BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Norwich University wrestling team finished eighth out of 15 teams at the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Headlock for Hunger Dual Championships, held at Bridgewater State University, on Saturday afternoon.
The Cadets, ranked eighth-seeded, opened the first round of the competition with a 34-12 win over ninth-seeded Plymouth State University. Norwich jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first three matches with freshmen Jacob Forsman (Voorhees, N.J.) and Sean Randles (Las Vegas, Nev.) each recording a 14-0 major decisions at the 125 and 133 weight class, respectively, for four team points each before classmate Adam Cox (Okeana, Ohio) pinned Plymouth State's Mike Allen in just 2:12 for the additional six team points.
Plymouth State got on the board with three points on a 10-5 decision in the 149 match before Norwich picked up 11 more points in the next two weight classes. In the 157 weight, junior Ben Swanson (Little Silver, N.J.) picking up five points on an 18-0 major decision before Plymouth State forfeited the 165 pound match to give the Cadets the additional six points.
Plymouth State would record three points in the 174 weight class and added six more in the 197 match on a pin fall. Norwich wrapped up the contest with nine points as junior Pat McCurdy (Alloway, N.J.) defeated his opponent, Justin Montgomery, 5-2 for three team points as freshman Satchel Stauffer (Catasauqua, Pa.) filled in the 285 heavyweight slot before his opponent was injured in the first period, giving Norwich six team points for the 34-12 victory.
With the win, the Cadets advanced onto the quarterfinal round, facing the top seeded and the second ranked team in the nation, Roger Williams University (RWU), for the second time this season. RWU and Norwich faced each other on Nov. 21 at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Invitational with the Hawks defeating the Cadets, 44-6 in the first dual meet between both teams.
The Cadets started the contest against RWU with six points after the Hawks forfeited the 125 pound match. From there, RWU showed its true strength of why it was nationally ranked, winning the next nine matches. Randles faced the toughest match of the contest in the 133 match against RWU's Jean-Luc Lemieux. Lemieux picked up two points on a takedown in the first period before both wrestlers fought a tight battle for the next three periods. Lemieux was given a pair of stall warnings in the third period, giving Randles a point but Randles could not generate the two additional points before time expired, prevailing to Lemieux, giving RWU three team points. The Hawks piled on the points with a pair of decisions, major decisions and pin falls before adding another six points on Cadet forfeit at the 197 weight class to run away with the 40-6 final score.
The loss drops Norwich onto the consolation bracket, taking on Springfield College for the second time this week. Springfield picked up its second win over Norwich with a 30-12 victory, bumping the Cadets to the seventh place match versus Rhode Island College. Norwich finished the day with an eighth place finish after losing to Rhode Island College, 31-12.
Forsman, who was named to All-Tournament Team, Randles, and McCurdy each recorded two wins on the day for the Maroon & Gold.
The NEWA Championship was not just a chance for teams to compete for the coveted title, but it also showed unity among all 14 teams coming together for one day to participate in the Headlock for Hunger initiative which brings together the community to help provide meals by donating canned goods to be donated to the local food banks.
The Cadets return to action on Saturday, Jan. 30 for the All-Academy Championship hosted by Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Va. Norwich will also participate in the Wildcat Open, hosted by Johnson & Wales University involving individual results and no team scoring.
