The Mountaineers (9-3, 6-1) will be back in action March 8, when App State hosts the SoCon Championships in the Holmes Center. The 2019-20 wrestling season is presented by Hungry Howies, and tickets to the conference championships can be purchased by clicking HERE.
App State earned bonus points in seven wins, and the most dramatic match of the day ended with 33rd-ranked Thomas Flitz claiming a 12-11 decision against 16th-ranked Neal Richards, the 2019 SoCon Wrestler of the Year. That result helped the Mountaineers shut out a Division I opponent for the fourth time since Jan. 12.
Flitz, who was pinned by Richards last season, used three first-period takedowns to establish a 6-3 lead and added another takedown in the second period for an 8-5 advantage. Starting the third period on bottom with a key 1:49 advantage in riding time, Flitz pushed the lead to 9-5 with an escape. A late flurry from Richards included a takedown in the closing seconds that tied the match on the scoreboard, but Flitz's bonus point for riding time gave him the narrow win against wrestler who brought a 35-6 record into Varsity Gym.
App State earned bonus points in all five matches before the midway point intermission, starting with four straight tech falls from Sean Carter (17-2 at 125 pounds), Codi Russell (17-1 at 133 pounds), Bradley Irwin (17-2 at 141 pounds) and Jonathan Millner (16-0 at 149 pounds). Matt Zovistoski then posted a 15-3 major decision at 157 pounds.
Will Formato claimed a 5-0 decision against Jon Hoover at 165 pounds in advance of Flitz's match, and Julian Gorring needed a little over a minute to pin Max Gallahan at 184. Demazio Samuel used a strong third period to erase a 1-0 deficit in a 5-1 decision against Zach Brown at 197 pounds, and Cary Miller ended the dual with a 13-1 major decision against Chris Beck.
It was the final home dual for six members of App State's team: Christian Beach, Garrett Church, Irwin, Miller, Samuel and Zovistoski. Zovistoski and Miller are tied for sixth place and ninth place in App State history with 98 and 92 career wins, respectively. Zovistoski tied Mark Fee on the list Sunday.
Results:
125: #28 Sean Carter (APP) def. John McGarry (VMI), 17-2 tech fall
133: #30 Codi Russell (APP) def. Cliff Conway (VMI), 17-1 tech fall
141: Bradley Irwin (APP) def. Noah Roulo (VMI), 17-2 tech fall
149: #21 Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Seth Fillers (VMI), 16-0 tech fall
157: #26 Matt Zovistoski (APP) def. Will Lawrence (VMI), 15-3 maj. dec.
165: Will Formato (APP) def. Jon Hoover (VMI), 5-0 dec.
174: #33 Thomas Flitz (APP) def. #16 Neal Richards (VMI), 12-11 dec.
184: Julian Gorring (APP) def. Max Gallahan, fall, 1:04
197: Demazio Samuel (APP) def. Zach Brown, 5-1 dec.
285: #23 Cary Miller (APP) def. Chris Beck, 13-1 maj. dec.
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