BOONE, N.C. -- Appalachian State swept a pair of non-conference wrestling matches Feb. 15 at Varsity Gym, defeating Division II foes Carson-Newman, 25-15, and Anderson College, 34-13.
The Mountaineers used an amazing comeback to defeat the ninth-ranked Eagles (12-5), falling behind 15-0 before winning the final six matches. All-American got Carson-Newman off to a fast start, getting a pin just 39 seconds into his match at 165-pounds. Three more decision followed, capped by Jess Alfords two-overtime win at 197-pounds.
The tide turned at heavyweight, however, when ASUs Daniel Salter (Slidell, La.), wrestling out of his class and for the first time since November, got two escapes in the third period for a 10-8 win. Rich Caisse (Fayetteville, N.C.) followed with a major decision at 125-pounds and the Mountaineers got pins from 12th-ranked Jer emy Hart (MacArthur, W.Va.) at 141-pounds and Davey Blake (Betterton, Mary.) at 149-pounds to clinch the win.
The excitement was not over, however, as the match of the night took place in the 157-pound bout between Southern Conference champion P.J. Boccia (Milford, Mass.) and Division II champion and 1996 Olympian Lazaro Reinoso of Cuba. Each scored an escape in regulation before a scoreless first overtime. In the final overtime, Boccia managed to keep Reinoso down for the thirty seco nds.
In the second bout none of the ten matches were decided by less than eight points, the Mountaineers (8-4) taking seven of them. The Trojans (5-9) got wins from top-ranked Scott Goldstein at 165-pounds and Gerry Braun at 133-pounds, along with a pin technical fall from Ben Howard at 157-pounds.
ASU got major decisions from Kyle Spencer (Trinity, N.C.) at 174, Salter, Hart and Stephen Wyniemko (Charlotte, N.C.) at 149. Brothers Sean McIntosh and Geoff McIntosh (Sherrills Ford, N.C.) got back-to-back pins at 184 and 197.
The Mountaineers close the regular season Sunday at James Madison. Carson-Newman is off until the NCAA Division II Mid-Western Regionals on February 24 and Anderson takes on Longwood and Shippensburg on Sunday.
APPALACHIAN STATE 25, CARSON-NEWMAN 15 APPALACHIAN STATE 34, ANDERSON 13
165 - Tony Morgan (C-N) pinned J.D. Kirby (ASU), :39 & nbsp; 165 - Scott Goldstein (AC) maj. dec. J.D. Kirby (ASU), 13-5
174 - Kris Urquhart (C-N) dec. Kyle Spencer (ASU), 4-1 174 - Kyle Spencer (ASU) maj. dec. Chris Bailey (AC), 23-9
184 - Andy Yoerger (C-N) dec. Sean McIntosh (ASU), 6-3 184 - Sean McIntosh (ASU) pinned Ryan Hardy (AC), :51
197 - Jess Alford (C-N) dec. Geoff McIntosh (ASU), 2-1 2OT 197 - Geoff McIntosh (ASU) pinned Josh Hawkins (AC), 5:54
Hwt - Daniel Salter (ASU) dec. Josh Ward (C-N), 10-8 Hwt - Daniel Salter (ASU) maj. dec. Travis Gilbert (AC), 17-6
125 - Rich Caisse (ASU) maj. dec. Shannon Sayne (C-N), 11-3 125 - Rich Caisse (ASU) won by forfeit
133 - Travis Drake (ASU) dec. Ben Sprunger (C-N), 9-8 133 - Gerry Braun (AC) maj. dec. Jon Herring (ASU) , 13-3
141 - Jeremy Hart (ASU) pinned Jarrod Bailey (C-N), 1:36 141 - Jeremy Hart (ASU) maj. dec. Derrell Stephens (AC), 18-7
149 - Davey Blake (ASU) pinned Brian Larimer (C-N), 4:40 149 - Stephen Wyniemko (ASU) maj. dec. Jeremy Mayfield (AC), 10-2
157 - P.J. Boccia (ASU) dec. Lazaro Reinoso (C-N), 1-1 2OT 157 - Ben Howard (AC) tech. fall Jason Northen (ASU), 15-0, 4:4 5