Hokie ClubBlacksburg – The No. 7 Virginia Tech wrestling team picked up its first ranked win of its season with a 23-10 victory over No. 8 Missouri in Cassell Coliseum and improved to 2-0 on the season on Friday night. The Hokies won seven out of ten bouts on the evening including bonus point victories from No. 25 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. and the defending national champion No. 1 Caleb Henson who made his season debut.
Hokies Rattle Off First Five, Last Two
No. 13 Eddie Ventresca began the night for the Hokies with a 6-5 decision over Missouri’s Gage Walker at 125-pounds. The Tiger struck first with a takedown but Ventresca would respond with an escape and notched a takedown of his own in the opening period. Walker would get an escape as the period ended to tie the score at 4. The two would trade escapes in the second and third period, but Ventresca’s riding time point advantage proved to be the difference to put the Hokies on the board and wouldn’t look back.
Making his Cassell debut was No. 10 Connor McGonagle, and the graduate transfer did not disappoint to the tune of a 3-0 decision over fellow ranked competitor No. 29 Kade Moore. McGonagle would strike first with a fireman carry for the takedown and would control Moore for the rest of the match, even nearly scoring on several more attempts before the final whistle to give the Hokies a 6-0 lead in the dual.
Character is defined how you respond and after third-place finish last weekend at the Mountaineer Invitational that’s just what No. 18 Sam Latona did. Latona faced No. 13 Josh Edmond in a low scoring but high-action bout at 141-pounds. Edmond fired off a strong double that Latona would defend and eventually found an attack of his own. It was a vintage Latona swing single converted for the takedown and the Alabaster, Alabama native would never surrender his lead eventually adding another escape to pick up the 4-2 decision. It was the last, first appearance for a fan favorite who has been “the epitome of what Hokies Wrestling stands for.”
The King of Cassell made his season debut in dominant fashion on Friday night with a 9-0 major decision over No. 24 Logan Gioffre at 149-pounds. No. 1 Caleb Henson was recognized pre-dual with his national championship banner raised in the rafters after an incredible sophomore season to become the program’s second national champion and he responded to an electric Cassell Coliseum with an electric champion performance. The Hitman was relentless all night to garner the 9-0 major decision – working four-point near fall, a third period takedown, a stall point, and securing riding time to secure the first bonus point victory of the match.
Making his debut in Cassell Coliseum but no stranger to Hokie Nation on Friday night was redshirt freshman No. 25 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. taking on No. 32 James Conway. Showing hints of his predecessor at 157-pounds for the Hokies, the Manaus, Brazil native was dominant from start to finish – blitzing for a takedown in the first three seconds of the match and garnering three more throughout the match to go along with an escape and riding time point. Hipolito would add the 11-3 major decision to Tech’s team score, 17-0 and pushing his season record to 6-0.
After suffering a string of losses, it was veteran face in the Hokies’ lineup No. 13 Andy Smith who would lock up the dual for the home team. It was a hand fighting battle throughout the first with Smith eventually jumping out to a 10-2 lead in the second period after three takedowns and an escape but would have to fight off young Tiger Aedon Sinclair in the closing minutes to take the victory 12-9. Smith’s victory would push the team score to 20-10, effectively locking up the dual for Tech in an electric Cassell Coliseum.
Dual already secured, No. 15 Jimmy Mullen would put an exclamation mark on the Hokies’ night with a 4-2 victory over No. 20 Seth Nitzel at heavyweight. Mullen would fire a strong blast double early in the first period and would hold the lead for the rest of the bout, earning an escape and notching his third ranked victory in his redshirt freshman campaign.
The Hokies return to action next Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m. in the Moss Arts Center for a sold out dual against No. 20 Rutgers. Follow Hokies Wrestling on X, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest news and updates.
No. 7 Virginia Tech - 23, No. 8 Missouri - 10
125 - No. 13 Eddie Ventresca (VT) DEC Gage Walker (Mizzou), 6-5
133 - No. 10 Connor McGonagle (VT) DEC No. 29 Kade Moore (Mizzou), 3-0
141 - No. 18 Sam Latona (VT) DEC No. 13 Josh Edmond (Mizzou), 4-2
149 - No. 1 Caleb Henson (VT) MAJ DEC No. 24 Logan Gioffre (Mizzou), 9-0
157 - No. 25 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. (VT) MAJ DEC No. 32 James Conway (Mizzou), 11-3
165 - Mac Church (VT) loss vs No. 14 Cam Steed (Mizzou), 1-8
174 - No. 4 Lennox Wolak (VT) loss vs No. 1 Keegan O'Toole (Mizzou), 5-13
184 - No. 5 Thomas Stewart, Jr. (VT) loss vs No. 12 Colton Hawks (Mizzou), 2-8
197 - No. 13 Andy Smith (VT) DEC Aedon Sinclair (Mizzou), 12-9
285 - No. 15 Jimmy Mullen (VT) DEC No. 20 Seth Nitzel (Mizzou), 4-2