ACC Weekly Recap (1/1/2025)
Two of the three major holiday tournaments have concluded and the ACC had some stellar performances. Stanford kicked off their first Midlands in the ACC by bringing home the team title and three individual titles. Pittsburgh also had a strong showing at the Midlands, finishing fourth as a team and earning two individual titles. North Carolina sent a small contingent of starters to the Soldier Salute, finishing with one finalist and four placers.
#22 Stanford
Stanford used their time in Hoffman Estates to put the conference on notice that they are a legitimate threat to win the ACC in their inaugural season. The Cardinal will be loading a lot of hardware on the plane back to Palo Alto. They crowned three individual champions in #10 Tyler Knox (133), #8 Jaden Abas (149), and #7 Lorenzo Norman (174) On top of their gold medals, Knox was named the Dan Gable Outstanding Wrestler and Norman was the Jack Leese Champion of Champions.
Knox has been fantastic this season and looked strong throughout the tournament, notching two bonus point wins before beating #32 Ryan Miller in the semifinals. He then had a very impressive showing in the finals with a controlling 10-3 win over #16 Dylan Shawver. Abas has seemingly shaken whatever early-season jitters he had and has been on an absolute tear. He was solid all weekend, taking out a sneaky good #19 Cross Wasilewski in the finals. Lorenzo Norman has put the country on notice this season; after his statement at the Midlands, his record stands at 14-1 with his lone loss a tight 4-3 decision to a reinvigorated #3 Dean Hamiti. Norman opened the tournament with tech fall, pin, tech fall before beating #23 Alex Cramer in the semifinals. He made a big impression with a decisive win over #5 Nick Incontrera in the finals.
They also had podium performances from seven wrestlers to separate themselves in the team race. #13 Hunter Garvin (165) placed third after dropping his semifinal bout in sudden victory to the eventual champion, Tyler Lillard. #22 Nick Stemmet (197) and Jason Miranda (141) both finished in 4th place while Peter Ming (285) finished in fifth. They rounded out the tournament with seventh-place finishes from #28 Grigor Cholakyan (157) and Brock Byers (197) and an eighth-place finish from Collin Guffey (174).
Pittsburgh
The Panthers turned in an impressive team performance despite losing two key starters to injury in the tournament. #18 Reece Heller (184) added a second Midlands title after being atop the podium in 2023. Heller earned three bonus point victories in his four matches, including a ranked win over #29 Shane Cartegena-Walsh in the finals. #15 Mac Stout (197) claimed his first Midlands title with impressive and consistent performances on both days; he beat #32 Dillon Bechtold 10-3 in the semifinals before taking out #26 Gabe Sollars 13-9 to stand on the top step of the podium.
Kade Brown (149) had an amazing run to finish in third … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/acc/acc-weekly-recap-112025-r99877/
Knop Making Impact In Sixth Season With NC State Wrestling
Senior Christian Knop waited his turn to crack the NC State lineup, and now he’s ranked #24 nationally at 197 pounds.
Every top-tier college wrestling program, like the current six-time reigning ACC champion NC State Wolfpack, for example, has found numerous recruiting hotbeds across the country. From Pennsylvania to New York to Ohio to Georgia to many other states, NC State casts a wide net to find the best recruits that fit into their #PackMentality.
But the Wolfpack dipped into one state not known for producing All-Americans, one state much more known for football than wrestling — Alabama. Christian Knop joined the Pack in the summer of 2019 from Anniston, Alabama, and has ascended into the Pack’s starting lineup at 197 pounds for his final season of eligibility.
With the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers football programs dominating headlines year-round, Knop took a different route than most to find the wrestling mats when he was growing up. “I saw a flyer one day for an after-school program,” Knop said. “I’m not sure what it was, but it caught my eye. I wanted to try it, but I had to really convince my dad to let me try wrestling. “Once I did, I fell in love with it.”
Knop took the sport quickly and enjoyed a lot of success during his prep career. He was a four-time state champion, the first wrestler in AHSAA history to win four consecutive state titles and to go undefeated in his high school career. In fact, he went 321-0 in high school!
Even while pressured to join his high school’s football team by many coaches, Knop was adamant about sticking to the mat and keeping healthy for wrestling. He was a 2019 NHSCA Senior Nationals champion and 2018 Flo Nationals All-American. But perhaps his most impressive honor, even beating out the numerous high school athletes in that football-dominated state, Knop was named the #1 high school athlete on the AL.com High School 101 list.
During a recent interview, NC State head coach Pat Popolizio even harkened back to the honor for Knop. “That honor speaks to his athleticism and who he is as an overall athlete,” Popolizio said. Knop became familiar with the NC State wrestling program during the 2018 NCAA Championships in Cleveland. That season, NC State brought home its first team trophy with a third-place finish and crowned a national champion in Michael Macchiavello. “I noticed a lot of blue-collar guys that probably were not expected to do much,” Knop said. “I remember watching Tariq (Wilson) and Michel Macchiavello and seeing the success they had that weekend.
“That really drew me to the program. When Mach won the title, I was sold. If he can do that being a small-town guy like I am, then I can do that too.” Knop came to NC State with impressive recruiting rankings as well. He was a top-100 recruit and ranked high at 195 pounds during his senior campaign at Alexandria High School. “I was still pretty small for that weight in high school,” Knop said. “The lifting program here really helped get me to where I am today.” … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/13369327-knop-making-impact-in-sixth-season-with-nc-state-wrestling
College Wrestling Announcers’ Story from the Mat to the Mic
At 71 years old, Tim Johnson found himself back where it all started – in a wrestling room in the basement of the old Morning Sun high school building. The room isn’t large, smaller than an average classroom, but the names that would come out of that modest bit of real estate in Southeast Iowa are gigantic.
Al Baxter, Nick Hobbs, Gregg Durbin, Ron McDonald, Jerry Malone, Jay Johnson, Earl Bryant … the list of Iowa high school state wrestling tournament qualifiers and place winners to come out of Morning Sun reads like a chapter book. They’re household names in Iowa high school wrestling, many of whom were coached by National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach John Siegel.
The wrestling room, painted emerald green with matching green mats, is located next to the boiler room. That was intentional. Tim Johnson recalls grueling workouts in that hot room, conditioning that would help him win matches both on the wrestling mat and in life. “To be back in this room where a lot of blood, sweat and tears happened is a tremendous feeling,” Tim Johnson said. “I owe a lot to this sport.” It’s a sport he didn’t know he would even be able to participate in early on. A lawnmower accident nearly cost him a leg when he was a kid. Full of youthful energy, he raced up behind his dad who was operating a new riding lawnmower. The grass was damp from dew and his left leg slid under the blade deck. The injury required multiple operations and lengthy rehab sessions, but the medical staff was able to save his leg.
When he was in second grade he met Bob Darrah, Morning Sun’s wrestling coach, while at a high school meet. A few years later Darrah invited Johnson to come workout with the varsity wrestlers. “This was a sport I was allowed to do,” Johnson said. “I could wrestle, and coach Darrah said ‘as long as you can wrestle you’ll be okay.’ I owe a lot to a man who put that courage in me.”
Darrah went on to coach at Urbandale High School before establishing a legendary program at West Des Moines Dowling Catholic. Johnson learned early on how to modify his wrestling stance to protect his leg, taking the mat in a sugar foot stance. He became both explosive and impossible to take down, another analogy that works for him off the mat. Through some rough life challenges Johnson has learned resiliency. For him, wrestling is not something that’s only done on a three-quarter-inch mat. “Everybody wrestles with life,” Johnson said. He’s a humble man who wastes little time acknowledging those he credits for his successes, from influential coaches to the group of wrestling moms back in the early days that sold homemade pies for traveling money and dyed long underwear green so the athletes would have uniforms to wrestle in.
Humble, yet still carries himself with elbows bent and primed to shoot a double leg at the blow of a whistle. Johnson’s passion for life and love for wrestling will be available for all to see when he joins legendary wrestling coach Jim Miller mat-side to broadcast NCAA wrestling meets on Iowa PBS in January.
It is the first time since 2012 that Iowa PBS has carried a wrestling meet … more at … https://www.iowapbs.org/article/11916/college-wrestling-announcers-story-mat-mic#popup-container
Keegan O’Toole Earns Big 12 Wrestler of the Week Honors
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri wrestler Keegan O’Toole earned Big 12 Wrestler of the Week, the league announced Friday, Dec. 27. The senior has collected the honor four times since Mizzou rejoined the Big 12 and marks the Tiger’s second weekly honor this season.
At Journeymen Collegiate Duals, Dec. 22, O’Toole was a perfect 3-0, taking on three ranked opponents in a row at 174 pounds. The senior started with a technical fall of No. 33 Tyler Brennan of Little Rock, before earning a 28-8 major decision over No. 12 Brevin Cassella of Binghamton. The two-time National Champion and No. 1 ranked wrestler at 174 pounds finished the day against No. 2 Levi Haines of Penn State, taking the match to sudden victory. O’Toole earned the match’s only takedown to secure the overtime win, 4-1.
O’Toole is 11-0 this season and boasts a 91 percent bonus rate since moving up to 174 pounds. The Hartland, Wisconsin native has totaled 98 career wins, just two shy of joining the decorated 100-Wins Club.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will come home to host Cornell at the Beauty and the Beast event along with Gymnastics on Jan. 3, 2025. The event will occur at Mizzou Arena, with action starting … more at … https://mutigers.com/news/2024/12/27/wrestling-keegan-o-toole-earns-big-12-wrestler-of-the-week-honors.aspx
JWU remains unbeaten with wins over Wabash, Baldwin Wallace
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The JWU (Providence) wrestling team moved to 9-0 with wins over Wabash (31-8) and Baldwin Wallace (37-8) Saturday afternoon at the Wildcat Center.
Freshman and No. 3 ranked Peyton Ellis (133 lbs.) improved to 14-1 with two wins on the day, highlighted by an 8-4 decision over last year’s national runner-up and current No. 5 in Jayden Hinton of Baldwin Wallace. He also took down No. 7 James Day with an 18-6 major decision.
Sophomore and No. 15 ranked Jack Richardson (165 lbs.) secured two wins on the afternoon, including an 8-1 decision over No. 5 Andrew Supers (BW). Classmate Michael Schliem (174 lbs.) picked up wins No. 16 and 17 on the season, one of which was a pin in 2:48 against No. 13 Carter Lloyd (BW).
Senior and No. 1 Joziah Fry (125 lbs.) is now 25-0 following a pin against the Yellow Jackets and a 20-3 major decision against the Little Giants. Senior and No. 4 Hayden Brown (149 lbs.) defeated No. 12 Daniel Uribe (Wabash) and moved to 16-1 on the day with a 23-6 tech fall win against Baldwin Wallace.
Junior and No. 9 Adolfo Betancur (285 lbs.) is now 15-3 following a 5-0 decision against the Little Giants and a pin in 3:40 against BW. Classmate Ky’ell Roper upped his win total to 16 with a 2-0 day at 184 lbs.
JWU (Providence) def. Wabash, 31-8
149 Hayden Brown (JWU) def. Daniel Uribe (WAB) (decision 6-0)
157 Tim Smith (WAB) def. Vincent Faldetta (JWU) (major dec. 9-1)
165 Jack Richardson (JWU) def. Ayden Lutes (WAB) (decision 7-2)
174 Michael Schliem (JWU) def. Jaylen Young (WAB) (major dec. 14-6)
184 Ky’ell Roper (JWU) def. Sammy Saunders (WAB) (major dec. 12-2) … more at … https://providence.jwuathletics.com/news/2024/12/21/wrestling-jwu-remains-unbeaten-with-wins-over-wabash-baldwin-wallace.aspx
And …
No. 15 Men’s Wrestling Wins Two Matches at East Coast Duals
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The No. 15 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University men’s wrestling team won two of three matches at the East Coast Duals hosted by No. 4 nationally ranked Johnson and Wales University inside the Wildcat Center.
BW (5-1) opened the day as it defeated No. 16 nationally ranked Wabash (Ind.) College by a final score of 17-16. The Yellow Jackets then defeated No. 7 nationally ranked Castleton (Vt.) University by a final score of 23-18. BW closed out the duals as it fell to Johnson and Wales by a final score of 37-8.
Vs. Wabash
184-pounds: Junior Academic All-OAC and No. 20 nationally ranked Remington Bauer (Norwalk/Edison) won a 10-1 major decision
125-pounds: Freshman Dorian Hoffman (Luzerne, Pa./Wyoming Valley) won a 7-1 decision
133-pounds: Senior All-American and No. 2 nationally ranked Jaden Hinton (Glassboro, N.J.) won a 7-5 decision over No. 3 nationally ranked James Day
141-pounds: Sophomore Keegan McMahon (Ashburn, Va./Paul VI Catholic) loss a 15-4 major decision
149-pounds: Junior Manny Scordos (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) loss a 5-2 decision
157-pounds: Senior All-American Michael Petrella (Reynoldsburg/Bishop Hartley), who is this week’s Ohio Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week, won a 15-2 major decision over No. 13 nationally ranked Tim Smith
165-pounds: Sophomore All-OAC and No. 6 nationally ranked Andrew Supers (Medina) won a 5-0 decision
174-pounds: Senior All-OAC and No. 14 nationally ranked Carter Lloyd (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) loss 5-3 decision … more at … https://bwyellowjackets.com/news/2024/12/21/east-coast-duals.aspx
Penn State wrestlers sweep 3 matches in Nashville, scoring 137 points while upping win streak to 62
By Jim Carlson | Special to PennLive
Records fell and so did three opponents as the top-ranked Penn State wrestling team easily swept through the Collegiate Duals near Nashville on Sunday with wins over Binghamton, Little Rock and Missouri.
The Nittany Lions shutout Binghamton, 52-0, and Little Rock, 44-0, and took nine of 10 bouts against Missouri in a 41-3 rout featured by a 1 vs. 2 match at 174 that Missouri’s top-ranked Keegan O’Toole captured over Penn State’s Levi Haines by securing a takedown in sudden victory for a 4-1 win.
The two shutouts gave the Nittany Lions (6-0) three straight wins without giving up a point, something that’s not been done before. And, the Sunday trifecta broke the school-record consecutive win streak of 60, increasing that mark to 62 straight victories.
Additionally, the Lions scored 137 total points on Sunday alone and have 246 total points this season as the team’s 10 starters have just two losses among them through six dual meets. The Lions are off until a Jan. 10 home dual against Michigan State.
What people wanted to see on Sunday was the Haines-O’Toole bout and it didn’t disappoint. A 1-1 bout that goes into sudden victory can be boring depending on the pace of the match, but this one was anything but. The hand-fighting and blocking was superb between two outstanding wrestlers, and each had a couple of strong takedown attempts that were either countered or stalemated. … more at … https://www.pennlive.com/penn-state-wrestling/2024/12/penn-state-wrestlers-sweep-3-matches-in-nashville-scoring-137-points-while-upping-win-streak-to-62.html
And …
Penn State Wrestling Dominates No. 8 Missouri 41-3 at Journeymen Duals
Penn State wraps up action in Nashville, Tenn.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (6-0, 0-0 B1G) dominated Missouri (2-5) 41-3 in its third and final dual meet of the day at the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn. The Nittany Lions won nine of ten bouts to sweep the three duals at the event. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI).
The dual began at 125. Penn State true freshman Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 12 at 125, opened up Penn State’s final dual of the day with a 5-4 win over Gage Walker. Sophomore Braeden Davis, ranked No. 10 at 133, built up over 4:00 in riding time during a convincing 14-3 major over Missouri’s Kade Moore to give the Nittany Lions and early 7-0 lead. Senior+ Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 3 at 141, had to use extra time to beat No. 16 Josh Edmond. Bartlett scored early in the extra period to post the 4-1 (sv) win. Sophomore Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 2 at 149, continued Penn State’s hot streak. Van Ness turned a first period takedown into a pin at the 1:57 mark, it was Van Ness’ third pin of the day and gave the Lions a 16-0 lead. Sophomore Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 4 at 157, controlled James Conway for three periods and rolled to an 11-3 major decision to give Penn State a 20-0 lead at the midway point of the dual. Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, won by forfeit (his second of the day) and Penn State led 26-0. Junior Levi Haines, ranked No. 2 at 174, took on No. 1 Keegan O’Toole in a much-anticipated match-up. The duo battled through regulation even. A wild scramble in sudden victory ended with an O’Toole takedown, with Haines dropping the thrilling 4-1 (sv) decision.
Graduate Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 184, dominated No. 10 Colton Hawks in another top ten match-up. Starocci used a six-point third period to roll to a 10-1 major with over 2:00 in riding time to put Penn State up 30-3. Redshirt freshman Josh Barr, ranked No. 7 at 197, blitzed Tiger Jesse Cassatt. Barr opened up an 11-0 lead before pinning Cassatt at the 1:45 mark. … more at … https://gopsusports.com/news/2024/12/23/penn-state-wrestling-dominates-no-8-missouri-41-3-at-journeymen-duals
And …
Keegan O’Toole Defeats Levi Haines In Battle Of NCAA Champions
Keegan O’Toole defeated Levi Haines in an overtime match at the Collegiate Duals.
In a battle of NCAA Champions, Keegan O’Toole came out on top in a 4-1 overtime victory over Levi Haines. O’Toole and Haines met in the dual between Penn State and Missouri at the Collegiate Duals in a match that lived up to the hype.
In the first period, both Haines nor O’Toole were limited in their attacks. Haines was closest to scoring and got his hands locked around O’Toole’s leg but didn’t get close to finishing. The two traded escapes in the second and third periods to tie the match at 1. Late in the third, Haines was in deep on a single leg but O’Toole displayed incredible defense to fend off the takedown and send the match to overtime.
In the sudden victory frame, Haines came out firing and almost immediately shot a high crotch. O’Toole defended and then hit a reattack single to get his hands locked around Haines’ right leg. Haines came close to getting a takedown of his own with O’Toole bellied out on the mat. However, O’Toole scrambled through the position and secured the match-winning takedown after a wild flurry. During the scramble, Haines briefly had both legs in but the takedown was never awarded and O’Toole was able to work through the position to secure the takedown. Because of that, the Penn State coaches challenged but the call was upheld, giving O’Toole the match by a final score of 4-1. … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/13323146-keegan-otoole-defeats-levi-haines-in-battle-of-ncaa-champions
Duke Wrestling News
Blue Devils Collect 22-12 Win Over VMI to Conclude 2024
DURHAM, N.C. — The Duke wrestling team collected its third straight victory on Sunday with a 22-12 victory over VMI inside Cameron Indoor Stadium to close 2024. The Blue Devils (4-6) won seven out 10 matches on the afternoon against the Keydets (4-6).
HOW IT HAPPENED
With a 7-3 decision by Gaetano Console, the Blue Devils took a 15-7 lead with three matches remaining. Console, a tri-captain from Barrington Hills, N.J., led 3-2 heading into the third period, but totaled an escape and takedown to jump out to a 7-2 lead with over a minute remaining in the contest. It marked Console’s second-straight win on the season.
The Blue Devils opened the contest with a solid, 10-4, decision by freshman Riley Rowan against Cody Tanner. The win marked the first collegiate victory by Rowan. A product of Perry, Ohio, Rowan registered a takedown in the first period and led 6-3 heading into the final period. He posted a riding time point along with a takedown at the end to net the decision.
After sophomore Raymond Adams dropped a 4-2 decision to Dyson Dunham at 133, the match was even, 3-3. At 141, Christian Colman trailed, 5-3, going into the final period, but totaled an escape and takedown to come away with a 7-6 decision against Phoenix Alyea.
Duke netted a second-straight win as SP O’Donnell never trailed en route to a 5-3 decision versus Raymond Cmil. Eric Doran of VMI posted a 12-4 major decision against Duke’s Logan Ferrero to cut into the Blue Devil lead, 9-7. Duke sophomore Aidan Wallace continued his solid start to the 2024-25 season with a takedown in the first 17 seconds and went on to total a 9-4 decision versus Ryan Vigil. … more at … https://goduke.com/news/2024/12/22/wrestling-blue-devils-collect-22-12-over-vmi-to-conclude-2024-fall
And …
The Heavyweight: Connor Barket Has Big Plans on and off the Wrestling Mat
By: Meredith Rieder
DURHAM, N.C.– Duke wrestling’s Connor Barket is the total package. On the mat, the redshirt sophomore is all about turning pressure into pleasure. Off the mat, the redshirt sophomore is hoping to take all the life lessons and privileges he and other Duke athletes have garnered through sports and share them with young athletes in the Durham community through his newly founded Rising Athletes Foundation.
Barket is off to a stellar start to the 2024-25 campaign with a 14-2 record and a top 30 ranking for the first time in his career. The 14 wins are two shy of his total last season, his first as Duke’s starting heavyweight. He also is fresh off an inspiring summer service trip to Panama through Duke’s ACE program, leaving him inspired to make a difference off the mat.
Barket took the bumps and bruises both physically and mentally in his first two seasons in a collegiate wrestling room. Now he is back with a firm grasp on his physical strengths, which he plays to well, and a mental edge that has grown exponentially — the perfect formula for success.
“I remember my freshman year,” said Barket. “We had a big heavyweight in Jonah Niesenbaum. He was an exceptional wrestler and also just a gigantic human being. He was probably 6-4 and 260. I stepped on campus at about 200 to 205 pounds, and I was expected to go wrestle him every day. Life was completely miserable to start, to be completely honest. It was no fun at all, especially in the sport of wrestling where if you lose, you get your face beat in by somebody else’s hands. So, going through that every day for months makes you question a lot.” … more at … https://goduke.com/news/2024/12/24/the-heavyweight-connor-barket-has-big-plans-on-and-off-the-wrestling-mat
NCAA D1 Wrestling Week 7 Roundup: Do Duals Matter?
The world’s finest collection of noteworthy happenings from the 7th week of the 2024-25 NCAA D1 wrestling season.
We’ve completed another week of rad wrestling from the 2024-25 NCAA D1 season, and we’re here to recap it for you!
Box Scores | Rankings | Last Week’s Roundup
It was a fairly light week of competition as many teams were recovering from the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (which ruled). With limited results to examine, I figure now’s as good a time as any for a brief digression, in which I will answer the question: “Do dual meets matter?”
Regular readers of this blog will know I absolutely believe duals matter. Dual meets are, in my humble opinion, the lifeblood of the sport. They are the engine that powers the collegiate season. Without duals, there would be no season, no season, no fans, etc.
Duals also matter to the sport’s stakeholders. Wrestling is an individual sport, but it takes more than competitors and coaches for the sport to thrive. To maintain the level of funding that many D1 programs enjoy you need buy-in from school administrators, alumni, donors and the community at-large. You need to demonstrate to these stakeholders that your program has value. And the best way to generate enthusiasm from stakeholders is with raucous college rivalries, which are best expressed in head-to-head team competitions.
When people say “duals matter”, this is what they mean.
However, in another more specific way, duals, in fact, do not matter.
And that take is not driven by opinions, but rooted in the rule book. The NCAA team … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/13255794-ncaa-d1-wrestling-week-7-roundup-do-duals-matter
David Taylor is positioned to dominate college wrestling’s future
David Taylor completed his first semester as the Oklahoma State wrestling coach, and his grades are posted. He earned straight A’s with a team title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the second-ranked recruiting class and an undefeated dual record – topped with a 34-9 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech Thursday in Gallagher-Iba Arena. The possibilities for the next decade of his career are as enticing for OSU as they are concerning for the rest of the country.
Seven months before his 34th birthday, Taylor was given the enviable position to coach the winningest program in NCAA history and the unenviable task to follow John Smith.
Sources have told the News Press that Smith fully intended and expected his replacement to be chosen from within, and Smith said he coached a few extra years to set the program up for success. Instead, Taylor was hired and had to earn the team and the fanbase’s confidence as a coach.
He has swiftly done that in the best way possible: by being himself. And the team has taken on the aggressive identity of its coach. “We’re just looking to score the whole time up and down the lineup,” Luke Surber said. “Coach Smith wanted to score, too. But what we’re doing is a little bit different.”
Last season, the Cowboys scored more than 31 team points in one dual. This season, they have yet to score fewer than 32 team points. Smith deserves a lot of credit for the team’s strong finish in the spring leading to its strong start in the fall. “Our guys that have been there and had success at the national tournament – their aura, their demeanor, their work ethic – is super valuable for some of the younger guys on our team,” Taylor said.
But Taylor’s coaching has clearly unlocked something extra in wrestlers such as Troy Spratley, Tagen Jamison, Luke Surber and transfers Dean Hamiti and Wyatt Hendrickson. Especially after Hamiti destroyed No. 4 Lennox Wolak, it would not be surprising to see him win the national title, and that was unexpected when he committed to OSU. … more at … https://www.stwnewspress.com/sports/in-the-loop-david-taylor-is-positioned-to-dominate-college-wrestlings-future/article_fb2ccacc-bea9-11ef-8be9-03c589b71f4b.html
No. 13 Cyclones Go 2-1 at Collegiate Duals
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 13 Iowa State (4-3, 1-0 Big 12) went 2-1 Saturday at the Collegiate duals in Nashville, Tenn. The Cyclones defeated Lock Haven (2-4, 1-0 MAC) and No. 25 North Carolina (4-4, 0-0 ACC) before falling to No. 5 Ohio State (7-0, 0-0 Big Ten) in the final dual of the day.
The Cyclones notched victories over the Bald Eagles, 30-6, and Tar Heels, 23-14, but dropped the finale to the Buckeyes, 29-10.
Kysen Terukina went 2-0 at 125 pounds in his first action of the season while Paniro Johnson and Evan Bockman went 2-0 at 165 and 184 pounds, respectively. Cody Chittum went 3-0 on the day at 157 pounds with an upset over Ohio State’s No. 7 Paddy Gallagher.
Osmany Diversent earned the first top-15 win of his career with a win over Lock Haven’s two-time All-American No. 13 Anthony Noto.
Individual dual recaps from the day can be found below.
Iowa State is back in dual action after the New Year at West Virginia on Jan. 8.
No. 13 Iowa State 30, Lock Haven 6
No. 13 Iowa State took eight of 10 bouts, including four with bonus points, in the first dual of the day against Lock Haven. Kysen Terukina, Jacob Frost, Cody Chittum and Manny Rojas tallied extra points in ISU’s 30-6 victory over the Bald Eagles.
In his first match of the season, Terukina earned a 20-5 tech fall over Lucas Fye at 125 pounds. The Hawaiian tallied five takedowns in the win.
Osmany Diversent notched the first top-15 victory of his young career with a commanding 9-3 victory over two-time All-American No. 13 Anthony Noto. Diversent had a takedown in all three periods.
Frost continued his strong start to the season with a 20-4 tech fall over No. 21 Wyatt Henson at 141 pounds. Frost gave up the first takedown but settled in and turned Henson twice to break the match open. Lock Haven got on the board at 149 pounds when Carter Fousek fell to No. 31 Lucas Kapusta, 9-6. Fousek reversed Kapusta to his back at the end of the second period but time ran out before the Cyclone could accumulate near fall points.
At 157 pounds, Chittum earned bonus points with a 13-4 major decision over Nick Stampoulos, putting Iowa State ahead of Lock Haven, 17-3, at the halfway point. Rojas earned the first dual victory of his career with a 12-3 major decision over Caden Dobbins at 165 pounds. … more at … https://cyclones.com/news/2024/12/21/wrestling-no-13-cyclones-go-2-1-at-collegiate-duals.aspx
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
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