BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech wrestling defeated NC State 17-16, criterion 3.21.c after a takedown and near fall in the final seconds of the dual by redshirt freshman Sam Latona.
With the No. 8 Hokies trailing the No. 3 Wolfpack 16-13 going into the final matchup at 125 pounds, eighth-ranked Sam Latona stunned the fourth-ranked Jakob Camacho at the buzzer to not only steal the match, but the night. Latona's takedown with seconds left tied the meet at 16, but it was the near fall at the very end that put the Hokies ahead on the third criteria, 49-48 in total match points.
UNBELIEVABLE IN BLACKSBURG 😱@HokiesWrestling is the only undefeated team left in the ACC! pic.twitter.com/un1O7KjDYH
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) February 6, 2021
With the win, the Hokies clinch at least a share of the ACC Dual Meet Championship and are the only undefeated ACC team remaining. This is the second time in as many seasons that Tech has knocked off the No. 3 team in the country after defeating third-ranked Ohio State on Nov. 17, 2019.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
- Latona's win over Camacho was the first of his career over a top-5 opponent. The Alabaster, Alabama native is now 7-0 on the season and is 2-0 against ranked opponents.
- In what is seeming automatic, Korbin Myers got a major decision win over a ranked opponent Friday night with a 13-5 victory over No. 13 Jarrett Trombley. The eighth-ranked 133-pounder in the country has now knocked off the No. 11, 12 and 13 wrestlers by major decision in three straight weeks.
- At 149 pounds, Bryce Andonian claimed an important decision over Ed Scott, winning 9-5 and grabbing three team points for the Hokies. The sophomore is now 24-7 in his career and 14-4 in dual matches.
- Mekhi Lewis kept his winning streak alive and pushed it to 27 straight matches in a 5-0 shutout over No. 15 Thomas Bullard. Lewis is the only Hokie at 8-0 on the season and now has three wins over ranked opponents on the year.
- In the highest-ranked matchup of the night, No. 2 Hunter Bolen defeated No. 4 Trent Hidlay at 184 pounds for the third time in his career. Bolen beat Hidlay 2-1 Friday night, same score as the 2020 ACC Championship, to move to 3-0 vs. Hidlay without surrendering a takedown.
BOX SCORE
#8 Virginia Tech 17, #3 NC State 16 criterion 3.21.c
133: #8 Korbin Myers (VT) MD #13 Jarrett Trombley (NCSU), 13-5
141: #10 Tariq Wilson (NCSU) dec. Sam Hillegas (VT), 5-1
149: #11 Bryce Andonian (VT) dec. Ed Scott (NCSU), 9-5
157: #2 Hayden Hidlay (NCSU) dec. Connor Brady (VT), 9-4
165: #1 Mekhi Lewis (VT) dec. #15 Thomas Bullard (NCSU), 5-0
174: #7 Daniel Bullard (NCSU) MD Dakota Howard (VT), 10-2
184: #2 Hunter Bolen (VT) dec. #4 Trent Hidlay (NCSU), 2-1
197: #16 Isaac Trumble (NCSU) dec. Stan Smeltzer (VT), 6-5
285: #19 Deonte Wilson (NCSU) dec. #17 John Borst (VT), 3-1
125: #8 Sam Latona (VT) dec. #4 Jakob Camacho (NCSU), 7-4
UP NEXT
The Hokies wrap up the regular season next Friday in Cassell Coliseum with a dual vs. No. 15 Pitt at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network. Tech will win the ACC Dual Meet Championship outright with a win.Gallery: (2-5-2021) 2021 WRESTLING vs. NC STATE