WRESTLING vs. Cleveland State

WHEN:  Sunday, Jan. 15 | 2 p.m.                                         
WHERE:  Recreation and Athletic Complex | Fairfax, Va.
LIVE STATS:  Click Here FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots return to the mat in Eastern Wrestling League conference action on Sunday, Jan. 15, facing Cleveland State at 2 p.m. at the Recreation and Athletic Complex in Fairfax, Va.
 
Mason (4-7, 1-1 EWL) has won three straight duals, all on the road.  The Patriots defeated Davidson 30-6 on Jan. 6 in Davidson, N.C., then downed SIU Edwardsville 21-15 and earned a 26-18 win over VMI on Jan. 7 in Lexington, Va.

"It was fun to watch them come together as a team," Mason head coach Joe Russell said.  "You could see them wrestling for more than themselves, they were wrestling for each other.  Our match against SIU Edwardsville was probably the best we've wrestled as a group all year.  The guys were wrestling with excitement, being aggressive and trying to score points."

The Patriots have stormed out to big match score leads in each of their last three matches. 

Mason won the first four bouts against Davidson to take an 18-0 lead, won the first five bouts against SIUE for an 18-0 advantage and earned victories in the first four matches against VMI to build a 20-0 lead.

"That's kind of unique," Russell said of building big leads.  "Ibrahim is a great spark plug for the team starting us out at 125-pounds.  You have that huge lead, which is exciting.  It was a good weekend as far as the team coming together and that's something that down the road is going to help us a ton."

Junior Ibrahim Bunduka (10-0) remained unbeaten at 125-pounds after recording three wins last weekend, including a 21-15 decision over SIUE senior Freddy Rodriguez.   

Senior Sahid Kargbo (19-1) also added three victories to his resume last weekend, including his eighth major decision and second technical fall of the season.

"Ibrahim and Sahid keep showing the country that they deserve to be up there with the best," Russell said.  "As they keep winning week in and week out, they are going to start getting that recognition."

With the dual between the Patriots and Keydets going down to the final match of the day, sophomore Matthew Voss (11-9) secured Mason's win over VMI with his third pin of the season at heavyweight.

"You want a guy who's a closer like that," said Russell.  "He wants the dual meet to come down to him.  He likes that pressure and he's thrived pretty well in it.  We are confident when he's out there that he can get the job done." 

Freshman Lio Quezada (10-13) and sophomores Tejon Anthony (13-7) and Austin Harrison (2-6) also picked up two wins a week ago.   

Mason also won three straight duals last season, defeating Clarion, Grand Canyon University and Davidson Dec. 13-21, 2015.

The Patriots are looking for their first four-match winning streak since the 2007-'08 season, when Mason won four duals in a row twice during the year.

The matchup against the Vikings is the third of six Eastern Wrestling League contests for the Patriots.  Mason is 1-1 against conference opponents this season, with a 24-18 win Dec. 3 at Bloomsburg and a 25-10 loss Dec. 4 at Lock Haven.

"These matches matter, especially for seeding in the conference tournament and that's how we qualify for the nationals," Russell said.  "These are important duals.  You know it's going to position you in a better place in the bracket to get to that national tournament."

Mason fell to Cleveland State 21-16 last season in Cleveland, Ohio.  Patrick Davis, Greg Flournoy, Vince Rodriguez, Bunduka and Anthony each notched victories against the Vikings in the loss.

Mason Probable Starters:

125: R-Jr. Ibrahim Bunduka (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) 10-0
133: Fr. Lio Quezada (Winchester, Va./John Handley) 10-13
141: R-So. Tejon Anthony (Baltimore, Md./Western Tech) 13-7
- or -  Fr. Logan Harvich (Chesapeake, Va./Cape Henry Collegiate) 4-6
149: R-Sr. Sahid Kargbo (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield) 19-1
157: R-Fr. Matthew Raines (Warrenton, Va./Fauquier) 7-11
165  Jr. Daniel Mika (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) 4-8
174  R-Sr. Patrick Davis (Bridgeville, Del./N.C. State) 9-8
184: R-So. Austin Harrison (Baltimore, Md./Western Tech) 2-6
- or - Sr. Andrew Thomas (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) 0-6
197: R-Sr. Matt Meadows (Medina, Ohio/Cuyohoga Valley Christian Academy) 2-9
HWT: R-So. Matthew Voss (Edgewood, WA/Puyallup) 11-9

Scouting Cleveland State:

The Vikings (1-4, 0-0 EWL) earned their lone win of the season on Nov. 11 with a 31-9 victory at John Carroll in their first dual of the season.  Since then, Cleveland State has lost its last four duals.  The Vikings fell at Kent State 40-3 and suffered a 52-0 loss to then No. 4 Ohio State on Nov. 22.  

In their last two dual matches, the Vikings were defeated at Eastern Michigan 38-12 and then were dealt a 46-6 setback against Indiana on Dec. 11 in Ypsilanti, Mich.

All five of Cleveland State's duals have been on the road this season and the Vikings won't wrestle at home until Jan. 26 against Lock Haven.

Vikings senior Nick Montgomery finished eighth at 149-pounds at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn.  He was the only unseeded wrestler to place in his weight class in the tournament.

Cleveland State Probable Starters:
125: Fr. Spencer Dusi (Willoughby, Ohio/South) 7-11
 -or- R-Jr. John Martin (Buckland, Ohio/Wapakoneta) 4-10
133: Fr. Spencer Dusi (Willoughby, Ohio) 7-11
 -or- R-Jr. John Martin (Buckland, Ohio/Wapakoneta) 4-10
141: So. Evan Cheek (Milan, Ohio/Milan Edison) 15-7
149: R-Sr. R.J. LaBeef (Pomfret, Conn./Pomfret Prep) 7-8
 -or- Sr. Nick Montgomery (Madison, Ohio/Madison) 7-8
157: R-Fr. Ryan Montgomery (Madison, Ohio/Madison) 2-2
 -or- R-Fr. Grant Turnmire (Almont, Mich./Almont) 2-4
165: So. John Vaughn (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) 8-12
174: Fr. Devon Pingel (Lapeer, Mich./Lapeer) 12-8
184: R-Jr. Nick Cobra (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beaver Creek) 11-5
197: Fr. Collin Kelly (Mogadore, Ohio/Mogadore) 3-13
HWT: Fr. Michael Furbee (Shadyside, Ohio/St. Clairsville) 1-9