WILKES-BARRE - Wilkes won eight of the 10 bouts to post a 32-9 dual win over East Stroudsburg University on Wednesday night at the Marts Center.

Redshirt sophomore Luke DeLuise had his fifth win of the season, all by fall, at 184 pounds and redshirt junior Brendan McKeown won in his return to the mat at 174 in his first action since December 4.

Wilkes (9-3), ranked No. 20 in Division III, won seven bouts on the mat. There was one match-up of nationally-ranked wrestlers at 157, where Wilkes' Kris Krawchuk (#8, DIII) had a 3-1 decision over ESU's Braden Turner (#7, DII). Turner (6-4), a redshirt junior and returning All-American, had missed ESU's most recent dual on December 15 at Mercyhurst after bowing out of the PSAC Championships with two medical forfeits on December 8.

At 197, Wilkes' Matt Transue had an 11-3 major decision over ESU freshman Tyson Searer (6-5), who is ranked No. 8 in the most recent NWCA Division II rankings.

McKeown got ESU on the board at 174 with a 9-3 decision over Dustin Stough to improve to 5-1 on the season. McKeown, a returning national qualifier, had his only loss of the year by injury default in his last action at Pitt-Johnstown more than a month ago.

DeLuise pinned Seth Gray with 20 seconds left in the second period in their bout at 184 pounds. All five of his falls have come in the first two periods.

ESU (1-3) is back on the mat next Wednesday, hosting Shippensburg at 7 p.m. at Koehler Fieldhouse.


Wilkes 32, ESU 9
125 - Guesseppe Rea (W) dec. Nick Kaiser, 6-0; Wilkes 3-0
133 - Myzar Mendoza (W) maj. dec. Devin Holmes, 9-0; Wilkes 7-0
141 - Jeff Peterson (W) pinned Joseph Hoy, 2:38; Wilkes 13-0
149 - Mark Hartenstine (W) won by forfeit; Wilkes 19-0
157 - Kris Krawchuk (W) dec. #7 Braden Turner, 3-1; Wilkes 22-0
165 - Nathan White (W) dec. Colin Martucci, 6-3; Wilkes 25-0
174 - Brendan McKeown (ESU) dec. Dustin Stough, 9-3; Wilkes 25-3
184 - Luke DeLuise (ESU) pinned Seth Gray, 4:40; Wilkes 25-9
197 - Matt Transue (W) maj. dec. #8 Tyson Searer, 11-3; Wilkes 29-9
285 - Mike Shannon (W) dec. Joe Blaes, 3-1; Wilkes wins 32-9

Wilkes national rankings
133 - Myzar Mendoza #9
157 - Kris Krawchuk #8