WEST POINT, N.Y. – The University of Maryland wrestling team finished fifth out of eight teams and racked up six placers at the Black Knight Invite on Sunday. King Sandoval, Jahi Jones, and Philip Spadafora all earned third-place finishes, Kyle Jasenski finished fourth, while Hunter Baxter and Michael Doetsch each finished sixth.
In the premier college wrestling tournament of the weekend, Maryland's wrestlers faced a deep pool of competition at Christl Arena on the campus of the United States Military Academy. The No. 1 ranked – and defending national champions – Penn State Nittany Lions highlighted the field, while Michigan (No. 19) and Army (No. 24) marked the other ranked squads in attendance. Maryland's wrestlers also faced opponents from Indiana, Hofstra, Central Michigan, and Bloomsburg.
Philip Spadafora, who has impressed for the Terps early this season, improved to a 10-2 record on the season, his only loss of the day coming to the No. 1 ranked 174-pounder in the country – and three-time All-American – in Mark Hall of Penn State. Spadafora opened his day with a pin of Brad Laughlin (Army), then was pinned by Hall in 4:12. Spadafora bounced back in the consolation bracket, pinning Maximillion Maylor (Michigan) and wrapping up his day with a 9-6 decision over Ben Harvey (Army) in the third-place match.
King Sandoval, who has also been a force at 133 for the Terps early this season, improved to 7-2 on the year, his only loss coming to Michigan's Austin Assad by way of a 5-4 decision. He opened his day with a pin of Central Michigan's Brock Bergelin, but fell to the consolation bracket with his loss to Assad soon after. Sandoval worked his way into the third-place bout with a 5-4 decision over Bloomsburg's Josh Mason, and won in the third-place match with a 8-5 decision over Army's Andrew Wert.
Jahi Jones opened his day with a 6-3 dec. over Joseph Sanchez (Indiana), but fell into the consolation bracket soon after, dropping a 4-1 dec. to Central Michigan's Logan Parks. Jones followed it up with four consecutive wins – a 5-3 decision over his teammate Lucas Cordio, a 12-3 major dec. over Penn State's Paul Feite, a win by medical forfeit over Michigan's Tyler Meisinger, and a 3-2 decision in the third-place match (and rematch) over Central Michigan's Logan Parks.
Kyle Jasenski, who finished fourth in his weight class, won his opening match, dropped into the consolation bracket with a loss in the semifinal bout, and advanced to the third-place bout, dropping a 5-0 dec. to No. 17 Jelani Embree of Michigan. Baxter earned two victories by decision on his way to a sixth-place finish, and Michael Doetsch used a pin and a win via forfeit en route to his sixth-place finish.
Maryland will be back in action in an open tournament at the Mat-Town Open in Lock Haven, Pa. on December 1, while dual competition resumes December 6 when Maryland makes the short trip to Annapolis to face Navy. For full results from the Black Knight Invite, see below.
-TURTLEPOWER-
125
Jarod Kosman
Brandon Cray
- Brody Teske (Penn State) DEC Brandon Cray (Maryland), 8-3
- Devin Schnupp (Penn State) INJ DEF Brandon Cray (Maryland), 5-3 4:14
133
King Sandoval (3rd)
141
Quinn Devaney
Hunter Baxter (6th)
149
Michael Doetsch (6th)
157
Lucas Cordio
Jahi Jones (3rd)
174
Philip Spadafora (3rd)
- Philip Spadafora (Maryland) F Brad Laughlin (Army), 6:27
- #1 Mark Hall (Penn State) F Phillip Spadafora (Maryland), 4:12
- Philip Spadafora (Maryland) F Maximillion Maylor (Michigan), 3:13
- Philip Spadafora (Maryland) DEC #8 Ben Harvey (Army), 9-6
184
Kyle Jasenski (4th)
197
Jaron Smith
Niko Cappello
285
Parker Robinson
