As Lehigh wrestling makes its final preparations for the 2023-24 season, the annual Brown and White Intrasquad tournament gave a preview of what to expect this season.
The event, which divided the wrestling team into two separate teams, was held in Grace Hall on Oct. 26. Over 1,000 fans watched 12 matches.
The night kicked off with the 141 weight class, where junior Malyke Hines faced off against sophomore Carter Bailey, who bumped up two weight classes from last season.
In a closely contested bout, Hines secured a 5-2 decision victory with a first-period takedown, a third-period escape and a riding time advantage.
After an underwhelming last season, Bailey said the team is looking for people to get the program back on track.
“I think we’re gonna have a lot of new faces this year,” Bailey said. “(There are) a lot of younger guys that haven’t seen the spotlight yet and I think they’re gonna help our team move forward.”
The next two bouts were wrestled at the 149 weight class and were both won by members of the white team with a score of 4-1 each.
First-year Matt Repos showed potential by defeating deferred first-year Kelvin Griffin. Repos gained a riding time advantage by controlling the second period and sealed the win with a well-timed takedown in the third.
In the other match at 149, junior Drew Munch broke a 1-1 tie with a third-period takedown, securing a 4-1 win over first-year Richie Grungo.
The next match included the first bonus points of the season where junior Max Brignola won his match 14-4 over first-year Griffin Gonzalez. Brignola had four total takedowns leading to his victory.
Junior Tyler Sung left his mark by producing the only pin of the night. Wrestling at the 165 weight class with a large lead of 7-1, Sung executed a cradle, ultimately leading to the fall at the 3:40 mark.
The closest match of the evening unfolded in the 184 weight class, with first-year Caden Rogers narrowly prevailing over sophomore JT Davis in a 2-2 tiebreaker.
Rogers secured the win by clinching a four-second riding time advantage. Both wrestlers had escapes during regulation and the tiebreaker saw a similar pattern. However, Rogers managed to escape in six seconds and had enough control to gain the important riding time advantage that won him the bout.
The final match of the night brought sophomore heavyweight Nathan Taylor against junior TJ Moore.
Taylor gained the edge early in the match with five first-period takedowns, ending the match with a four-point near fall to end the bout in the second period.
“I’m going All-American this year, winning the EIWA’s dominantly and then going to nationals with all the best guys in the country,” Taylor said.
Looking ahead to the season, Taylor noted he’s looking forward to all of their matches. However, one sounds more “magical” than the others: Penn State.
Coach Brad Dillon said consistency is a good way to measure success.
“Just (come) into the room each day with a good attitude,” Dillon said. “(See) it as an opportunity to improve yourself and get better.”
Dillon, a former All-American at Lehigh, is stepping into his 15th coaching season and seventh as an associate head coach.
He said it’s still early in the season and there’s still time to discover standout players.
The Mountain Hawks will start their 2023-24 season on Nov. 5 at the Princeton Open and will start the dual season on Nov. 19 when they host Pittsburgh at Grace Hall.
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