Takedown Report

Virginia College Wrestling News & Results

Hokies dominate Cavaliers in Commonwealth Clash
BLACKSBURG, VA – No. 10 Virginia Tech wrestling (6-2, 2-1) was down two starters, but their power was on full display on Friday night against the Virginia Cavaliers (4-4, 0-3) in Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies won nine of ten bouts with six bonus point victories including two wins by true freshmen in front of 3,755 Hokie faithful to extend their win streak to 13 over the Cavaliers.
Bonus Point Party

• No. 5 Eddie Ventresca got the party started with a dominant major decision in a ranked victory over No. 30 Keyveon Roller. Ventresca was all offense en route to two takedowns, an escape, and riding time point to get the 8-0 victory.
• No. 19 Connor McGonagle made his second appearance in Cassell to the tune of a 10-0 major decision against another ranked opponent. McGonagle secured a crafty takedown in the first and wouldn’t look back as he picked up a reversal, backpoints, and a riding time point to give the home team another bonus point victory.
• No. 10 Sam Latona faced another top-20 opponent in No. 17 Dylan Cedeno at 141-pounds and it was Latona with a veteran performance. Latona was persistent with his attacks and defense on point to secure a takedown and pick up an escape and riding time point for the 5-1 decision.
• The Hitman returned to the lineup since his last match on December 19 and didn’t miss a beat. No. 1 Caleb Henson was slowed down to a 6-2 lead in the first two periods before an offensive outburst in the third to pick up the 19-5 major decision.
• The defending ACC champion at 184-pounds is catching fire – a 1:36 pin for yet another bonus point victory for the Hokies. No. 24 Thomas Stewart Jr. showed superb defense to offense to take his opponent from feet to back to secure the fall in the first period.
• No. 14 Jimmy Mullen ended the dual in thrilling fashion with heavyweight leg defense right into a cradle for the second period fall. The redshirt freshman is continuing a strong season in the lineup with another bonus point victory.

Freshmen Win Dual Debuts, Smith Returns to Lineup
Two freshmen made their dual debuts – Matt Henrich and Gage Wright – in thrilling fashion … more at … https://hokiesports.com/news/2025/02/1/hokies-dominate-cavaliers-in-commonwealth-clash
And …

Keydets’ hot start leads to 22-20 victory
RICHMOND, Va. – In front of a packed house filled with alumni and fans, VMI Wrestling scored a massive 22-20 Southern Conference victory over Gardner-Webb Friday night at Benedictine College Prep.  
The Keydets, who move to 5-7 overall with a 1-2 SoCon record, picked up their first conference win over the Bulldogs in dramatic fashion. With the triumph, VMI has now defeated Gardner-Webb for the 10th time in program history.
VMI started the dual with an 18-4 advantage until Gardner-Webb flipped the script by tallying the next 16 points, making it 20-18 in favor of the Bulldogs. In the final bout of the evening, 149-pounder Patrick Jordon recorded a big 14-2 major decision to put the Keydets back on top and seal VMI’s first league win.
Starting off the match-opening surge … more at … https://vmikeydets.com/news/2025/1/31/wrestling-keydets-hot-start-leads-to-22-20-victory.aspx
And …

Dixon Named ODAC Wrestler of the Week
FERRUM, Virginia — The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) has announced its Athletes of the Week and Ferrum College senior Rayshawn Dixon has been named Heavier Weight Wrestler of the Week. This is Dixon’s second ODAC Wrestler of the Week award this season and his 10th career honor.
Dixon posted a perfect 5-0 mark in winning the rugged Pete Willson Invitational (PWI), hosted by Wheaton College Friday and Saturday, January 31 through February 1, in Wheaton, Illinois. Included in Dixon’s two-day run in the 285-pound weight class were a pin, three major decisions and a decision.
In his semifinal win, Dixon mad an impressive 19-7 major decision over Myles Johnson of Ohio Northern University, ranked #13 in the nation by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). He then posted a 13-6 decision in the title match over Josh Woodrey (#15 NWCA) of Augustana University.
Dixon outscored his opponents by a combined 57-16 over his five matches at the PWI, to earn his third career title. The title makes him the first Ferrum wrestler to earn three titles at the prestigious event. Current Ferrum Head Wrestling Coach Logan Meister and Dixon were tied with two titles each coming into the weekend. Currently ranked #2 in the nation, Dixon is 21-1 … more at … https://ferrumpanthers.com/news/2025/2/3/wrestling-dixon-named-odac-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx
And …

Mark Samuel earns ODAC Wrestler of the Week Award
FOREST, Va. – Roanoke College junior Mark Samuel earned the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Lighter Weight Wrestler of the week for the week of February 3.
Samuel won the 141-pound weight class and the Maroon wrestling team placed seventh at the two-day Pete Willson Wheaton Invitational Friday and Saturday, facing some of the top teams in the nation. He won four matches to advance to the finals, one by technical fall and one by major decision. Samuel had a 19-4 technical fall victory in the finals over his foe from North Central. … more at … https://roanokemaroons.com/news/2025/2/3/wrestling-mark-samuel-earns-odac-wrestler-of-the-week-award.aspx

February 5, 2025 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports, wrestling | Leave a comment

App. State Beats Bellarmine, Stays Unbeaten in SoCon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Holding a narrow lead, with one of the Division I pins leaders on deck for Bellarmine in the final match, App State Wrestling needed a clutch performance from Carson Floyd.  
Floyd delivered, securing a second-period pin that gave the Mountaineers an insurmountable 10-point lead with one match remaining in a 23-19 road victory at Bellarmine on Friday night. App State improved to 5-3 overall and 4-0 in SoCon duals in advance of a trip to Gardner-Webb on Tuesday.  
The 11th pin of the season from Bellarmine heavyweight Daulton Mayer in a senior-true freshman showdown to close the dual meant that the Mountaineers and Knights (1-3, 0-2 SoCon) split the 10 matches, but Floyd’s pin and two tech falls among App State’s four bonus-point wins made the difference.  
Starting five freshmen, the Mountaineers’ five wins came from four ranked veterans who were 2023-24 starters and one redshirt freshman: Jeremiah Price.
Chad Bellis’ five-point tech fall by an 18-3 score at 133 pounds was his team’s only victory in the first four matches, but App State trailed only 9-5 because Bellarmine had posted a trio of three-point decisions, and Price came up big with five more points via a 25-8 tech fall at 157 pounds to put the Mountaineers ahead for good.
Will Miller (10-1 major decision at 165 pounds) and Luke Uliano (3-0 decision at 174 pounds) then won back-to-back matches that were both officially scoreless entering the third period to increase the Mountaineers’ lead from 10-9 to 17-9.
Bellarmine’s win by an 18-7 major decision at 184 pounds cut its deficit to 17-13 before the 28th-ranked Floyd took the mat against redshirt freshman Andrew Liber, who had lost a 4-1 decision to ranked Campbell veteran Levi Hopkins in Bellarmine’s first SoCon dual a week earlier.
Floyd recorded a first-period takedown and added four near fall points late in the period for a 7-0 advantage. Starting the second period on top, Floyd put Liber on his back before successfully recording a pin halfway through the period.
Bellis held a 4-2 lead in the second period against Trayce Eckman … more at … https://appstatesports.com/news/2025/1/31/wrestling-beats-bellarmine-stays-unbeaten-in-league.aspx

February 5, 2025 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports, wrestling | Leave a comment