BOONE, N.C. — App State Wrestling recorded a bounce-back victory Sunday, taking eight of 10 matches in a 32-7 conference win against VMI in Varsity Gym.
All eight recent starters who were in the lineup for the Mountaineers (5-3, 2-1 SoCon) posted victories against the Keydets (7-8, 1-3),
Carson Floyd overcame an early VMI takedown to score the next eight points before he delivered a first-period pin at 197, while
Tommy Askey (157) and
Will Miller (165) were responsible for back-to-back tech falls.
Chad Bellis contributed a win via a major decision at 125, and two of App State's four wins by decision came from
Cody Bond (149) and
Tomas Brooker (184).
The closest matches of the day occurred at 141, as
Ike Byers won a 2-1 decision in the Tiebreaker-1 overtime period, and at heavyweight, with
Jacob Sartorio overcoming an early 7-0 deficit in a 16-14 decision.
Sartorio cut his deficit against Tyler Mousaw to 7-4 by the end of the first period and pulled within 7-6 on a reversal before Mousaw executed a second-period reversal of his own. Sartorio had another takedown later in that period and trailed 12-9 after conceding an escape to open the third period.
A takedown from Sartorio with 1:12 left evened the score at 12-all, and he turned that advantage into four near-fall points to seize control. A late reversal from Mousaw accounted for the final margin.
Byers, who picked up his second career dual win Friday at Campbell, added another with his overtime decision against Patrick Jordon. Regulation ended with the score at 1-all in their 141-pound match, and neither wrestler recorded a takedown in the two-minute Sudden Victory period. With matching 30-second tiebreakers next, Byers scored the tiebreaking point on an escape 15 seconds in and then rode out the next 30-second period without allowing an escape to Jordon, who brought a 15-7 record to Boone.
Bond gave up the first takedown but had two reversals and nearly four minutes of riding time in a 6-3 decision against Ryan Vigil at 149, and the Mountaineers posted back-to-back tech falls at the next two weights.
Askey won 19-3 against Josh Yost in a 157-pound match that ended with 1:18 remaining in the second period, and Miller won 16-1 against Luke Hart in a 165-pound match that concluded with 1:20 remaining in the second period.
Brooker had a takedown with 10 seconds left in the first period and another one in the closing seconds of the third period to wrap up his 8-1 decision against Toby Schoffstall, and Bellis totaled four takedowns in a 14-2 major decision against Tony Burke.
The 2023-24 season is presented by Hungry Howie's and Penn Station. App State's returns to action next Sunday at Chattanooga, and the Mountaineers' next appearance in Varsity Gym is a Sunday doubleheader on Feb. 18 against Bellarmine and No. 9 Cornell.
App State 32, VMI 7
141:
Ike Byers (APP) def. Patrick Jordon (VMI), 2-1 dec. (TB-1)
149: #20
Cody Bond (APP) def. Ryan Vigil (VMI), 6-3 dec.
157: #17
Tommy Askey (APP) def. Josh Yost (VMI), 19-3 tech fall
165: #27
Will Miller (APP) def. Luke Hart (VMI), 16-1 tech fall
174: Braxton Lewis (VMI) def.
Logan Eller (APP), 13-0 maj. dec.
184:
Tomas Brooker (APP) def. Toby Schoffstall (VMI), 8-1 dec.
197:
Carson Floyd (APP) def. Josh Evans (VMI), fall (1:44)
HWT:
Jacob Sartorio (APP) def. Tyler Mousaw (VMI), 16-14 dec.
125:
Chad Bellis (APP) def. Tony Burke (VMI), 14-2 maj. dec.
133: Dyson Dunham (VMI) def.
Noah Luna (APP), 9-5 dec.
