Six Cavaliers Grab Titles At App State Tournament
BOONE, N.C. – Six members of the Virginia wrestling team claimed championships at Appalachian State on Saturday (Nov. 12) to lead a group of 24 placewinners in the day of competition.
Two of the six champions came in the Mountaineer Invitational competition – an invited tournament – with Neil Antrassian claiming the title at 184 pounds, while Michael Battista took first at 197 pounds. Four other wrestlers claimed titles in the open bracket of the tournament: Keyveon Roller (133), Nick Hamilton (165), Rocco Contino (174) and Jessie Knight (285).
Virginia had nine placewinners in the Invitational in addition to the two champions. Finishing as runners-up were ninth-ranked Justin McCoy (165) and Hadyn Danals (184). Third-place finishers included Garrett Grice (133) and No. 30 Jarod Verkleeren (149). Virginia got fourth-place finishes from Vic Marcelli (174) and Gabe Christenson, a fifth-place finish from No. 12 Jake Keating (157) and sixth-place finishes from Kyle Montaperto (125) and Kyren Butler (141).
In the open bracket, the Cavaliers had nine placewinners in addition to the four champions. The Hoos got second-place finishes from Gavin Cagle (157), Hudson Stewart (174) and Griffin Gammell (184), while third-place finishes came from Patrick McCormick (125), Mason Stefanelli (149), Nic Sansone (157) and Robby Patrick (184). Two Cavaliers turned in a fourth-place finish: Dominic Isola (157) and Ethan Weatherspoon (HWT).
Virginia will return to action next weekend, hosting the first dual of the season against No. 15 Northwestern in a 7:30 p.m. dual on Sunday (Nov. 20) at Mem Gym.
INVITATIONAL FIELD
125
Kyle Montaperto – Sixth-Place Finish
R16: Montaperto dec. Jeff Jacome (Gardner-Webb), 8-2
QF: No. 32 Nico Provo (Stanford) dec. Montaperto, 8-4 (sv-1)
Conso. R8-2: Montaperto major dec. Wyatt Richter (Stanford), 17-4
Conso. R4: Montaperto dec. Matt Rowland (Gardner-Webb), 11-5
Conso. SF: Tucker Owens (Air Force) dec. Montaperto, 11-7
FIFTH-PLACE MATCH: Drew West (Gardner-Webb) dec. Montaperto, 4-2
133
Garrett Grice – Third-Place Finish
R16: Bye
QF: Grice dec. Gio DiSabato (Ohio), 5-3
SF: No. 22 Sean Carter (App. State) dec. Grice, 4-2
Conso. SF: Grice dec. Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb), 6-3
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Grice dec. Cam Soda (Edinboro), 10-7
Marlon Yarbrough
R16: Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb) major dec. Yarbrough, 17-3
Conso. R8-2: Yarbrough major dec. Gio DiSabato (Ohio), 12-4
Conso. R4: Cam Soda (Edinboro) pinned Yarbrough, 2:59
141
Kyren Butler – Sixth-Place Finish
R16: Heath Gonyer (App. State) dec. Butler, 7-5
Conso. R8-2: Butler dec. Louis Newell (Kent State), 5-3
Conso. R4: Butler over Amann Ohl (Edinboro) by medical forfeit
Conso. SF: Kyran Hagan (Ohio) dec. Butler, 5-4
FIFTH-PLACE MATCH: Chayse Lajoie (Stanford) dec. Butler, 4-1
Dylan Cedeno
R16: Bye
QF: Jason Miranda (Stanford) over Cedeno by injury default
Conso. R8-2: Amonn Ohl (Edinboro) over Cedeno by medical forfeit
149
Michael Gioffre
R16: Jonathan Millner (App. State) dec. Gioffre, 5-3
Conso. R8-2: Denton Spencer (UVA) dec. Gioffre, 4-1
Denton Spencer
R16: Bye
QF: No. 9 Jaden Abas (Stanford) dec. Spencer, 4-3
Conso. R8-2: Spencer dec. Michael Gioffre (UVA), 4-1
Conso. R4: Jarod Verkleeren (UVA) dec. Spencer, 6-3
No. 30 Jarod Verkleeren – Third-Place Finish
R16: Verkleeren dec. Elli Ashcroft (Kent State), 7-1
QF: Dylan Martinez (Air Force) dec. Verkleeren, 7-5
Conso. R8-2: Verkleeren major dec. Jacob Pail (Edinboro), 13-5
Conso. R4: Verkleeren dec. Denton Spencer (UVA), 6-3
Conso. SF: Verkleeren major dec. No. 21 Kody Komora (Kent State), 8-0
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Verkleeren dec. No. 23 Alec Hagan (Ohio), 8-4
157
No. 12 Jake Keating – Fifth-Place Finish
R16: Keating dec. Luke Kemerer (Edinboro), 6-3
QF: Keating major dec. Garrett Bowers (Air Force), 10-0
SF: Daniel Cardenas (Stanford) dec. Keating, 12-6
Conso. SF: Luke Kemerer (Edinboro) pinned Keating, 4:30
FIFTH-PLACE MATCH: Keating dec. No. 23 Cody Bond (App. State), 4-2
165
No. 9 Justin McCoy – Runner-Up Finish
R16: McCoy pinned Alex Garee (Edinboro), 5:46
QF: McCoy major dec. Hunter Garvin (Stanford), 12-3
SF: McCoy dec. No. 13 Will Formato (App. State), 7-4
FINAL: No. 2 Shane Griffith (Stanford) dec. McCoy, 6-1
174
Vic Marcelli – Fourth-Place Finish
R16: Bye
QF: Marcelli major dec. Mason Karpinski (App. State), 12-1
SF: No. 25 Tyler Eischens (Stanford) dec. Marcelli, 7-2
Conso. SF: No. 28 Sal Perrine (Ohio) dec. Marcelli, 3-1
FIFTH-PLACE MATCH: Marcelli over Jared McGill (Edinboro) by medical forfeit
184
No. 32 Neil Antrassian – First-Place Finish
R16: Antrassian major dec. Zayne Lehman (Ohio), 9-1
QF: Antrassian pinned Aston Breen (Kent State), 4:51
SF: Antrassian dec. Noah Blake (Air Force), 7-3
FINAL: Antrassian dec. Hadyn Danals (UVA), 4-0
Hadyn Danals – Runner-Up Finish
R16: Bye
QF: Danals pinned Tyler Bates (Kent State), 6:33
SF: Danals major dec. Jah’Quan Anderson (Gardner-Webb, 11-3
FINAL: No. 32 Neil Antrassian (UVA) dec. Danals, 4-0
197
Michael Battista – First-Place Finish
QF: Battista major dec. Jack Kilner (Edinboro), 8-0
SF: Battista major dec. Calvin Sund (Air Force), 10-1
FINAL: Battista dec. Nikolas Stemmet (Stanford), 8-4
HWT
Gabe Christenson – Fourth-Place Finish
R16: Bye
QF: Christenson dec. Cole Forrester (Air Force), 6-0
SF: Seamus O’Malley (Stanford) dec. Christenson, 6-3
Conso. SF: Christenson dec. Nick Lodato (Edinboro), 10-3
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Mason Fiscella (App. State) dec. Christenson, 7-2
OPEN FIELD
125
Joe Haynes
R16: Bye
QF: Haynes tech fall Malachi O’Leary (Ohio), 17-1 (6:50)
SF: Tyson Lane (Gardner-Webb) dec. Haynes, 3-2
Conso. SF: Patrick McCormick (UVA) over Haynes by medical forfeit
Patrick McCormick – Third-Place Finish
R16: Bye
QF: Aedyn Concepcion (Gardner-Webb) dec. McCormick, 4-0
Conso. R4: McCormick dec. Colby McBride (App. State), 7-0
Conso. SF: McCormick over Joe Haynes (UVA) by medical forfeit
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: McCormick pinned Noah Luna (App. State), 7:22 (sv-1)
133
Erik Roggie
QF: Roggie tech fall Ivan Benitez (Greensboro College, 17-2 (3:41)
SF: Matt Ellis (Kent State) over Roggie by medical forfeit
Conso. SF: Paul Woo (Ohio) over Roggie by medical forfeit
Keyveon Roller – First-Place Finish
QF: Roller major dec. Paul Woo (Ohio), 13-4
SF: Roller dec. Ethan Shell (App. State), 3-2
FINAL: Roller dec. Matt Ellis (Kent State), 8-2
149
Mason Stefanelli – Third-Place Finish
R16: Bye
QF: Kaden Keiser (App. State) dec. Stefanelli, 5-4
Conso. R4: Stefanelli pinned Kodey Butler (Mount Olive), 1:00
Conso. SF: Stefanelli dec. Mitchell Johnson (Spartan Elite), 10-6
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Stefanelli dec. Nicolas Grizales (App. State), 9-6
157
Gavin Cagle – Runner-Up Finish
QF: Cagle dec. Drake Acklin (App. State), 3-1
SF: Cagle dec. Gannon Jaquay (Edinboro), 15-8
FINAL: Daniel Segura (Ohio) dec. Cagle, 6-1
Dominic Isola – Fourth-Place Finish
QF: Isola dec. George Johnson (West Virginia), 6-2
SF: Daniel Segura (Ohio) dec. Isola, 4-1
Conso. SF: Isola dec. Drake Acklin (App. State), 6-4
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Nic Sansone (UVA) dec. Isola, 6-2
Nic Sansone – Third-Place Finish
QF: Daniel Segura (Ohio) dec. Sansone, 9-5
Conso. R1-4: Sansone tech fall George Johnson (West Virginia), 16-0 (3:54)
Conso. SF: Sansone pinned Gannon Jaquay (Edinboro), 1:36
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Sansone dec. Dominic Isola (UVA), 6-2
165
Nick Hamilton – First-Place Finish
QF: Bye
SF: Hamilton major dec. Max Kirby (Edinboro), 16-5
FINAL: Hamilton dec. OJ Bost (App. State), 6-4
174
Rocco Contino – First-Place Finish
QF: Contino tech fall David Miller (Greensboro College), 17-2 (3:04)
SF: Contino tech fall Mitchell Browski (Kent State), 16-0 (4:20)
FINAL: Contino dec. Hudson Stewart (UVA), 3-1
Hudson Stewart – Runner-Up Finish
QF: Stewart dec. Colby Teague (Mount Olive), 9-2
SF: Stewart dec. Dylan Kohn (West Virginia), 3-2
FINAL: Rocco Contino (UVA) dec. Stewart, 3-1
184
Griffin Gammell – Runner-Up Finish
QF: Gammell dec. Mason Clem (Ohio), 8-3
SF: Gammell major dec. Dalton Battle (App. State), 15-7
FINAL: Joe Zovistoski (App. State) dec. Gammell, 9-5
Robby Patrick – Third-Place Finish
QF: Patrick dec. Hunter Adams (App. State), 10-7
SF: Joe Zovistoski (App. State) dec. Patrick, 4-0
Conso. SF: Patrick pinned Mason Clem (Ohio), 0:48
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Patrick dec. Hunter Adams (App. State), 7-1
HWT
Jessie Knight – First-Place Finish
R16: Bye
QF: Knight dec. Triston Norris (App. State), 2-1
SF: Knight dec. Ethan Weatherspoon (UVA), 4-1
FINAL: Knight dec. Tristan Kemp (West Virginia), 6-1
Mateusz Kudra
R16: Bye
QF: Kudra dec. Drew Harris (Ohio), 7-2
SF: Tristan Kemp dec. Kudra, 7-0
Conso. SF: Triston Norris (App. State) over Kudra by medical forfeit
Ethan Weatherspoon – Fourth-Place Finish
R16: Weatherspoon dec. Kade Sottolano (Edinboro), 4-1
QF: Weatherspoon dec. Brandon Williams (Greensboro College)
SF: Jessie Knight (UVA) dec. Weatherspoon, 4-1
Conso. SF: Weatherspoon major dec. Kade Sottolano (Edinboro), 15-2
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Triston Norris (App. State) major dec. Weatherspoon, 11-3