By Bret Strelow. DURHAM, N.C. — Make it another dual shutout and another Power Five win for App State Wrestling.
The 24th-ranked Mountaineers won all 10 individual matches, plus two extra matches, before leaving Duke’s Card Gym with a 44-0 victory against the Blue Devils on Monday night.
It was App State’s national-leading 15th shutout since the start of 2020 and its 12th win against a P5 program since JohnMark Bentley became head coach. The Mountaineers (2-1) had also faced ACC opponents in their first two duals (No. 3 NC State, No. 21 North Carolina) of this season, and they square off against another one (No. 11 Virginia Tech) on the road Friday night.
Coming off a fourth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle, an encouraging development following an injury-delayed start to his season, Riley Edwards took the mat first in his first career dual start and opened the competition against Duke (4-6) with a 15-2 major decision at 141 pounds.
After building leads of 7-0 and 11-4, Carson Floyd delivered a pin at 197 pounds in just his fifth match of the season, while Tomas Brooker (16-2 major decision at 184 pounds) and Chad Bellis (forfeit at 125 pounds) officially recorded their first career dual victories.
Back-to-back-to-back tech falls from Tommy Askey (157 pounds), Will Miller (165) and Luke Uliano (174) pushed the lead from 7-0 to 22-0 at the midway point. The other wins came from Cody Bond (7-3 decision at 149), Jacob Sartorio (8-1 decision at heavyweight) and Ethan Oakley (7-3 decision at 133).
Bond trailed 3-2 entering the third period but had 90 seconds in riding time thanks to a second-period rideout. He earned an escape early in the third and gained separation on a takedown with 1:06 left.
In Brooker’s win, he used strong defense in the opening two minutes to avoid falling behind, then produced a key takedown with 10 seconds left in the period to seize control.
In the two extra matches, Ike Byers overcame an 8-1 deficit in a 14-10 decision against Duke starter Christian Colman at 141 pounds, and Anthony Conetta won a 15-8 decision at 157.
No. 24 App State 44, Duke 0
141: Riley Edwards (APP) def. Christian Colman (DU), 15-2 maj. dec.
149: #26 Cody Bond (APP) def. Jarred Papcsy (DU), 7-3 dec.
157: #19 Tommy Askey (APP) def. Logan Ferrero (DU), 23-6 tech fall
165: #22 Will Miller (APP) def. Gaetano Console (DU), 22-5 tech fall
174: Luke Uliano (APP) def. Jack Wimmer (DU), 19-1 tech fall
184: Tomas Brooker (APP) def. Conor Becker (DU), 16-2 maj. dec.
197: Carson Floyd (APP) def. Kwasi Bonsu (DU), fall (6:36)
HWT: Jacob Sartorio (APP) def. Connor Barket (DU), 8-1 dec.
125: Chad Bellis (APP) won by forfeit
133: #24 Ethan Oakley (APP) def. Raymond Adams (DU), 7-3 dec.
BONUS PHOTOS (courtesy of App State Athletics)
