HEMPSTEAD, NY – Two electrifying pins from Zachary Knighton-Ward and Garrett Lambert led the Hofstra Pride wrestling team to a home-opening, 24-12 victory over the Air Force Falcons on Thursday Nov. 21, 2019 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
“We found a way to win,” said Hofstra head coach Dennis Papadatos. “We found a way to stay tough… even in the matches we looked sluggish in.”
The match started at 174 pounds, with Sage Heller dropping a heartbreaking 7-6 decision after missing out on a last-second takedown in the third period.
In the heavyweight bout, Knighton-Ward blew the roof off the Mack Center with an enormous pin to give the Pride a 9-6 lead. Outwrestled for much of the bout and down 11-5 late in the third period, Knighton-Ward got his third throw attempt to land and the official hit the mat with three seconds on the clock to give the redshirt junior the victory against the No. 22-ranked heavyweight of Air Force.
“[Knighton-Ward] can do that at any time he wants to anyone in the country,” Papadatos said. “He’s always in the match because he has that move.”
A few bouts later, Lambert earned a second come-from-behind win for the Pride as he pinned his opponent in the second period after locking up the cradle and muscling his opponent to his back to give the Pride a 15-9 lead in the team score.
“Lambert is just a tough cookie,” Papadatos said. “[His match] switched the momentum and said, ‘We’re here and we’re staying.’”
“He’s one of our little spark plugs,” Papadatos added.
Redshirt-freshman Matt Templeton filled in for an injured Dylan Ryder at 125 pounds and dropped his bout to No. 17 Sidney Flores 6-0, preventing Air Force from picking up any bonus team points. Papadatos said Ryder should be ready to wrestle at the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 6-7.
In the 157-pound bout, Holden Heller stepped up with a 7-1 win to guarantee Hofstra the victory before the final bout of the evening, which saw two ranked wrestlers, including Hofstra’s Ricky Stamm who is ranked No. 23 by FloWrestling.
“It was good to take the pressure off [Stamm],” Papadatos said. “Let’s win the dual meet and let [Stamm] just beat another ranked kid.”
Stamm capped off the night with an overtime victory after fighting off a headlock and Hofstra won their home-opener 24-12 over Air Force.
“He’s so focused,” Papadatos said. “I’m proud of [him]. He deserved this two years ago so I’m happy that it’s coming to fruition.”
The team will next travel to Las Vegas to compete in the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 6-7.
“It just starts the team off right,” Papadatos said of the win. “This is a nice way to go into… our two-week break before Vegas.”
Image courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
