Despite the absence of its top wrestler, Matt Mapes, the wrestling team took six of the final seven decisions in its match against Davidson and cruised to a 28-12 win Saturday in Davidson.
With the win, the Blue Devils continued their recent surge, which includes three victories in their last four outings after opening their spring season with three losses.
"We should've won two of the three matches we lost [to begin the season]," coach Clar Anderson said. "We came back over Christmas break-we were sick, banged up, we had to forfeit some matches and we're not strong enough to do that. But I'm really pleased with the performance at Davidson."
Davidson's Jeff Storms opened the day for the Wildcats with a 5-3 decision coming on a takedown in overtime over freshman Daegan Smith (197 pounds). Since the Blue Devils were forced to forfeit at 125 lbs., junior heavyweight Alex Hunt salvaged what could have been a disastrous start for Duke with a pin of Charles Waldron 1:37 into the bout.
Hunt's win continued an impressive spring thus far for Duke's only heavyweight, who has dropped only one decision this season.
"Alex is an upperclassmen and has definitely done well," Anderson said. "He came in with a better attitude and was more serious about his wrestling."
Down 9-6, the Duke grapplers then reeled off three straight wins to take a commanding lead. Sophomore Sean Meakim (133 lbs.) defeated Miles Cox by technical fall, and Jason Gorski (141 lbs.) followed with a major decision over Ryan Owens. Junior Bill West, wrestling in an unfamiliar 149-lb. weight class, then gutted out a 6-4 decision to extend Duke's lead to 18-9.
Davidson's top wrestler, Ian Kaplan, earned Davidson's final points of the day with a 3-2 decision over junior Deuce Harris (157 lbs), who returned to the squad after wrestling unattached in the fall season.
"Having [Harris] in is a tremendous asset to the team... and I was pleased with his match," Anderson said. "He lost on a mental mistake. He wrestled their best kid and was a bit overanxious. The mistake came from being overaggressive, which is good."
Holding on to an 18-12 lead, Duke erased any hopes Davidson had of a comeback by taking the meet's final three matches. Matt Hoover, wrestling in the 165-lb. class normally occupied by Mapes, took an 11-5 decision. Tom Cass (174 lbs.) continued his impressive season with a 13-4 major decision, improving his record to 5-2. Senior Jay Klug (184 lbs.) even got into the act, recording his first non-forfeit win of the spring with a 4-0 decision.
The Blue Devils hope to even their record one week from today in the season's first home match against Campbell.
Notes: After forfeiting at 125 lbs. in all seven matches this season, the Blue Devils hope to regain the services of Cam Lawler, their only 125 lb. wrestler, when they face Campbell... Lawler is recovering from a shoulder injury suffered during the break... Mapes missed the Davidson meet with a viral infection.
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