DETROIT — App State Wrestling advanced three Mountaineers to Round of 16 bouts for the first time in 30 years, and the NCAA Championships will continue Friday with an impressive four wrestlers still pursuing All-America recognition.
Caleb Smith (125 pounds),
Jonathan Millner (149 pounds) and
Thomas Flitz (174 pounds) all won their opening matches Thursday afternoon, and
Will Formato (165 pounds) was officially 1-1 after he advanced in the consolation bracket due to an opponent's medical forfeit. App State totaled five NCAA qualifiers, with
Codi Russell (133 pounds) making his fourth NCAA appearance and finishing his career with 94 victories.
In 1992, App State wrestlers Donnell Rawls, Adrian Hines and Melvin Crosby all reached the Round of 16.
A returning All-American, the sixth-seeded Millner went 1-1 on Thursday with a 3-0 shutout of Oregon State's Cory Crooks and a 16-11 loss to 11th-seeded Bryce Andonian of Virginia Tech.
Smith, a first-year starter making his first NCAA appearance, had a 1-1 record against a pair of returning All-Americans. He delivered one of the first headline-worthy results of the event with an 8-5 decision against eighth-seeded Minnesota standout Patrick McKee, who placed third at the 2021 NCAAs. Smith then dropped a 6-2 decision against Virginia Tech's Sam Latona, who finished sixth at the 2021 NCAAs.
In Smith's victory, he used an early takedown and a reversal late in the first period to establish a 4-3 lead. He led 6-4 late in the third period and sealed the victory on a takedown with 17 seconds remaining.
Flitz trailed 5-2 in the third period of his opening match, but he turned a 6-5 deficit into a 7-6 lead on a takedown of Cornell's Chris Foca with 13 seconds left and added two near-fall points for a 9-6 victory. Third-seeded Logan Massa of Michigan won 15-5 against Flitz in the next round.
Formato lost an 8-3 decision against 13th-seeded Julian Ramirez of Cornell before advancing to Friday due to a medical forfeit from Chattanooga's Drew Nicholson.
Russell lost 4-0 against 12th-seeded Micky Phillippi of Pitt and had the final four takedowns, including three in the third period, of a 12-9 loss to Air Force's Sidney Flores.
Millner used a second-period escape and a takedown with 33 seconds remaining in the third period to shut out Crooks in their opening match at 149. Andonian jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first period and built the advantage to 14-4 in the second period. Millner cut into his deficit, and Andonian was called for stalling four times — a fifth leads to a disqualification — before advancing to a quarterfinal berth.
The winners during Friday's first set of consolation matches advance to the blood round — they'd be one of 12 wrestlers left in their bracket, needing a second victory Friday to claim All-America honors.
After wrestling continues at 11 a.m. on Friday:
— Smith faces 23rd-seeded Dylan Shawver of Rutgers
— Millner faces 12th-seeded Mike Van Brill of Rutgers
— Formato faces 19th-seeded Justin McCoy of Virginia
— Flitz faces 20th-seeded Hayden Hastings of Wyoming
The 2021-22 App State wrestling season is presented by Hungry Howie's and Penn Station.
