After successfully taking down Old Dominion on Friday in Reynolds Coliseum, the No. 9 NC State wrestling team went across the street to Carmichael Gymnasium to take on Belmont Abbey, UNC-Pembroke and Reinhardt in the Wolfpack duals on Saturday.
It was light work for the Pack, sweeping all three duals while only allowing nine total team points. The closest match was against Belmont Abbey, a 36-6 beatdown to start the day at noon. Then, the Pack beat UNC-Pembroke 40-3 before shutting out Reinhardt 45-0 to end the day.
The Pack rotated a lot of wrestlers in and out of the three matches, allowing some of those that don’t normally start in duals to get mat time. The team only lost three bouts all afternoon, two against Belmont Abbey at 133 and 157, and one against UNC-Pembroke at 141.
The first bout of the day was at 125 with redshirt junior Charlie Lenox, who notched a fall in just over a minute. Redshirt junior Tommy Cox also got time at 125 winning in a major decision. Redshirt freshman Jarrett Trombley took both of his bouts at 133, winning 17-2 and 17-4.
The 144-pound class went 2-1 on the day with redshirt freshman Alex Urquiza winning both at 4-0 and 9-5. Redshirt freshmen Matt Grippi and Matt Fields switched time at 149 and 157 with Grippi winning all three matchups and Fields winning two of his.
Redshirt freshman Tyler Barnes went 3-0 at 165 including one pin against Reinhardt. The No. 13 wrestler at 174, redshirt junior Daniel Bullard, had a technical fall and a major decision in his two matches. Redshirt freshman Jake Cook also got a 4-2 win at 174.
No. 13 redshirt freshman Trent Hidlay got all three of the 184-pound matches, ending two of them in a pin while the other was a major decision. At 197 pounds, sophomore Tyrie Houghton, who had a huge bout against Old Dominion, wrestled in all three matches, ending one with a pin and winning the other two easily.
To round things out, sophomore Colin Lawler got all three starts at 285, winning two with a pin and the other by forfeit.
The duals were no challenge for NC State, but it allowed a lot of younger wrestlers to hit the mat and show what they can do. It was certainly a good sign for the present and future squads of Pack wrestling.
NC State wrestling will take the mat next at Cornell on Saturday, Nov. 23.
