2 Wins for Hilltoppers' Kemp at NWCA National Duals

From the West Liberty Wrestling Website

January 4, 2019

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Nationally-ranked Logan Kemp turned in a pair of impressive wins here Friday but it wasn't enough to help the West Liberty University wrestling team advance to Saturday's place matches in the prestigious NWCA National Duals at the Kentucky Expo Center.

Coach Mitch Smith's Hilltoppers dropped a 36-12 decision to No. 21-ranked Upper Iowa in the first match of the day and lost to Seton Hill (Pa.), 33-15, in an afternoon elimination bout inside historic Freedom Hall.

In the opener, Upper Iowa roared out of the box with falls by two of their nationally-ranked wrestlers at 125 and 133 to grab a quick 12-0 lead and the Black and Gold couldn't dig their way out of the hole.

A forfeit at 141 and a Miles Mazik decision at 149 pulled West Liberty within striking distance at 12-9 but the Peacocks followed up a decision at 157 with back-to-back first-period falls at 165 and 174 to put the match out of reach.

Kemp provided a highlight for the Hilltoppers in a battle of nationally-ranked grapplers at 197 pounds. Upper Iowa's Nick Baumler brought an 11-2 record and a No. 12 national ranking into their match but the No. 7-ranked Kemp was in control all the way.

After picking up an early penalty point, Kemp opened a 3-0 lead with a quick takedown and never looked back in coasting to a 7-3 victory.

West Liberty got off to a better start against the Griffins as 125-pounder Corey Secrist opened the match with a 6-1 decision against SHU's Ryan Ressler.

Seton Hill notched a first-period fall at 133 pounds but WLU's De'Andre Reed answered impressively at 141 when he needed just 48 seconds to pin the Griffins' Tyler Kenney, putting WLU back on top by a 9-6 count.

Seton Hill's strength in the middle weights proved too much to overcome as the Griffins posted bonus-point wins in the next five weight classes to clinch the victory before Kemp took the mat for his 197-pound bout against Jacob Shaffer.

Kemp scored a pair of first-period takedowns to take a 5-2 lead into the second frame. The junior standout took Shaffer down again early in the second period and finished up with a fall at 4:17.

The West Liberty wrestlers return to the mat on Jan. 12 when they head to Erie, Pa. to compete in a quadrangular at Penn State-Behrend.

No. 21 Upper Iowa 36, West Liberty 12
125: #10 Maleek Williams (UIU) p. Corey Secrist, 4:51
133: #7 Justin Folley (UIU) p. Steven Slack, 4:16
141: De`Andre Reed (WLU) won by forfeit
149: Miles Mazik (WLU) d. Ryan Steffen, 6-5
157: Tucker Black (UIU) d. Josh Cornell, 7-3
165: Brock Benitz (UIU) p. Owen Zeiders, 1:09
174: Jordan Gundrum (UIU) p. Chance Morgan, 1:43
184: #7 Dalton Hahn (UIU) d. Isaiah Myers, 5-3
197: #7 Logan Kemp (WLU) d. #12 Nick Baumler (UIU), 7-3
285: Triston Westerlund (UIU) p. Ronnie D'Amico, 5:26

Seton Hill 33, West Liberty 15
125: Corey Secrist (WLU) d. Ryan Ressler, 6-1
133: Alan Diltz (SHU) p. Steven Slack, 2:26
141: De'Andre Reed (WLU) p. Tyler Kenney, :48
149: Austin Shaw (SHU) tf. Miles Mazik, 15-0
157: Alec Shaw (SHU) md. Josh Cornell, 19-8
165: Jake Willochel (SHU) md. Owen Zeiders, 9-1
174: Damon Greenwald (SHU) md. Chance Morgan, 16-3
184: Nathan Bowlen (SHU) p. Isaiah Myers, 4:18
197: #7 Logan Kemp (WLU) p. Jacob Shaffer, 4:17
285: Jacob Beistel (SHU) md. Ronnie D'Amico, 10-1


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