Jan. 13, 2012

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Winning nine of the 10 bouts, including four by fall, the Navy wrestling team dealt East Stroudsburg a crushing 43-6 loss Friday evening at Koehler Fieldhouse in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Navy, who evened its dual record at 3-3, has won all 15 matches against the Warriors.

The 37-point victory marked the largest margin of victory by the Midshipmen since defeating Rutgers, 42-0, on Dec. 1, 2006, while the 43 points scored by Navy were the most since cruising to a 48-0 victory over Delaware State on Feb. 12, 2005. The 37-point margin of victory, however, is not the largest margin of victory in the series, as Navy posted a 41-3 (38 point) win against the Warriors on Dec. 8, 2001.

"Everybody looked pretty strong tonight and I was happy to see some of the guys who have been out this season with injuries able to get back onto the mat tonight and wrestle," said Navy head coach Bruce Burnett

The match opened with three-straight pins, including two by the Midshipmen. After reinjuring his knee right before the holiday break, senior 125-pound Tyler Sackett (Omaha, Neb.) returned to action on Friday evening where he wasted little time in in picking up his second win of the season in what marked just his fourth bout of the year. Sackett pinned rookie Zach Jones at 1:03 in the match to give the Mids a 6-0 lead.

Navy doubled up its lead in the following match when senior team captain Aaron Kalil (Salem, N.H.) won by fall over East Stroudsburg frosh Chris Davis at 1:10. For Kalil, it was his 87th-career win which put him in a three-way tie for 21st on the Mids' all-time career wins list alongside Justin Woodruff (1997-00) and Brett Bourne (1988-91).

The Warriors sliced Navy's lead in half when Adam Hluschak, who was ranked fourth in Div. III a week ago, was able to get Navy senior 141-pound Dustin Haislip (Inwood, W.Va.) on his back for a pin at 2:31. Haislip has also been haunted by injuries this season, making his first appearance of the year on Friday evening at Koehler Fieldhouse.

"Dustin was wrestling pretty well when he made a mistake and got himself out of position and into a cement job," added Burnett. "This is the first match he's wrestled all year. Things happen in the sport of wrestling, but I have confidence in him that he'll learn from it and will be just fine."

Navy, though, would push its lead back to 12 when rookie Peyton Walsh (Glen Allen, Va.) was awarded the victory by an East Stroudsburg forfeit at 149 pounds. It would be the first of seven-consecutive victories by the Midshipmen.

Fresh off his huge upset over Oklahoma's Matt Lester a week ago, junior 157-pound Bobby Barnhisel (River Forest, Ill.) had to scrap for his win over ESU's Braden Turner. Barnhisel, who is now 8-7 on the year, edged the redshirt sophomore, 6-4.

Making his first appearance since the season-opening Eastern Michigan Open, senior Mike Brant (Johnstown, Pa.) returned to the mat Friday evening at 165 pounds where he dealt ESU senior Thad Frick an 8-2 loss. Like Sackett and Haislip, Brant has been limited this season battling injuries. Now 3-2 on the year, Brant earned his first dual victory in what was his first dual appearance.

At 174 pounds, Navy junior Oscar Huntley (Stafford, Va.) claimed his fifth dual victory of the year by taking a major decision over the Warriors' Tony Vorndran, 12-2. Ironically, four of Huntley's five dual victories this season have come by way of major decision.

Navy won its next two matches via fall, as 13th-ranked Luke Rebertus (Gloucester, Va.) pinned winless Will Esposito at 2:02 and newcomer Paul Rands (Cary, Ill.) picked up his third win by fall this season at 2:23 against Zachary Koller. Rebertus, who is now 4-2 on the year in duals, pushed his career record to 91-32 which puts him in a three-way tie for 15th on the Mids' all-time wins list along the late Doug Zembiec (1992-95) and Sam Gray (2002-05).

In the final bout of the night, Navy junior heavyweight Dan Miller (Berlin, Md.) rebounded from his tough loss a week to earn an 8-1 victory over redshirt junior Joe Blaes to give the Mids a 43-6 win.

The Midshipmen will be back in action Saturday evening when they travel to Bethlehem, Pa. for a 7:00 pm match against 15th-ranked Lehigh. The Mids upset the then 12th-ranked Mountain Hawks in Annapolis a year ago with behind a 19-15 victory.

"Tomorrow night's match is a big one for us," said Burnett. "We need each and every Navy wrestler to bring his best to the mat."


Navy 43, East Stroudsburg 6
125 - Tyler Sackett (N) pinned Zach Jones, 1:03
133 - #19 Aaron Kalil (N) pinned Chris Davis, 1:10
141 - Adam Hluschak (ESU) pinned Dustin Haislip, 2:31
149 - Peyton Walsh (N) wins by forfeit
157 - Bobby Barnhisel (N) dec. Braden Turner, 6-4
165 - Mike Brant (N) dec. Thad Frick, 8-2
174 - Oscar Huntley (N) maj. dec. Tony Vorndran, 12-2
184 - #13 Luke Rebertus (N) pinned Will Esposito, 2:02
197 - Paul Rands (N) pinned Zachary Koller, 2:23
285 - Dan Miller (N) dec. Joe Blaes, 8-1

### Go Navy ###