Picking up right where it left off last season, NC State wrestling enjoyed a dominant weekend, winning a dual meet over Campbell 44-3 and competing well in the Journeymen Collegiate Classic.
The Wolfpack (1-0) started its weekend with a Saturday dual meet against a familiar foe — the Campbell Camels (1-2). The red-and-white continued its success in the series, improving to 12-0 all-time against the Camels and setting a series record for the largest margin of victory at 41 points.
The Wolfpack nearly swept the dual meet, winning nine of 10 bouts. The Wolfpack recorded four falls throughout the day, leaving Campbell scrambling to make up ground early. No. 6 redshirt senior Kai Orine and No. 24 redshirt sophomore Matty Singleton even forced pins against ranked opponents, with Singleton wrapping up the match in just 24 seconds. After redshirting last season, Singleton is already a force in the 174-pound class.
While he didn’t finish the pin, No. 10 redshirt sophomore Dylan Fishback throttled Conor Maslanek in an 18-1 tech fall. Offering no more resistance than a ragdoll, Maslanek was soundly defeated before the end of the second period of the 184-pound bout. While it’s early, Fishback appears to be one of the most improved wrestlers for the Pack and could play a key role in the team’s success.
The dual meet featured one top-10 matchup, a heavyweight clash between No. 10 redshirt junior Isaac Trumble and No. 7 Taye Ghiadali. Unlike most of the other bouts, this one proved competitive till the end when Trumble pulled out a hard-fought 2-1 victory. After moving up to heavyweight, Trumble has wasted no time establishing his presence as one of the nation’s best in the class.
Following its win over Campbell, the Wolfpack took its talent to the Journeymen Collegiate Classic in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and once again showed out.
Winning the 125-pound bracket, redshirt freshman Vince Robinson enjoyed a breakout performance. Defeating multiple ranked wrestlers, Robinson took a challenging road to the top. In the championship bout, Robinson comfortably secured a 10-4 win over No. 19 Lehigh’s Sheldon Seymour.
Junior Jackson Arrington enjoyed a strong day, winning the 157-pound bracket. Due to redshirting this season, Arrington competed unattached as he swept his way through the bracket, including a 7-3 decision over Penn’s No. 20 Jude Swisher.
The Wolfpack sent two more wrestlers into championship bouts. Trumble battled his way into the heavyweight finals, unable to top Arizona State’s No. 4 Cohlton Schultz. Meanwhile, in the 165-pound championship, No. 21 redshirt junior Derek Fields suffered a 7-3 loss to Lehigh’s Max Brignola.
With a weekend of tough competition, especially in the Journeymen Collegiate Classic, the Wolfpack is challenging itself early and will be better for it. With its sights set beyond just an ACC Championship, the Pack is making sure it is ready for national competition with tournaments like this one.
Next up, NC State will take on Appalachian State in its home opener. The Pack and the Mountaineers will face off on Friday at 7 p.m. inside Reynolds Coliseum.
