Whoever said they predicted a double digit win season in year two of Division one wrestling for Bellarmine is either Ned Shuck or a deceitful carpet salesman, and #BeazleyzBoyz are reaching rarefied (for now) heights at George Mason.
The Scribe will admit to doing a double take when peeking at Bellarmines story this year. Everybody who knew diddly about wrestling knew the Knights would be bigly improved in Coach Ned Shucks second season at the helm. Shuck embraces the everywhere, all the time approach to the sport, always searching for every possible way to improve, well, everything. In NO way, though, did your author or most folks see the level jump that has occurred in 2022-23. Not sure doing a side by side season comparison does it justice, but here goes. 2021-2022: 2-15, 1-7 in conference, only three losses by less than double digits and many by 30 to 40 points while being blanked three times and held to three points or less in five other matches. Only three starters with winning records and three others with 19 or more losses. THIS year: 10-2 with three D1 victories, break even so far in conference at 2-2, with only 1 shutout loss, to Top 20 power App State. Eight out of 10 starters with winning records and five with 20 or more Ws. The national leader in pins in 285lb Thad Huff. This is where the Snidely Whiplashes and the horse sounds come in. Yeah, they’re wrestling a lot of smaller schools. They went to National Duals instead of the Southern Scuffle. ANYBODY could improve on last seasons mess. Going to agree with you on two of those points. The point is, Bellarmine is rocketing up the improvement scale and this is no FantasyLand E-ticket tide, friends. Knights be FOR REAL and gettin realer. Apologies, that 20 minute Grammys hip-hop segment bled over(1). Even Coach Shuck, when asked, had to admit to some surprise at this season’s success…”I’m not sure I’ve been part of a team that has seen this much improvement from one season to the next outside of when I was coaching a high school team in Chaska, Minnesota(2). Our returning wrestlers and our first recruiting class have meshed incredibly well and they have continued to grow closer and closer (while solidifying) our team culture on and off the mat. The energy level from our guys in the wrestling room is really high right now and they are feeding off of each other really well. There is a passion that has been continually growing, plain and simple.” Also plain to see, the incredible success of hvt. Thad Huff, leading the nation with 13 falls. So Coach, did Thad get one or two shots of SuperSoldier serum pre-season? “Thad doesn’t need any serum! The kid is a machine and we love his energy. He hails from London, Ohio, and all he does is anything that will help him and his team grow. He’s making big gains every day because of his can’t wait attitude and effort and fight in every training session.” It’s been a year so far for sure, but what will make the finish right, Coach? “Consistent performances in our last four SoCon duals (Campbell, The Citadel, at UTC, Presbyterian). Consistency in our attitude, effort and fight in 10 matches each dual. Recently I’ve been really proud of my team’s ability to do that. Then we get to see how much fun we can have in Puerto Rico at the Club Nationals event. The guys are fired up!” Understandable. THANK YOU, Coach Shuck. BTW, the Scribe has fam on the island. And can cover an event. NOT campaigning. JUST sayin.
Speaking of big time campaigns you would be hard-pressed indeed to see something better that George Masons current run. Frank Beasley’s Patriots have already guaranteed themselves a winning season after opening up 8-0. They’re coming off a non-conference Tri-meet split with EIWA teams Long Island University and Drexel and will host defending MAC champion Lock Haven this weekend. GMU then travels to Lawrenceville, NJ, to face Rider(3). It’s a tough and tricky finish with some serious seeding implications for the post-season. To the positive, the Patriots will be hosting the MAC tournament first weekend of March and don’t be surprised to see multiple Patriots push through to the NCAAs this year. GMU has been not just lights out good but “hey you, look at the lights” good too at home this season, 6-1 in Fairfax so far. How much home gym dual success will carry over come tournament time is anybody’s guess but the Scribe is feeling a fine Patriots showing down the stretch here. Why? Seven of GMUs starters are rocking winning records, and two more are break even. Freshman 125lb Markel Barker and Sophomore 174lb Logan Messer are a sparkling 47-14 between them. By the numbers, though, the Patriots front man is steady Senior 157lb Peter Pappas. At 18-2 Pappas is a poster child for 6th year success. As a team the wins and losses have mostly mirrored last years results although GMU enjoyed a nice turn around victory over column favorite Gardner-Webb following 2022s defeat by the Runnin Bulldogs. GMU need to leverage season long positives and a hopefully rowdy home crowd come tournament time. Telling you now, though, the Lock Haven match will be a Katy bar the door dual. The Bald Eagles may be 5-6 but they are nobody’s pushover. Note that Lock Haven put six in the top three at GMUS own ARMS Software Patriot Open the first weekend of December with four in the finals, two champs and eight placewinners overall. The Eagles have tasted mucho success in Fairfax this year. The Patriots would love to sour that taste, twice. As for the Rider(3) dual, on the road, last regular season weekend? It went the Broncs way 21-13 on GMUs home mat in 2022. ALL of Riders winners from that match are back. Only one of the Patriots wrestlers who won returns. Sounds like uphill sledding. Success from these kinds of challenges WOULD #BeUncommon.
See you sometime soon!
Ted Carreras
(1) So what if the Scribe was busting 60+ whiteguy moves the whole time. And? Don’t need the hips to type. Or the knees.
(2) Outside Minneapolis, home to 28,000 very hardy souls, the Hazeltine Golf Course, and below freezing from December till March. Had to look it up. Coach is probably happier in Louisville. LIKELY.
(3) A delayed and well-deserved TX SHOUT OUT to the Rider wrestling team, the Scribes families hometown school. Courtesy of a nephew your author much enjoyed catching the Broncs-Princeton Tigers dual in person at the beautiful, spacious, and extraordinarily clean Jadwin Gym a few Saturdays back. Coach John Hangeys Broncs proved to be rude guests as Rider won “The Battle of 206” by the 4th criteria after the two teams tied 18-18. Being able to share some TX wrestling enthusiasm with the Broncs Quinn Kinner, Azeem Bell, Tyler Klinsky, Ritchie Koehler and company made for a brief but memorable moment on the week-long visit to the birth state. Still embarrassed about calling Princeton Coach Sean Gray Coach Joe DuBuque by mistake but forgiveness has, it is believed, been granted. And, when in the central NJ area, DO make a stop at Grovers Mill Coffee Company. Great brew, quality people, kitschy movie decor, tasty baked goods and easy parking. And if you do see any little Green men, well, s’ok. They’ve been there before.
Hand Raised 