LEXINGTON, Va. — App State wrapped up another strong regular season with a sweep of VMI and The Citadel on Friday.
The Mountaineers posted a 33-12 victory against the host Keydets before winning 41-3 against the Bulldogs.
With a 44-5 league record since the start of the 2014-15 season — the fifth-best mark in Division I wrestling during that time — App State has either gone undefeated or lost just one
Southern Conference match in seven straight seasons. The Mountaineers closed the 2020-21 regular season at 7-2 overall and 7-1 in SoCon duals.
App State claimed the first seven matches against VMI and totaled seven wins with bonus points to go along with
Cody Bond's comeback victory via a 10-9 decision at 157 pounds.
Mason Fiscella's pin at 197 pounds gave App State a 41-0 lead against The Citadel in a win highlighted by victories against ranked opponents from No. 19
Jonathan Millner (13-1 major decision against No. 27 Selwyn Porter at 149 pounds) and
Julian Gorring (8-3 decision against No. 33 Kyle Kretzer at 184 pounds). Millner and Porter both took 10-1 records into their showdown.
Codi Russell (125), Millner and
Will Formato (165) went 8-0 in SoCon duals this season, while
Sean Carter (6-1 at 133) had the best record in his weight class and Bond (7-1) was one of two starters with just one league loss at 157. At 13-1 overall, the 12th-ranked Formato outscored his opponents 120-9 and didn't allow a takedown in his 13 victories.
On Friday, six Mountaineers went 2-0 with two bonus point wins: Russell, Carter,
Anthony Brito (141 pounds), Millner, Formato and
Thomas Flitz (tech falls by a combined score of 34-0 at 174 pounds).
The postseason begins in three-plus weeks with the SoCon Championships on Feb. 28 at the Holmes Center in Boone, and the NCAA Championships are scheduled to begin March 18 in St. Louis.
The 2020-21 wrestling season is presented by Hungry Howies and Penn Station.
DUAL 1 RECAP
App State's seven wins with bonus points against VMI included two tech falls (Russell, Flitz) and five major decisions (Carter, Brito, Millner, Formato and
Michael Burchell).
A 6-2 lead in the second period turned into a 9-6 deficit by the start of the third period for Bond, who was nearly pinned by Blake Showers late in the second, but Bond opened the third with an escape and produced a tying takedown with 1:31 left. He remained on top for the rest of the match to prevent a VMI escape and earn a tiebreaking point for riding time.
DUAL 2 RECAP
App State delivered wins with bonus points in the first seven matches, including Millner's, before Gorring beat Kretzer for the second time this season.
Gorring worked out of a single-leg hold from Kretzer, answered with his own takedown and finished the first period on top for a 2-0 lead. In rapid succession, Gorring opened the second period with an escape and a takedown to seize control of that match after he had lost a third-period lead in a bonus point setback against VMI. Fiscella also bounced back against The Citadel by recording his third pin of the season.
Millner improved to 11-1 this year by outscoring Porter by a 4-0 margin in the first period and using a takedown late in the second to move ahead 6-1. Back points enabled Millner to increase his advantage to bonus point territory in the third.
App State 33, VMI 12
125: #20
Codi Russell (APP) def. Cliff Conway (VMI), 17-1 tech fall (5:00)
133:
Sean Carter (APP) def. Luke Fegly (VMI), 14-4 maj. dec.
141:
Anthony Brito (APP) def. Frederick Junko (VMI), 12-4 maj. dec.
149: #19
Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Job Chishko (VMI), 10-0 maj. dec.
157:
Cody Bond (APP) def. Blake Showers (VMI), 10-9 dec.
165: #12
Will Formato (APP) def. Jon Hoover (VMI), 10-2 maj. dec.
174: #15
Thomas Flitz (APP) def. Joel Diaz (VMI), 16-0 tech fall
184: Zach Brown (VMI) def.
Julian Gorring (APP), fall (6:54)
197: Tyler Mousaw (VMI) def.
Mason Fiscella (APP), fall (5:47)
285:
Michael Burchell (APP) def. Solomon Harris (VMI), 11-1 maj. dec.
Extra matches
184:
Barrett Blakely (APP) def. Chase Mielnik (VMI), fall (0:57)
149:
Tristan Pugh (APP) def. Josh Yost (VMI), 11-3 maj. dec.
App State 41, The Citadel 3
125: #20
Codi Russell (APP) def. Jordie White (CIT), 20-7 maj. dec.
133:
Sean Carter (APP) won by forfeit
141:
Anthony Brito (APP) def. Tyler Seeley (CIT), 12-4 maj. dec.
149: #19
Jonathan Millner (APP) def. #27 Selwyn Porter (CIT), 13-1 maj. dec.
157:
Cody Bond (APP) def. Grant Speer (CIT), 9-1 maj. dec.
165: #12
Will Formato (APP) def. Ethan Willis (CIT), 17-0 tech fall
174: #15
Thomas Flitz (APP) def. Cole Burke (CIT), 18-0 tech fall (4:00)
184:
Julian Gorring (APP) def. #33 Kyle Kretzer (CIT), 8-3 dec.
197:
Mason Fiscella (APP) def. Ben Stemmet (CIT), fall (4:03)
285: #32 Michael McAleavey (CIT) def.
Michael Burchell (APP), 8-3 dec.
