Maryland wrestling completed its first multi-weekend dual Sunday at the Patriot Open in Fairfax, Virginia.
Since Maryland (4-0) entered the tournament against George Mason on short rest, none of their four ranked players participated. But the Terps got contributions from some other, younger players on Sunday.
Freshman 149-pounder Jackson Young and freshman 141-pounder Ryan Kennedy both played crucial roles for the Terps despite following different paths.
After three overtime bouts, Kennedy lost his first match via tiebreaker. The defeat sent Kennedy to the consolation bracket, where he worked himself into a fifth-place finish by winning six consecutive games.
Kennedy was cautious but strategic throughout the tournament, notching a majority of his points in the final two periods. His limited aggression also helped him on defense, enabling him to keep himself in favorable positions and surrender no more than four points all tournament.
[Maryland wrestling downs American, 27-9, despite injuries]
Young’s tactics were somewhat similar. While the 149-pounder scored more in the first two periods than Kennedy, he accrued most of his points later in battles. The late points allowed Young to build up leads and riding time to guarantee a point in the third period.
125-pound weight class continues strong tournament performances
While Maryland’s 125-pounders have produced inconsistent dual results early in the season, the group has flourished in tournaments. The weight class produced two top-five finishes at the Southeast Open on Nov. 2, and followed that up with a combined 6-0 record at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic on Nov. 9.
Sunday’s tournament continued that trend. Abram Cline placed inside the top three for the second time this season. The sophomore thrives in bouts dominated by hand fighting — Cline frequently waits for his opponent to make a mistake before pouncing to secure points.
In the waning seconds of the opening period, Cline found himself in a bottom position.
As George Mason’s Benjamin Monn went to shift his hips around Cline, he flipped the leverage, putting Monn at a disadvantaged bottom position. Cline then flipped Monn onto his back, notching a takedown and seconds later securing a fall to end the match with two seconds in the first period.
[Maryland wrestling dismantles Morgan State, 39-7; bookend weight classes thrive]
Oscar Williams bounces back after tough dual showing
Coach Alex Clemsen was not pleased with heavyweight Oscar Williams after Friday’s dual against American.
Clemsen stated that the sophomore “wasn’t ready to compete early” in his bout.
On just one full day of rest, Sunday produced different results. Williams came ready in his opening bout, earning a win by fall just 21 seconds into the contest against AIM Academy’s Isaiah Taylor.
Williams dropped his next bout but remained aggressive, scoring 17 of his final 33 points in the first period. The massive early leads created insurmountable deficits for his opponents, forcing them to become more aggressive in the later stages and enabling Williams to earn more points on counterattacks.
Williams finished the tournament with a 4-1 record and a fifth-place finish. The results are not only significant for Williams’ ability to rebound after a tough showing, but may create more separation over redshirt sophomore Joey Schneck.
Clemsen has not committed to a starter at the heavyweight position. Schneck’s 0-2 performance at the Patriot Open may work in Williams’ favor.
