CHAPEL HILL, NC – The North Carolina wrestling team picked up wins in six of ten matches, two by fall, to hand visiting Edinboro a 29-17 defeat on Saturday afternoon at Carmichael Auditorium. The loss snaps a four-match winning streak for the Fighting Scots as they fall to 8-9-1. North Carolina evened its record at 8-8-1 with its second consecutive victory.
The Tar Heels jumped out to a 6-0 lead as Nick Shields won by fall over Bijan Banks at 125 lbs., with the end coming at 6:12.
Edinboro would win the next two matches to take a 7-6 lead. Eric Morrill made it nine straight wins with a 3-1 decision over Pat Owens at 133 lbs. The two traded escapes in the second and third periods before Morrill posted the winning takedown with less than five seconds remaining. Ranked 20th by Amateur Wrestling News, the senior is now 18-8.
Freshman Kasey Davis followed with a 15-4 major decision over Mike Rappo at 141 lbs. Davis recorded five takedowns in the match while jumping out to a 7-1 lead after one period. He is now 18-12.
North Carolina’s Nick Stabile received a forfeit win at 149 lbs. as Tortsen Gillespie was out with a minor injury.
That started a run of four straight wins for the Tar Heels. Corey Mock, a freshman and the son of UNC head coach C.D. Mock, was impressive in a 15-4 major decision over Johnny Greisheimer at 157 lbs. Mock is now 31-13 while Greisheimer saw his four-match winning streak snapped while falling to 19-11.
Thomas Scotton registered a pair of first period takedowns in a 6-2 decision over Ethan Saylor at 165 lbs., leaving the Boro freshman at 6-18. Scotton, a two-time national qualifier, improved to 24-14.
Thomas Ferguson added more bonus points for North Carolina as he handed Chris Hrunka a 12-1 defeat by major decision at 174 lbs. Ferguson coasted to the win with an 11-0 lead after one period on three three-point near falls following a takedown.
Chris Honeycutt remained undefeated at 184 lbs., as the junior handed Antonio Giorgio a 14-2 major decision defeat. After leading just 2-1 after one period, Honeycutt broke it open with a reversal and three near fall points in the second period. Honeycutt would add two takedowns in the third period. He is now 22-0 overall and ranked second by both InterMat and Amateur Wrestling News.
Shawn Fendone saw his 11-match winning streak finally come to an end at 197 lbs., as the senior lost by fall at 4:58 to Zac Bennett. Bennett grabbed a 5-0 lead with a takedown and three back points, but Fendone responded in the second period with a reversal and three near-fall points. Bennett would reverse Fendone and end the match just before the end of the period for his fourth straight win by fall. Fendone, ranked 20th by Amateur Wrestling News, is now 21-9 while Bennett improved to 24-10.
Ernest James would pick up Edinboro’s lone fall in the match as the redshirt freshman prevailed at 3:17 after a scoreless first period. James improved to 14-13 with his fifth fall of the season and second straight.
Edinboro will host the Edinboro Open next Saturday, February 12 before wrapping up the dual meet portion of its season the following week against West Virginia and Pittsburgh.

NORTH CAROLINA 29, EDINBORO 17
February 5, 2011
Chapel Hill, NC

EUP-UNC
125 Nick Shields (UNC) fall over Bijan Banks (EU), 6:12 0-6
133 Eric Morrill (EU) dec. Pat Owens (UNC), 3-1 3-6
141 Kasey Davis (EU) maj. dec. Mike Rappo (UNC), 15-4 7-6
149 Nick Stabile (UNC) won by forfeit 7-12
157 Corey Mock (UNC) maj. dec. Johnny Greisheimer (EU), 15-5 7-16
165 Thomas Scotton (UNC) dec. Ethan Saylor (EU), 6-2 7-19
174 Thomas Ferguson (UNC) maj. dec. Chris Hrunka (EU), 12-1 7-23
184 #2 Chris Honeycutt (EU) maj. dec. Antonio Giorgio (UNC), 14-2 11-23
197 Zac Bennett (UNC) fall over Shawn Fendone (EU), 4:58 11-29
Hwt Ernest James (EU) fall over Ben Brooks (UNC), 3:17 17-29

Records: Edinboro 8-9-1
North Carolina 8-8-1