.
Davidson also got a much-anticipated return from senior captain Jaden Hardrick. Hardrick, who won 13 matches last season, wrestled for the first time since last March and took fourth place at 174 pounds at the Appalachian Open. The Dayton, Ohio, product is likely to make his 2024 dual debut at 174 tomorrow night.
Also coming off victories are fellow seniors Bryce Sanderlin (165) and Jake Fernicola (heavyweight). Sanderlin stormed back from an early takedown to win 11-5 over Chattanooga and moved his overall record to 6-3. He is also 5-1 in duals. Fernicola racked up 13 points in a 13-2 major decision for his sixth win of the year.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
Bellarmine enters with an unblemished 12-0 overall record and a perfect 2-0 mark in Southern Conference duals. The Knights defeated Presbyterian 40-9 on Jan. 19 and most recently beat Gardner-Webb 23-15 last Sunday.
Last season, Bellarmine came into the Duke Family Performance Hall and took down the Wildcats 27-12. The Knights took six bouts, two by fall, one by tech fall, and one by major decision to build an early lead and hang on after the 'Cats ended with three wins.
The Knights are led by Zac Cowan (149), Grant O'Dell (165), Cole Nance (174), and Thadd Huff (heavyweight) who each have at least 20 wins on the year. Cowan, Huff, as well Trayce Eckman, all earned wins over Davidson in last year's dual and return for Friday night's clash.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Davidson
125 – Enis Ljikovic
133 – John Hager or Hale Robinson
141 – Joshua Viarengo
149 – Tyler-Xavier McKnight
157 – Tanner Peake
165 – Bryce Sanderlin
174 – Jaden Hardrick or Brett Sanderlin
184 – Wyatt Ferguson
197 – Cameo Blankenship or Dylan Smith
HWT – Jake Fernicola
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will compete on the road at Gardner-Webb next Friday (Feb. 9) at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
184
/ Wrestling
184
/ Wrestling
285
/ Wrestling
125/133
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
149
/ Wrestling
157
/ Wrestling
125
/ Wrestling
174
/ Wrestling
165
/ Wrestling
184/197
/ Wrestling
141
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