St. Andrews sophomore Casey Gashaw, a Laurinburg native, got the Knights' only win during a 40-3 loss to UNCP on Friday night.
St. Andrews' only victory on Friday night in a 40-3 loss to UNC-Pembroke was 133-pounder Casey Gashaw's 2-1 decision over Marcelus Perry. There was also a moral victory at 174, where, in the final match of the night, Brad McKee took on UNCP's Mike Hall, giving Hall all he could handle despite being outweighed by more than 40 pounds.
McKee — who has no regular spot in the rotation because Gashaw, a Laurinburg native, has out-performed him — had a 1-0 lead over Hall at the end of the first period.
McKee would tweak his ankle and fall behind 6-1 in the second period before reversing the Braves wrestler to cut the lead to 6-3. McKee ended up dropping a 9-3 decision, but there were several anxious moments for Hall (6-8) and the UNCP coaches. McKee got a huge ovation from the crowd after surviving a matchup five weight classes above his own.
"He weighs 133 exactly ... He did a good job, and he didn't give up six," said SAPC head coach Joe Baranik. "He saved us three team points, number one.
"Hey, the kid wants to wrestle. It was his decision. He said, 'I want to go, coach.'"
Gashaw (8-10) wrestled Perry (5-6) to a scoreless standstill in the first period. Gashaw started down in the second period, and got a reversal to go up 2-0. An escape in the third period made the score 2-1, and Gashaw let out a sigh of relief late in the third when he was taken to his seat, but not his back, in the final seconds by Perry.
"Casey's so much better in practice than he is out here sometimes," said Baranik. "He did good and he got the win, but he's better than that.
"Casey almost made the nationals last year, you know? I think he respects guys too much."
St. Andrews' Greg Todd fell to 10-9 on the year after dropping a 9-3 decision to Rashaad Saunders. Todd seemed to wear down against Saunders, and that, Baranik said, is very uncharacteristic of the long and dental-floss-strong 157-pounder.
"Greg had trouble for the first time all year making weight. Too much pizza last night," said Baranik.
"Once he did make the weight he drank too much, and it slowed him down. He was sluggish in that third period, and that's not the Greg we know."
St. Andrews' Matt Fletcher (8-9) lost a 6-1 decision to Mike Nash (5-5) at 125. Dan Butcher (10-9) fell behind 7-0 in the first period against UNCP's Bryan Miller (14-6) and injured his ankle during an 11-2 major decision loss at 141 that made the score 7-3 in favor of the Braves.
Troy Baranik (1-15) struggled in his 149-pound match with UNCP's Brandon Bradley (19-13). Baranik trailed 12-3 and let out a yell before being pinned in the third period; Baranik injured his left shoulder when Bradley pinned his arm behind his back.
St. Andrews' Mike Frazzita (1-11) lost an 8-4 decision to UNCP's Trey Kirkland (4-9) at 165. The Knights forfeited at 184, 197 and heavyweight, and they trailed 22-3 before the three forfeits figured into the final tally.
UNCP improved to 5-7 on the year with the win.
The Knights host Darton on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.
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