Andrew Clark comes up big as Rutgers wrestling improves to 9-0 with win over American

Steven Falk, Asbury Park Press
·4 min read

Andrew Clark gave himself what could be a major confidence boost Friday night in Rutgers University wrestling's win at American University

Clark, a second-year freshman 165-pounder, defeated returning NCAA qualifier Tim Fitzpatrick 4-3 with a tough ride.

Rutgers, ranked No. 12 nationally, improved to 9-0 with the dominant win over the outmanned and rebuilding Eagles.

The Scarlet Knights won the final eight bouts and got bonus points in six of those on a pin by Mike VanBrill (149), technical falls by Sebastian Rivera (141), Robert Kanniard (157), John Poznanski (184) and Greg Bulsak (197) and a major decision by heavyweight Boone McDermott.

Rivera, VanBrill, Poznanski and Bulsak, all are nationally ranked and remained unbeaten.

Clark, the 2020 NJSIAA 145-pound champion when he was a senior at Collingswood High School, was just 1-6 in dual meets and 6-7 overall entering Friday night.

Fitzpatrick qualified for the national tournament last year at 174 and was a two-time NJSIAA placewinner at Holy Spirit High School.

Clark overcame adversity during the bout as he was cautioned four times with the third and fourth cautions giving Fitzpatrick points that left Clark in a 3-0 hole early in the third period.

An escape and takedown with 1:34 left enabled Clark to tie the bout 3-3. He then rode Fitzpatrick out with a gritty ride to earn the riding time point.

Clark's win gave Rutgers a 22-3 lead with four bouts remaining.

Connor O'Neill clincher

Second-year freshman Connor O'Neill (174) then clinched the match for Rutgers with a 10-7 win over Colin Shannon to make it 25-3 with three bouts left.

O'Neill, the 2020 NJSIAA 170-pound champion when he was a senior at DePaul, built a 6-0 lead when he put in a cradle for four back points in the first period. O'Neill was close to the pin several times as he held the cradle for over a minute before Shannon fought it off.

Rutgers had broken the match open with the technical falls by Rivera and Kanniard sandwiched around the pin by VanBrill (149) to build a 19-3 lead after five bouts.

Rivera, a three-time NCAA top six finisher, tilted Ethan Szerencstits twice for a total of eight back points in the first period and again for four back points in the final seconds of the second period to finish off a 20-3 win.

VanBrill (149) pinned Patrick Ryan with 25 seconds left in the second period. He was leading 3-1 when he took Ryan down and then quickly to his back.

Kanniard put Antonio Segura to his back for four back points in the first period and again for four more back points in the second period on his way to a 17-2 win that became the technical fall with the riding time point at the end of the bout.

Poznanski (184), a second-year freshman and the NCAA fourth-place finisher at 184 last year, put an exclamation point on the proceedings by rolling up 18 points in the first period on his way to a technical fall four seconds into the second period.

Bulsak, a four-time NCAA qualifier when he was at Clarion (Pa.), finished off his technical fall with four back points in the third period.

Rutgers University head wrestling coach Scott Goodale, shown warming up with his team during a practice on Oct. 28, has been impressed with the professionalism of his team.
Rutgers University head wrestling coach Scott Goodale, shown warming up with his team during a practice on Oct. 28, has been impressed with the professionalism of his team.

How the match started

The first two bouts saw Rutgers win the first one late and American the second one by dominating the last two periods.

Scarlet Knights' second-year freshman Dylan Shawver (125) remained unbeaten with a 5-4 win over Andy Fallon on an escape with 54 seconds left.

Shawver then fought off a Fallon takedown attempt and forced a stalemate with 10 seconds remaining after an extended scramble.

Fallon had tied the bout 4-4 when he turned Shawver for two back points early in the third period.

Shawver had broken a 2-2 tie with a takedown with 24 seconds left in the second period.

American then tied the match 3-3 when Jack Maida (133), a freshman from Shore Regional where he was a two-time NJSIAA placewinner, defeated Rutgers' backup and second-year freshman Devon Britton 6-2 .

Maida had takedowns in the second and third periods and a riding time point.

Rutgers 39, American 3

125: Dylan Shawver (R) d. Andy Fallon 5-4.

133: Jack Maida (A) d. Devon Britton 6-2

141: Sebastian Rivera (R) tf. Ethan Szerencsits 4:59 (20-3)

149: Michael VanBrill (R) p. Patrick Ryan 4:35.

157: Robert Kanniard (R) tf. Antonio Segura 7:00 (17-2)

165: Andrew Clark (R) d. Tim Fitzpatrick 4-3 (riding time point at the end of the bout

174: Connor O'Neill (R) d. Colin Shannon 10-7.

184: John Poznanski (R) tf. Mervin Mancia 3:04 (19-4).

197: Greg Bulsak (R) tf. Carsten Rawls 5:43 (16-0).

HWT: Boone McDermott (R) md. Isaac Righter 10-2.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers wrestling: Andrew Clark comes up big in Scarlet Knights win