BLACKSBURG – No. 13 Virginia Tech has four wrestling still competing heading into the final day at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev.
Redshirt freshman Mekhi Lewis went 3-0 on Friday to advance to Saturday's semifinals at 165 pounds. Along with Lewis, the Hokies had three other quarterfinalists – redshirt junior Korbin Myers (133), redshirt senior Zack Zavatsky (184) and redshirt senior Tom Sleigh (197). All three still have a chance to wrestle for spots on the podium tomorrow.
DAY 1 NOTES
- Lewis got his day started with a 19-4 tech fall over Central Michigan's Bret Fedewa and he followed it with decisions over 17th-ranked Jonathan Viruet of Brown and sixth-ranked Branson Ashworth of Wyoming.
- Lewis will face Northern Iowa's Bryce Steiert in tomorrow's semifinals. Logan Massa of Michigan and Isaiah White of Nebraska are in the other semifinal.
- Zavatsky suffered his first loss of the season by decision, 9-6, at the hands of No. 10 Drew Foster of Northern Iowa. He'll take on Utah Valley's Will Sumner in his first consolation.
- Competing in the tournament's deepest weight class, Myers advanced to quarters where he dropped a tough 7-2 decision to third-ranked Nick Suriano of Rutgers. He'll face Wyoming's Montorie Bridges, ranked 11th, on the backside.
- After dropping his first match of the day on a last second pin against two-time NCAA qualifier John Van Brill of Rutgers, a match where he was leading 2-1, redshirt sophomore B.C. LaPrade went 3-1 in the consolation bracket.
- Redshirt junior David McFadden, ranked fifth in the nation at 174 pounds, did not compete this weekend and is day-to-day with an injury. Mitch Moore was a late scratch from the lineup at 141. Both traveled with the team to Las Vegas.
125: Joey Prata (1-2)
Prata dec. Joshua Portillo (Nebraska-Kearney), 6-4 (SV OT)
No. 5 Sean Russell (Minnesota) MD Prata, 20-7
Tyshawn White (Clarion) MD Prata, 11-3
133: No. 16 Korbin Myers
Myers TF Nicholas Hara (North Idaho), 18-3
Myers dec. No. 17 Dylan Duncan (Illinois)
No. 3 Nick Suriano (Rutgers) dec. Myers, 7-2
141: Dom Latona (2-2)
Latona MD Nathan Boston (Campbell), 14-2
Latona dec. Drew Marten (Central Michigan), 5-3
No. 3 Jaydin Eierman (Missouri) WBF Latona, 5:00
LJ Bentley (Pitt) MD Latona, 11-3
149: No. 17 Ryan Blees (1-2)
Blees dec. Parker Filius (Purdue), 7-4 (SV OT)
Alec Opsal (Air Force) dec. Blees, 8-5
Khristian Olivas (Fresno State) TF Blees, 16-1
157: B.C. LaPrade (3-2)
No. 16 John Van Brill (Rutgers) WBF LaPrade, 6:59
LaPrade MD Christopher Mauriello (Hofstra), 13-1
LaPrade TF Brandon Leynaud (Duke), 18-3
LaPrade dec. Nick Knutson (North Dakota State), 6-4
Dom Mandarino (Stanford) dec. LaPrade, 6-3
165: No. 14 Mekhi Lewis
Lewis TF Bret Fedewa (Central Michigan), 19-4
Lewis dec. No. 17 Jonathan Viruet (Brown), 6-4
Lewis dec. No. 6 Branson Ashworth (Wyoming), 3-1
174: Cody Hughes (2-2)
Andrew Morgan (Campbell) dec. Hughes, 6-4
Hughes dec. Robert Patrick (Virginia), 6-3
Hughes dec. Ricky Padilla (Fresno State), 7-4
Devin Kane (North Carolina) dec. Hughes, 4-3
184: No. 5 Zack Zavatsky
Zavatsky TF Myles Terry (Oregon State), 20-5
Zavatsky dec. Dylan Wisman (Missouri), 3-2
Zavatsky dec. Owen Webster (Minnesota), 6-4
No.10 Drew Foster dec. Zavatsky, 9-6
197: No. 14 Tom Sleigh
Sleigh TF Frank Wyshinski (California Baptist),15-0
Sleigh dec. Zack Chakonis (Northwestern), 4-1
Greg Bulsak (Clarion) dec. Sleigh, 8-1
285: John Borst (2-2)
Borst dec. Ott (Navy), 3-1
No. Gable Steveson (Minnesota) TF Borst, 16-3
Borst dec. Michael Mcaleavey (The Citadel), 5-4
Demetrius Thomas (Pitt) MD Borst, 10-2