NCAA Week 9 Roundup: It’s Tourney Time
Recapping all the biggest stories from the ninth week of the 2022-23 NCAA D1 college wrestling season.
The holiday tournament season has come and gone! We delayed our roundup for one day to accommodate the finals of the Southern Scuffle falling on a Monday. Hey, if the Rose Bowl can be postponed a day, why not this, the granddaddy of wrestling blogs?
So this week, we’re focusing on the Midlands, the Soldier Salute and the Southern Scuffle.
The Dual of The Century, of the Week
There were no duals last week, hence there is no dual of the century of the week. Would you like a refill on that Pepsi?
And Now: Tournament Turbo Time
Wildcats Go Wild As Hosts Of The 58th Midlands
Not only did the Wildcats of Northwestern ably perform their hosting duties, they also won the whole dang thing. This was, if you can believe it, the first team win for the Wildcats in program history. … rest of season at Flowrestling.org/articles/10267451-ncaa-week-9-roundup-its-tourney-time
Five Things We Learned About the Big Ten This Week (1/4/23)
by Kevin Claunch and Lauren Muthler; Photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com
Holiday wrestling staples – Midlands and the Southern Scuffle – were back in full force this year, along with the inaugural Soldier Salute in Iowa, giving wrestling fans plenty of options for entertainment and plenty of excuses to escape excessive family festivities.
Several Big Ten teams were in action this weekend for some final competition before diving into the conference dual slate.
Here’s what we learned:
Well-rounded performance leads Northwestern to Midlands win
After 58 years of hosting the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, the Northwestern Wildcats were crowned the team champions for the first time in program history.
The feat was even more impressive considering the Wildcats were without one of their top wrestlers in Michael DeAugustino at 125 pounds. They also had a few other wrestlers who had limited mat time due to injuries, coach Matt Storniolo told BTN’s Shane Sparks, referring to his team as “the walking wounded.”
Yet, the Wildcats still found themselves hoisting the team trophy at the end of the day thanks to first-place finishes from Lucas Davison (285), Yahya Thomas (149) and Trevor Chumbley (157) and podium finishes from Chris Cannon (2nd at 133), Andrew Davison (3rd at 197), Aiden Vandenbush (7th at 157) and Evan Bates (8th at 184).
The finals match that probably gave Coach Storniolo the most gray hairs was Thomas’ 4-3 decision over Arizona State’s Kyle Parco. Thomas led by a point when Parco got in deep on a shot and the two went off the mat with 15 seconds remaining. The Arizona State coaching staff wanted a takedown to be called, but after review, the two were deemed to have been off the mat and Thomas held on for the win. … rest of story at Rokfin.com/Five-Things-We-Learned-About-the-Big-Ten-This-Week
Presbyterian College Ends Brown Match on 19-0 Run; Splits Tri-Dual at Franklin & Marshall
LANCASTER, Pa. – Swiftly turning a nine-point deficit into a 10-point victory to bring in the new year with their third head-to-head W of the 2022-23 season, the Presbyterian College men’s wrestling team finished off their second straight tri-dual with a 1-1 trek in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Thursday afternoon, downing Brown 25-15 before falling to hosting Franklin & Marshall in the second half of the two-parter, 33-9.
On the brink of the 10th annual David H. Lehman F&M Open starting tomorrow morning, the Blue Hose continued their lengthy stretch of dual competition with their sixth and seventh consecutive one-on-one meetings in the Keystone State. Redshirt-junior Trenton Donahue and true freshman Tyler Chittum scored a pair of W’s over both the Bears and the Diplomats in the split result, allowing PC to find their second straight match with an unanswered double-digit scoring run in the come-from-behind switch that toppled Brown.
A 12-0 rally in the team’s previous bout with Duke in Clinton very nearly gave Presbyterian the momentum needed to post a major win pre-Christmas, although the Blue Devils squeezed out the decision in the 10th and final match to avoid a blown lead. On this occasion, an even larger scoring spree sealed the deal for PC by securing 19 straight points against Brown on five wins in a row, going from only six team points at the halfway mark to a comfortable victory in the blink of an eye.
Donahue’s pinfall triumph in match #3 gave … rest of story at GObluehose.com/news/2023/1/5/mens-wrestling-pc-ends-brown-match-on-19-0-run-splits-tri-dual-at-franklin-marshall
Davidson Wrestling Drops Pair of Duals at Franklin & Marshall
LANCASTER, Pa. – The Davidson wrestling team returned to the mats for the first time in 2023 with a pair of dual matches against Franklin & Marshall College and Brown University on Thursday afternoon. The Wildcats fell to the Diplomats 29-9 then, had their comeback fall short against Brown, 22-19.
Bryce Sanderlin and Gavin Henry were the lone victors in the first match of the day. Sanderlin dominated the 165-pound bout on his way to an 8-1 victory. Henry, who came into the new year having won five of his last six matches, took care of business by pinning his opponent midway through the second period.
Against Brown, Davidson found themselves behind, 22-0, after dropping the first five bouts. Sanderlin turned the tides with an 11-4 victory that began a run of five straight wins for the Wildcats. After Sanderlin’s win, Jaden Hardrick wrestled up from his normal 165-pound weight class and turned in a victory in a 5-3 decision. Cameo Blankenship followed suit with another hard-fought victory via decision, 6-3. Davidson trailed 22-10 with two matches left.
Gavin Henry made things interesting when he notched his second pin in as many matches by taking down his opponent in a little over three minutes. This gave Jake Fernicola a chance to tie the match in the heavyweight … rest of story at Davidsonwildcats.com/news/2023/1/5/wrestling-drops-pair-of-duals-at-franklin-marshall
National Duals Collision In Louisville
D2 Insider: Top Teams Set
Division II’s top teams have made their way to the Kentucky Expo Center to battle Friday and Saturday in one of the most intriguing events of the year.
Division II’s top teams have made their way to the Kentucky Expo Center to battle Friday and Saturday in one of the most intriguing events of the year — the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals.
Central Oklahoma snapped St. Cloud State’s 77-meet dual winning streak in last year’s finals to claim the title.
This year’s tournament in Louisville features 16 teams, including the top four — #1 Central Oklahoma, #2 Nebraska-Kearney, #3 Lander, #4 St. Cloud State. This will be the first major dual test for the Bronchos, Lopers and Huskies.
Here are the first-round pairings:
Central Oklahoma vs. Augustana
Indianapolis vs. Gannon
Lander vs. Fort Hays State
West Liberty vs. Colorado Mesa
St. Cloud State vs. Mercyhurst
McKendree vs. Upper Iowa
Mary vs. Ashland
Nebraska-Kearney vs. Newberry
Colorado Mesa Surging
While there is no shortage of talent at the National Duals, one team that will be looking to continue to build momentum moving forward is Colorado Mesa University, a team coming off of a fourth-place finish at the Midwest Classic in December and is returning to full strength. Colorado Mesa coach Mike Mendoza is happy with his team’s growth.
“Some of the younger guys, I think, are just getting better with every competition, and next up is the National Duals, which is a big deal for us and we are looking forward to it,” he said.
High Hopes for the Second Half of the Season … rest of story at Flowrestling.org/d2-insider-top-teams-set-for-national-duals-collision-in-louisville
NAIA Insider: Can Anyone Get In Way Of Another Grand View-Life Clash?
Grand View has won 10 straight National Duals titles, beating Life in each of the last three years. The NAIA powers could be on another collision course.
Sixteen NAIA men’s teams arrived this week in Louisville for the opportunity to take home one of the division’s biggest prizes — the NWCA National Duals title.
The title trophy has been covered in Grand View prints throughout the past decade. The Vikings won their 10th straight National Duals title last year.
Also of note, the Vikings have met Life University in each of the past three National Duals finals with Grand View winning 23-12 in 2019, 40-0 in 2020 and 21-10 in 2022 (the 2021 tournament was canceled). Grand View and Life hold the #1 and 2 seeds, respectively, yet it is no guarantee these teams clash again.
Let’s look at which other teams will be fighting for a top placement at the national duals.
The Top Half
Grand View will start off its run with Lourdes University from Ohio. Lourdes is currently led by 184-pound national qualifier William Speight, who is on the fringe of the rankings. The winner will face either #8 Reinhardt or #9 Lindsey Wilson. This dual could come down to the wire.
Right below that in the top half, is Baker vs. Indiana Tech. Indiana Tech is the favorite, but Baker’s low seed can be misleading. Baker had a tough time at the Eagle Duals, but has a pair of ranked wrestlers. Meanwhile, Indiana Tech is 8-0 in duals this year, dominating them all.
If the seeds hold, it would be Doane vs. Indiana Tech in the quarter finals. … rest of story at Flowrestling.org/Naia-insider-can-anyone-get-in-way-of-another-grand-view-life-clash
USMC/NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships invade Louisville with 95 teams across six college wrestling divisions
Manheim, Pennsylvania – The Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville will once again play host to the NWCA’s annual Multi-Division National Duals, which will feature 95 men’s and women’s programs in six divisions.
The 2022 U.S. Marine Corps NWCA Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships presented by ARMS Software, Defense Soap, and Capital Construction hosted by NUWAY Combat takes place January 6-7. The first whistle blows on Friday morning at 10 a.m. with championship bracket action starting across 16 mats.
“We are excited to once again welcome our teams to Louisville for the National Duals. The Kentucky Expocenter has provided us a fantastic venue for this great event,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “These two action packed days of wrestling will highlight some of the top programs from across the country. We can’t wait to get things kicked off Friday morning and crown our National Champions Saturday evening.”
Of the 95 teams, 13 different schools will have both their men’s and women’s wrestling teams in action.
“We are excited to crown dual meet champions Saturday and to put on this great event for so many teams,” said Jackie Paquette, NWCA Deputy Director. “This event brings together both men and women from across the country, and across governing bodies. We are going to have some terrific wrestling here in Louisville this weekend.”
Division II Men
Central Oklahoma snapped St. Cloud State’s NCAA-record 77 match dual meet win streak in the finals in 2022. St. Cloud State set the mark one round earlier in a semifinal win over Nebraska-Kearney. The top-seeded Bronchos have won 19 duals in a row, dating back to the 2019-20 season and will open up with longtime Division II contender Augustana (S.D.). Nebraska-Kearney, winner of National Duals championships in 2003 and 2007, will be seeded second and open up with Newberry, which made a Cinderella run into the semifinals last season. St. Cloud State has won six Division II National Duals titles. The Huskies are seeded third and will open up with Mercyhurst, while West Liberty is seeded fourth. The Hilltoppers will face Colorado Mesa in the opening round. Lander, Upper Iowa, Mary and Indianapolis round out the top eight seeds.
Division III Men
Wartburg and Augsburg were both unable to attend in 2022, … rest of story at NWCAonline.com/usmc-nwca-national-dual-meet-champions-brings-96-teams-6-divisions-to-kentucky-expocenter
Cornell Controls #3 Arizona State In 19-12 Win At FloWrestling Duals
AUSTIN, Texas — The Cornell wrestling team picked up a signature win, handing third-ranked Arizona State its first dual loss of the season and controlled throughout in a 19-12 victory over the Sun Devils on Wednesday evening at the FloWrestling Duals. The Big Red improved to 3-2 with the win, its first over a top five opponent since knocking off then-No. 4 Ohio State 19-18 on Feb. 19, 2017.
Cornell won both feature matches a pair of top five contests over the final three bouts. In all, the Big Red won four of five matches between ranked grapplers on the evening.
Vito Arujau’s buzzer-beating takedown of fourth-ranked Michael McGee at 133 pounds completed a comeback to remain unbeaten on the season with a 7-5 triumph. The win was the second of the season over McGee, who he defeated 6-1 a month ago in the finals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The two-time All-American is 8-0 against ranked wrestlers so far this season.
Three-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis also shook off a challenge at 149 pounds from No. 5 Kyle Parco, a two-time All-American. The senior picked up his 98th career win with an 8-2 victory, picking up the pace after a scoreless first period to cement the team win.
The Big Red won three of four matches from 165 to 197 highlighted by a dominant 13-0 major decision win by Chris Foca at 174 pounds. The junior chased a tech fall int he third, but put the only bonus points on the board for either team. … rest of story at Observertoday.com/news/top-stories/2023/01/girls-wrestling-is-on-the-rise-in-new-york
WIN’s Jan. 4 Rankings preview big duals to start 2023 this weekend
The holidays are over and NCAA Division I college wrestling teams will now focus on their dual-meet schedules. That includes four schools, ranked among the Top 10 in WIN’s Jan. 4 dual rankings, presented by Cliff Keen Athletic, that will meet this weekend. No. 3 Iowa State, which moved up two spots, will entertain No. 4 Arizona State on Sunday, Jan. 8, the same day No. 6 Missouri plays host to No. 9 Northern Iowa.
Penn State, which travels to No. 14 Wisconsin on Friday, remained No. 1 in both WIN’s dual rankings and Tournament Power Index (97.5 points), which projects where schools will finish in the 2023 NCAA Championships, held this March in Tulsa, Okla. The Nittany Lions (7-0) feature eight ranked wrestlers, including four who are ranked No. 1 nationally: Roman Bravo-Young (133), Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (184) and Greg Kerkvliet (Hwt).
The following is a breakdown of the points from the TPI, based on a wrestler’s ranking: 20 for 1st, 16 for 2nd, 13.5 for 3rd, 12.5 for 4th, 10 for 5th, 9 for 6th, 6.5 for 7th and 5.5 for 8th. Wrestlers ranked 9-12 earn two points each, followed by 1.5 points for wrestlers ranked 13-16 and 1 point for those ranked 17-20.
There is a strong three-way battle between the next three schools in WIN’s TPI as five points separate No. 2 Iowa (66), No. 3 Missouri (64.5) and No. 4 Iowa State (61.5), while Cornell (57.5) rounds out the Top-5 schools in the TPI.
Individually, there is a new No. 1 at 157 pounds in Nebraska’s Peyton Robb, who moved up one spot after Princeton’s Quincy Monday, ranked No. 1 at 157 before the holidays, moved up to 165 pounds. The Tiger was the 2022 NCAA runner-up and is ranked No. 4 at the heavier weight class after he recently won a Midlands championship at that weight. … rest of story at WIN-magazine.com/2023/01/04/wins-jan-4-rankings-preview-big-duals-to-start-2023-this-weekend
Smith Places 5th As 3 Mountaineers Medal at Southern Scuffle
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Two ranked wins Monday helped App State’s Caleb Smith earn his third fifth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle.
Tommy Askey, unseeded at 157 pounds, went 4-2 to place seventh. Sean Carter’s 3-3 mark at 133 pounds resulted in an eighth-place showing.
Matching his finishes from 2022 and 2020, Smith went 5-2 at McKenzie Arena with two losses to top-20 opponents. His takedown in a Sudden Victory overtime period produced a 7-5 win against 28th-ranked Braxton Brown of Maryland to clinch a top-six spot, and Smith rallied for a 5-4 win in the fifth-place match against 16th-ranked Stevo Poulin from Northern Colorado.
Poulin, an NC State transfer who had won 6-5 against Smith in a quarterfinal match Sunday, led 3-0 and increased his riding time to 1:25 on Monday before Smith got an escape with 1:20 left in third period.
Smith tied the match at 3-all on the scoreboard thanks to a takedown with 54 seconds left and stayed on top for 17 seconds to reduce Poulin’s riding time advantage to 1:08 before Poulin took a 4-3 lead with an escape. Smith delivered another takedown with 11 seconds left and maintained a front headlock until time ran out with no escape awarded. … rest of story at APPstatesports.com/news/2023/1/2/-24-wrestling-smith-places-5th-as-3-mountaineers-medal-at-southern-scuffle
IOWA CROWNS 8 CHAMPS; WINS SOLDIER SALUTE TEAM TITLE
CORALVILLE, Iowa – The second-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team crowned eight individual champions en route to winning the Soldier Salute team title on Friday at Xtream Arena. The Hawkeyes finished with 228 points.
Iowa was victorious in all eight of its finals bouts with three wins coming in Hawkeye vs. Hawkeye battles. Iowa had 18 wrestlers finish in the top six during the two-day tournament with eight champions, three runner-up, one third, one fourth, three fifth and two sixth place finishes.
“There is a lot to evaluate,” said head coach Tom Brands. “We have Illinois in eight days… we have to evaluate this and move forward. This tournament is important because it gets us right back into it. It is an important part of our schedule.”
Top-ranked Spencer Lee needed just 1:24 to claim the first title of the night at 125 pounds. He took down sophomore Drake Ayala seconds into the match, turned him for a four-point near fall and finished off the fall in 1:24.
Lee finished the tournament with four wins – all via bonus points – to run his winning streak to 43 consecutive matches. … rest of story at Hawkeyesports.com/news/2022/12/30/iowa-crowns-8-champs-wins-soldier-salute
College Women’s News – Jan. 6th
Women’s Wrestling Crowned Inaugural Midlands Champions
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (Dec. 30, 2022) – Competing for the final time in 2022, the North Central College women’s wrestling team dominated the competition on their way to the first ever Midlands Championship while they saw 14 wrestlers place within the top-four while four wrestlers claimed a title in their respective weight classes.
In the 58 year history of the Midlands Championships, this is the first time a women’s division has been held and the Cardinals were crowned the champions of this prestigious tournament after scoring 107.5 points. Augsburg University followed in second with 54 points while Presbyterian College (45) was third, McKendree University (31.5) was fourth and Lock Haven University (15.5) rounded out the top-five.
In the 101-pound bracket, Maddie Avila kicked off the tournament by upsetting No. 4 Samantha Miller of Presbyterian College to advance to the Championship bout against Rianna Murphy. In the finals, Avila would go down 6-0 before climbing her way back to four but her comeback efforts weren’t enough as she fell to Murphy by an 8-4 decision, taking home second place. Amber Turner competed at 101-pounds, taking home fourth after falling in both of her matches. … rest of story at Northcentralcardinals.com/news/2022/12/30/womens-wrestling-womens-wrestling-crowned-inaugural-midlands-champions
NWCA Releases Regular Season NCAA Women’s Coaches Poll #3
MANHEIM, PA – The fourth set of National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) NCAA Women’s Wrestling rankings was released today as the teams in the top five remained the same. King University extended the gap between second-ranked North Central College to reclaim the top spot by one point while Aurora University enters the top 10 for the first time. The first set of dual rankings were also released with North Central holding the top spot.
King takes over the top spot with 104 points while North Central is second with 93 points. King and North Central are the only teams with at least 10 individuals ranked as the Cardinals lead the way with 14 and King has 13. Colorado Mesa University regains the third spot over McKendree University with 79 points while McKendree has 53 points. The Mavericks have seven individuals ranked while McKendree has eight. Augsburg University held steady at fifth with 52 points and five ranked individuals.
Simon Fraser University has seven ranked individuals and stayed sixth with 46 points while Presbyterian College remains at seventh with 26 points and three ranked individuals, and Gannon University stays at eighth with 18 points and four ranked individuals. East Stroudsburg moved up to ninth with four individuals ranked and 17 points while Aurora University cracks the top 10 for the first time with 16 points and one individual ranked.
There are three new individuals ranked No. 1, starting with a pair of King individuals at 109 and 116 pounds. Sage Mortimer takes the top spot 109 pounds while Samara Chavez claims the No. 1 ranking at 116 pounds. Alexis Janiak takes the No. 1 ranking at 130 pounds and becomes the first Aurora individual to be ranked No. 1 … rest of story at NWCAonline.com/nwca-releases-regular-season-ncaa-womens-coaches-poll-3
Women’s Wrestling Takes First at Soldier Salute
CORALVILLE, IOWA — Over the course of the Holiday Season, the Life University women’s wrestling team traveled to Iowa for the Soldier Salute tournament and earned a team victory in a strong field this weekend.
Life U took first in the field with 129 team points, narrowly beating out second-placed Army that had 128.5. The top three was rounded out by Iowa Wesleyan with 118.5 points.
The best result of the tournament came from Latifah McBryde, the freshman taking first place in the 155 lbs. bracket. She recorded the most pins and tech falls in the least amount of time, with all seven matches ending in the bonus and only in 13:27. The day started with a pair of 10-0 tech falls, the first over No. 18 Grace Doering. Her next three matches saw three-straight pins to keep her undefeated on the day. The day came to a close with another 10-0 tech fall and hard fought 4:07 pin to secure the clean sweep of the 155 lbs. bracket.
The only other top three finish came from new arrival Sarah Savidge, earning third in the 136 lbs. bracket. The vaunted freshman … rest of story at Liferunningeagles.com/news/2022/12/30/womens-wrestling-takes-first-at-soldier-salute
Individual College Honors
Malcolm Wiley Earns SoCon Wrestler of the Week Honors
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Fresh off his 11th personal victory of a sophomore campaign that has firmly thrusted the 197-pounder into the spotlight, Malcolm Wiley of the Presbyterian College men’s wrestling team was rewarded for his efforts against the Duke Blue Devils by capturing the Southern Conference’s Wrestler of the Week nod on Wednesday afternoon.
Exactly seven days ago, Wiley sent the PC faithful to their feet during the Blue Hose’s nonconference tri-meet against both Duke and George Mason, bouncing back from an earlier defeat by picking up a pinfall W in less than three minutes midway through the evening’s main event vs. the Blue Devils. The sophomore Navy transfer toppled Duke’s Brayden Ray to give Presbyterian a 12-point scoring run and their first lead of the bout across a tightly-contested outcome.
While the visitors were ultimately able to post a 23-19 triumph in the Templeton Center (winning the 10th and final match of the dual with the score tied going in), Wiley’s dominant performance in his showing against Duke gave the Blue Hose new life halfway through the meeting when PC had previously trailed by 10 points. … rest of story at GObluehose.com/news/2022/12/28/mens-wrestling-malcolm-wiley-earns-socon-wrestler-of-the-week-honors
Seliga Retains League Wrestler Of The Week Crown
GREENVILLE, S.C. – It was déjà vu all over again for sophomore Logan Seliga on Tuesday afternoon as an unblemished run through another tournament led to Conference Carolinas Wrestler of the Week laurels for the second time.
A product of Belle Vernon, Pa., Seliga turned in a dominant run through the 125-pound tournament at the Citrus Invitational last week, outscoring opponents 39-4 and tallying four victories via major decision. His unblemished run in south Florida included a 10-0 major decision in his opener on Thursday, as well as a 8-0 major decision in the championship bout.
A two-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships, including a region title as a freshman in 2019-20, Seliga has compiled a 34-12 career record in the Black & Gold, including a perfect 16-0 mark this season.
The 18th-ranked Braves (6-1, 3-0 SACC) will be back in action again on Friday … rest of story at UNCPbraves.com/news/2023/1/3/wrestling-seliga-retains-league-wrestler-of-the-week-crown
Newberry Wolves Ring In The New Year With A Win
Newberry Win Early And Often En Route To A 36-14 Win Against King
NEWBERRY, S.C. – Bringing in the new year with an early dual, the Wolves looked to start off the second half of the 2022-2023 season right with a South Atlantic Conference Carolinas matchup against King University. Coming off of a tough invitational at the Midwest Classic back in December (where both programs participated in), Newberry turned their attention to the Tornado as both teams would look to gain momentum in conference standings
Starting off at 125 lbs, the Wolves’ Zach Shupp (Fairfield, Ohio) got going early as he would pin King’s Tyson Upchurch in 55 seconds. The 133 lb match would be different as Franky Medina of King would pin Newberry’s Fletcher Swindall (Alexandria, Ala.) at 5:14. Josh Blatt (Albemarle, N.C.) would get the Wolves back in the winning direction with a 14-6 major decision over Austin Kolikas at 141 lbs.
Devan Moore (Baxely, Ga.) would continue the run for the Wolves with a 17-2 tech fall win at 4:12 at the 149 weight class over Nico Crosnoe, but Newberry’s Nolan Wheeler (Dahlonega, Ga.) would ultimately fall to Trent Mahoney by a 15-0 tech fall at 7:00 in the 157 weight class. Asa Walton (Buena, N.J.) of Newberry at 165 lbs would lose a 9-4 decision to King’s Bo Perkins. … rest of story at Newberrywolves.com/news/2023/1/3/wrestling-wolves-ring-in-the-new-year-with-a-win
Oklahoma State Cowboys Ride as Champions at the Southern Scuffle
OKLAHOMA STATE WINS SOUTHERN SCUFFLE WITH THREE CHAMPIONS; SECOND-PLACE NORTH DAKOTA STATE ALSO WINS THREE TITLES
Three champions and a team title.
No. 14 Oklahoma State won its second Southern Scuffle as Daton Fix (133), Dustin Plott (174) and Travis Wittlake (184) won championships.
North Dakota State finished runner-up while Missouri claimed third.
Fix rolled to his second Southern Scuffle title with a 7-3 win against Chattanooga’s Brayden Palmer. Fix showed his skill with 2:59 in riding time.
Dustin Plott won a Big 12 finals rematch at 174. He defeated Missouri’s Peyton Mocco, 12-7. Trailing 6-5 in the third, Plott responded with a takedown and a four-point near fall.
Wittlake defeated North Dakota State’s Deanthony Parker Jr., 3-0.
NDSU made things interesting with five finalists. At 149, Kellyn March beat Oklahoma State’s Victor Voinovich, 5-3, in sudden victory. March, who trailed 3-0, forced sudden victory via rideout with 10 seconds left. He scored a reversal earlier in the third and grabbed riding time. He finished the job with a takedown 69 seconds into sudden victory.
Jared Franek followed his teammate with a 2-2 rideout win at 157 over top seed Kendall Coleman of Purdue.
The third NDSU title came at 197 pounds, as No. 4 seed Owen Pentz pinned No. 2 seed Lou Deprez of Binghamton at 3:03.
At 125, Matt Ramos gave Purdue its first champion of the day with a 4-3 win over Missouri’s Noah Surtin. … rest of story at OKstate.com/news/2023/1/2/cowboy-wrestling-oklahoma-state-claims-team-title-three-champions-at-southern-scuffle
Oklahoma State Wins Southern Scuffle as Daton Fix, Dustin Plott, and Travis Wittlake Win Individual Titles
The Cowboys entered day two of the Southern Scuffle trailing first-place Missouri by 5.5 points. They had five starters in the semifinals and five starters still wrestling on the consolation side.
In the early rounds of the consolation brackets, the Cowboys took control of the team race going 5-0 and pushing all of their starters into the placement matches. Later came the semifinals where the Cowboys went 4-1 putting Daton Fix, Victor Voinovich, Dustin Plott, and Travis Wittlake all into the finals.
In the first Oklahoma State final, Daton Fix comfortably beat UT Chatanooga’s Brayden Palmer 7-3 to win 133. He picked up two takedowns, a reversal, and a ton of riding time in the process. Dustin Plott had a rematch of last year’s Big 12 final at 174 with Missouri’s Peyton Mocco. He got down early, giving up two takedowns and going behind 4-1. He then methodically started to work his way back into the match with a quick escape and takedown in the second that was followed by a technical violation point for a head-scissor called on Mocco. Then in the third period, Plott cut Mocco making it 6-6. As Plott worked to finish a shot, he put Mocco on his back to win 12-7.
Travis Wittlake had a pretty unique final with North Dakota State’s … rest of story at Pistolsfiringblog.com/oklahoma-state-wins-southern-scuffle-as-daton-fix-dustin-plott-and-travis-wittlake-win-individual-titles
Gophers Wrap Up Southern Scuffle with Top-5 Team Finish
CHATTANOOGA – The University of Minnesota wrestling program completed a full weekend of action at the Southern Scuffle presented by Compound Sportswear on Monday night, as they capped off a top-five team finish inside McKenzie Arena.
The Gophers finished the tournament with ten total placewinners on the event, finishing in fifth place as a team with 96 points.
Aaron Nagao rounded out a 4-1 weekend by placing third at 133 pounds. After falling in the semifinal round to Chattanooga’s Brayden Palmer, Nago responded on the backside with two nice showings, earning a 6-1 decision over Iowa State’s Zach Redding before dominating Bucknell’s Kurt Phipps by a score of 10-3.
141-pounder Jake Bergeland also responded from a semifinal round loss to take third place as he took an overtime thriller over No. 11 Dylan Droegemueller (North Dakota State) in the consolation semifinals, then defeated Rider’s McKenzie Bell in the third-place bout. … rest of story at Gophersports.com/news/2023/1/2/wrestling-gophers-wrap-up-southern-scuffle-with-top-5-team-finish
Oklahoma State Claims Team Title, Three Champions at Southern Scuffle
Chattanooga, Tenn. – The Oklahoma State wrestling team captured its third team Southern Scuffle title in program history, led by the three top-seeded Cowboys who won individual titles, including Daton Fix, Dustin Plott and Travis Wittlake.
The Cowboys’ 181 points is the third most OSU has ever scored at the Southern Scuffle and was 36.5 points more than second place North Dakota State. The three individual champions for OSU were tied for the most of any team at the event with NDSU.
“I thought we wrestled well in most spots,” head coach John Smith said. “We had some matches tonight we were in control of and found a way to lose. But, we also found a lot of ways to win this weekend. Overall, I think it gives our team a chance to continue to develop.”
Fix was the first of four finalists to take the mat for Oklahoma State. A takedown in the first period and reversal to start the second gave him a comfortable lead on his way to a 7-1 decision over Chattanooga’s Brayden Palmer. Fix moved to 10-0 on the season after winning five matches this weekend.
Victor Voinovich advanced to the 149-pound finals with a 4-1 victory over Michael Gioffre of Virginia in the semifinals earlier in the day. Voinovich jumped out to an early lead against sixth seeded Kellyn March in the championship bout, but gave up a reversal and riding time point in the third period, which sent the match to overtime. In the first sudden victory period, … rest of story at OKstate.com/news/2023/1/2/cowboy-wrestling-oklahoma-state-claims-team-title-three-champions-at-southern-scuffle
NDSU Wrestling Claims Three Individual Titles, Takes 2nd Overall at Southern Scuffle
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The North Dakota State wrestling team claimed three individual titles and took second overall at the 2023 Southern Scuffle Monday at McKenzie Arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Jared Franek claimed his second-straight Southern Scuffle title at 157 pounds, while Kellyn March and Owen Pentz claimed titles at 149 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively, to lead the way for the Bison. March and Pentz join Franek as the only Bison to claim Southern Scuffle titles.
North Dakota State finished second overall for the second straight season, finishing with 144.5 points, the most in program history at the event, breaking the previous team high of 109.5 set last season. The Bison finished behind only team champion Oklahoma State (181). Missouri (125), Stanford (105.5) and Minnesota (96) rounded out the top five.
The three individual champions for North Dakota State, matched Oklahoma State for a tournament high. The Bison added two runner-up finishes, a fourth and a fifth. NDSU’s seven placers is a new high for the Bison at the event, breaking the previous high of six last year and in 2020. The five finalists were also the most by any team at this year’s event.
The Bison began the day with all five wrestlers who reached the semifinals, winning to reach the championship final Monday night. March claimed the first title in the evening session, knocking off #21 Victor Voinovich (Oklahoma State) with a take down in sudden victory to win 5-3. March defeated #23 Quinn Kinner (Rider) 9-3 in the semifinal to advance to the title match.
Franek then stepped on to the championship mat and recorded his highest ranked victory in his collegiate career, defeating #3 Kendall Coleman (Purdue) by tiebreaker criteria to claim his second-straight Southern Scuffle title. Franek defeated Stanford’s Charles Darracott to reach the final. … rest of story at GObison.com/news/2023/1/2/ndsu-wrestling-claims-three-individual-titles-takes-2nd-overall-at-southern-scuffle
High School News
Road trips wrap up West wrestling matches for 2022
- By Brian Slattery Sports Editor
- Dec 29, 2022
West Brunswick’s wrestling team finished 2022 with road trips to a dual meet, a tournament and a Mideastern Conference meet, capping the year by traveling to Hampstead to take on MEC 4A foe Topsail High School on Tuesday, Dec. 20. … story at Newsargus.com/brunswick_beacon/sports/road-trips-wrap-up-west-wrestling-matches-for-2022
High School Sports Year in Review: Title appearances abound
From buzzer-beaters to walk-offs, to thrilling victories and heartbreaking losses, the 2022 calendar year saw plenty of storybook performances from area high school teams and athletes. All three seasons saw at least one team or individual competing for a state title in their respective sports. In the end, two area teams and two individual athletes finished their seasons with the ultimate high, an NCHSAA title. Here is a closer look at the top-10 storylines and games from the past year: … story at Reflector.com/sports/high_schools/high-school-sports-year-in-review-title-appearances-abound
Prep Spotlight: D.H. Conley’s Devlen Morris
Devlen Morris is the lone senior on the D.H. Conley wrestling team this winter.
Following in the footsteps of a historic senior class last season, Morris is looking to lead the Vikings to continued success on the mat.
Morris spoke with Reflector prep sports writer following a Big Carolina 3A/4A Conference dual earlier this season about his role as a senior leader, his background in the sport and his goals for the future.
Q: I know the team had a large senior class last season, and now you’re the lone senior on the roster. What is that like?
A: It’s alright because I’ve got all my boys from last year and they all have my back. Next year they’ll just be better off because they won’t have as many people leaving as we did last year.
Q: Has it put any extra pressure on you individually as the only senior?
A: Nah not really. We’ve got such a good team, it just all works out for us at the end.
Q: How long have you been wrestling?
A: Since sixth grade.
Q: Why did you get into the sport?
A: North Pitt’s wrestling coach, he went to my middle school and he told me I should try to join wrestling. I tried it out, and I really liked it, so I stuck with it.
Q: What is your favorite thing about wrestling? … story at Reflector.com/sports/high_schools/prep-spotlight-d-h-conleys-devlen-morris
High School Wrestling: Depleted Panthers go 2-1 at quad
BETHEL — North Pitt came into the 2022-23 wrestling season knowing it would face some challenges as a young team, with no seniors and only two juniors on the roster.
Those obstacles have gotten even larger for the Panthers, as they came into Tuesday evening’s home quad match with more than half of their lineup unavailable due to injuries and illness.
Despite the shortcomings, North Pitt was still able to go 2-1 on the night, securing wins over North Lenoir and Eastern Plains 2A Conference foe SouthWest Edgecombe, before dropping a decision to Northeastern.
“Early on I thought we did really well,” North Pitt head coach Chris Young said. “I wasn’t expecting much, just because of sickness and injury.
“The guys who were here fought pretty hard, and I was really impressed with how hard they fought.”
The hosts started things off with a matchup with fellow EPC squad SouthWest Edgecombe, as just six weights were contested in the match.
North Pitt won four of those six matches, all via pins on its way to a 54-30 victory.
After the first three weights all saw forfeit victories, the Panthers held a 12-6 edge heading into the first contested bout at 113 pounds. … story at Reflector.com/sports/high_schools/high-school-wrestling-depleted-panthers-go-2-1-at-quad
Conley Wrestling rolls at Bunn for their last event in 2022
Conley finished 3rd out of 21 teams on Thursday 12/22/22 @ Bunns Wildcat Innovational. The Vikings had 6 athletes place in the top 3.
106 – Andrew Bullard – 3rd
113 – Colton McClung – 3rd
126 – Chris Bonner – 2nd
182 – Caleb Bess – 2nd
195 – Jamie Jinks – 3rd
220 – Dontae Staton – 3rd
Conley will be back on the mat on Thursday 1/5/23 at Manteo to wrestle Pasquotank, First Flight, and Manteo.
How Andre Adams’ rise as Laney wrestling coach embodies sport’s sacrifice, dedication
Entering his sixth season as the wrestling coach at Laney High School, Andre Adams still has the fire for the sport that captivated him as a teenager.
Adams joined Laney in 2012 as an assistant before taking over the program in 2017. Curating the area’s most dominant wrestling program, the Maryland native has led his team to consecutive NCHSAA Class 4A individual-tournament state titles and ended a 29-year drought by winning the dual-team championship in February.
But before he found success as a coach, an initial failure on the mat in high school sparked an undying flame within Adams.
LANEY WINSLaney wrestling wins state dual-team title after wild finish
STATE CHAMPState champion, All-American wrestler Devon Bell is ready to shine at Campbell … story at Starnewsonline.com/story/sports/2022/12/27/nc-high-school-wrestling-laney-coach-andre-adams
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
