BOONE, N.C. — Dramatic takedowns at the beginning and end of App State's dual with Chattanooga set the stage for a SoCon sweep Sunday in Varsity Gym.
The Mountaineers opened Senior Day with a 20-13 victory to hand the Mocs their first league loss, and App State capped the tri-meet with a 54-0 shutout of Presbyterian.
Codi Russell, Jonathan Millner, Cody Bond, Will Formato, Thomas Flitz and Michael Burchell enjoyed 2-0 days as the Mountaineers (5-2, 5-1) followed a tight win against a longtime rival with their third shutout in six SoCon duals this season. They recorded five pins and nine wins with bonus points in that matchup.
In a showdown between top-25 wrestlers at 125 pounds to open the tri-meet, Russell won 4-3 against Chattanooga's Fabian Gutierrez by erasing a 3-2 deficit on a takedown with 53 seconds left and preventing a tying escape the rest of the way despite several close calls.
Millner's major decision at 149, Bond's one-point overtime win at 157, Formato's 6-1 decision at 165 and Flitz's major decision at 174 gave App State a 17-6 lead with three matches remaining, but the Mountaineers still had work to do in the finale after a major decision and a 12-5 victory that missed being a major decision by one point trimmed the Mocs' deficit to 17-13.
Chattanooga (7-3, 5-1) needed a bonus-point win in the heavyweight division to possibly snatch away a team victory, but Burchell broke a 1-1 tie on a takedown with 1:31 left in his 4-1 decision against Grayson Walthall.
The Mocs followed Russell's tight win with a 4-2 decision at 133 and a 5-3 win on a Sudden Victory-1 takedown at 141, but App State responded to falling behind by winning four straight matches, including Bond's 7-6 overtime decision against Weston Wichman. Bond trailed 6-4 via Wichman's takedown with 1:05 left but registered an escape and then forced overtime as Wichman was penalized one point for another stalling infraction with six seconds left, as Bond tried to complete a takedown.
Neither wrestler scored in the Sudden Victory-1 period, but when it ended, officials went to the replay monitor and confirmed that Wichman had committed an illegal hold.
After Chattanooga won all its matches against Presbyterian, the Mountaineers benefited from pins by Russell,
Anthony Brito, Millner, Flitz and Burchell against the Blue Hose (0-4, 0-4).
Julian Gorring and
Mason Fiscella also picked up six points apiece with wins by forfeit, Formato improved to 11-1 this season with a tech fall, Bond added a major decision and true freshman
Tyler Kellison won a 9-6 decision at 133 pounds in his first career dual start.
Before that dual, App State recognized six seniors: Flitz (63 career wins to date), Russell (70 career wins to date),
Tim Warren (started the 2021 opener at heavyweight),
Ramon Rodriguez (won against Davidson earlier this month at 197), injured
Paul Carson (2019-20 starter with 30 career wins at 197), injured
De'Andre Swinson-Barr (two-year starter and SoCon place-winner at 125), manager Carsyn Kilgo and manager Jayden Drewery.
App State also won four of the five extra matches in which it participated Sunday, led by
Tristan Pugh (2-0),
Caleb Smith (1-0) and
Heath Gonyer (1-0).
It was the final home event on the Mountaineers' schedule, although some NCAA seniors will return next season given that this season doesn't count against their remaining eligibility. App State's last tri-meet is Friday at VMI (with The Citadel also attending), followed by the SoCon Championships on Feb. 28 in Boone and the NCAA Championships starting March 18.
The 2020-21 wrestling season is presented by Hungry Howies and Penn Station.
App State 20, Chattanooga 13
125: #23
Codi Russell (APP) def. #21 Fabian Gutierrez (UTC), 4-3 dec.
133: Colton Landers (UTC) def.
Sean Carter (APP), 4-2 dec.
141: Franco Valdes (UTC) def.
Anthony Brito, 5-3 dec. (SV-2)
149: #21
Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Aidan Murphy (UTC), 15-5 maj. dec.
157:
Cody Bond (APP) def. Weston Wichman (UTC), 7-6 dec. (SV-1)
165: #10
Will Formato (APP) def. Drew Nicholson (UTC), 6-1 dec.
174: #19
Thomas Flitz (APP) def. Carial Tarter (UTC), 17-4 maj. dec.
184: #23 Matthew Waddell (UTC) def,
Julian Gorring (APP), 11-2 maj. dec.
197: Logan Andrew (UTC) def.
Mason Fiscella (APP), 12-5 dec.
285:
Michael Burchell (APP) def. Grayson Walthall (UTC), 4-1 dec.
Extra matches
157: Grant Lundy (UTC) def.
Tommy Askey (APP), 6-4 dec. (SV-1)
141:
Heath Gonyer (APP) def. Matthew Williams (UTC), 9-0 maj. dec.
149:
Tristan Pugh (APP) def. George Coleman (UTC), 8-0 maj. dec.
App State 54, Presbyterian 0
125: #23
Codi Russell (APP) def. Benny Gomez (PC), fall (1:11)
133:
Tyler Kellison (APP) def. Dominic Chavez (PC), 9-6 dec.
141:
Anthony Brito (APP) def. Jacob Brasseur (PC), fall (2:43)
149: #21
Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Reid Stewart (PC), fall (4:48)
157:
Cody Bond (APP) def. Zachary Phillips (PC), 11-1 maj. dec.
165: #10
Will Formato (APP) def. Bryton Goering (PC), 18-2 tech fall (4:02)
174: #19
Thomas Flitz (APP) def. Victor Tello (PC), fall (4:04)
184:
Julian Gorring (APP) won by forfeit
197:
Mason Fiscella (APP) won by forfeit
285:
Michael Burchell (APP) def. Will Pontoon (PC), fall (1:56)
Extra matches
133:
Caleb Smith (APP) def. Khalid Brinkley (PC), fall (3:20)
149:
Tristan Pugh (APP) def. Michael Ramirez (PC), 15-0 tech fall (5:37)
