Montreat Men’s wrestling splits tri-dual at Pikeville
PIKEVILLE, Ky.— The Montreat men’s wrestling team passed through the state of Kentucky Friday evening for a tri-dual hosted by the University of Pikeville. Competing in team duals for the first time this season, the Cavaliers dropped their nonconference matchup versus the Midway University Eagles before rebounding with an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) triumph over the University of Pikeville Bears. With the split, Montreat started the season 1-1 (1-0 AAC).
Midway (2-1) secured a dual victory over the Cavs by winning the initial six bouts. Montreat forfeited the 125-lb matchup, and the Eagles utilized two pins and a trio of tech falls to extend their lead up to 33-0.
Three consecutive triumphs helped the Cavaliers close the gap. Dalton Towe got Montreat on the board with a 7-5 decision at 174. Milosz Gargol then followed up Towe’s effort with a 13-3 major decision at 184 before Seth Williamson pinned his 197-lb opponent in 6:09. MU responded with a tech fall in the final bout, though, sealing a 38-13 nonconference victory.
Pikeville (0-2, 0-1 AAC) tried to follow Midway’s script as it also got off to a good start. A forfeit paired with a major decision and a fall vaulted the hosts out to a 16-0 advantage; however, the visitors swiftly flipped the dual in their favor.
Freshman Mikai Brinson notched a pin at 149, while Dylan Hogan did the same wrestling in the 165-lb bout. Coupled with four forfeits, Montreat surged in front of its counterpart, 36-16. The Bears snagged a pin in the final showdown to trim the deficit, but the Cavs still captured their first win of the year via a 36-22 final. … more at … https://montreatcavaliers.com/news/2024/12/6/mens-wrestling-mens-wrestling-splits-tri-dual-at-pikeville.aspx
USA Wrestling launches Grow Greco campaign to support development of Greco-Roman wrestling in the U.S.
USA Wrestling has kicked off a year-long fundraising campaign entitled Grow Greco to further the growth and development of Greco-Roman wrestling in the country.
The U.S. Greco-Roman coaching staff has earmarked a $250,000 fundraising goal for 2025 to support Greco-Roman specific initiatives that include national and international training and competition opportunities, developmental camps across the U.S., and building pipelines for youth athletes to pursue a career in the specialized international discipline. “Supporting Greco-Roman wrestling is more than just a contribution to our program; it’s an investment in the future of our athletes and a legacy of excellence. Every dollar donated helps us build a stronger, more competitive team, providing athletes with opportunities to reach their full potential on the global stage,” said Herb House, U.S. National Greco-Roman Head Coach.
The U.S. qualified four athletes to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Greco-Roman wrestling, a feat only nine countries achieved for Paris.
2024 was a banner year for the U.S. age-group World Team’s. The U17 team finished in fifth place with two medalists, including one champion. The U20 team earned three medals and placed sixth as a team. Additionally, the U.S. won its first Greco-Roman medal at the U23 level.
Contributions put directly toward the Greco-Roman program will help continue the upward trajectory seen in 2024 and assist in providing the necessary resources for sustained international success in the style. “Your support fuels athlete training and competition, … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2024/december/06/usa-wrestling-launches-grow-greco-campaign-to-support-development-of-greco-roman-wrestling-in-the-u-s-
Ryan Mann and Holton Quincy presented Heverly & Carroll Awards
The 2024 Roy Heverly and Lee Carroll Awards were presented to North East Carolina Prep School State Champions Ryan Mann and Holton Quincy during a pause between matches during their first home meet today. The TakeDown Report Editor, Martin Fleming presented these awards to Ryan and Holton. These awards recognize top underclassmen wrestlers in eastern North Carolina.
Holton Quincy was presented the 26th Annual Lee Carroll Award for excellence in athletics, academics and sportsmanship in northeastern North Carolina last season. Holton was the first freshman state champion in Edgecombe County history with 52 wins and 1 loss last season.
Lee Carroll started wrestling as a sophomore when Tarboro High School re-started their program in 1992. Lee won 112 matches in 3 years with the Vikings. Lee was state runner-up his junior year before becoming a record setting undefeated state champion in 1995 with a (50-0) record. Lee went on to start four years at North Carolina State qualifying for the Nationals 3 times. Lee has taught engineering graphics at N.C. State and has his own interactive design agency, Forged Media, in Raleigh. He is a member of the Tarboro High Athletic Hall of Fame.
Previous award winners include Ryan Mann in 2023, Caleb Beaty of Corinth-Holders (2022), Logan Tortual of Rosewood (2021). Javon Armstrong of Pamlico County (2020), Aaron Bancroft of Wilson-Fike (2019), Timothy and Christian Decatur of Rosewood (2018), Jaqwuez Norman of Farmville Central (2017), Kaleb Taylor of Rosewood (2016), Wilson Smith of Rocky Mount (2015 & 2014), Angel Najar of North Pitt (2013), Alexander Knight and Jacineto Williamson of Rocky Mount in 2012, Chris Fess of Beddingfield and Tamaris Lane of Nash Central in 2011, Chandler Phillips of Rocky Mount (2010), Landon Lucas of SW Edgecombe (2009), Corey Smith (2008) and Eric Sutton (2007) of Tarboro, Zach Shearin and Paul Horner (2006) and Pat Anstead (2004) of Southern Nash, Jimmy McNamara (2005) of Wilson Hunt and Sammi Hadi (2003) of SW Edgecombe.
Ryan Mann was presented the 26th Annual Roy Heverly Award for his excellence in athletics, academics and sportsmanship in eastern North Carolina. He earned his first state medal as a freshman at 120 pounds and the first state medalist in wrestling for N.E. Carolina Prep School. As a sophomore, Mann a state finalist with a (58-1) record. After an undefeated season last year his scholastic career record, so far, is 145 wins and 5 losses.
Previous ‘Roy Heverly Award’ winners include Ian Fritz in 2023, Joe Sculthorpe(2014) and Matteson Correll(2013) of Topsail, Alex Hopper(2022), Mark Samuel(2021 & 2020) and Frank Hickman(2007) of Wilmington Laney, Caleb Beaty(2021) of Wake Forest, River Carroll(2020) of Swansboro, Christian Decatur(2019) and Nick Quillen(2012) of Rosewood, Alec Sampson(2018) of Hoggard, Beau Studebaker(2017) of East Carteret, Harrison Campbell(2016) of West Brunswick, Blaine Mainz(2015) of and Tyler Ross(2012) of Jacksonville, Jake Smith(2011) and Charlie Millea(2008) of Havelock, Marquin Hill(2010) of Washington, Ryan Blackwell(2009) and Sean O’Laker(2006) of Croatan, Eddie Sawyer(2005) and Brian Lashomb(2004) of Currituck County and Raymond Jordan of New Bern in 2003,
The award is named in honor of former state champion Roy Heverly, a 4 time state medalist at West Carteret and three time All-American at The University of North Carolina-Pembroke. The TakeDown Report promotes amateur wrestling in eastern North Carolina, sponsors these Awards. “These awards recognize successful wrestlers in the area each year.” Fleming noted, “It encourages the young men from the teams in the eastern part of the state with another opportunity for all to realize the hard work, determination and discipline it takes to be a top wrestler,” he added. The TDR ranks wrestlers in the ‘TDR Top 12’ as displayed on the TDR Blog page. The TDR has been involved in reporting wrestling results and encouraging media coverage of amateur wrestling in eastern North Carolina for over 25 years. Contact the TDR at martinkfleming@gmail.com and check our blog at https://takedownreport.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/The-TakeDown-Report-235098404048/
Virginia Tech’s Caleb Henson Named ACC Wrestler of the Week
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Virginia Tech junior Caleb Henson was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week for matches held from December 5-8.
Henson proved why he is the No. 1 nationally ranked wrestler at 149 pounds, going 5-0 to take home the 149-pound championship at the 2024 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He is the first Hokie to win a title at the prestigious Las Vegas event since 2018. At the CLKV Invitational, Henson was a perfect 5-0 with three bonus point victories and three wins over ranked opponents.
He started the tournament with back-to-back technical fall wins over Noah Tapia of Hofstra (17-2; 3:33) and Jagger French of Cal Poly (19-3; 5:38) before securing a 6-3 decision over No. 20 Carter Young of Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals. Henson then went on to defeat All-American Jaden Abas of Stanford, ranked No. 14, in the semifinals via fall with a time of 6:53, advancing to his second consecutive CKLV finals appearance.
In the finals, Henson faced off with No. 5 Ridge Lovett of Nebraska, to whom he lost in the Vegas finals last year but would go on to defeat in the 2024 NCAA Championship semifinals last March. The two grapplers went to-to-toe for all three periods and then into sudden victory where Henson scored a three-point takedown to pick up the 6-3 win.
With his five wins last week, Henson improved his season record to 11-0. … more at … https://theacc.com/news/2024/12/10/wrestling-virginia-techs-caleb-henson-named-acc-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx
NC State Wrestling Charged Up For ‘Toughest Tournament In The Country’
North Carolina State won’t have a full lineup, but the Wolfpack is ready to tangle with the loaded field at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
It’s hard to argue that the Cliff Keen Invitational is not college wrestling’s top in-season tournament each year. This year marks the third straight year NC State will be among the teams competing in Las Vegas. Last year, 37 out of the 80 2024 All-Americans competed at the Cliff Keen Invite. This year will feature eight of the top 12 teams ranked in this week’s Flowrestling rankings “Anytime you can get into an arena and have that many guys going on and placing at NCAAs, you know that is the toughest tournament in the country,” NC State coach Pat Popolizio said. “There is not another tournament in the country (during the season) that mirrors what goes on in Las Vegas.
“We love going to it. We know with the amount of competition there every year, our guys need to zone in and focus. We gave ourselves a month of completion to be ready for this level of competition.” Not all 10 starters will be in action for NC State in Las Vegas this weekend.
Christian Knop is still out after having to injury default in the dual against Appalachian State on Nov. 15. Stepping into his spot at 197 pounds will be sophomore Andrew Macchiavello, the younger brother of 2018 national champion Michael Macchiavello. Kai Orine and Dylan Fishback will also not compete this weekend. Orine won the 133-pound weight class in Las Vegas last year, while Fishback also reached the podium with a seventh-place showing.
Early-Season Standouts
A pair of Wolfpack wrestlers have turned heads with their early season results, and both were not in the lineup last year as they redshirted. They will also compete in perhaps the top two weight classes at the Cliff Keen — 125 pounds and heavyweight. One was expected to make the jump into the top-10 this year, while the second started as a backup and has caught the attention of many after his great start to the season as an unknown.
Isaac Trumble redshirted last year after starting his first two seasons at 197 pounds. Now at heavyweight, Trumble is ranked fifth nationally. He is also a past Cliff Keen champion back in his 197-pound days. … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/13131773-nc-state-wrestling-charged-up-for-toughest-tournament-in-the-country
College Dual Meet Results
Drexel Earns Dominant Victory Over Clarion, 31-3
CLARION, Pa. – The Drexel wrestling team took down Clarion on the road Wednesday night in dominant fashion, 31-3. The victory was the first of the season for the Dragons after facing off against three ranked opponents. Desmond Pleasant, Kyle Waterman, Jordan Soriano, Luke Nichter, Cody Walsh, Giuseppe Hoose, Mickey O’Malley, and Dom Petracci all earned wins for the Dragons.
The dual started at 125, as Pleasant picked up his first win of the season against Scott Clawson. The redshirt junior found himself in a hole early in the contest, falling behind 5-0 after a takedown and near fall in the final seconds of the first by Clawson. Pleasant made a comeback in the second period, securing an escape and takedown to trail by just two. The Piscataway, N.J. native recorded two takedowns in the final two minutes to take the decision win, 10-6.
Soriano followed up his win against No. 1 Penn State with a major decision win at 141 pounds. The Westbury, N.Y. native managed two takedowns in the first period to take the early 6-2 lead. Soriano carried the momentum to get win, 17-5
Nichter got back in the win column in a hard fought battle at 157 pounds. A takedown and an escape point in the opening period was enough to record the decision win, 4-2.
Walsh earned another win over Wesley Barnes at 165 pounds. Both wrestlers went scoreless heading into the third period. Barnes was able to take Walsh down with nearly one minute remaining to take a 3-1 lead. The Cherry Hill, N.J. native responded with a quick reversal and was able to take the 4-3 win with riding time.
Hoose recorded his first technical fall of the season. The graduate student led 10-0 after the second period, recording two takedowns and four near-fall points. Hoose eventually managed to take his opponent down twice more for the 16-1 win. … more at … https://drexeldragons.com/news/2024/12/4/wrestling-drexel-earns-dominant-victory-over-clarion-31-3?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
And …
Mavs use quick start, strong finish to win at Western in top-20 match-up
No. 14 Mavs move to 4-0 with 31-12 win over No. 17 Mountaineers
GUNNISON, Colo.— The nation’s 14th-ranked Colorado Mesa University men’s wrestling team won the first three matches without conceding a takedown to build a 12-0 team lead and went on to win the last three and seven of the ten total bouts, including five by bonus-point margins to claim a comfortable 31-12 dual win over arch-rival and 17th-ranked Western Colorado University on Wednesday night here in the Mountaineers’ Paul W. Wright Gymnasium.
The Mavericks improved to 4-0 on the season and defeated the Mountaineers (1-2) for the fourth straight dual, a new CMU record winning streak in the rivalry that has seen the teams dual 29 times since 2007.
CMU’s five nationally-ranked wrestlers were all victorious in the dual that did not count in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings. The teams will square off again in their conference-counting dual on Feb. 13, 2025 in Grand Junction in CMU’s Bank of Colorado Battle in Brownson.
The two nationally-ranked Mountaineer wrestlers that were in Wednesday’s lineup were also winners and combined for two of the Mountaineers’ three wins and nine of their 12 team points. The quick start was keyed by seventh-ranked 125-pound sophomore Dayson Torgerson, who registered a 17-0 technical fall win three seconds before the end of the first period. Oran Huff, ranked 12th in the country at 133 pounds, …more at … https://cmumavericks.com/news/2024/12/4/wrestling-mavs-use-quick-start-strong-finish-to-win-at-western-in-top-20-match-up.aspx?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
And …
Johnson’s pin lifts No. 13 Wrestling to thrilling 21-20 OAC victory at John Carroll
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS — Freshman Myles Johnson (Springboro) registered a first period pin to lead the No. 13-ranked Ohio Northern wrestling team to a come from behind 21-20 victory at John Carroll on Tuesday night. This is the Polar Bears’ second conference victory this season.
The Basics
- Records: #13 Ohio Northern (7-3 Overall, 2-0 OAC), John Carroll (4-3 Overall, 1-1 OAC).
- Venue: DeCarlo Varsity Center – University Heights, Ohio.
ONU Individuals
Johnson won by pin at 2:42 to give the Polar Bears the win
Senior Cael Vanderhorst (Covington) began the scoring for the Polar Bears with a major decision at 149 lbs Senior Jayden Jones (Ashland) followed with another major decision at 157 to cut into the lead. Senior Adam Myers (Springfield/STEM Academy) with a major decision at 174 for the Polar Bears. Senior Gavin Layman (Chesterton, Ind.) won by decision at 197 to pull the Polar Bears within 20-15. … more at … https://www.onusports.com/sports/wrest/2024-25/releases/20241203sovc3h
New WIN Rankings released; Ten Top-15 teams and 100 nationally-ranked wrestlers at Vegas Invite
NEWTON, Iowa — The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational has historically pitted the nation’s best college wrestlers against each other early in the season as this weekend’s 42nd annual tournament features over 100 nationally-ranked wrestlers and 10 teams that are rated among the Top-15 schools in WIN Magazine’s Dec. 2 NCAA Div. I rankings, presented by Cliff Keen Athletic.
Led by Oklahoma State, rated No. 3 in WIN’s Tournament Power Index, the other notable teams in WIN’s latest TPI that will wrestle this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, include No. 4 Nebraska, 5 Ohio State, 6 NC State, 7 Virginia Tech, 9 Cornell, 10 Iowa State, 11 Michigan, 12 Northern Iowa and 15 South Dakota State.
Depending exactly on which wrestlers enter, this could mean as many as 27 wrestlers ranked in the top five of their weight class:
- 125 – No. 1 Richard Figueroa (Arizona State); No. 2 Matt Ramos (Purdue); No. 3 Caleb Smith (Nebraska); No. 5 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State);
- 133 – No. 3 Dylan Ragusin (Michigan);
- 141 – No. 1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State); No. 4 Brock Hardy (Nebraska); No. 5 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa);
- 149 – No. 1 Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech); No. 3 Ty Watters (West Virginia); No.5 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska); … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2024/12/02/new-win-rankings-released-ten-top-15-teams-and-100-nationally-ranked-wrestlers-at-vegas-invite/
11 reasons why everyone should wrestle, the sequel
By John Klessinger (former SouthWest Edgecombe coach)
Almost five years ago to the day, I wrote my first article for WIN magazine. The article was entitled “11 Reasons Why Everyone Should Wrestle.” Plenty of things have changed in my life since then. At the time, my daughter was a sophomore in high school. Now, she is a junior in college. My son was in middle school and now he is only a few months away from graduating high school.
The team I coach won its first state dual championship in 2022, which we repeated in 2023. Last year, we lost in the state dual final 33-30. The dual came down to the last match. We were down 33-27. We needed a fall to tie. A fall would give us the win by criteria. My kid pushed around his opponent for six minutes. His opponent did his job. He fought and stayed off his back, securing the match and state title for his team.
I wrote a book, “A Coach’s Manual: Everything You Need to Be a Successful Coach”, which was published by Championship Productions. Last fall, I was inducted into the Maryland Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
On a different level, while things were going well professionally as a teacher and coach, both of my kids blew out their knees. In 2020, my daughter tore her ACL. Then, in 2022, my son tore his ACL. That left a few years of constant encouragement and attempts at optimism for them both. Ironically, I ruptured my quad tendon in 2023. The doctor said it was the “old man’s version of a torn ACL.” Subconsciously, I guess I wanted to know what it was like.
On a personal level, the past five years have been very challenging. Beyond injuries, things have been difficult at times. It is a part of life. We go through difficult times. I do. You do. We all do. Which brings me back to the first article I had written for WIN, “Why Everyone Should Wrestle.”
If it wasn’t for wrestling, I am certain the last five years would have been much more difficult. Wrestling has been my anchor. It has and continues to teach me the mental toughness to deal with the challenges and continue to keep getting up over and over.
To commemorate our great sport and to celebrate my five-year anniversary writing for WIN, here is part II of 11 Reasons Why Everyone Should Wrestle.
1. Friendships and Community
Once you’ve wrestled, you become part of a special group of people. All wrestlers know the difficulty of the sport. When you meet a wrestler, you become instant friends. You share similar experiences. It is tough to explain, but wrestlers are good people. Hardworking people. Honest people. The sport teaches you the value of struggling and sacrifice. That is why most walk around with humility.
2. Physical Toughness
In some ways, this reason was in the first article — not explicitly stated but implied. However, I don’t know many wrestlers who shy away from things due to bumps and bruises. Wrestlers are physically tough. We don’t sit out because we aren’t feeling great. We do things when we are hurt and sick. Most people I know who aren’t wrestlers are quick to “find a soft place to land.” … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2024/12/03/11-reasons-why-everyone-should-wrestle-the-sequel/
Dozens of wrestlers will battle to be crowned first girls champs
After years of lobbying, girls finally get their own wrestling division in DODEA-Europe.
Those hitting the mats will be making history when the season begins Saturday at Ramstein, Wiesbaden and Vicenza.
They also will be seeking the first titles for girls at the European championships Feb. 6-8 at the Wiesbaden Sport and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany, after a few of their female predecessors fell just short over the last decade. Some have a leg up on the competition, having grappled with the boys for years, while others are giving the sport a try for the first time. They will compete across eight weight classes – 105, 110, 115, 120, 130, 140, 155 and 170-and-above. Those designations could change during the season, according to DODEA European athletic director Kathy Clemmons. Here’s a team-by-team look at the first girls wrestling season, based on responses from coaches across Europe: Alconbury The Dragons don’t have a large contingent, but they can boast having one of the most experienced wrestlers across Europe. Originally a gymnast, senior Richele Reyes switched over to wrestling when her family moved to the Netherlands. She’s qualified for the European meet three times in her high school career, finishing sixth at 120 pounds her sophomore year. … more at … https://www.stripes.com/sports/europe/2024-12-04/dodea-europe-girls-wrestling-preview-16056145.html
Iowa Coach Tom Brands approaches 300 career dual victories
Brands could hit win milestone against Army and Princeton Friday; Questions remain at 157 for Iowa; ISU’s Euton suffered season-ending inury; UNI’s Keckeisen earns Big 12 honor
IOWA CITY – Iowa Coach Tom Brands is approaching a milestone.
In his 20 th season as college wrestling head coach, including the last 18 with the Hawkeyes, Brands is just two from 300 career dual victories. Second-ranked Iowa will face Princeton and Army in a double-dual at Journeymen Wrestling’s “Uncivil War” on Friday at Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Mo. Brands could join Dan Gable (355-21-5) as the only Iowa coaches to reach the 300-win plateau.
Brands said he had no idea about the chance to reach the feat. “Sometimes you’re aware of it more,” Brands said. “On this one, this is the first time I’ve heard that.”
Iowa has opened the season 4-0. Brands improved his overall career record to 298-47-1. He owns a 281-27-1 record with the Hawkeyes. He is 134-14 in Big Ten Conference duals and 135-14 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. “That’s not a big deal,” Brands continued. “What’s the big deal is that we got a lot of work to do and we got a lot of guys in that wrestling room that like doing the work and get better every day.
“So, that’s the most important thing. From there, we have to keep getting better. All these guys are coming.”
Brands has led Iowa to at least 11 dual wins in each season not shortened by the Covid pandemic. The Hawkeyes went 5-0 in that 2020-21 season limited to Big Ten duals. Iowa is 4-1 all-time against Army, including a 2-0 mark under Brands. The Hawkeyes are 4-0 in duals with Princeton.
QUESTIONS AT 157 FOR IOWA
Iowa’s probable lineup has a couple of interesting either/or weights. At 125 pounds, Joey Cruz and Kale Petersen are both listed again. All-American Nelson Brands and Patrick Kennedy, who posted an impressive technical fall against Iowa State, are both included at 174. Cullan Schriever is added as an option with Ryder Block at 141.
The odd listing is TBA (to be announced) at 157 pounds. Top-ranked Jacori Teemer injury defaulted during the win over the Cyclones. The roster has … more at … https://www.thegazette.com/hawkeye-wrestling/mens-college-wrestling-notes-iowa-coach-tom-brands-approaches-300-career-dual-victories/
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 