Competing before a home audience in Maclellan Gym filled with Chattanooga wrestling legends, the current Chattanooga Mocs matmen used two pins to post a 22-20 win Sunday against Southern Conference foe The Citadel.

UTC seniors Josh Condon (165) and Niko Brown (197) registered third period pins and John Lampe (174) moved up a weight class and recorded a come-from-behind win.

The Mocs are now 5-6 overall and 1-0 in the SoCon, while The Citadel is 2-2 in conference action and 3-5 overall.

 “As seniors, Josh and Niko are suppose to step up and get big wins for us and Lampe goes up a weight and has a clutch win for us,” said UTC head coach Heath Eslinger.

“The Citadel is a good team and we had to wrestle tough in every match.”

UTC sophomore Nick Soto started the Mocs off with a major decision at 125, but The Citadel answered with a major decision and fall in the next two weight classes by Aaron Hansen and No.8 Ugi Khishignyam, respectively, for a 7-4 lead.

The two teams traded wins in the next two matches as the visiting Bulldogs led 11-7 at intermission after five matches.

Legends Introduced: Nearly three dozen UTC wrestlers from the coach Jim Morgan Era (1969-1984) were in town for Legends Weekend and were introduced as was coach Morgan … that era saw the Mocs  compete at a national level in both NCAA D-II and D-I with nine All-Americans, including four national champions.

The current Mocs did not want the alums to go home disappointed and won three of the next four matches and clinched the win before the 285-pound bout.

Condon’s third period pin of Vincent Bellaran gave the Mocs the lead for good at 13-11, but Lampe’s late third period takedown for a 3-2 victory proved to be the difference in the match.

The Citadel won two of the last three matches as Josh Tuck (regular decision at 184) and No.14 Odie Delaney (a fall at 285) were sandwiched around Brown’s match-clinching pin at 197.

Lampe’s Win: At 174, Lampe and John Duane were tied 1-1 late in the third period, when Lampe scored what proved to be the winning takedown near the edge of the mat with 20 seconds remaining ... Duane escaped to make it 3-2, but could not score the winning takedown … Key Move: After a scoreless first period, Lampe chose down to start the second period and after standing, was able to gain an escape as he initiated an impressive mid-air roll going off the mat.  

Brown Clinches Team Win: Leading 15-4 in the third period and needing either technical fall (five team points) or a pin (six team points) to clinch the team victory , the UTC senior used a far leg and head cradle for the fall in 5:44 much to the delight of the home audience of 585.

Eslinger’s 39th Win: UTC Coach Heath Eslinger is now 39-28 (16-1 in the SoCon) in four seasons and is tied with Chris Bono for fifth placee on the all-time coaches wins list … Coach Jim Morgan is first (209) with the late Andy Nardo (77 wins) second among the 13 Chattanooga coaches, 1947 to present.

UTC Coaches, 1947-present

 1 Jim Morgan (209-7-3)

 2 Andy Nardo (77-30-4)

 3 Ethan Reeve (57-38-2)

 4 Mark Leen (43-35-1)

 5 (tie) Chris Bono (39-17)

 5 (tie) Heath Eslinger (39-28)

 6 Ralph Manning (33-26)

 7 Terry Brands (31-33)

 8 Joe Seay (16-8-1)

 9 Franky James (9-8-0)

 10 Ken Carpenter (5-21-4)

 11 Russ Scall (3-5-0)

 12 Joe Geri (0-8)

 67 seasons … 561-327-15 

Eslinger is also second on the Chattanooga wrestlers’ wins list with 120 behind leader Michael Keefe (134) and ahead of Turner Jackson (116) who was in attendance at the match.

SoCon Schedule: The Mocs finish the regular season with six more SoCon matches …

UTC is at Gardner-Webb (Feb.1) and Appalachian State (Feb.3), before returning home in two weeks for a Sunday afternoon match with Davidson (Feb.10) at Maclellan Gym.

Chattanooga 22 - The Citadel 20
125: Nick Soto (UTC) major dec. Joaquin Marquez, 12-3 … UTC, 4-0
133: Aaron Hansen (CIT) major dec. Marvin Lopez, 80 … 4-4
141: No. 8 Ugi Khishignyam (CIT) dec. Dean Pavlou, 8-1 … The Citadel, 7-4
149: Alex Hudson (UTC) dec. Jordan Dix, 9-3 … 7-7
157: Matthew Frisch (CIT) major dec. Trey Stavrum, 10-2 … The Citadel 11-7
165: Josh Condon (UTC) pinned Vincent Bellaran, 5:52 … UTC 13-11
174: John Lampe (UTC) dec. John Duane, 3-2 … UTC 16-11
184: Josh Tuck (CIT) dec. Robert Prigmore, 10-3 … UTC 16-14
197: Niko Brown (UTC) pinned Marshall Haas, 5:44 … UTC 22-14
285: No.14 Odie Delaney (CIT) pinned - Fall 3:53 - Kevin Malone, 3:53 … UTC 22-20

 Attendance:  585

Records: UTC (5-6, 1-0), The Citadel (3-5, 2-2)

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net