Lopouchanski breaks record as UNCG rolls in doubleheader
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Senior Byron Sigmon and No. 16 Ivan Lopouchanski led UNCG to a sweep on Tuesday as the Spartans downed Gardner-Webb, 37-6, at Gardner-Webb in the afternoon. After a two-hour trip back, UNCG flattened Campbell, 38-4, at Fleming Gymnasium on Tuesday evening.
Senior Byron Sigmon wrestled for his final time at Fleming Gymnasium and ended it in style as he pinned Campbell's Peter Comis at the 5:48 mark.
No. 16 Ivan Lopouchanski collected a technical fall over the Camels' Michael Jordan to win his 36th match of the year. With his 36th win, he passed Daren Burns, UNCG assistant wrestling coach, for the school record of most wins in a single season. "I'm happy for him," said Burns after the victory.
UNCG saw its record improve to 8-11 on the season with the wins. Gardner-Webb fell to 6-15, while the Camels dismal season continued as they fell to 4-18.
UNCG's 34 point victory over the Camels was the largest margin victory this season for UNCG.
UNCG took eight of the ten bouts at Gardner-Webb, highlighted by three pins, two major decisions, and a technical fall.
The Spartans went a perfect 2-0 at eight of the 10 weight classes on the day.
Manny Ramirez (125 pounds) started the day off with a 25-10 victory over the Runnin' Bulldogs Brett Kostern. Jamel Johnson quickly followed with a victory thanks to a technical fall, 24-9, over Alex Hamm.
Gardner-Webb cut the nine point deficit down to six after Richie Spicel got the best of UNCG's Michael Crowley, 3-1.
Lopouchanski needed only 10 seconds in the second period to pin Morgan McDaniel to stretch UNCG's lead out to 12.
A 9-5 victory from Gardner-Webb's Alex Medved (157) over Justin Rice would be the last one the Runnin' Bulldogs would see the rest of the day. UNCG ripped off five bouts in a row capped off by pins from Caylor Williams (197) and Peter Sturgeon (285), who only needed 46 seconds to claim the win.
UNCG returned home to take on the Campbell Camels for Senior Night. Prior to the match, Sigmon (174) and Alejandro Soto-Perez (141) were honored for their contributions as a Spartan.
The Spartans continued to roll as they took the first four bouts of the evening and jumping out to a 16-0 lead, capped off by Lopouchanski record-breaking match.
Camels' Jake Fose (157) scored a 13-5 victory over Soto-Perez to provide Campbell with all of its points on the evening.
Again, UNCG would win the last five bouts to secure a 38-4 victory and clamping down its third consecutive win.
Elijah Adams (184) got an escape with three seconds left in the match to win, 8-7, over Campbell's John Merickel.
The Spartans return to action on March 5, when they travel to participate in the Southern Conference Championships in Boone, N.C.
AGATE:
UNC Greensboro 37, Gardner-Webb 6
125: Manny Ramirez (UNCG) maj. dec. Brett Kostern (GWU), 25-10
133: Jamel Johnson (UNCG) tech. fall Alex Hamm (GWU), 24-9, 5:55
141: Richie Spicel (GWU) dec. Michael Crowley (UNCG), 3-1
149: No. 16 Ivan Lopouchanski (UNCG) fall Morgan McDaniel (GWU), 3:10
157: Alex Medved (GWU) dec. Justin Rice (UNCG), 9-5
165: Brett Miller (UNCG) dec. Justin Guthrie (GWU), 7-6
174: Byron Sigmon (UNCG) maj. dec. Erin O'Dell (GWU), 12-0
184: Elijah Adams (UNCG) dec. Jonathan Velazquez (GWU), 5-4
197: Caylor Williams (UNCG) fall Blake Salyer (GWU), 1:46
285: Peter Sturgeon (UNCG) fall Tyler Arrowood (GWU), 0:46
UNCG 38 Campbell 4
125: Manny Ramirez (UNCG) maj. dec. Tanner Bidelspach (CU), 20-7
133: Jamel Johnson (UNCG) maj. dec. Gabe Gardner (CU), 14-6
141: Michael Crowley (UNCG) dec. Ethan Carmody (CU), 5-1
149: No. 16 Ivan Lopouchanski tech. fall Michael Jordan (CU), 16-1, 3:52
157: Jake Fose (CU) maj. dec. Alejandro Soto-Perez (UNCG), 13-5
165: Brett Miller (UNCG) maj. dec. Joel Caudill (CU), 11-1
174: Byron Sigmon (UNCG) fall Peter Comis (CU), 5:48
184: Elijah Adams (UNCG) dec. John Merickel (CU), 8-7
197: Caylor Williams (UNCG) fall Justin Sparrow (CU), 2:44
285: Peter Sturgeon (UNCG) dec. Parker Burns (CU), 5-2
ASU Wrestling Succumbs to Liberty, 25-17
LYNCHBURG, Va.- Appalachian State University wrestling (8-11-1, 2-3 SoCon) fell to Liberty (14-7), 25-17, in both teams' regular-season finale on Tuesday night in Vines Center on the campus of Liberty.
The Flames took six of the 10 bouts, including the final two to secure the victory over the Mountaineers. With the win, it has given LU three straight wins over ASU.
In the 125 match, Liberty's Robert Jillard earned a second-period pin over sophomore Tony Gravely (Martinsville, Va./Magna Vista). Jillard started off the match taking down Gravely, but Gravely notched a takedown and an escape to go ahead, 3-2. Jillard then tallied a two-point reversal to end the first period ontop, 4-3. Jillard then nailed another two-point reversal and pinned Gravely in 4:39, giving the Flames an early lead.
In the 133 bout, LU's Thomas Mitchell got things started with a two-point takedown on sophomore Brett Boston (Morganton, N.C./Freedom). Boston escaped, but Mitchell countered with another takedown. Boston escaped from Mitchell again, closing the gap to 4-2, but it was all Mitchell from there. Boston escaped two more times in the third period, but Mitchell ended up earning the 12-4 major decision over Boston, giving the Flames a 10-0 cushion.
Junior Mike Kessler (Bay City, Mich./Western) turned things around the Black and Gold grapplers in the 141 bout against Joe Pantaleo. Kessler opened up the match with a two-point takedown to go up 2-0, but Kessler pinned Pantaleo at 2:28 to end the match and give the Mountaineers their first points of the dual.
ASU notched another win in the 149 match as junior Savva Kostis (Boone, N.C./Watauga) never allowed Liberty's Joseph Montgomery to build any momentum as he earned a 12-1 major decision over Montgomery. The closest that Montgomery got was in the opening period when Kostis was ahead 2-1. With the win, the Mountaineers tied the dual up at 10-10. Kostis now has 23 wins during the 2010-11 campaign and needs seven more victories to break into the most wins in a season list.
The tie was broken during the 157 match as Julian Colon edged sophomore John Blakely (Birmingham, Ala./Oak Mountain), 8-2. Colon took an early lead in the first period as he led 2-0 heading into the second stanza. Colon used a takedown and escape to go ahead 5-0 before Blakely escaped to move the score to 5-1. Colon took down Blakely again, but Blakely garnered two more points to close the gap to 7-2. Colon scored one more point to take the match and give the Flames a 13-10 advantage.
Junior Kyle Blevins (Sapulpa, Okla./Sapulpa) tied the dual back up in the 165 match as he took down Chad Porter, 6-0. Blevins only held a slim 2-0 margin in the first period and neither scored in the second period. But Blevins used the third period to pile on the points to earn the decision and move the team scores to 13-13. With the victory, Blevins picked up his 34th win of the season and 80th of his career. Blevins is now in sole possession of fourth place on the most wins in a season list and is two wins away from cracking into the career wins list.
In the 174 category, Liberty's Royal Brettrager got the best of junior Carter Downs (Tequesta, Fla./Jupiter Christian) and garnered a second-period pin over Downs in 4:45, moving the team scores to 19-13.
The Mountaineers earned their last win of the dual in the 184 match-up, as the reigning SoCon Wrestler of the Week Austin Trotman (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor) tallied a 17-5 major decision over Aaron Kelley. Kelley's only points of the match came from escapes on the first and second period. Trotman only held a 5-1 after the first period, but turned up the heat the rest of the way to earn the decision. With his win, Trotman now has 29 wins this season and needs just one to join the most wins in a season list. Trotman is already a member of the career wins list and still controls the number five spot with his 87th victory.
Appalachian dropped the final two bouts as sophomore Jon Hartley (Lenoir, N.C./South Caldwell) fell to Aaron Thompson, 8-3 and freshman Marc Tyson (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Township) was edged by Johsua Pelletier, 5-3.
ASU will now take time to prepare for the 2011 Southern Conference Tournament, which is being hosted by Appalachian on Mar. 5. Wrestling will start at the Holmes Convocation Center at 11 a.m. For tournament and ticket information, visit www.GoASU.com.
ASU 17, Liberty 25
125: Robert Jillard (Liberty) fall Tony Gravely (ASU), 4:39
133: Thomas Mitchell (Liberty) major decision Brett Boston (ASU), 12-4
141: Mike Kessler (ASU) fall Joe Pantaleo (Liberty), 2:28
149: Savva Kostis (ASU) major decision Joseph Montgomery (Liberty), 12-1
157: Julian Colon (Liberty) dec John Blakely (ASU), 8-2
165: Kyle Blevins (ASU) dec Chad Porter (Liberty), 6-0
174: Royal Brettrager (Liberty) fall Carter Downs (ASU), 4:45
184: Austin Trotman (ASU) major decision Aaron Kelley (Liberty), 17-5
197: Aaron Thompson (Liberty) dec Jon Hartley (ASU), 8-3
285: Johsua Pelletier (Liberty) dec Marc Tyson (ASU), 5-3