Pins Propel Appalachian State To Home Win Over No. 21 UNC
BOONE, N.C. — Once wrestling resumed, App State delivered a 12-point flurry — and the first of back-to-back pins happened in a crowd-rousing hurry. Participating in only their second dual of the season with a young, inexperienced team, the Mountaineers beat a ranked North Carolina squad for the second straight season by winning 24-14 against the No. 21 Tar Heels in Varsity Gym.
App State handed UNC a narrow loss last year in Chapel Hill, and a large home crowd in the High Country was looking for a reason to explode on a sleepy, rainy Sunday afternoon. The Mountaineers claimed three of the first five matches to take a 9-6 lead into the halfway-point intermission, but coming out of the break, Will Miller produced a six-point pin just 43 seconds into his 165-pound match and Luke Uliano followed with another six-point pin late in the second period of his 174-pound match.
Just like that, App State (1-1) had a 21-6 lead with three matches remaining, including two in a row with top-20 wrestlers from North Carolina (6-3) taking the mat.
The Mountaineers held a seven-point advantage going into the final match, and heavyweight Jacob Sartorio used a pair of third-period takedowns to prevail 7-3. Ethan Oakley, Ike Byers and Tommy Askey were responsible for the pre-intermission victories, as Byers won a 2-1 decision at 141 pounds while making his first dual start in his fifth year with the program.
App State, which opened its 2023-24 dual schedule with a loss to No. 2 NC State, picked up its 11th victory against a Power Five opponent since JohnMark Bentley became the Mountaineers’ head coach.
North Carolina’s lineup often has five ranked wrestlers, although it was missing returning All-American Lachlan McNeil, who was in Alberta, Canada, over the weekend winning the Canadian Olympic Trials. Even if the Tar Heels could have gotten the maximum of six points from his normal spot in the lineup, it would have created only a nine-point swing in App State’s 10-point victory.
Byers followed Oakley’s 7-2 win against Jace Palmer with a 2-1 decision decided by a tiebreaking point for stalling against Derek Guanajuato with 1:07 remaining. Byers increased his season total to 12 victories and was promoted to a captain’s role as Bentley addressed the team in the locker room following the dual.
Jayden Scott won 4-3 against App State’s Cody Bond at 149 in the only ranked showdown, giving UNC its second win in addition to 22nd-ranked Spencer Moore’s 8-6 decision against redshirt freshman Noah Luna, and the Mountaineers totaled 15 points over the next three matches.
Askey claimed a 7-3 decision against Danny Nini before Miller and Uliano opened the second half of the dual with momentous outcomes. Miller’s victory followed his clutch win against a returning All-American in the 2022 victory at UNC, and Uliano held a 1-0 lead in the final minute of the second period before gaining control with a near fall and subsequent pin.
North Carolina’s Gavin Kane (ranked 18th) and Max Shaw (ranked 15th) posted consecutive major decisions … story at … APPstatesports.com/Pins-propel-wrestling-to-home-win-over-no-21-unc
No. 21 UNC Wrestling Sweeps Dual With Morgan State
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The 21st-ranked North Carolina wrestling team completed the clean sweep against Morgan State, 36-0, Saturday night at Carmichael Arena.
The Tar Heels collected one fall, one technical fall, two major decisions and six decisions in the matchups with the Bears.
Carolina began the dual with back-to-back decisions courtesy of Marco Tocci (125) and Jace Palmer (133), followed by a technical fall from Derek Guanajuato (141). The Tar Heels then rattled off four-straight decisions, with Jayden Scott (149), Danny Nini (157), Isaias Estrada (165) and Marcus Murabito (174) coming out on top.
The ranked duo of Gavin Kane (184) and Max Shaw (197) collected major decisions, with Cade Lautt (285) rounding out the night with a second period pin.
The Tar Heels return to the mat tomorrow afternoon, traveling to in-state foe Appalachian State at 3 PM.
No. 21 North Carolina 36, Morgan State 0
December 16, 2023 | Carmichael Arena | Chapel Hill, N.C. | Attendance 562
125: Morgan Tocci (UNC) over Julian Dawson (MSU): 8-2 Dec
133: Jace Palmer (UNC) over Kevin Lopez (MSU): 13-11 Dec
141: Derek Guanajuato (UNC) over Khalid Brinkley (MSU): 20-3 TF
149: Jayden Scott (UNC) over Aaron Turner (MSU): 11-6 Dec
157: Danny Nini (UNC) over EJ Tecson (MSU): 4-1 Dec … story at … GOheels.com/Wrestling-sweeps-dual-with-morgan-state
High School Girls’ News
First-ever girls varsity wrestling teams compete in the Hudson Valley
By: Blaise Gomez
The inaugural season of girls varsity wrestling in New York state is in full swing. In the Hudson Valley, several schools have their first-ever teams, including Minisink, Middletown, Port Jervis and Saugerties.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association sanctioned the new girls’ teams last year.
Minisink had their first set of matches against Port Jervis on Friday. Their coach, Dan Gallo, says wrestlers will learn accountability and selflessness through the sport and that they’re excited to welcome their newest athletes.
“I hope the girls will learn several things as a result of being on the first-ever girls’ team here at Minisink. We have talented and experienced wrestlers on our team. We also have first-time wrestlers, with tremendous potential, who are a great fit for the sport and our program. We aspire to be the premier program in New York State. Just watch us,” says Gallo. … story at … Westchester.First-ever-girls-varsity-wrestling-teams-compete-in-the-hudson-valley
First official season for girls wrestling in Pennsylvania getting started
The date May 17, 2023, will not soon be forgotten by those who follow and have an affinity for girls wrestling locally and throughout Pennsylvania.
That day, the PIAA officially sanctioned the sport, making good on its promise that if schools in the state came through and 100 or more sponsored girls wrestling, it would do the same. Pennsylvania became the 38th state to sanction girls wrestling, and now more than 30 teams in the WPIAL, including four in the Alle-Kiski Valley, are putting the finishing touches on preparations to compete, in head-to-head dual meets and also tournaments. “My friend has been coaching a boys team in New Jersey for a while, and he helped start a girls team about four or five years ago,” said Plum girls wresting coach Dave Miller, who guides a group of 10 Mustangs wrestlers, a mix of veteran competitors and others new to the sport, into Saturday’s Butler Invitational, the first official event on the area schedule this season.
“Pennsylvania didn’t have it yet. But there’s been such a groundswell of interest and support the past couple of years. It’s just taken off. Last year, they doubled the number of schools from the year before. It’s growing like wild fire.” Plum, Kiski Area and Fox Chapel will be among more than a dozen teams joining a number of individuals from other schools who don’t sponsor girls wrestling hoping for positive results at Butler. Girls at Knoch, Highlands and Riverview wrestle with the boys teams at their school, but they also will test their mettle at tournaments throughout Western Pennsylvania through February. … story at … Tribhssn.triblive.com/First-official-season-for-girls-wrestling-in-pennsylvania-getting-started
Queens of the mat: Girls wrestling is off and running in 1st season as a PIAA-sponsored sport
Ana Malovich has concluded one wrestling career and begun another in her senior year at Butler High School. Thanks to the PIAA for sponsoring girls wrestling.
Malovich wrestled for Butler’s boys team the past three years and turned in a record-setting 51-34 career mark. She ended her career with the boys team as the only girl in WPIAL history to have 45 or more wins. Now, Malovich and other girls hope to be queens of the mat.
The PIAA has officially recognized girls wrestling for the first time for the 2023-24 season. Malovich could have remained with the boys team or competed on the Golden Tornado’s girls team. ”This choice was easy,” Malovich said. “I want to wrestle with the girls team in my senior year. I will miss being in that environment. I was fortunate to be on the boys team, but I wouldn’t trade anything for this experience of wrestling with the girls.”
Malovich made her debut for the girls team over the weekend and won a title at the Walsh Women’s Ironman tournament, which was hosted by Walsh Jesuit High School (Ohio). It’s a tournament for top wrestlers. Malovich was seeded No. 3 in the 16-girl bracket at 115 pounds. A pair of pins got her to the semifinals, where she defeated No. 2 seed Harlee Hiller of Loyola Academy in the semifinals.
Malovich capped off a championship performance with a pin at 3:56 of her title match against Harriton’s Reagan Briggs. … story at … Post-gazette.com/sports/Piaa-girls-high-school-wrestling-wpial-ana-malovich-butler
UNC-Pembroke Falls Twice At Reinhardt Tri-Meet
By: Alex Pearce, Assistant Athletic Communications Director
Story Links
WALESKA, GA. – The UNC Pembroke wrestling team suffered a narrow defeat to home-standing and #7 NAIA-ranked Reinhardt, and then fell to #2 NAIA-ranked Life in dual action Wednesday night.
The Braves will hit the mat again this weekend, December 16 and 17, as they trek to Indianapolis, Ind. for the 44th Annual Midwest Classic. Wrestling action will run all day at Nicoson Hall. Fans can watch the tournament via a paid subscription to FloWrestling. A free live stats link will be provided by TrackWrestling.
UNCP vs. #7 REINHARDT (L 22-17)
12th-ranked Logan Robinson (133 pounds) put the Braves on the board with a pin, while Jake Piccirilli (149) made it a 9-8 UNCP lead with an 8-7 decision. Keegan Roberson followed with a pin in the 157 pound bout to give the Braves a 15-8 lead. Reinhardt followed with four straight victories to make it 22-15, before Massimo Sullivan (285) took a 6-4 decision to close the dual. … story at … UNCPbraves.com/Wrestling-falls-twice-at-reinhardt-tri-meet
and
Running Eagles Dominate #12 UNC-Pembroke and #7 Reinhardt
WALESKA, Ga. — The Life University men’s wrestling team delivered two impressive ranked wins Wednesday night, first taking down the talented NCAA DII UNC Pembroke 41-7 before successfully defeating AAC rival Reinhardt 31-7.
To begin the day, the Running Eagles lost their opening bout against #12 UNC Pembroke. At 133 lbs, Kaden Ramos got things going for the #2 team in the nation turning a takedown into a pin, two minutes into the opening round. At 141 lbs, Jordan Mitchell doubled the lead for Life U, earning a pin in the 3rd round after controlling the bout with a handful of takedowns and a near fall. At 149 lbs Life U won via forfeit before the Braves won a 6-2 decision at 157 lbs. … story at … Liferunningeagles.com/Running-eagles-dominate-12-unc-pembroke-and-7-reinhardt
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 