The N.C. State wrestling team continued its success this season with a dominant performance in Sunday’s Wolfpack Duels.
The Wolfpack ran the table, defeating the UNC-Pembroke Braves, Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders and familiar foe Gardner-Webb Bulldogs in the Wolfpack Duels. Individually, the team’s wrestlers won 25 of the 30 matches.
After splitting the season series with the Bulldogs last year, the Pack swept the opening match of the day against Gardner-Webb, 37-0. This included a pin from senior Nijel Jones and a 28-10 victory by technical fault from senior captain Tommy Gantt.
N.C. State head coach Pat Popolizio said his team achieved its pre-match objective.
“We were looking to improve upon last year’s performance and compare where we were at then and now,” Popolizio said.
State cruised through the next two matches of the day, defeating Lindsey Wilson by 34-12 and UNC-Pembroke by 39-6. Sophomore Nick Gwiazdowski highlighted both matches, putting in strong performances to lead to early pins for the Wolfpack. Jones also continued his perfect season, notching two pins in the second period of the match.
Gwiazdowski said he has developed an instinct of when to go for pins.
“I have a better idea of how to pin people,” Gwiazdowski said. “It started in high school. I pinned everyone [I faced] my senior year of high school. I have a better sense is when someone is in danger. A lot of people get the back points and then get the guy off his back, but I know that I can just end the match right there.”
Gantt said the team’s improved work ethic has proved to be beneficial in the early matches this season.
“[It’s] a big turnaround from last year,” Gantt said. “We work a lot harder. We’re better on our feet and just better all-around. The freshman we’ve [had] coming in are really buying into the system and everyone is just on board now.”
Despite its overall young members, the Pack has already made noticeable strides compared to last year’s team. Popolizio said that the Wolfpack will only get better as it gains more experience.
“We are very young and inexperienced, but we have guys that know how to compete and win,” Popolizio said. “They knew how to win in high school and now we just have to transfer it to college.”
“We are pretty rusty right now technically but that [is due to] a lack of experience and competition. It’s only our second competition of the year so we just need to get mat time.”
Gantt said he expects the team to receive a national recognition this season.
“I expect to eventually be ranked and beat some ranked teams,” Gantt said. “We’ve got pretty good guys. We’ve just got to win matches. We can do some good things this year.”
The Pack’s next meet will be in Albany, N.Y. at the Northeast Duals on Saturday.
