PHILADELPHIA - After three sessions, only one Virginia Tech wrestler remains in contention for All-America status with the other six being eliminated Friday at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, being held inside the Wells Fargo Arena. Freshman Devin Carter will carry the banner for the Hokies as he is now one win away from earning All-America honors.
In the first portion of the session, the Hokies went 3-3 with Jarrod Garnett, Carter and Jesse Dong picking up wins while Chris Diaz (forfeit), Pete Yates and David Marone were eliminated with losses. Garnett eased his was past Manny Ramirez of UNCG with an 8-4 win at 125 pounds and Carter held on for a 7-5 win over Casey Cruz of Northern Colorado at 133 pounds. Dong had to work hard for his fourth victory of the year over Maryland’s Kyle John, using a late takedown to earn a 7-5 victory.
Diaz had to withdraw from the tournament with an injury, ending his stellar career. He won 105 matches and earned All-America honors last year at 141 pounds. Yates gave up a takedown with nine seconds left to fall 3-1 to Kyle Blevins of Appalachian State at 165 pounds and David Marone was beaten 6-2 by sixth-seeded Ryan Tomei of Pittsburgh at heavyweight.
In the second portion of the session, Carter was back to his impressive ways after struggling in his first match of the day, taking down Northwestern’s Levi Mele at will en route to a 13-3 major decision to advance. Garnett wasn’t as lucky as he ran into long-time nemesis James Nicholson, the No. 4 seed from Old Dominion who has had the upper hand with his bouts with Garnett. The match was close until the third period when Nicholson used a pair of reversals and back points to pull away for the 10-4 win, ending Garnett’s season. Dong, the fifth seed at 157 pounds, was then shut out by unseeded Mark Lewandowski of Buffalo, 7-0. Lewandowski got a takedown and then turned Dong in the third period for the win.
Below are the results for all seven Tech wrestlers competing in the event, along with upcoming matchup for Carter.
The fourth session of the tournament with start on Friday at 7 p.m. inside the Wells Fargo Arena. Carter will face seventh-seeded Bernard Futrell of Illinois, who he lost to at the Las Vegas Invitational by a score of 12-11. The winner of that will become an All-American.
125: #12 seed Jarrod Garnett (ELIMINATED)
First Round: def. Brad Pataky (Penn State), 13-7
Second Round: lost to #5 seed Zach Sanders (Minnesota), 8-6
Consolations: def. Manny Ramirez (UNCG), 8-4
Consolations: lost to #4 seed James Nicholson (ODU), 10-4
133: #9 seed Devin Carter
First Round: def. Ian Paddock (Ohio State), MD 16-6
Second Round: lost to #8 seed Mike Grey (Cornell), 7-4
Consolations: def. Casey Cruz (Northern Colorado), 7-5
Consolations: def. Levi Mele (NW), MD 13-3
Consolations: vs. #7 seed Bernard Futrell (Illinois) - Friday night
141: Chris Diaz (ELIMINATED)
First Round: def. Mike Greck (Millersville), 6-0
Second Round: lost to #4 seed James Kennedy (Illinois), Fall 4:43
Consolations: withdrew due to injury
149: Brian Stephens (ELIMINATED)
First Round: lost #7 seed Mario Mason (Rutgers), 8-5
Consolations: lost to Kyle Bradley (Missouri), 3-2
157: #5 seed Jesse Dong (ELIMINATED)
First Round: def. Matt Cathell (Kent State), 6-2
Second Round: lost to #12 seed Paul Young (Indiana), 9-4
Consolations: def. Kyle John (Maryland), 7-5
Consolations: lost to Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo), 7-0
165: Pete Yates (ELIMINATED)
First Round: def. #11 Aaron Janssen (Iowa), 4-2
Second Round: lost to Paul Gillespie (Hofstra), 5-2
Consolations: lost to Kyle Blevins (App St), 3-1
285: David Marone (ELIMINATED)
First Round: def. Blake Rosholt (Oklahoma State), 2-1 (TB-1)
Second Round: lost to #1 seed Zach Rey, 3-1 (SV)
Consolations: lost to #6 seed Ryan Tomei (Pitt), 6-2
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