SCRANTON, Pa. — The New Jersey City University men's wrestling team kicked off the third official season in program history with an exclamation point today, Sunday, Nov. 13, at the Electric City Duals, hosted by the University of Scranton. The Gothic Knights placed second overall on the day with a 4-1 record over their five matches, matching last year's win total in one day. On top of that, senior national qualifier and 149-pounder Jeff Johnson (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) went a perfect 4-0 on the day, including three wins by fall and a tech fall.

NJCU (4-1) dropped its only match of the day to start it off against Alfred State College (6-0) as the Pioneers went 5-0 and placed first at the duals. Sophomore 125-pounder Damianlee Torres (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) went 4-1 on the day — the only other Gothic Knight to reach four victories — but his lone loss came in a high-scoring, 16-14, decision against Alfred State. Johnson secured his first pin of the day against the Pioneers at 4:01 into his match and freshmen Zachary Vera (Livingston, N.J./) and Jazz Bull (New Brunswick, N.J./New Brunswick) followed with decision wins at 157 and 165, respectively, to put NJCU up 13-12 at the time. Unfortunately, Alfred State reeled off four straight wins to end the match and take the win.

Jersey City came back strong in its next match, a tight 22-21 victory over host Scranton (3-3). Torres started it off with a win by fall, followed by a decision victory for junior George Rivera (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) in his 133-pound debut. After a decision put the Royals on the board, Johnson notched another pin to make it 15-3 at the time. Three straight wins for Scranton tied it up at 15-15 before freshman Farhan Khan (Carteret, N.J./) notched a decision at 174 pounds to make it 18-15. Freshman Deren Cercioglu (Totowa, N.J./) sealed the victory with a major decision at 197 to make it a seven-point, 22-15 lead. Despite the pin at heavyweight for Scranton, NJCU came away the victory.

The Gothic Knights then made quick work of Keystone College (1-4), topping the Giants 41-6, including eight individual wins. Those not by forfeit came from freshman Andy Beras (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) by decision at 141 pounds, Johnson again by fall at 149, Vera by tech fall at 157 pounds, Bull with a pin at 165 and Cercioglu by decision at heavyweight.

NJCU returned to the mat for a 39-16 win over Rowan College-Gloucester County (0-5). Torres notched a win by fall at 133 pounds, followed by a pin for freshman Anthony Monetti (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) at 141 pounds. Three more wins by forfeit paired with two more at 197, Cercioglu by decision, and heavyweight from freshman Marcus Hebron (Middle Township, N.J./) by fall made it a 23-point victory over the Roadrunners.

The Gothic Knights closed out their day with another tight victory, this time by just two points over SUNY Oneonta (2-3) at 29-27. Torres picked up his fourth win of the day at 125, however the Red Dragons collected two straight wins to take a 9-6 lead. Johnson answered back with a 16-1 tech fall win to once again put NJCU in the lead at 11-9, and his squad would not trail again. Junior Ty Bailey (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant Boro) recorded one of his two wins on the day with a pin just 17 seconds into his match at 157 pounds, followed by a win by fall in 44 seconds at 165 pounds by Bull. Oneonta won three of the final four matches, but it was Hebron at 197 that sealed it with a win by fall to make it 29-21 at the time.

Up Next:
NJCU returns to action on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 19, for the squad's second-ever dual match against Ursinus College. The Gothic Knights will travel out to Collegeville, Pa., for this one after they hosted the Bears at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) last season on Nov. 20, 2021.