ARMY CRUISES PAST SACRED HEART IN WRESTLING, 21-13

Black Knights Win First Three Bouts to Take Early 12-0 Lead

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army won the first three individual bouts in taking a 12-0 lead before cruising to a 21-13 victory over Sacred Heart Wednesday night at Christl Arena. The Black Knights improve to 4-5 on the season. The Pioneers fall to 7-4.

 Patrick Simpson, Anthony Dunkin and Phillip Simpson opened the match with three consecutive victories in staking the Black Knights to their 12-0 lead. Patrick Simpson won a tight 12-11 decision over Kyle McCarthy at 141 pounds in the first bout of the night. The highest-scoring match of the evening was close the whole way as Simpson led by two points after the first period and by just one point following the second period. Simpson is now 13-8 this season.

 Dunkin, competing at 149 pounds, followed with a win over Jesse Fendryk, 9-6. Dunkin stormed out to a 6-1 lead after the first period. He kept that five-point cushion through the second period, holding an 8-3 lead. Fendryk then tried to battle back, but Dunkin was able to hold off his opponent for the victory. Dunkin kept pace with Simpson by posting his 13th win of the season.

Phillip Simpson, ranked eighth in the country, solidified his ranking by pinning Robert Belville in 6:27 at 157 pounds. Simpson had built an 8-0 lead at the time the match ended. Simpson increased his team-leading win total to 18 as he tied Bill Barrow for ninth place on Army's career wins list with 92.

 Following a pair of losses from Kurt Pryor and Conner Sanders at 165 and 174 pounds that cut the Army lead to 12-7, No. 19 Luke Calvert upped the lead to 15-7 with an 8-5 decision over Wayne Oakley at 184 pounds. The sophomore led 4-0 after the first period. During that period Pryor lifted Oakley in the air and scored a near-fall to excite the crowd, but could not pin the senior.

 Junior Joe Forsman followed Calvert with Army's fifth victory of the evening, posting a 4-1 decision over Max Pazdan at 197 pounds. Neither wrestler scored over the final two periods as Forsman built the 4-1 lead in the first period.

 A pair of losses from heavyweight James Hollis and 125-pound Andy Henry put Sacred Heart within reach of winning the match at 18-13, but Bernard Gardner clinched the victory for the Black Knights.

Gardner, the senior captain, showed his leadership by outlasting Michael Messina in the 133-pound bout, 3-2. The match was scoreless following the first period and knotted up at 2-2 after two periods. Gardner then gained the much-needed point in the third period to clinch the victory for Army.

 "It was nice to get a win," said Army head coach Chuck Barbee. "We will take the win and move on to this weekend. We are excited for the Academy Championships this weekend. It will be the first time we get to see the other academies."

The All-Academy Championships will take place Saturday, Jan. 31, in Annapolis, Md. Competition will begin at 10 a.m., with the awards presentation slated for 6 p.m.

 Army 21, Sacred Heart 13

141 - Patrick Simpson (A) dec. Kyle McCarthy, 12-11

149 - Anthony Dunkin (A) dec. Jesse Fendryk, 9-6

157 - No. 8 Phillip Simpson (A) pinned Robert Belville, 6:27

165 - Sherwood Fendryk (SH) maj. dec. Kurt Pryor, 12-2

174 - Kevin Fox (SH) dec. Conner Sanders, 9-5

184 - No. 19 Luke Calvert (A) dec. Wayne Oakley, 8-5

197 - Joe Forsman (A) dec. Max Pazdan, 4-1

HWT - Payam Zarrinpour (SH) dec. James Hollis, 9-5

125 - Phil Kalil (SH) dec. Andy Henry, 7-4

133 - Bernard Gardner (A) dec. Michael Messina, 3-2