(Photo: Ryan Darch)
Clarion drops to 1-11 overall and 1-3 in the EWL, while George Mason is now 7-5 overall and 2-0 in the EWL.
Clarion honored five seniors in pre-match ceremonies including Victor LiPari (Canonsburg), Sam Sherlock (West Mifflin), Kyle Braddock (Beaver Falls/Blackhawk), Sutherland and Darch in pre-match ceremonies.
Down 26-0, Clarion got on the board first at 174 when Pavasko defeated Ryan Forest 3-1. Pavasko scored a first period takedown and a second period escape and made it stand up for a 3-1 victory, raising his season record to 16-10.
Sutherland, a senior, came out at 184 and won his match 4-2 against Daniel Mika. Down 2-1 in the second, Sutherland used a single leg takedown to forge a 3-2 lead. An escape to start the third was all he needed in a 4-2 victory.
Darch, also a senior, wrestled a spirited match in taking a 5-3 win home in front of a cheering crowd. After no scoring in the first period, Darch hit a quick reversal to start the second and led 2-1 at the end of the period. Matt Meadows reversed Darch to take a 3-2 lead in the third, but Darch reversed back with about 45-seconds left and rode Meadows out to add a riding point and a 5-3 victory.
The Golden Eagles wrestled without the services of senior 141-pounder Sam Sherlock, 165-pounder Slade Horner and 285-pounder Evan Daley, starters who are out of the lineup with injuries. Senior Kyle Braddock lost his bout at 165 by fall at 3:45.
Hunter Jones lost a tough 4-2 bout to Ibrahim Bunduka at 125, and Brodie Zacherl from nearby Brookville, Pa., originally posted a 3-1 win over Konbeh Koroma at 149 – but George Mason coach Joe Russell challenged the no takedown call with only seconds left in regulation – and Koroma was awarded a match-tying takedown at the buzzer to then send the bout in to overtime. Koroma scored a takedown about 30-seconds into the overtime.
Clarion will next travel to Cleveland State on Jan. 30th at 7pm.
CLARION NOTES: Clarion also invited its All-Americans back to Tippin on Sunday – six were able to make the trip to Clarion to be honored at special halftime ceremony … Coming back were John Testa, James Fleming, Garry Barton, Bekzod Abdurakhmonov, Rob Sintobin and Tom Tomeo.
125- Hunter Jones (CL) Ibrahim Bunduka (GM) dec. Hunter Jones (CL) 4-2
133- Vince Rodriguez (GM) forfeit
141- Sahid Kargbo (GM) maj. Dec. John Pezze (CL) 12-3
149- Konbeh Koroma (GM) dec. Brodie Zacherl (CL) 5-3 sd
157- Greg Flournoy (GM) maj. Dec. Evan DeLong (CL) 13-4
165- Patrick Davis (GM) wbf Kyle Braddock (CL) 3:45
174- Michael Pavasko (CL) dec. Ryan Forest (GM) 3-1
184- Daniel Sutherland (CL) dec. Daniel Mika (GM) 4-2
197- Ryan Darch (CL) dec. Matt Meadows (GM) 5-3
285- Jake KEttler (GM) dec. Joshua Davis (CL) 7-1