SCRANTON, Pa. — The Hunter College wrestling team battled through a competitive field at the Scranton Quad on Saturday, picking up a hard-fought 29-28 victory over Utica College while falling to King's College (46-9) and host Scranton (47-9). The Hawks were powered by standout performances from sophomore Botensky Bauzile and freshmen Jayden Medina, Justin Riello, and Jack Kent, with Bauzile going a perfect 3-0 on the day.
Hunter 29, Utica 28 – Hawks Secure Dramatic Team Victory
Hunter's highlight of the day came in a down-to-the-wire battle against Utica. The Hawks earned key pins from Bauzile (133 lbs), Medina (149 lbs), Riello (157 lbs), and Kent (165 lbs) to take control of the match. The decisive moment came at heavyweight, where freshman Abdul Khaldi needed to avoid giving up a pin or technical fall to seal the win for Hunter. Khaldi held his ground, limiting the damage to an 11-2 major decision loss, securing the one-point team victory for the Hawks.
Bauzile capped off his stellar day with a 3:50 pin over Rian Kirker of Utica, finishing undefeated at 3-0. Medina bounced back from an earlier loss to pin Billy Beseth in 2:14, while Kent secured his fall over Anthony Kelly at the 4:57 mark. Riello continued the momentum, pinning Utica's Matt Bonato to help push Hunter to the team win.
Bauzile, Medina, and Riello Shine in Individual Performances
Bauzile led the way for Hunter, finishing the day 3-0 with a dominant showing. He opened with a 9-2 decision over Nick Germano of King's before grinding out a 9-8 win over Scranton's Charles Arobone. He capped his performance with a decisive pin against Utica's Kirker, improving his season record to 19-12.
Medina rebounded after a slow start, dropping an 11-2 major decision to King's Shane Kibler. He responded with back-to-back falls, pinning Scranton's Shked Nadir at 6:03 and Utica's Beseth in 2:14 to improve to 26-10 on the season.
Riello also impressed with a 2-1 day, picking up two pins of his own over King's Jordan Bentley and Utica's Bonato. His efforts brought his season record to an even 13-13.
Additional Wins for the Hawks
Freshman Isaiah Harris (165 lbs) added to Hunter's success with a pin over Scranton's Joe DelReal, while Kent, in addition to his crucial win against Utica, provided valuable points throughout the day.
Hunter will return to the mat next weekend, looking to build on its momentum at the Misericordia Trimatch.
