Hackettstown- The Delaware Valley men's wrestling team kicks off the final week of the regular season as they travel to Hackettstown, New Jersey, to take on the Cyclones of Centenary in a dual meet. The Aggies are coming off of a 30-18 win over MAC foe King's last week in their final home match of the season. Delaware Valley men's wrestling enters tonight's match up with a dual meet record of 11-5 and currently have two wrestlers individually ranked top-15 in the nation. All of the five losses have come to teams currently or formally ranked in the top 25 by the NWCA.

The Aggies will be once again put to the Test this season they will face off against Centenary. Centenary currently has three individual wrestlers ranked top-15 in the nation and two returning NCAA national qualifiers. The Cyclones have dual meet record of 3-1 and are currently ranked #12 in tournaments, along with being once formally ranked top 25 in the nation this season in dual meets.

Last season, Delaware Valley defeated Centenary in a home dual meet by a score 19-18 at home. The match ended 18-18 and Delaware Valley was given the win based on fourth criteria of most points scored (47-42) Two years ago however, the Cyclones defeated the Aggies in Hackettstown by a score of 25-21. Delaware Valley would go on win the final five matches of the dual.meet and defeat Centenary by a score of 32-15.

A big match up to start off the night took place at 125lb as it was a battle of two regionally ranked opponents. First year Malik Asfour currently sits as the eight ranked wrestler in the Southeast region and he would face off against Jack Thode, a returning region placer and the fifth ranked wrestler in the Mideast region. Asfour would rack up the near fall points as he earned a 28-12 technical fall.
A battle of nationally ranked opponents would go down at 133lb as sophomore NCAA national qualifier and the #13 wrestler in the nation Jacob Blair would match up against returning NCAA national qualifier and the #7 wrestler in the nation Danny Haws. Back in November, Haws defeated Blair by decision at the Doug Parker Invite hosted by Springfield College. In the rematch, and once again another razor close match, Haws secured the match winning take down to earn a 4-1 decision win.

First year Gabe Whittington would make his dual meet debut at 141lb where he would be tasked to wrestle the #3 ranked wrestler in the nation and returning NCAA national qualifier Xaviar Pena. Pena would earn a late second period fall as Centaury takes a 9-5 lead.

At 149lb, Graduate Student Mike Rubino would earn a massive 4-1 decision win for the Aggies over Aaron Briscoe as he scored the match winning takedown with ten seconds left in the match.
First year Hayden Mann suffered an injury default loss to Mike Venson at 157lb to give the Cyclones a 15-8 lead.

Junior Adam Coleman would earn an injury default win over TJ Pawlicki at 165lbs.

At 174lb, sophomore Luke Moore would pick up a very important bonus point victory for the Aggies as he locked in a cradle and secured a pin fall win over Hunter Cleaver to give DelVal a 20-15 lead.

At 184lb, Nicholas Hall would earn a three point take down in the first period and hold onto a 4-2 decision win over Angelo Piazza.

Senior Dan Eckley would face off against nationally ranked #13 Keevon Berry at 197lb. During the dual meet last season between the Aggies and the Cyclones, Eckley defeated Berry by decision. Eckley would once again defeat the nationally ranked Berry as he secured a 9-2 decision, clinching the dual meet victory for the Aggies.

Nationally ranked the #11 in the nation Logan Flynn would close the night out with a 32-15 win over Arik Hums.

Delaware Valley will be back in action on Friday, February 16^th as they go on the road to face off against Messiah in the final dual meet of the regular season.