The 2022-2023 Journeymen Collegiate Duals did not disappoint one bit to start the new week, as we saw numerous upsets and surprises throughout 48 hours of intensive dual meets.
There are still many questions to be answered after the events that unfolded at the Collegiate Duals, and the rankings for both wrestlers and teams will undoubtedly look much different.
If you missed out on the action at the Collegiate Duals, here are five key moments to think about going forward, along with the full results of the duals:
#1. Fireworks in the Finals
In both of the red and blue pool championship duals, some wild matches went down to shake up the results of both finals.
When looking at the final score, you may think #1 Penn State didn’t face much trouble in their 22-12 victory over #7 Iowa State, however Penn State only had a 13-12 lead going into the top-5 ranked matchup between #5 Max Dean and #2 Yonger Bastida. The main reason that Penn State’s lead was diminished through eight matches, was due to Cyclone’s #4 Marcus Coleman defeating Penn State’s #1 Aaron Brooks 9-6. Credit to Coleman, he handed Aaron Brooks his fourth career loss through 67 matches, and really put the pressure on Penn State going into the final two bouts of the night. However, Dean was able to avenge Brooks’ upset, getting himself and the Nittany Lions a much-needed win to seal the title.
On the other side of the pool bracket, #12 NC State defeated a blazing-hot #16 Northern Iowa 27-12, however that did not happen without some wild results. In a rematch of the Cliff Keen Invitational 184-pound final, Northern Iowa’s #3 Parker Keckeisen pinned NC State’s #2 Trent Hidlay with an insane roll-through near-side cradle. Keckeisen’s pin allowed Northern Iowa to get back into the dual, who were only down by six points with two matches remaining. However that steam quickly ran out when NC State’s #9 Isaac Trumble picked up a quick first period fall over the Panthers’ Noah Glaser, and locked up the red pool title for the Wolfpack. It was an impressive showing for NC State, especially after witnessing Northern Iowa defeat #3 Ohio State in the round prior.
#2. What to do with 197…
197-pounds has been a nightmare for those who make the rankings, as we witnessed two more top-10 ranked wrestlers suffer a loss. The rankings at 197-pounds in the top-10 have been shifting around like crazy since the season began, and will continue to after #2 Yonger Bastida was defeated by #5 Max Dean and along with Cal Poly’s #8 Bernie Truax, who was pinned by NC State’s #9 Isaac Trumble. It’s safe to say that Mizzou’s #1 Rocky Elam will hold onto his #1 ranking, but we should also see Lehigh’s Michael Beard and Rider’s Ethan Laird make an appearance into the top-5 as both wrestlers have defeated Dean earlier this season.
#3. Craziness at 149-pounds
Iowa State’s #5 Paniro Johnson showed his elite potential once again at the Collegiate Duals, taking Cornell’s #1 Yianni Diakomihalis to the brink in a sudden-victory loss, and beating Penn State’s rising star #13 Shayne Van Ness 3-2. Johnson has been on a huge roll since beating Austin Gomez, and will be a big name to keep an eye on as the season goes by.
Ohio State’s #3 Sammy Sasso suffered his second loss of the season to Northern Iowa’s #24 Colin Realbuto 9-7. Just a little over two weeks ago, Sasso looked really sharp at the Cliff Keen Invitational, taking home a gold medal. Some people have been downplaying Sasso’s start to the year, but it is just a true example of how tough this 149-pound weight class is.
#4. Dresser Dialed It Up
Iowa State’s head coach Kevin Dresser took a really risky move to mount a 13-9 comeback over #14 Cornell with only three matches remaining. After Cornell’s #6 Chris Foca picked up a major decision at 174-pounds, Dresser decided to bump up three of his wrestlers in order to steal the dual. First it was Joel Devine, who bumped up to 184-pounds and soundly beat Evan Canoyer 5-1, then #4 Marcus Coleman defeated Jacob Cardenas 4-1 at 197-pounds, and then #2 Yonger Bastida was victorious over #15 Lewis Fernandes 4-2, while suffering a 60-pound difference in weight.
It seems Dresser made this decision due to Cyclone heavyweight #9 Sam Schuyler being injured, who did not compete in the final on Tuesday night. Either way, a super unprecedented move paid off in a big way.
#5. Ohio State Falls
#3 Ohio State dropped their fist dual meet of the season to #16 Northern Iowa 19-13. The dual eventually came down to the heavyweights, where Panthers’ #11 Tyrell Gordon came in clutch and secured the win over Buckeyes’ #13 Tate Orndorff. The Panthers matched up really well against the Buckeyes, and took advantage of the mismatches at 157 and 165-pounds. Although losing to the Panthers, Ohio State rebounded with a 23-12 victory over Lehigh and will look to stay in the win column in their next dual against Indiana on Jan. 6.
Full Medal Round Results:
Blue Pool Final – Penn State over Iowa State, 22-12
Red Pool Final – NC State over Northern Iowa, 27-12
Blue Pool Third – Cornell over North Carolina, 31-9
Red Pool Third – Ohio State over Lehigh, 23-12
Blue Pool Fifth – Oregon State over Central Michigan, 39-10
Red Pool Fifth – Cal Poly over Lock Haven, 25-15
