Chattanooga claims share of SoCon title
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team grabbed a share of the Southern Conference regular-season title with a big win at The Citadel on Friday. The Mocs posted a dominant 34-3 victory over the Bulldogs in the league finale for both teams.
UTC finishes its SoCon slate with a 6-1 mark, tied with both Gardner-Webb and Appalachian State. Chattanooga improves to 11-4 overall, while The Citadel drops to 5-9 and 2-5 in league action.
UTC opened in a big way on a first-period pin by senior John Lampe at 184. The Mocs kept the pressure on with wins in the next six matches.
Junior Scottie Boykin finished another perfect regular season in SoCon matches with a 9-4 decision over Marshall Haas. Haas also came into the match with an unblemished league record.
Junior Jared Johnson scored a major at heavyweight, while freshman Alonzo Allen also had a major decision at 125. Freshman Cody Hill won at 133, followed by junior Michael Pongracz at 141. Sophomore Chase Zemenak had a big overtime decision against Matt Frisch at 149.
The match of the night came at 157 between Kamaal Shakur and Aaron Walker. Both were unbeaten in SoCon matches. Neither scored a takedown in regulation, but Walker took the win with one in overtime.
Freshman Dominic Lampe and junior Sean Mappes closed out the night with majors at 165 and 174.
This is the 16th time the Mocs have won or shared the SoCon regular-season title since the league began recognizing a season winner in 1992.
Chattanooga is back in action on Sunday when it takes on No. 19 Virginia. Match time is set for 2 p.m. in Charlottesville, Va.
The Citadel will host its last dual of the 2015-16 season on Feb. 21, when it hosts No. 13 North Carolina. The match will serve as senior day and will begin at 2 p.m.
Chattanooga 34, The Citadel 3
184: John Lampe (Chattanooga) – Fall 2:16 - Sawyer Root (The Citadel) – UTC 6-0
197: Scottie Boykin (Chattanooga) – Dec. 9-4 - Marshall Haas (The Citadel) – UTC 9-0
285: Jared Johnson (Chattanooga) – MD 10-2 - Joseph Bexley (The Citadel) – UTC 13-0
125: Alonzo Allen (Chattanooga) – MD 16-5 - Charles Kearney (The Citadel) – UTC 17-0
133: Cody Hill (Chattanooga) – Dec. 8-2 - Caleb Smith (The Citadel) – UTC 20-0
141: Mike Pongracz (Chattanooga) – Dec. 3-2 - Tyler Buckiso (The Citadel) – UTC 23-0
149: Chase Zemenak (Chattanooga) – Dec. 3-1 (SV1) - Matt Frisch (The Citadel) – UTC 26-0
157: Aaron Walker (The Citadel) – Dec. 3-1 (SV1) - Kamaal Shakur (Chattanooga) – UTC 26-3
165: Dominic Lampe (Chattanooga) – MD 16-6 - Jason Carr (The Citadel) – UTC 30-3
174: Sean Mappes (Chattanooga) – MD 16-3 - Timothy Knipl (The Citadel) – UTC 34-3
Appalachian State falls to No. 5 Missouri
BOONE, N.C. – One day after claiming a share of the Southern Conference regular-season title, Appalachian State brought its 2015-16 home schedule to a close on Friday night with a match between ranked schools, against No. 5 Missouri in front of a packed out Varity Gym. The Mountaineers (11-4, 6-1 SoCon) were overpowered by the MAC champion Tigers (13-1, 8-0 MAC) and fell, 41-6.
After a scoreless first period in the 125-pound match featuring Vito Pasone vs. No. 9 Barlow McGhee, both wrestlers earned one-point escapes and were tied heading into the final minute of the match. McGhee was able to get a late takedown for a 3-1 decision win.
Down 2-0 with one period left against No. 13 Zach Synon, Irvin Enriquez was unable to rally and eventually fell, 6-2. With the Apps down 6-0, Michael Longo took on No. 5 Matt Manley. Longo used a takedown to tie the match in the third period, but a Manley escape gave the Tigers a 7-5 victory.
At 149 pounds, No. 3 Lavion Mayes was too much for Matt Zovistoski, who ultimately lost by technical fall, 19-4. Missouri started to pull away right before intermission with Le’Roy Barnes’ pin of David Peters-Logue in the 157-pound match to give the Tigers a 20-0.
After the break, Forrest Przybysz took the mat against No. 5 Daniel Lewis. Lewis would go on to win by decision, 14-7.
The Tigers then flexed their muscles in the next three matches, winning by pin at 174 pounds over Nick Kee, 184 pounds over Taylor Jackson and 197 pounds over Randall Diabe. The pins put Missouri up 41-0.
The lone bright spot on the night for the Mountaineers came in the heavyweight match, when No. 5 Denzel Dejournette squared off with James Romero. Dejournette wasted little time taking down Romero in the first period. Two minutes in the bout, Dejournette pinned his opponent for the second time in as many days, giving the Mountaineers their only six points of the night.
The Mountaineers will be back in action on Feb. 21 on the road against Ohio to close out their regular season. Match time is set for 1 p.m.
No. 5 Missouri 41, No. 24 App State 6
125: Barlow McGhee (M) def. Vito Pasone (A) D, 3-1 (3-0 Missouri)
133; Zach Synon (M) def. Irvin Enriquez (A) D, 6-2 (6-0 Missouri)
141: Matt Manley (M) vs. Michael Longo (A) D, 7-5 (9-0 Missouri)
149: Lavion Mayes (M) def. Matt Zovistoski (A) TF, 19-4 (14-0 Missouri)
157: Le’Roy Barnes (M) pinned David Peters-Logue (A) (Pin 1:43) (20-0 Missouri)
165: Forrest Przybysz (A) vs. Daniel Lewis (M) D, 14-7 (23-0 Missouri)
174: Blaise Butler (M) pinned Nick Kee (A) (Pin 1:34) (29-0 Missouri)
184: Willie Miklus (M) pinned Taylor Jackson (A) (Pin 1:16) (35-0 Missouri)
197: J’den Cox (M) pinned Randall Diabe (A) (Pin 4:06) (41-0 Missouri)
285: Denzel Dejournette (A) pinned James Romero (M) (Pin 2:06) (41-6 Missouri)