The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s wrestling team had a lot at stake Friday at Maclellan Gymnasium, but it was Appalachian State that came in and wrestled like it.
Coach Heather Eslinger wasn’t completely disappointed in his team’s performance, but rather more impressed with how the Mountaineers wrestled in beating UTC 22-15 in the Southern Conference dual meet.
A Mocs victory on senior night would’ve clinched for them a 16th SoCon regular-season title, as well as solidifying their spot at No. 25 in the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. Instead, the night began with a pin by Vito Passone (125 pounds) and the Mountaineers never trailed.
“I was confident coming into tonight,” App State coach JohnMark Bentley said. “This team has really grown so much. We’ve got great leadership on this team. The guys have bought in to what we’re doing. I was confident coming in and our guys did not disappoint. They came out on fire.”
Should UTC (10-4, 5-1), App State and Garder-Webb all win their final SoCon meets, they will be tri-champions of the league. ASU (10-3, 5-1) was the 25th-ranked team in the previous poll and made its case to be reinstated.
“We’ll let the voters decide that,” Bentley said. “I think we’re worthy of being in the Top 25. I was just really glad to see that our guys stepped up and wrestled well. Our goals haven’t changed. We’re focusing on March.”
The Mountaineers followed their 6-0 start with consecutive decisions by Irvin Enriquez (133) and Michael Longo (141). Longo beat Michael Pongracz 5-2 in a rematch of last year’s SoCon final.
“We’re in on seven leg attacks,” Eslinger said, shaking his head. “Hats off to them.”
ASU equaled its largest lead when Nick Kee (174) won a major decision to make it 19-7. Then after John Lampe (184) and Scottie Boykin registered back-to-back major decisions to get UTC within four, in a matchup of nationally ranked wrestlers at 285, No. 5 Denzel Dejournette decisioned No. 11 Jared Johnson 6-0 to secure it for App State.
Lampe was the only senior in the Mocs’ lineup Friday. Late takedowns in each period sparked his 13-5 defeat of Taylor Jackson.
“I guess it’s a little bittersweet,” Lampe said of his final meet at home. “But the only thing I can control is what I do. Coach Eslinger tells us that all the time. It’s not fun that the team lost, but I’m happy with how I went out.”
Eslinger had plenty of praise for Lampe, who has two younger brothers in the UTC program. Justin is a sophomore, and freshman Dominic lost a 10-4 decision to Forrest Przybysz at 165.
“John Lampe is unbelievable,” Eslinger said. “He embodies everything we stand for in this program. His mentality is above reproach, and academically he’s lights out.”
Austin Sams is the Mocs’ only other senior wrestler. He attended on crutches after suffering a career-ending injury. Sams, John Lampe and manager Trevor Humes were honored along with their parents before the meet.
“Trevor Humes is the most important person in this program, hands down,” Eslinger said. “He’s probably done more in three years than I’ve done in seven. I’ve got to find a way to keep him around.
“If he leaves,” Eslinger joked, “I might quit.”
UTC’s other winners against ASU were Chase Zemenak at 149 and Kamaal Shakur at 157.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at sports@time sfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.