On Friday, Feb. 3, Hofstra’s wrestling team earned a big win at home over the George Mason University Patriots. The Pride won 26-16 in their third dual meet win this season.

“I was happy with the effort, the grit and the toughness in a lot of situations,” said Dennis Papadatos, head coach of the wrestling team. “We’re showing what we’re capable of.”

With two big wins early in the meet and four more later, Papadatos couldn’t have been more accurate. At 133 pounds, Chase Liardi pinned his opponent JB Dragovich with a move called a barbed wire just 1:58 into the match. Following Liardi’s victory, Justin Hoyle earned another solid win for the Pride at 141 pounds, beating Anthony Glasl 11-1. Hoyle scored eight points in the third period alone to work toward a major decision win.

The most exciting match of the night came at 174 pounds, as Ross McFarland took on Logan Messer. McFarland scored the initial point in the first period before choosing bottom to start the second. There, Messer got a reversal that kicked off a wild string of events; Messer was on his back at one point, before not only avoiding a pin but earning a reversal to take McFarland to his back. The wrestlers were right on the edge of the mat, so Papadatos ran across the gym to tell the ref, knowing that if the pin was called it would be final. The match was stopped because they were out of bounds and reset. After continuing, McFarland won in a major decision 15-5.

At 184 pounds, No. 23 Jacob Ferreira faced Tyler Kocak. The match went into overtime after both wrestlers had received four points; there, Ferriera proved himself by not only defending Kocak’s shot but taking the Patriot to his back.

“He just refused to lose,” Papadatos said. Ferreria is 2-1 in overtime wins this season.

No. 30 Trey Rogers earned his sixth consecutive win at 197 pounds, beating Jon List 11-5. Rogers once again outscored his opponent, using a low single multiple times and working until the buzzer. Ending the night and further securing the win, Zachary Knighton-Ward made quick work of his opponent in the 285-pound weight class, Donovan Sprouse. Knighton-Ward wasted no time pressuring Sprouse before getting underhooks and taking him straight to his back for a pin at just 0:17 seconds into the match. The crowd, which was full of parents, fans and youth wrestlers erupted.

The effort Papadatos spoke about was also demonstrated by wrestlers who lost their matches, including Jacob Moon at 125 pounds, Michael Leandrou at 149 pounds, Joe McGinty at 157 pounds and Matt Rogers at 165 pounds.

At the dual, the team wore t-shirts with a butterfly design and took a minute before the action to dedicate the competition to the organization Morgan’s Message, which is named after Duke University lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers.

“Morgan’s Message strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics,” states the organization’s website.

The Pride is now 3-4 in dual meets and will compete again at home against Drexel University on Sunday, Feb. 5, at 1 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics