Buffalo Falls To #14 Edinboro, 37-3

Mickey Moran scores an overtime win over nationally-ranked Chris Honeycutt

Mickey Moran

EDINBORO, PA – Mickey Moran (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler Area) scored a 3-1 overtime victory over 16th-ranked Chris Honeycutt, but it wasn’t enough as the University at Buffalo wrestling team fell at #14 Edinboro, 37-3. Buffalo now stands at 8-7-1 on the season.

Moran’s victory was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult night for the Bulls, as UB lost the other nine matches in the dual, with four of those losses coming to nationally-ranked wrestlers.

Edinboro opened up the dual with two major decision victories and a pinfall within the first three matches, giving the Fighting Scots an early 14-0 advantage. The Scots’ lead reached 17-0 with Daryl Cocozzo’s 10-5 decision victory over Ryan Needle (Newfane, NY/Newfane) at 149 pounds.

In the fifth match of the evening, John Cummings (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) was matched up against the nation’s top-ranked 157-pound wrestler, and defending national champion, Gregor Gillespie. Gillespie won the bout by technical fall, 18-0.

Edinboro followed with two more nationally-ranked wrestlers at 165 and 174 pounds. At 165, 15th-ranked Jarrod King earned a victory over Scott Rendos (Brockway, PA/Brockway) when Rendos was forced to injury default at 6:16. Phil Moricone, the 18th-ranked wrestler in the nation at 174 pounds, then won a tight 3-0 decision over Mike Ragusa (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro).

Moran then earned the lone win of the night for UB when he took down Honeycutt, the nation’s 16th-ranked 184-pounder. Moran and Honeycutt battled to a 1-1 score through regulation time, as each earned an escape point. But in the overtime Moran scored a takedown with 25 seconds remaining to score the upset win. The victory improved Moran’s record to 29-7 on the season.

Edinboro’s Pat Bradshaw answered with a tight 4-3 decision victory over Jimmy Hamel (Natick, MA/Natick) at 197 pounds and 19th-ranked Joey Fendone finished the dual with a 3-0 victory for Edinboro over Jeff Parker (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro).

Buffalo will return home next Sunday, February 24 when they host their final home dual of the season against in-state rival Binghamton. The Bulls and the Bearcats will wrestle at 1:00 p.m.

#13 Edinboro 37, Buffalo 3
Feb. 15 - Edinboro, PA

125: Morrill (EU) maj. dec. Dabolt (UB), 13-4
133: Deubel (EU) fall Joe Wilson (UB) at 1:53
141: Gillespie (EU) maj. dec. Stella, 10-2
149: Cocozzo (EU) dec. Needle (UB), 10-5
157: #1 Gillespie (EU) tech. fall Cummings (UB), 18-0
165: #15 King (EU) inj. def. Rendos (UB), 6:16
174: #18 Moricone (EU) dec. Ragusa (UB), 3-0
184: Moran (UB) dec. #16 Honeycutt (EU), 3-1 ot
197: Bradshaw (EU) dec. Hamel (UB), 4-3
Hwt.: #19 Fendone (EU) dec. Parker (UB), 3-0

02/15/2008