photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com
Friday night, one of the most anticipated DI duals of the season, goes down. It doesn't involve Big Ten teams, or even the Big 12, but it's an intra-ACC clash between #4 NC State and #9 Virginia Tech. Once upon a time, it felt far-fetched to imagine that such highly ranked teams could reside in the ACC, but both programs have become a mainstay in the top-ten nationally. The last time these two teams met in dual competition, the Wolfpack held a #3 national ranking, while the Hokies were #7. What ended up transpiring was one of the best duals of the 2019-20 season. Despite surrendering two pins, NC State emerged victorious, 21-18, in a back-and-forth affair that saw four lead changes. With both squads battling for ACC dual and tournament crowns, this has developed into one of the country's best rivalries. 19 of 20 possible starters currently carry national rankings. Five wrestlers are in the top-five of their respective weights are expected to compete. All of these factors added together make for an instant classic and another chapter in this budding rivalry.
NC State heads north to Blacksburg with the nation's longest active winning streak (22) on the line and a chance to clinch a share of their fourth straight ACC regular-season title. Head coach Pat Popolizio has the opportunity to send out a ranked wrestler in each of the ten weight classes and six of them are currently in the top-ten. Popolizio's team has a 5-0 record and hasn't been seriously tested in 2021. The team's closest contest was a 12-point win over Appalachian State while without the services of All-American Trent Hidlay.
Host Virginia Tech is also undefeated at 7-0. Tony Robie's squad is a good mix of youth and experience, as four of their probable starters are freshmen. While the Hokies will thrive in tournaments with a pair of wrestlers in the top-two nationally, they have proven to be a very formidable squad in dual competition. Virginia Tech is fresh off a 23-9 defeat of #10 North Carolina, a team that had beaten them in each of the previous two seasons.
Here is a weight-by-weight breakdown along with predictions for all ten weights.
125 - #5 Jakob Camacho (NC State) vs. #7 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech)
Right off the bat, we get one of the best matches of the dual meet, one with plenty of national implications. Both Jakob Camacho and Sam Latona come into this match unbeaten and ranked in the top-eight nationally. The reigning ACC Champion, Camacho, has rolled to bonus points in four of his six bouts and in all three of his conference duals. His most significant win of the 2021 campaign came in the second week of the season, where he downed #19 Codi Russell (Appalachian State), 11-4. Wolfpack fans don't have to think hard to remember his most significant win of his freshman campaign, when he upset returning national runner-up Jack Mueller (Virginia) to win an ACC crown and earn the tenth seed at the NCAA Championships. Jakob only lost six times as a freshman; however, one of them came to his opponent on Friday, Latona. Sam notched a 10-5 win over Camacho on his way to a third-place showing at the Southern Scuffle. He won 20 bouts against only two losses during his redshirt season. This year, Latona has carried that momentum into 2021 with bonus points in half of his six wins.
TOM Prediction: Latona by decision (Virginia Tech leads 3-0)
133 - #15 Jarrett Trombley/Ryan Jack (NC State) vs. #9 Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech)
The Wolfpack staff has two options at 133 lbs and either is a top-15 type talent in Jarrett Trombley and true freshman Ryan Jack. Trombley is the incumbent and was a national qualifier last season as a freshman. He finished fourth in the conference, which was good for the 27th seed at nationals. In last year's dual meet between these schools, Jarrett's first-period fall over Collin Gerardi was instrumental in NC State's win. But it may be Jack who gets the nod for Popolizio's staff. Ryan has taken the mat at 133 lbs in each of the Wolfpack's duals against North Carolina and Virginia. Though he fell to top-14 opponents in both instances, Jack acquitted himself well and could challenge Korbin Myers. Korbin is a sixth-year senior who has been on fire in 2021. Not only is he undefeated, but Myers has been able to rack up bonus points on both conference foes that defeated Jack. Overall, Myers has wins over past national qualifiers in three of his six outings. He appears poised to make his fourth NCAA Tournament and pose a serious threat to get on the national podium.
TOM Prediction: Myers by decision (Virginia Tech leads 6-0)
141 - #7 Tariq Wilson (NC State) vs. #31 Sam Hillegas (Virginia Tech)
If the dual plays out according to our projections, NC State will need their veteran 141 lber to stop the bleeding. Two-time All-American Tariq Wilson is coming in off a huge win over the returning ACC champion Zach Sherman (North Carolina). Interestingly enough, despite his accolades, Wilson is still chasing his first conference title, himself. In each of his last three wins, Wilson has rallied late against high-quality, ranked opposition. Tariq is currently unbeaten and showing the form that made him a national third-place finisher in 2018, as a freshman. Speaking of freshmen, Tariq's opponent Sam Hillegas is a true freshman that has been able to creep into the national rankings. Hillegas won his first four bouts in a Hokie singlet, before dropping his last two conference meets. Though the final score ended up being 12-6, Sam took Sherman into sudden victory Saturday before getting caught in a six-point move. Hillegas has become one of the more exciting wrestlers in the Tech lineup as two of his four wins have ended in falls. This mix of styles could lend for one of the more exciting bouts of the evening.
TOM Prediction: Wilson by decision (Virginia Tech leads 6-3)
149 - #33 Ed Scott (NC State) vs. #10 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)
The 2020 dual meet between these two teams started off with a bang, thanks to then-freshman Bryce Andonian. Bryce staked the Hokies to a 6-0 lead after pinning AJ Leitten in the first bout of the dual. He'll be looking to get back on the winning track after suffering his first loss of the year Saturday to top-ranked Austin O'Connor (North Carolina). A day before, Andonian pinned #14 Josh Finesilver (Duke), which made for his third victory of the year over a ranked opponent. Last season, Bryce was brought out of redshirt in December and responded with an 18-6 record, an appearance in the ACC finals, and the 20th seed at nationals. This time the true freshman comes from NC State in Ed Scott. Ed is a two-time Pennsylvania state champion that was one of the linchpins of a recruiting class deemed sixth-best in the nation by TOM. Don't be deceived by Scott's 3-3 record. Two of those three losses have come to opponents ranked in the top-15 nationally. During his short time in Raleigh, Ed has shown that he can put points on the board and has achieved bonus points in all three of his wins. Like the bout preceding it, the two styles could make for some fireworks. Though we're predicting a regular decision, don't be shocked by a fall from either competitor.
TOM Prediction: Andonian by decision (Virginia Tech leads 9-3)
157 - #2 Hayden Hidlay (NC State) vs. #28 Connor Brady (Virginia Tech)
Like 141 lbs, NC State has a clear-cut advantage with one of their battle-tested seniors taking on a freshman from Virginia Tech. Three-time All-American Hayden Hidlay has never lost to Virginia Tech in his illustrious career and has only six career defeats. In his three previous seasons, Hayden has never been seeded lower than fifth at nationals. Hidlay has been a point-scoring machine this year with three tech falls and two pins in his six wins. Saddled with the unenviable task of facing the star of the Wolfpack lineup is redshirt freshman Connor Brady. After dropping his first two matches of the year, Brady has found his stride and comes in after winning both matches last weekend. He grabbed a solid, 9-3 win, over Brandon LaRue (Duke), before stunning then-#16 Josh McClure (North Carolina). Connor was one of the centerpieces of a Hokie recruiting class ranked fourth in the nation in 2019. If he's turned the corner and can challenge Hidlay, it bodes well for his long-term prospects. However, a single bonus point from Hidlay could swing the dual in NC State's favor.
TOM Prediction: Hidlay by major decision (Virginia Tech leads 9-7)
165 - #17 Thomas Bullard (NC State) vs. #1 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)
We finally have another match with some history between its participants. At 165 lbs, it should be a rematch of the 2019 ACC final where Mekhi Lewis defeated Thomas Bullard, 7-4. Two weeks earlier, Lewis also turned in an 11-5 win over his Wolfpack counterpart. Mekhi is back after taking the 2019-20 season off with an Olympic Redshirt and he has looked strong while amassing a 7-0 record. In his last outing, Lewis held off #12 Kennedy Monday (North Carolina), who was able to corral the Hokie for his first takedown surrendered since November of 2018! Later that year, Mekhi became the first Virginia Tech wrestler to win an NCAA title. In Lewis' absence, Bullard took third at the 2020 ACC Championships and parlayed that into a tenth seed at nationals. Thomas has dealt with a rough schedule in this abbreviated season and has dropped three of his five bouts in 2021. Two weeks ago, he did post a win over the returning ACC champion, Jake Wentzel (Pittsburgh), but was edged 4-2 by Monday in his most recent outing. Last years dual saw Thomas upset four-time All-American David McFadden, which helped make the difference for NC State. In the past, Bullard has been able to keep his matches with Lewis relatively close, which is crucial here.
TOM Prediction: Lewis by decision (Virginia Tech leads 12-7)
174 - #7 Daniel Bullard (NC State) vs. Dakota Howard/Sam Fisher (Virginia Tech)
Thomas Bullard's twin brother, Daniel, holds down the 174 lb weight class and is a prohibitive favorite in this bout. Daniel was named an honorable-mention All-American last year after making his first ACC final and receiving the 15th seed at the NCAA Championships. Bullard stumbled in sudden victory against #16 Thomas Flitz (Appalachian State) during the second weekend of the season, but has responded well, reeling off wins against three ranked opponents. He is now 5-1 this year and has risen to seventh in the nation. The returning co-ACC Wrestler of the Week, Dakota Howard, may get the starting nod at 174 lbs. Howard earned the honor after he outlasted then-#15 Devin Kane (North Carolina), 8-7. It was Howard's first win of the year, though he hung tough with a pair of ranked opponents previously. This is Dakota's first season at 174 lbs after spending the bulk of his first two years competing at 197. Another option for the Hokie staff is true freshman Sam Fisher. The true freshman has represented Virginia Tech in two dual meets and is still searching for his first collegiate win.
TOM Prediction: Bullard by decision (Virginia Tech leads 12-10)
184 - #5 Trent Hidlay (NC State) vs. #2 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)
Here is the marquee match in a dual filled with intriguing bouts. Two of the top-five wrestlers in the country at 184 lbs, #2 Hunter Bolen and #5 Trent Hidlay, are set to square off. This will be the third collegiate meeting between the pair. Bolen took their 2020 dual meet as well as their clash in the ACC finals. Both were by slim margins. Hunter is coming off a breakout sophomore season that saw him earn the second seed at nationals and place third at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. He is currently 6-0 on the year and downed 2020 ACC champion at 174 lbs, Clay Lautt (North Carolina), the last time he took the mat. Hidlay is also unbeaten, at 3-0. He also defeated Lautt last weekend and all three of his 2021 foes currently reside in the national rankings. Hidlay had an excellent debut in 2020, making the finals at both the CKLV Invitational and the Southern Scuffle en route to a 23-4 record. Expect this match to play out similarly to their previous matches, which were tactical low-scoring affairs. Both are stout defensively.
TOM Prediction: Bolen by decision (Virginia Tech leads 15-10)
197 - #9 Isaac Trumble/Nick Reenan (NC State) vs. #32 Andy Smith/Stanley Smeltzer (Virginia Tech)
The Wolfpack have a good problem at 197 lbs as the returning starter, Nick Reenan, is quite capable, when healthy. Reenan has qualified for nationals on two occasions and even garnered the seventh seed at the 2019 tournament. Nick has gone 5-1 during the early going this season. He has not seen action in the last two duals due to the emergence of true freshman Isaac Trumble. Isaac announced his presence with a shockingly dominant 6-1 decision over a top-ten opponent, Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh). Against North Carolina, Trumble faced a bit of adversity against #29 Max Shaw, but ultimately tossed Shaw to his back for a fall. He was the fourth fall in five matches for the freshman from Nebraska. One of his possible opponents, Stanley Smeltzer, picked up a fall in last year's dual meet against Tyrie Houghton. Stanley was Virginia Tech's entry at the 2020 ACC Championships, but did not win a bout or qualify for nationals. This year, Smeltzer has an undefeated record, but has only seen action in one dual. The bulk of the work has gone to freshman Andy Smith. Smith has crept up into the rankings after his 4-3 start and has battled against some highly ranked competition. Call it a hunch, but we'll go with the pinner doing what he does best.
TOM Prediction: Trumble by fall (NC State leads 16-15)
285 - #15 Deonte Wilson (NC State) vs. #18 John Borst/Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech)
Provided we start at 125 lbs, this dual probably comes down to the big boys to decide it all. That's fine with Deonte Wilson, who has proven that he's clutch under pressure during last season's home dual win over North Carolina. Wilson went on to make the ACC Championship match and received the 22nd seed at nationals. He's been even better this season, going 5-0 and proving to be incredibly difficult to score on. Deonte also met John Borst in their 2020 dual. His 3-1 win proved to be pivotal in the Wolfpack's three-point win. Borst is also unbeaten headed into Friday's showdown. #24 Andrew Gunning (North Carolina) was John's biggest test to date last week and he got by with a 3-1 decision. We could see the youngster, Hunter Catka, get starting duties, as well. Hunter was one of the top 285 lb recruits in the entire Class of 2020 and is 5-1 thus far. Catka got the call in Virginia Tech's win versus Virginia against a ranked opponent. During the trip to North Carolina, Catka saw action in an extra match and beat Brandon Whitman, who qualified for nationals in 2019 at 197 lbs.
TOM Prediction: Wilson by decision (NC State wins 19-15)
Final Score Prediction:
NC State: 19
Virginia Tech: 15
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