Gardner-Webb claims two titles at Wolfpack Open
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb wrestling team won two weight classes and claimed three third-place finishes Sunday afternoon at the Wolfpack Open, hosted by NC State. Redshirt sophomore Chris Vassar claimed the first of two titles at 149, while sophomore Tyler Marinelli took first in the 165-pound bracket.
Vassar cruised to major-decision victories in his first two matches and faced teammate Ryan Mosley in the quarterfinals and won the match by a 4-0 score. Vassar proceeded to defeat North Carolina’s unattached Troy Heilmann by an 8-4 score in a semifinal match and claimed the 149-pound title as Maryland’s Shyheim Brown had to withdraw from the match due to a medical forfeit.
Marinelli rolled to wins in the opening two matches by scores of 9-2 and 8-2 respectively, before he rolled into the semifinals with a 15-0 victory over Brad Mutchnik (American). The Gardner-Webb sophomore advanced into the championship match defeating Joshua Ugald (5-1) and claimed the title with a 9-6 decision against Dominic Lampe (Chattanooga).
Gardner-Webb also had five medalists as Hunter Gamble and Tyler Ziegler took third place at 184 and 133, respectively, while Cortez Starkes, Mosley, Austin Trott and Christian Maroni took fifth place at the Wolfpack Open.
The Runnin' Bulldogs return to action on Dec. 3, when they face VMI in their Southern Conference opener at 7:30 p.m.
Chattanooga wins three titles at Wolfpack Open
RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team brought home three first-place trophies at the Wolfpack Open on Sunday. The Mocs had 10 individuals place overall in the tournament.
Senior John Lampe (184), junior Michael Pongracz (141) and freshman Kamaal Shakur (157) each won their respective class. Junior Jared Johnson (285) and freshmen Dominic Lampe (165) and Chris Debien (133) were runners-up, while junior Sean Mappes and sophomore Justin Lampe tied for third at 174.
Pongracz scored five wins Sunday, including four decisions and a fall. Shakur also had five wins, highlighted by a tight 2-1 overtime decision over American's 18th-ranked John Boyle in the finals.
It only took the elder Lampe three wins to capture the 184 bracket. He beat defending SoCon champ Hunter Gamble of Gardner-Webb in the semifinals before capping off his day with a 2-1 victory against Newberry's Huston Evans.
Dominic Lampe, the youngest of the three brothers on the team, opened with a nice pin against Gardner-Webb's 19th-ranked Austin Trott. He scored three more wins before falling to GWU's Tyler Marinelli in the finals.
Johnson powered through the field with two decisions and two majors, scoring at least seven points in each match. He lost in the finals to NC State's No. 1-ranked and two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwaizdowski (15-2).
Debien was forced to bow out of his finals match at 133 due to injury. His first four wins included three decisions and a pin. Junior Scottie Boykin also placed in the event, finishing fourth at 197. Junior McCoy Newberg was the other placer, finishing sixth at 184.
The Mocs will take some time off from competition for final exams. The next match is at VMI on Dec. 10. The next home dual is Dec. 18 against No. 15 Ohio at 6 p.m. in Maclellan Gym.
Davidson competes at Wolfpack Open
RALEIGH, N.C. – Zach Colangelo and Konner Pritchard picked up two wins and Billy McClelland recorded one at their respective weight classes at the Wolfpack Open hosted by NC State on Sunday.
Zach Colangelo shined at 165 pounds, picking up two wins in the consolation rounds. After opening with a loss in the round of 32, Colangelo bounced back with two impressive wins in the consolation rounds of 16 and eight. In his second match, Colangelo took down Jason Carr of The Citadel, 9-5, before earning an 8-2 decision over Michael Wright from Duke. In his final match, Colangelo fell to Mitchell Wightman of American.
At 184 pounds, Pritchard recorded two wins. The sophomore opened up with a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Matt Carroll from Cumberland. After falling in the round of 16, Pritchard rebounded to post a major decision over Joseph Salvi of American, 14-2.
McClelland picked up a win at 141 pounds. The rookie posted a 5-2 decision over American's Colby Baker in the consolation round of 16.
Davidson returns to action Saturday, Dec. 5, with a match at Sacred Heart.
Campbell sends unattached contingent to Wolfpack Open
RALEIGH, N.C. – Drew Walker finished sixth as 11 grapplers wrestled unattached for Campbell at the Wolfpack Open on Sunday on the campus of NC State.
Walker went 3-2 wrestling unattached at 133 pounds as he recorded two decisions and a major at the open. He received a bye to start and took down Brandon Leynaud from Duke in an 8-4 decision in the round of 16. Walker lost in the quarterfinals in a sudden victory 6-4 decision to Tyler Ziegler of Gardner-Webb.
Continuing in the wrestle backs, Walker downed Nick Lankford (Newberry) in a major decision 14-3 and followed by knocking out Josh Markham (Old Dominion) in a 7-5 decision. Walker advanced to the fifth-place bout where he faced unattached Michael Hayes from Old Dominion, who made fast work of Walker, defeating him 12-1 in a major decision to claim fifth.
Four other Camel wrestlers finished the day 2-2 in their weight classes. Zane Knight and Kaleb Walker at 149, and Ryan Ashley and Anthony Brownridge at 197 all split their matches, going 2-2.
Knight fell in his opening match to Shane Arechiga (Maryland) in a major decision (11-2). He received a bye before winning his next two bouts by decision. Knight’s first win came over Chandler Pyke from NC State in a 4-3 decision and his second a 10-7 decision over teammate Brock Cooper. Knight squared off against Jake DeAngelo (NC State) and fell to the Pack wrestler in a 14-2 major decision.
Warner also wrestled unattached at 149 pounds for the Camels. He started strong, winning his first two bouts, including a pin (7:00) over Joseph Rocca of Newberry and a 3-2 decision against GWU grappler Joby Armenta. Warner dropped his next two to Pack wrestlers Sam Melikian and Beau Donahue in major decisions, 14-2 and 12-4 respectively, finishing 2-2 on the day.
Ashley started his day defeating Dylan Cook from Virginia Tech in a 7-4 decision wrestling unattached at 197 pounds for Campbell. He fell in his second match of the event to Bretton Dempsey of American, who pinned Ashley in 4:36. Moving to the consolation bracket, Ashley got his second win due to a forfeit by Cumberland’s Cory Daniels but fell to Nicholas Weldon (Newberry) in a 5:00, 15-0 tech fall, wrapping up the Camel’s day at the Open.
Also wrestling at 197 pounds unattached was Brownridge, who won his first match over Gardner-Webb’s Tristan Majors in a 9-4 decision. He dropped to unattached Chance McClure, who pinned the Camel in 4:13 and moved to the consolation round, where he defeated Terry Henderson (GWU) in a 16-11 decision. Brownridge's day finished as he fell to Chandler Sambets from The Citadel by a decision of 7-5.
Also competing at the event were Kevin Garay (1-2 at 149), Collin Stewart (0-2 at 125), William Pryor (0-2 at 125), Brock Cooper (0-2 at 149), Mike Rodriguez (0-2 at 197) and Caleb Edwards (0-2 at 285).
The Citadel’s Haas takes third at Wolfpack Open
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Citadel wrestling team completed action at the Wolfpack Open on Sunday after a full day of competition.
The Citadel as a whole had wrestlers compete in 55 matches over the course of the day’s proceedings, with Marshall Haas (5-1) finishing the highest of all Bulldogs, taking third place at 197 pounds. The senior went 3-1 on the day, earning his last victory of the day over SoCon foe Scott Boykin of Chattanooga with a 3-1 decision. Haas recorded a two-point takedown and escape in the win.
Ty Buckiso (6-2) had a strong showing at 141 pounds, going 4-2. After pinning his first opponent in the round of 32 in 2:15, Buckiso dropped his round-of-16 match by a 5-2 decision. The sophomore then reeled off three straight wins in the consolation bracket against unattached opponents from Appalachian State and Maryland to face American’s Michael Sprague in the semifinals. Buckiso lost a nail-biter by a 2-1 decision to end his day.
At 174 pounds, Tim Kniple (7-4) also finished in the consolation semifinals. After dropping the first match by a 9-0 major decision, the freshman earned three victories, setting up another SoCon showdown between Kniple and Brett Stein of Gardner-Webb. Behind four two-point takedowns, Stein was able to outlast Kniple and effectively end his day. Kniple tallied three escapes in the losing effort and was 3-2 on the day.
Fellow freshman Sawyer Root (8-3) finished in fourth place at 184 pounds after receiving a bye in the round of 32 and then winning the next two rounds to make it to the semifinals. Root lost by an 11-5 decision in the semifinals and dropped to the third-place match to face Gardner-Webb’s Hunter Gamble. Root came up short in his final match of the day, taking a loss by tech fall 17-2. He finished 2-2 for the tournament.
The Citadel will now have two weeks to prepare before heading to Las Vegas, Nevada, for the Cliff Keen Invitational. The two-day tournament will take place Dec. 4-5.
Appalachian State’s Dejournette defends heavyweight title at Keystone Classic
PHILADELPHIA – Appalachian State competed at the Keystone Classic on Sunday. The Mountaineers had seven wrestlers place in the top six in their weight classes, with Denzel Dejournette repeating as the heavyweight champion.
Dejournette won his second straight tournament after winning the Michigan State Open last weekend and improved to 11-0 this season.
Dejournette started his tournament with a major-decision win over Ray Sherwood of Sacred Heart. In the quarterfinal, Dejournette won by technical fall over Alexander Foley of Drexel. A pin the semifinal set up a final match up against No. 19 Ryan Solomon. Dejournette defeated Solomon with an 8-2 decision to capture first place.
Forrest Przybysz claimed second place at 165 pounds. Przybysz won a 12-7 decision in the first round over Bryce Martin of Indiana. In the quarterfinal match, Przybysz pinned Gordon Bolig (Franklin & Marshall) 4:05 into the bout. Przybysz won a 3-1 decision to advance into the final. No. 14 Conner Brennen of Rider defeated Przybysz 7-3 to claim first place.
Vito Pasone won his first two matches of the tournament by decision to advance into the semifinal. Pasone gave up a major decision to Jake Gromacki of Pittsburgh. Pasone won his first consolation match over LJ Bentley of Pittsburgh. In the third-place match, Pasone fell to Vincent Pizzuto of Eastern Michigan and took home fourth place.
Taylor Jackson fell in his first match of the tournament but battled back through the consolation bracket to place fifth at 184 pounds. Jackson recorded two major decisions and a pin on his way to the fifth-place finish.
Three Mountaineers finished in sixth place after dropping their fifth-place matches in Michael Longo at 141 pounds, David Peters-Logue at 157 pounds and Randall Diabe at 197 pounds.
The Mountaineers return to the mat on Nov. 29 in Chapel Hill, N.C., to take on North Carolina.
VMI places four at Keystone Classic
PHILADELPHIA – Four Virginia Military Institute wrestlers placed in the top six of their respective weight divisions at the Keystone Classic on Sunday at the University of Pennsylvania.
Freshman Stevan Smith led the Keydets with a fourth-place showing at 149 pounds, while senior Emmitt Kelly took fifth in the same class. Junior Dalton Henderson came in sixth place at 125 pounds and junior Shabaka Johns also earned a sixth-place finish in the 165-pound classification.
The Keydets placed ninth overall with 38 points, facing several nationally recognized programs, including Pitt, Rider and Penn, who are receiving votes in the USA Today/NWCA Top 25.
VMI will not compete during Thanksgiving week but returns to action Thursday, Dec. 3, with a Southern Conference matchup at home with Gardner-Webb at 7:30 p.m. at The Pit at Cormack Hall.