BOONE, N.C. — App State took three of the first six matches against No. 5 NC State, as victories by
Sean Carter,
Jonathan Millner and
Will Formato had the Mountaineers tied with four matches remaining, but the Wolfpack finished with a 25-10 road victory Sunday.
With App State hosting a dual in Varsity Gym with no capacity restrictions for the first time in 658 days, a standing-room-only crowd of 1,206 created an electric atmosphere.
NC State improved to 3-0, while an App State team just outside the NWCA Coaches Poll top 25 lost its season opener.
Carter used a takedown with 18 seconds left in the Sudden Victory-1 period to win a 3-1 decision at 133 pounds against two-time NCAA qualifier Jarrett Trombley, and the 26th-ranked Formato had a takedown in the final minute of the first period to claim control in a 6-1 decision against 15th-ranked Thomas Bullard at 165 pounds. Formato posted a 4-0 shutout of Bullard last season in Raleigh before dropping a 3-2 decision against him at the NCAA Championships.
The seventh-ranked Millner earned a bonus point with a 12-3 major decision at 149 pounds in the season debut for Matt Fields. In the Wolfpack's first two duals, that spot had been occupied by third-ranked Tariq Wilson, a third-place finisher at 141 pounds during last year's NCAA Championships, but his absence from the lineup Sunday prevented a matchup of returning All-Americans.
The lineups for App State and NC State included 16 wrestlers out of a possible 20 that were either returning NCAA qualifiers from last season or ranked wrestlers this season.
The dual began with a tight match involving 30th-ranked
Caleb Smith, a first-year starter for the Mountaineers, and fifth-ranked Jakob Camacho, a two-time NCAA qualifier who pulled out a 5-3 decision.
The other matches decided by decision were at 141 pounds (18th-ranked Ryan Jack with a 10-3 victory against
Anthony Brito) and 285 pounds (two-time NCAA qualifier Deonte Wilson with a 7-2 decision against
Michael Burchell, who had a potential takedown in the first period turn into a four-point swing when Wilson recovered to quickly produce one of his own).
NC State won by major decision at 157 pounds (No. 25 Ed Scott over
Cody Bond), 174 (No. 5 Hayden Hidlay over
Thomas Flitz) and 184 (No. 3 Trent Hidlay by a 12-4 count over first-time starter
Barrett Blakely). For six of App State's 10 starters, it was their first experience competing in a dual against a ranked opponent in a packed Varsity Gym.
App State will be back in Varsity Gym on Friday night to host 19th-ranked North Carolina (3-4 with a 24-12 win against Campbell). Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for youth.
The 2021-22 wrestling season is presented by Hungry Howies and Penn Station.
#5 NC State 25, App State 10
125: #5 Jakob Camacho (NCST) def. #30
Caleb Smith, 5-3 dec.
133:
Sean Carter (APP) def. Jarrett Trombley, 3-1 dec. (SV-1)
141: #18 Ryan Jack (NCST) def.
Anthony Brito, 10-3 dec.
149: #7
Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Matt Fields, 12-3 maj. dec.
157: #25 Ed Scott (NCST) def.
Cody Bond, 18-7 maj. dec.
165: #26
Will Formato (APP) def. #15 Thomas Bullard, 6-1 dec.
174: #5 Hayden Hidlay (NCST) def.
Thomas Flitz, 14-4 maj. dec.
184: #3 Trent Hidlay (NCST) def.
Barrett Blakely, 12-4 maj. dec.
197: #15 Isaac Trumble (NCST) def.
Mason Fiscella, 12-2 maj. dec.
285: Deonte Wilson (NCST) vs.
Michael Burchell, 7-2 dec.
