Three Individual Champions Lift Spartans to First Outright SoCon Crown
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DAVIDSON, N.C. - Upsets were prevalent the 73rd annual Southern Conference Wrestling Championship as UNC Greensboro earned its first outright SoCon wrestling championship, snapping Chattanooga's five-year winning streak with 81.5 points and three individual champions Saturday in Baker Sports Complex.
Tony Gravely (Appalachian State, 125 pounds), Alex Radsky (Davidson, 133), Ivan Lopouchanski (UNC Greensboro, 141), Dean Pavlou (Chattanooga, 149), Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (The Citadel, 157), Victor Hojilla (UNC Greensboro, 165), Byron Sigmon (UNC Greensboro, 174), Austin Trotman (Appalachian State, 184), Dylan Temple (Appalachian State, 197) and Odie Delaney (The Citadel, 285) all earned automatic bids to the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb., March 18-20 as individual champions.
Only two top-seeds were crowned as champions as a total of four No. 1 seeds were defeated in the semifinals.
UNC Greensboro's previous best performance was when they were part of a three-way tie for the championship in 1997 (Appalachian State and VMI). The Citadel (74) hung on for second place over Appalachian State (71.5). Chattanooga placed fourth with 43 points and was followed by VMI (37) and Davidson (21).
Hojilla, a third-seed at 165 pounds, was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. He pinned Chattanooga's No. 6 Bond Davis in 3:15 in the first round before scoring a 13-4 major decision over the No. 2 seed Tyler Mullen (Davidson) to reach the finals. Hojilla then took an 11-5 decision over top-seeded Kyle Blevins of App. State for the championship.
UNCG head coach Jason Loukides was named the coach of the year.
"I am really excited about our team's performance," said Loukides. "Wrestling truly is a team sport. We had so many come down here to support us. Their commitment has gotten our program going in the right direction."
The final matches started in dramatic fashion as Appalachian State freshman Tony Gravely, a fourth-seed, pinned No. 2 seed Eric Chandler in 2:26 to win the 125-pound bracket. Gravely defeated defending champion and No. 1 seed Demetrius Johnson of Chattanooga in a 6-4 overtime decision to reach the championship match. Johnson had pinned Gravely earlier in the season, but claimed the bronze with a 5-3 decision over No. 5 seed John Pope of VMI.
At 133 pounds, No. 2 Alex Radsky advanced to the finals with an 11-8 decision over No. 3 Angel Garcia, and then earned Davidson's first individual title since 1969 with a 3-2 decision over top-seed Josh Statum of Chattanooga. Garcia placed third with a 13-4 major decision over No. 4 Jordan Dix (The Citadel).
Twin-brother Vitaly Radsky, the 141-pound top seed, was unable to duplicate his brother's feat. Second-seed Lopouchanski defeated him 8-3 in the final match for the title. No. 4 David Yost (VMI) took an 8-0 major decision in the first round, but lost a close 3-1 decision to Radsky to fall into the consolation bracket. Yost edged third-seed Nick LaFevre, 4-1 though to take third.
Dean Pavlou was Chattanooga's lone individual champion, defeating top-seed Savva Kostis, 14-9 in the 149-pound finals. Pavlou defeated three-seed Derek Royster to reach the championship match, 12-9. Royster went on to place third. Kostis had survived a semifinal scare from fourth-seed Michael Long (VMI), winning 9-7 in the first sudden victory period.
No. 3 Luvsandorj won the 157-pound crown with a 14-6 major decision over App. State's Chip Powell, a fifth-seed in the 157-pound bracket who entered at 8-11 overall, 1-4 in the SoCon. Powell knocked off a top-seed from Chattanooga in Josh Condon, prevailing with a 10-6 decision in the semifinals. Condon had pinned Powell during the regular season. Joe Munno of VMI took third after Condon was forced to take a medical forfeit.
With Hojilla taking the 165-pound title, Blevins took second while No. 4 Pierre Frazille (The Citadel) wrestled back to take third. Frazille took a 3-2 decision over Conor Black in the first round before suffering a 3-2 loss to Blevin. Frazille met Black again for a place on the podium and prevailed 3-1.
Sigmon became the first No. 1 seed to win a championship on the day at 174 pounds, fending off J.C. Oddo with a 5-2 decision. Sigmon pinned eventual third-place finisher Evan Dill (VMI), the fourth-seed, to reach the finals.
A pair of late takedowns by top-seed Trotman secured the 184-pound title over Chattanooga's Jason McCroskey. McCroskey, the third-seed, had reached the finals by pinning No. 6 Ike Crews in 1:32 defeating No. 2 seed Andrew Saunders 7-1. Saunders took third with an overtime victory over No.4 Kelby Smith (The Citadel).
Temple, a third-seed, cruised to an 8-2 decision over Justin Sparrow (The Citadel) for the 197-pound championship. Temple knocked off No. 2 Ryan Sughrue with a 6-2 decision. Fourth-seeded Sparrow pinned All-SoCon selection and No. 1 seed Niko Brown of Chattanooga in 2:07. Sughrue pinned Brown in 4:01 to take third.
No. 4 Sturgeon of UNC Greensboro defeated defending champion and top-seed Josh Wine of VMI with a 3-1 decision in the semifinals, but was unable to fend off three-seed Odie Delaney of The Citadel, last year's 197-pound champion. Wine took the bronze after scoring a major decision over Davidson's Charlie Wolff and a 9-2 decision over No. 2 Tom Minwell.
Finals Summary
125
1st: #4 Tony Gravely (Appalachian State) WBF #2 Eric Chandler (UNC Greensboro) F 2:26
3rd: #1 Demetrius Johnson (Tennessee Chattanooga) DEC #5 John Pope (Virginia Military) D 5-3;SV
133
1st: #2 Alex Radsky (Davidson) DEC #1 Josh Statum (Tennessee Chattanooga) D 3-2
3rd: #3 Angel Garcia (UNC Greensboro) DEC #4 Jordan Dix (The Citadel) M 13-4
141
1st: #2 Ivan Lopouchanski (UNC Greensboro) DEC #1 Vitaly Radsky (Davidson) D 8-3
3rd: #4 David Yost (Virginia Military) DEC #3 Nick LaFevre (The Citadel) D 4-1
149
1st: #2 Dean Pavlou (Tennessee Chattanooga) DEC #1 Savva Kostis (Appalachian State) D 14-9
3rd: #3 Derek Royster (The Citadel) DEC #4 Michael Long (Virginia Military) D 6-0
157
1st: #3 Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (The Citadel) DEC #5 Chip Powell (Appalachian State) M 14-6
3rd: #4 Joe Munno (Virginia Military) WBF #1 Josh Condon (Tennessee Chattanooga) F M FOR
165
1st: #3 Victor Hojilla (UNC Greensboro) DEC #1 Kyle Blevins (Appalachian State) D 11-5
3rd: #4 Pierre Frazile (The Citadel) DEC #5 Conor Black (Virginia Military) D 3-1
174
1st: #1 Byron Sigmon (UNC Greensboro) DEC #2 J.C. Oddo (The Citadel) D 5-2
3rd: #4 Evan Dill (Virginia Military) DEC #3 Carter Downs (Appalachian State) D 6-5
184
1st: #1 Austin Trotman (Appalachian State) DEC #3 Jason McCroskey (Tennessee Chattanooga) D 7-2
3rd: #2 Andrew Saunders (UNC Greensboro) DEC #4 Kelby Smith (The Citadel) D 7-5;SV
197
1st: #3 Dylan Temple (Appalachian State) DEC #4 Justin Sparrow (The Citadel) D 8-2
3rd: #2 Ryan Sughrue (UNC Greensboro) WBF #1 Nikolas Brown (Tennessee Chattanooga) F 4:01
285
1st: #3 Odie Delaney (The Citadel) DEC #4 Peter Sturgeon (UNC Greensboro) D 3-1
3rd: #1 Josh Wine (Virginia Military) DEC #2 Tom Minwell (Tennessee Chattanooga) D 9-2
Medalists
125
1. Tony Gravely (ASU)
2. Eric Chandler (UNCG)
3. Demetrius Johnson (VMI)
133
1. Alex Radsky (DAV)
2. Josh Statum (UTC)
3. Angel Garcia (UNCG)
141
1. Ivan Lopouchanski (UNCG)
2. Vitaly Radsky (DAV)
3. David Yost (VMI)
149
1. Dean Pavlou (UTC)
2. Savva Kostis (ASU)
3. Derek Royster (CID)
157
1. Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (CID)
2. Chip Powell (ASU)
3. Joe Munno (VMI)
165
1. Victor Hojilla (UNCG)
2. Kyle Blevins (ASU)
3. Pierre Frazille (CID)
174
1. Byron Sigmon (UNCG)
2. J.C. Oddo (CID)
3. Evan Dill (VMI)
184
1. Austin Trotman (ASU)
2. Jason McCroskey (UTC)
3. Andrew Saunders (UNC Greensboro)
197
1. Dylan Temple (ASU)
2. Justin Sparrow (CID)
3. Ryan Sughrue (UNCG)
285
1. Odie Delaney (CID)
2. Peter Sturgeon (UNCG)
3. Josh Wine (VMI)