Butler topples Foxes, faces Talbots tonight

Butler topples Foxes, faces Talbots tonight

BUTLER TWP — The Butler wrestling team earned seven pins — four coming in the first period — and had a major decision as The Golden Tornado dominated Fox Chapel 64-15 Tuesday night.
So why was Butler wrestling coach Scott Stoner unimpressed?
Because Stoner feels his team must do better tonight against Hampton.
“We dominated, but I didn't see a whole lot of exceptional wrestling going on,” Stoner said. “Maybe I'm a little bit too critical. I don't know. Hampton is going to be tough. It's going to be a tight one.”
Tuesday's match against Fox Chapel was anything but.
The Foxes did claim a win in the first bout of the night at 103 pounds when Jared Rice eked out a 4-3 decision over Butler freshman Cody Houston.
But Fox Chapel didn't earn another point until it received a forfeit win at 215.
In fact, no Foxes wrestler scored so much as an escape against a Butler wrestler until the 171-pound bout.
In between, the Golden Tornado claimed six pins, a major decision and two forfeit victories.
Butler's 112-pound wrestler Blake Caudill needed a mere 24 seconds to earn a fall over Kameron Ferguson.
Senior Eric Tuck, returning from an injury, got a quick pin in 1 minute, 21 seconds at 145 pounds, Mike Crawford followed with a fall in 1:37 at 152 pounds and then Dakoda Collins needed 23 seconds to take down his opponent at 160 pounds.
Jesse Spohn (130) and Matt Pribis (171) also earned pins for Butler (16-2).
Cole Baxter (189) received a forfeit win, his first of the year after getting seven of them last season.
The dominance was welcome, even over a young Fox Chapel (8-4) team.
Butler was beaten 40-27 Friday by Erie Cathedral Prep and Stoner was pleased that the Golden Tornado had a chance to hit the mat again before tonight's section showdown with Hampton.
“The way it matches up (with Hampton) is we're going to have to win some tight matches and hold off some points in the upper weights where they're really solid,” Stoner said. “I'm actually glad it worked out this way. Friday, we took a beating and at least we got a dry run (Tuesday).”
Butler 64, Fox Chapel 15
103 pounds: Jared Rice (FC) dec. Cody Houston, 4-3 112: Blake Caudill (B) pinned Kameron Ferguson, :24; 119: Korey Caudill (B) by forfeit; 125: Zach Reges (B) by forfeit; 130: Jesse Spohn (B) pinned Artie Newman, 5:35; 135: Zach Collins (B) maj. dec. Corey Mahon, 8-0; 140: Dillon Weston (B) pinned Connor Whalen, 2:27; 145: Eric Tuck (B) pinned Shane Bialowas, 1:21; 152: Mike Crawford (B) pinned Jonathan Friesmuth, 1:37; 160: Dakoda Collins (B) pinned Shahid Hashman, :23; 171: Matt Pribis (B) pinned Trevor Weis, 5:08; 189: Cole Baxter (B) by forfeit; 215: Anthony Brooks (FC) by forfeit; 285: Adam Bisnowate (FC) pinned Adam Steiner, :31.