BOONE, N.C. — A year after leading Division I wrestling with four shutouts, App State added two more as it opened its Southern Conference schedule against Bellarmine and Davidson on Sunday in Varsity Gym.
Unofficially ranked 29
th in last week's NWCA Coaches Poll, the Mountaineers (2-1) won 45-0 against Bellarmine, a Division I newcomer, before posting a 38-0 victory against Davidson. In all, with extra matches that count statistically for non-starters held during the tri-meet, App State posted 28 individual wins without suffering a single loss.
The Mountaineers earned bonus points in their first eight matches against Bellarmine and in four of the 10 against Davidson, which started the tri-meet with a 27-16 win against the Knights. Down the lineup, the Mountaineers benefited from 2-0 days by
Codi Russell (125),
Sean Carter (133),
Anthony Brito (141),
Jonathan Millner (149),
Cody Bond (157),
Will Formato (165),
Thomas Flitz (174),
Julian Gorring (184),
Mason Fiscella (197) and
Michael Burchell (285).
Brito, Bond and Burchell each earned the first two dual victories of their App State careers, while Fiscella picked up his first dual wins at 197 pounds — he was 2-0 last year at 184.
Formato increased his individual shutout streak to five matches, as he followed a 3-0 weekend at NC State with a combined score of 12-0 in those victories by winning with scores of 8-0 against Bellarmine (0-3, 0-2) and 17-0 against Davidson (0-2, 0-2).
Carter won a 12-8 decision against Kyle Gorant and Gorring claimed a 6-4 decision against Gavin Henry as the two true sophomores prevailed against a pair of Davidson wrestlers who placed third at last year's SoCon Championships. In another close match, Brito overcame a 4-1 deficit by riding out the second period against Gavin Damasco, delivering a tying takedown with 1:22 left in the third period and adding a point for stalling as he moved his riding time well over a minute to close out a 6-4 decision.
Henry nearly recorded a takedown late in the first period at 184, but Gorring avoided trouble and quickly produced his own takedown with 10 seconds left in the period. After a Davidson takedown, Gorring moved ahead 4-2 on an escape late in the second period and increased his lead on a takedown with 38 seconds remaining in the match.
Millner (second-period pin, 16-1 tech fall) and Russell (21-6 tech fall, win by forfeit) both accounted for 11 team points, with Russell overcoming a 6-0 deficit in the first 20 seconds of his decisive win against Bellarmine's Brandon Lucas. Brito and Formato were responsible for nine points apiece, while Flitz, Carter and Bond all contributed eight apiece.
In App State's eight extra matches for non-starters, true freshman
Tommy Askey (157 pounds) won twice.
Caleb Smith (125),
Barrett Blakely (184) and
Tyler Kellison (133) had pins in their lone matches, and other victories came from
Brett Mordecai,
Ramon Rodriguez and
Heath Gonyer.
Next Saturday, App State returns to SoCon action with a trip to Buies Creek to face Campbell at 2 p.m. and Gardner-Webb at 3:30 p.m. The 2020-21 wrestling season is presented by Hungry Howies and Penn Station.
App State 45, Bellarmine 0
125: #23
Codi Russell (APP) def. Brandon Lucas (BU), 21-6 tech fall (4:04)
133:
Sean Carter (APP) def. Max Dansereau (BU), 20-5 tech fall (7:00)
141:
Anthony Brito (APP) def. Zach Schultz (BU), fall (2:05)
149: #18
Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Mitch Collica (BU), fall (4:17)
157:
Cody Bond (APP) def. Alex Rhine (BU), 19-2 tech fall (4:44)
165: #14
Will Formato (APP) def. Eric Beck (BU), 8-0 maj. dec.
174: #14
Thomas Flitz (APP) def. Devan Hendricks (BU), 10-0 maj. dec.
184:
Julian Gorring (APP) def. Sam Schroeder (BU), 12-1 maj. dec.
197:
Mason Fiscella (APP) def. Gavin Grime (BU), 10-3 dec.
285:
Michael Burchell (APP) def. Charlie Cadell (BU), 9-3 dec.
App State 38, Davidson 0
125: #23
Codi Russell (APP) won by forfeit
133:
Sean Carter (APP) def. Kyle Gorant (DC), 12-8 dec.
141:
Anthony Brito (APP) def. Gavin Damasco (DC), 6-4 dec.
149: #18
Jonathan Millner (APP) def. David Loniewski (DC), 16-1 tech fall (7:00)
157:
Cody Bond (APP) def. Bryce Sanderlin (DC), 5-0 dec.
165: #14
Will Formato (APP) def. Anthony Spera (DC), 17-0 tech fall (5:00)
174: #14
Thomas Flitz (APP) def. Jaden Hardrick (DC), 12-3 maj. dec.
184:
Julian Gorring (APP) def. Gavin Henry (DC), 6-4 dec.
197:
Mason Fiscella (APP) def. Finlay Holston (DC), 9-5 dec.
285:
Michael Burchell (APP) def. Mitchell Trigg (DC), 5-3 dec.
Extra Matches
165:
Brett Mordecai (APP) def. Alex Rivera (BU), 16-5 maj. dec.
184:
Barrett Blakely (APP) def. Easton Tobia (BU), fall (2:22)
125:
Caleb Smith (APP) def. Adonis Boyd (BU), fall (3:26)
157:
Tommy Askey (APP) def. Logan Hoskins (BU), 10-2 maj. dec.
133:
Tyler Kellison (APP) def. Noah Burstein (DC), fall (0:36)
157:
Tommy Askey (APP) def. Will Baldwin (DC), 7-2 dec.
285:
Ramon Rodriguez (APP) vs. Jake Fernicola (DC), 9-6 dec.
149:
Heath Gonyer (APP) def. Garrett Stewart (DC), 6-1 dec.
