Final: NC State 4 Virginia Tech
February 23, 2024
Raleigh, NC- On Friday night at Reynolds Coliseum, the 8th ranked NC State Wolfpack (15-2, 4-0) played host to the 13th ranked Virginia Tech Hokies (9-3, 4-0) in a battle for the ACC regular season dual championship. NC State came in to the dual looking for a momentum swing in the series as the Hokies won in Blacksburg 16-14 in a tight dual last season. Overall the Hokies have won 6 of the last 10 with the Wolfpack owning the overall record between the 2 teams at 36-29-1.
To open the dual at the 149 weight class, Jackson Arrington wrestled for the Pack at #4 with the Hokies sending out Caleb Henson who was #2 in their weight classes. The first period was back and forth and ended with a huge takedown by Henson with just 13 seconds left in the period. The second period ended with just the escape point for Arrigington. After 2 periods, Henson led 3-1. The third ended with no points for either wrestler and the Hokies took a quick 3-0 lead in the team points.
The second match had 17th ranked Ed Scott and Rafael Hipilito Jr. in the 157-pound division. Scott struck early with a takedown in the 1st period. Scott followed it up with another takedown in the second to go up 7-1. Hipilito Jr. responded with 4 straight points before Scott earned the escape to take an 8-5 lead. The Hokies would earn the escape point to start the 3rd. Scott would respond with his 3rd takedown of the match to take an 11-6 lead. Scott would take the match for the Wolfpack with an 12-7 win to give the Pack its first 3 team points. The score was tied at 3-3 after the first 2 matches.
#15 Derek Fields led the Wolfpack in the 165 match against #19 Connor Brady. The 1st period went back and forth throughout and the score remained 0-0 after 1. Fields took a 1-0 lead to start the 2nd with an early escape and would end the period with a 1-0 lead. Brady was able to tie the score in the early 3rd with an escape of his own. Brady earned a huge takedown for the Hokies late in the 3rd period to take a 4-2 victory over Fields. The win gave the Hokies a 6-3 lead in the dual.
The 4th match between #2 Mekhi Lewis for the Hokies and Alex Faison for the Pack began quickly with a Lewis takedown in the 1st period to give the Hokies and early 3-0 lead after the 1st. Lewis earned an escape point to begin the 2nd and took a 4-0. Lewis would follow that up with his 2nd takedown in consecutive periods to take a 7-0 lead. Faison earned the escape and ended the period down 7-1. Faison would earn another escape and Lewis would earn a stalling point and ride time point for the Hokies. Lewis took the match 9-2 to give the Hokies a 9-3 team lead after 4 matches.
The 5th match of the night at 184 had Dylan Fishback and TJ Stewart locked in on a heated match. Stewart was ranked #24 and Fishback was ranked #10. The first period started slowly as neither wrestler was able to score any points until Stewart earned a big takedown as the period ended to take an early 3-0 lead as they entered the second period. Stewart earned the escape point for the Hokies and took a 4-0 lead in to the 3rd period. Fishback earned the escape to start the 3rd but Stewart would follow that up with another takedown to earn the win for the Hokies 7=2 and give the Hokies a commanding 12-3 lead. The Hokies would win 4 of the first 5 matches.
The 6th match of the night had #2 Trent Hidlay facing #26 Andy Smith. Hidlay started quickly with 3 early takedowns to give the Pack an early 9-2 lead in the first after Smith earned 2 points for the escapes by Smith. Hidlay extended the lead to 13-3 after the second with his 4th takedown of the match. Hidlay earned a 5th takedown in the 3rd to extend the lead to 17-3 in the 3rd period. Hidlay would go on to earn the match win with the extra ride time gave Hidlay the 18-3 win. The Wolfpack cut the team lead to 12-8 after 6 matches.
In the Heavyweight match, the Pack’s Owen Trephan took on #18 Hunter Catka. Trephan entered the match ranked 12th and the first period ended with no score as both wrestlers started slowly. Trephan would earn an escape point to start the period and took a 1-0 lead entering the 3rd period. Trephan earned a huge late 3rd period takedown and earned the 4-1 win to cut the lead to 12-11 after 7 matches.
In what proved to be the pivot match of the dual, #16 Jakob Camacho wrestled #7 Cooper Flynn for the Hokies. Camacho earned a big takedown as the first period ended. the lead was 3-1 after the escape. The lead would hold at that same score to end the 2nd period. Camacho earned the escape point to start the 3rd period to extend the lead to 4-1. Camacho earned an extra stalling point to make it 5-1. Camacho would go on to win the match 5-1 and gave the Pack a 14-12 lead.
In the 9th match of the evening in the 133-pound weight class, #5 Kai Orine wrestled #13 Sam Latona for the Hokies. The first period ended with no score as both wrestlers could not gain any early momentum. Orine earned the escape point in the early 2nd period to take a 1-0 lead. After 2 periods, the Pack still led 1-0. Kai Orine earned the extra point to earn the match win 2-1. The Pack earned 3 more team points to take 17-12 lead after 9 matches.
In the final match of the night, #4 Ryan Jack took on #13 Tom Crook. Jack earned an early takedown in the first period to earn a 3-1 lead after the Crook escape. The period ended with the Pack leading 3-1. Jack would earn the escape point in the second to extend the lead to 4-1. That would be the score to end the period until Crook earned the escape point. Jack would essentially seal the match win for the Pack with another takedown to extend the lead to 7-3 after the Crook escape. Jack would go on to win the match and earn the regular season championship for NC State. Final Score was 20-12 in favor of the Pack.
Next up for the Pack is a spot in the ACC Tournament March 10th at Chapel Hill.
