
Wrestling Falls to Navy in Annual Star Match
February 19, 2023 | Wrestling
WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point wresting team fell to the Navy Midshipmen in the Annual Star Match. Army's Dalton Harkins, Ben Pasiuk, Ethan Berginc, and Trae McDaniel each put points on the board for the Black Knights.
Christl Arena, firsties Sahm Abdulrazzaq, Christian Hunt, and Paul Robinson were honored prior to competition, as a part of the senior day festivities.
How it Happened
In an electric Christl Arena sophomore Dalton Harkins kicked things off for Army. Harkins faced Val Park in the 165-weight class. In the first period, Harkins scored first with a with a takedown, taking a 3-0 lead. In the second period, Park got on the board with an escape making it a 3-1 match. Harkins held off Park, defeating him with a 3-1 decision.
Dalton Harkins ????
— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 19, 2023
?? https://t.co/PVgZMkjBWy#GoArmy @EIWAwrestling @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/CnjpUrVx8a
In the 174-class # 15 (in the country) Ben Pasiuk faced off against Navy's Sammy Starr. Pasiuk came out firing in the first period earning two points with a takedown with two minutes left in the first period. Pasiuk extended his lead to 4-1 after earning another takedown. With an escape in the second period, Pasiuk took a solid 5-1 lead. Entering the third period, Pasiuk had a 7-1 lead. With 1:25 on the clock Starr made it a 7-3 match after earning two points with a reversal. Pasiuk had an 8-3 lead after earning an escape. Staying in the match, Starr earned a takedown making it an 8-5 match. Pasiuk held off Starr, beating him by an 8-5 decision.
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— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 19, 2023
?? https://t.co/Yh0IG2ledM#GoArmy @EIWAwrestling @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/z2jzvr75Rn
With Pasiuk's win, Army took an early 6-0 lead.
Senior Sahm Abdulrazzaq competed next in the 184-weight class, facing off against David Key. After a scoreless first period, Abdulrazzaq got on the board first in the second period, in the second period. Key took a 2-1 lead with an escape. Abdulrazzaq tied everything up with an escape. Key defeated Abdulrazzaq by a 3-2 decision. In the 197-class, Kyle Swartz competed against competed against senior #24 Jacob Koser. Swartz fell to Koser by a decision (5-0). With a win in the 197-class, Navy tied everything up. In the heavy weight, freshman Austin Kohlhofer faced Grady Griess. Griess defeated Kohlhofer with a 4-0 decision. With Griess's win, the Midshipmen took a 9-6 lead.
#14 Ethan Berginc competed against Navy's Grant Treaster. With 1:40 on the clock in the first period, Berginc scored first taking a 2-0 lead with a takedown. Berginc extended his lead with another takedown with 24 seconds left in the second period. Continuing to dominate the mat, Berginc had another takedown taking a 7-1 lead. With 34 seconds left in the match Berginc took an 11-4 lead with a takedown. With riding time secured, Berginc defeated Treaster with a 12-4 major decision, giving the Black Knights a 10-9 lead.
Ethan Berginc's on ??
— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 19, 2023
?? https://t.co/Yh0IG2ledM#GoArmy @EIWAwrestling @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/6R4EOXV16T
In the 133-weight class, Rich Treanor faced off against #30 Brendan Ferretti. Treanor got on the board first with a takedown. Ferretti responded immediately tying everything up after earning two points from a reversal. Treanor took the lead after earning a point of an escape. In the third period, Ferretti tied everything at 3-3 with an escape. Ferretti defeated Treanor with a 7-3 decision. In the 141-class Army's Julian Sanchez competed against Josh Koderhandt. After a scoreless first period, Sancez got on the board first after earning an escape. In the final seconds of the second period, Koderhandt took a 2-1 lead with a takedown. Koderhandt defeated Sanchez by a decision (4-1).
#33 Trae McDaniel competed against Navy's Kaemen Smith. Immediately in the first period, McDaniel got on the board with a takedownn making it a 2-0 match.
Trae McDaniel coming out ??
— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 19, 2023
?? https://t.co/Yh0IG2ledM#GoArmy @EIWAwrestling @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/OAffe5rGAr
Army took a 4-1 lead after McDaniel had a takedown, earning two more points. With 27 seconds left in the second period, McDaniel added two more points with a takedown. With seven seconds left in the match, McDaniel accumulated another two points with a reversal. With riding time, McDaniel defeated Smith by a 9-4 decision.
Wrapping up the afternoon, Junior Nate Lukez competed against # 30 Andrew Cerniglia in the 157-class. With 1:26 minutes left in the second period, Lukez struck first to get on the board after earning one point with an escape. With 1:07 on the clock, Lukez escaped a takedown attempt by Cerniglia.
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— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 20, 2023
Take a look at Lukez escaping a takedown and energizing the crowd!#GoArmy @EIWAwrestling @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/VihnpRCWiw
In a highly contested match, Lukez and Cerniglia were tied at 1-1. Cerniglia took a 3-1 lead with a takedown with 30 seconds left in the match. Andrew Cerniglia bested Lukez by a decision (7-2).
RESULTS
165: Dalton Harkins (Army) dec. Val Park (Navy) 3-1
174: Ben Pasiuk (Army) dec. Sammy Starr (Navy) 8-5
184: David Key (Navy) dec. Sahm Abdulrazzaq (Army) 3-2
197: Jacob Koser (Navy) dec. Kyle Swartz (Army) 5-0
285: Grady Griess (Navy) dec. Austin Kohlhofer (Army) 4-0
125: Ethan Berginc (Army) major dec. Grant Treaster (Navy) 12-4
133: Brendan Ferretti (Navy) dec. Rich Treanor (Army) 7-3
141: Josh Koderhandt (Navy) dec. Julian Sanchez (Army) 4-1
149: Trae McDaniel (Army) dec. Kaemen Smith (Navy) 9-4
157: Andrew Cerniglia (Navy) dec. Nate Lukez (Army) 7-2
Coach's Corner
??? @CoachKWard on today's Star Match dual vs. Navy.#GoArmy #BHAW pic.twitter.com/gsdIt4Rgzq
— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 19, 2023
Cadet's Corner
??? "It was a lot of fun. We had the crowd behind us,our teammates behind us and all the work we've put in behind us."#GoArmy #BHAW pic.twitter.com/8o6fNOkgYt
— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 19, 2023
??? Plebe Trae McDaniel on today' Star Match. #GoArmy #BHAW pic.twitter.com/zoCYEHdOOV
— Army Wrestling (@ArmyWP_Wres) February 19, 2023
Up Next
The Black Knights will have a week off to prepare for the EIWA Championships, which are set for Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5 at Penn.
Follow Along
For complete coverage of Army West Point Wrestling, follow the Black Knights on Twitter and Instagram at @ArmyWP_Wres and online at www.goarmywestpoint.com