Takedown Report

Appalachian State Takes Down No. 21 Tar Heels in Top-30 Showdown

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The first period of the first match wasn’t even complete before a pin-clinching whistle confirmed App State Wrestling’s intentions Thursday night.
 
The Mountaineers traveled to Chapel Hill ready to put up a tough, wire-to-wire fight against a ranked North Carolina team from the ACC.
 
In a top-30 showdown, with UNC ranking No. 21 in the NWCA Coaches Poll and as high as No. 17 among the other national polls, App State posted a 19-16 victory in Carmichael Arena to beat the Tar Heels for the second time in the last seven seasons.

Caleb Smith’s first-period pin in a matchup of ranked 125-pound wrestlers gave App State (1-1) six big points right off the bat, and a trio of wins from NCAA-experienced veterans in Sean Carter, Jon Jon Millner and Will Formato pushed the lead to 16-7 with four matches remaining.
 
The next three matches pitted three ranked wrestlers from UNC against three App State underclassmen, but Will Miller capped just his second career dual appearance by winning a 7-5 decision against returning All-American and eighth-ranked Clay Lautt at 174 pounds. Miller delivered a tiebreaking takedown with 36 seconds left and finished on top to give the Mountaineers a 19-7 advantage.
 
Close decisions in UNC’s favor at the final three weights resulted in the final nine points for the Tar Heels (1-3), but App State exited Carmichael with its fifth all-time win in the series and the second victory in the modern era, joining the 18-16 home win against a 25th-ranked UNC team in Boone during the 2016-17 season.
 
The other wins in the series occurred in 1965-66, 1960-61 and 1959-60. … rest of story at Appstatesports.com/news/2022/12/15/wrestling-tops-no-21-tar-heels-in-top-30-showdown
 

December 29, 2022 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized