Second-ranked West Liberty ran off five straight wins to erase an early four-point deficit to defeat the 14^th-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers, 20-14, in the 2023-24 season-opener, Thursday evening in West Liberty, W.Va.  Trevon Gray and Isaiah Vance each won by major decision for the Mountain Cats.

Gray, a 2-023 national qualifier, got the Mountain Cats off to a 4-0 lead with a 13-2 major decision over Alexander Crane in the 125-lb. bout, before All-American and fourth-ranked Vincent Scollo held off Pitt-Johnstown red-shirt freshman Chad Ozias, 10-6, at 133 lbs. to cut the West Liberty deficit to 4-3.
 
The Hilltoppers quickly took their first lead of the night when Khyvon Grace use a late take down at 141 lbs. to defeat Mason Myers, 7-5, and Nico Taddy followed with a 6-4 upset victory over three-time All-American and third-ranked Jacob Ealy, 6-4, to make it 9-4 after the 149-lb. bout.
 
Returning national qualifier Jordan Watters used a third period escape and a point for riding time to outlast Pitt-Johnstown's Cooper Warshel, 2-0, at 157 lbs.  All-American and No. 3-ranked Alec Cook then gave the Hilltoppers their fifth straight win with a 4-1 decision over Dillon Keane at 165 lbs. that increased it to 15-4.
 
Pitt-Johnstown ended West Liberty's streak with a win at 174 lbs.  Tony Salopek got a first-period take down and went on to shut out Caden Kenworthy, 4-0, to narrow the deficit to 15-7 with three bouts remaining.
 
However, the Hilltoppers put the match out of reach at 184 lbs.  Returning national champion and top-ranked Ty McGeary used a strong third period and scored a 22-5 technical fall at 7:00 over Noah Gnibus to build West Liberty's advantage to 20-7.
 
The Mountain Cats responded with back-to-back wins to close out the match.  At 197 lbs., 2023 national qualifier and ninth-ranked Dakoda Rodgers earned a 4-2 win over Mason Christian, before Vance, also a 2023 national qualifier and seventh-ranked, won an 8-0 major decision over Jamie Kilmer in the finale at 285 lbs.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will travel to the 2023 Journeymen Classic in Bethlehem, Pa. on Nov. 12, before opening the 2023-24 home schedule with a PSAC match against East Stroudsburg on Nov. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.