Chattanooga tops Campbell
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team took eight of 10 matches in a 31-12 win at Campbell on Saturday. The Mocs move to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Southern Conference action, while the Camels drop to 0-6 and 0-1 in league matches.
UTC scored bonus points in five of its eight wins, including a 19-2 technical fall by freshman Alonzo Allen to open action at 125. Campbell led after two matches thanks to a pin by junior Nathan Kraisser over sophomore Cody Hill at 133.
Chattanooga responded with three straight wins, beginning with a major by junior Michael Pongracz at 141. Freshman Roman Boylen moved up to 149 and scored a win, followed by freshman Kamaal Shakur's tech fall at 157.
Paul Duggan pinned freshman Dominic Lampe at 165 to close out Campbell's scoring. Junior Sean Mappes followed with a major decision at 174.
The best match of the day came at 184. Senior John Lampe and Camel junior Ville Heino split two very close matches two years ago. This one was more of the same, with Lampe carrying a 3-1 lead into the final period. After choosing down, Heino escaped and took the lead with a takedown with just under a minute left. Lampe escaped to tie at 4-4 and won the match with a takedown of his own with 13 seconds on the clock.
That gave the Mocs a 24-12 lead and all but put it out of reach. Chattanooga closed out the dual with a major decision by No. 18 Scottie Boykin at 197 and a win from 12th-ranked Jared Johnson at heavyweight.
The Mocs return home on Friday, Dec. 18, when they host undefeated and 17th-ranked Ohio in Maclellan Gym. Match time is set for 6 p.m. with live scoring and a SoConDN broadcast available on GoMocs.com.
Chattanooga 31, Campbell 12
125: Alonzo Allen (UTC) – TF 19-2 (5:00) - Daniel Ariola (Campbell) – UTC 5-0
133: Nathan Kraisser (Campbell) – Fall 4:26) - Cody Hill (UTC) – Campbell 6-5
141: Michael Pongracz (UTC) – MD 8-0 - Lucas Stewart (Campbell) – UTC 9-6
149: Roman Boylen (UTC) – Dec. 15-8 - Zane Knight (Campbell) – UTC 12-6
157: Kamaal Shakur (UTC) – TF 21-6 (7:00) - Quentin Perez (Campbell) – UTC 17-6
165: Paul Duggan (Campbell) – Fall (0:48) - Dominic Lampe (UTC) – UTC 17-12
174: Sean Mappes (UTC) – MD 15-5 - Matthew Olauson (Campbell) – UTC 21-12
184: John Lampe (UTC) – Dec. 6-4 - Ville Heino (Campbell) – UTC 24-12
197: Scottie Boykin (UTC) – MD 16-6 - Willie Bivens (Campbell) – UTC 28-12
285: Jared Johnson (UTC) – Dec. 5-0 - Jere Heino (Campbell) – UTC 31-12
Four Gardner-Webb wrestlers finish in top five at Cleveland State Open
CLEVELAND – Gardner-Webb had 10 of its wrestlers place at this weekend's Cleveland State Open, including Landon LoAlbo, Ryan Mosley and Hunter Gamble, who each finished in second place, and Boyce Cornwell, who placed third.
In total, 32 teams competed at the CSU Open and Gardner-Webb had 21 of its wrestlers compete.
LoAlbo got a bye in round one and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-1 decision against Michael Volyanuk (Michigan). Angelo Disabato was forced to withdraw against LoAlbo at the 4:37 mark, allowing the GWU redshirt freshman to earn a spot in the semifinals. LoAlbo picked up a 12-7 win over Carter Ballinger (Central Michigan) in a semifinal match to advance into the finals, but Austin Assad (Michigan) recorded a 12-5 decision victory to win the weight class.
Mosley received a bye in the first round and advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 decision victory over James Jenkins (Notre Dame). He moved into the finals with a sudden-death victory against Zach Wilson (Ohio) and defeated Mike Sprague (America) in the semifinals. Mosley faced Justin Oliver (Central Michigan), but it was Oliver who got the best of the matchup, winning 3-1 to take home first place.
Gamble took down Shwan Shadaia (Michigan State) in round one and easily moved into the semifinals, recording a 12-3 major decision victory over Ryan Winslow (Wheeling Jesuit). The redshirt junior breezed into the finals, earning an 8-4 decision against Lorenzo Maddox (Gannon), but Gamble's run would ultimately end in the finals, as Jordan Ellingwood (Central Michigan) earn the championship with a 5-2 victory.
Cornwell defeated Adam Robinson (Central Michigan) in his opening-round match and snuck past Zach Parker (Ohio) with an 11-9 sudden-death victory to move into the semifinals. The redshirt junior lost to Nick Budd (Gannon) in the semifinals but regrouped to earn a 10-1 major decision over Christian Flavin (Shorter) in the third-place match.
Cortez Starkes also placed eighth for GWU at 125, as he dropped into the consolation bracket by falling to Justin Patrick (Buffalo) in the second round, but the senior rebounded with three straight wins to move into the consolation semifinals. Starkes' opponent in the semis once again was Patrick, and the Buffalo wrestler managed to earn a pin at the 9:00 mark to advance in the tournament.
Philip Anderson earned a sixth-place finish for the Dogs at 133. Anderson pinned Stephen Corasaniti (Shorter), but fell into the consolation bracket with a loss in the quarterfinals. Anderson won his first two matches in the consolation bracket, but David Bavery (Notre Dame) got the best of the fifth-place match, winning 5-1.
Kyle Ash and Tyler Marinelli each placed fifth for the Runnin' Bulldogs at 157 and 165 pounds, respectively. Ash came up short in a quarterfinal match against Jordan Kutler (Lehigh) but won his next three matches, including winning by medical forfeit in the fifth-place match.
Marinelli lost in the second round to Robert Janis (Notre Dame) but proceeded to win five straight matches, including a 6-2 decision victory over Devin Skatzka (Indiana) to earn the fifth-place finish.
Brett Stein placed fifth at 174 for GWU, while Gray Jones a sixth place finish at 197. Stein won his opening two matches but was stopped in the quarterfinals by Christian Brucki (Central Michigan). Stein responded by winning his next three matches in the consolation bracket to earn a fifth-place finish.
Jones was pinned in his quarterfinal match against Vince Pickett (Edinboro) but recorded wins in the fourth round of the consolation bracket as well as the semifinals. He ultimately came up just short in the fifth-place match against Sam Wheeling (Cleveland State), falling 3-2.
The Runnin' Bulldogs return to action Dec. 19 when they take on Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa., for their last action of 2015 before heading to the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Jan 1-2.