NC State sent eight wrestlers to the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 1 and Sunday, Jan. 2, with four wrestlers earning a top-eight placement in their respective weight classes.
Overall, the Wolfpack earned a total of 32.5 points, putting it at 15 out 29 of teams.
Freshman A.J. Kovacs represented NC State in the 157-pound weight class, competing in eight bouts and winning five by decision. He was knocked out of the championship bracket in the round of 16, and moved on to the consolation bracket where he was eliminated in the semi-finals. This placed him in the bout to determine fifth place, where was beaten out by Missouri’s Brock Mauler, earning him sixth overall.
Graduate Thomas Bullard competed in the 165-pound weight class, making it all the way to the quarterfinals of the championship bracket and to the round of four in the consolation bracket. Bullard competed for seventh-place overall in this weight class, but after falling to Gardner-Webb’s R.J. Mosley he finished eighth overall.
Freshman Donald Cates was knocked out in the championship bracket’s round of 16 in the 165-pound weight class, placing him in the consolation bracket, where he was knocked out in the second round of eight. Cates won three of his five bouts by decision.
Freshman Jake Null competed unattached in the 165-pound weight class, as he is taking his redshirt season. Null was knocked out in the round of 32 in the championship bracket, moving him to the consolation bracket where he was knocked out in the second round of eight by Bullard. Null won three of his five bouts, two wins coming by decision, this weekend.
Freshman Joey Milano also competed unattached in the 184-pound weight class. Milano was knocked out in the championship bracket’s round of 16 and then was knocked out in the second round of eight in the consolation bracket. He won three out of his five bouts, all by decision.
Junior Tyrie Houghton and redshirt freshman Owen Trephan both competed in the 285-pound weight class. Houghton was knocked out of the championship bracket in the quarterfinals, while Trephan was knocked out in the round of 32, placing both of them in the consolation bracket. Both made it to the semifinals in the consolation bracket, which pitched them against each other in the bout for fifth place. Houghton came out on top on a decision, earning him fifth, which gave Trephan sixth place overall.
Junior Deonte Wilson competed in the 285-pound weight class. After being knocked out in the round of 32 of the championship bracket, Wilson moved on to the consolation bracket where he was knocked out in the first round of eight. He won two of his four bouts over the course of the weekend.
NC State wrestling will be back in duals competition on Saturday, Jan. 8 against Rider in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
