California Baptist @ Clarion

California Baptist Men's Wrestling beat Clarion Men's Wrestling 32-7 at Clarion University in Clarion, Pa., on December 14, 2024. The Big 12 program left with a 25-point margin, powered largely by multiple bonus-point victories that tilted the score away from the MAC host.

Clarion had a highlight when Scott Johnson scored a 12-2 major decision over Hunter Leake at 133 pounds, netting four team points for the home side. California Baptist, however, responded with a string of high-value finishes. Elijah Griffin recorded a 13-1 major decision at 141 to grab four points, and Tristan Kemp added another major at heavyweight, beating Austin Chapman 9-1 for four more team points.

The decisive moments came in the middle weights when Paul Kelly and Drayden Morton each picked up falls. Kelly’s pin at 149 and Morton’s pin at 165 delivered six team points apiece, and those bonus wins created the separation Clarion could not overcome. Those bonus-point outcomes accounted for the bulk of California Baptist’s scoring and made a tight contest into a comfortable win.

In the end, four bonus victories by California Baptist versus Clarion’s single major decision made the difference in the 32-7 final. Standout performances came from Griffin, Kelly, Morton and Kemp for California Baptist and from Johnson for Clarion, but the visitors’ ability to convert opportunities into majors and pins decided the dual.