LEXINGTON, Va. — For the third time in the last month and a national-leading 12th time since the calendar flipped to 2020, App State Wrestling posted a dual shutout.
The 21st-ranked Mountaineers took all 10 matches in a 37-0 victory at VMI, which entered Friday with a 6-3 overall record that already gave the Keydets their most single-season wins in 18 years.
App State (6-2 overall with losses to two top-10 teams) improved to 3-0 in SoCon duals with 29 wins in the 30 official individual matches. It is back in action Tuesday for a 7 p.m. home dual against Duke, and tickets are available by
clicking HERE. App State is also No. 20 in InterMat's rankings and as high as No. 18 (from Win Magazine).
Facing the Keydets (6-4, 0-2), App State earned bonus points in the first four completed matches and totaled five bonus-point victories. Young starters recorded wins in tightly contested matches at the final three weights, and the Mountaineers capped a 12-for-12 night with a pair of victories in extra matches.
Luke Uliano used a strong third period to win 6-2 at 184 pounds against Zach Brown, who has had a top-33 ranking at VMI and had posted two victories against the Mountaineers earlier in his career.
Carson Floyd's strong third period at 197 propelled him to an 8-5 decision against Tyler Mousaw, who has also been ranked during his career, and
Triston Norris capped his first dual appearance with a 4-3 win against heavyweight Josh Evans.
Caleb Smith (12-3 major decision at 125),
Ethan Oakley (13-4 major decision at 133) and
Heath Gonyer (11-2 major decision at 141) produced a 12-0 lead to begin the dual before
Jon Jon Millner pushed the advantage to 18-0 with a pin in 92 seconds.
VMI avoided bonus points in wins from
Tommy Askey (12-6 decision at 157) and
Will Formato (5-0 decision at 165), but
Will Miller delivered a 16-5 major decision at 174.
VMI totaled two takedowns in the first seven matches, including the first one at 133 pounds, but Oakley used an escape, takedown and four-point near fall to lead 7-2 after one period in his second straight dual start.
Trailing 2-1 after two periods, Uliano took the lead on a reversal with 1:43 left, added back points with 25 seconds remaining and finished on top.
Reversals in the first period (after a Floyd takedown) and in the second period (with Mousaw starting on bottom) put Floyd in a 4-2 hole, but he got his own reversal with 50 seconds left in the second period and finished it on top. Starting neutral in the third, Floyd posted a tiebreaking takedown with 1:36 left and added another one with 1:09 remaining.
In the dual finale, Norris opened the scoring on a takedown with 25 seconds left in the first period, and he pushed his lead to 3-1 on an escape early in the third period. Evans had a tying takedown with 1:07 left, but Norris earned an escape point 10 seconds later and held on for the victory.
The extra matches resulted in a 5-2 win by
Oren Bost at 174 pounds and a second-period pin for
Chopper Mordecai at 184.
The 2022-23 season is presented by Hungry Howie's and Penn Station.
No. 21 App State 37, VMI 0
125: No. 11
Caleb Smith (APP) def. Tony Burke (VMI), 12-3 maj. dec.
133:
Ethan Oakley (APP) def. Dyson Dunham (VMI), 13-4 maj. dec.
141:
Heath Gonyer (APP) def. Freddy Junko (VMI), 11-2 maj. dec.
149: No. 9
Jon Jon Millner (APP) def. Noah Roulo (VMI), fall (1:32)
157: No. 28
Tommy Askey (APP) def. Job Chishko (VMI), 12-6 dec.
165: No. 26
Will Formato (APP) def. Braxton Lewis (VMI), 5-0 dec.
174: No. 27
Will Miller (APP) def. Luke Hart (VMI), 16-5 maj. dec.
184:
Luke Uliano (APP) def. Zach Brown (VMI), 6-2 dec.
197:
Carson Floyd (APP) def. Tyler Mousaw (VMI), 8-5 dec.
Hwt:
Triston Norris (APP) def. Josh Evans (VMI), 4-3 dec.
Extra matches:
174:
Oren Bost (APP) def. River Carroll (VMI), 5-2 dec.
184:
Chopper Mordecai (APP) def. Isaac Dolph (VMI), fall (4:44)
