LAS VEGAS – The No. 10 Virginia Tech wrestling team will be returning from the 40th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational to Blacksburg with including four other place-winners in tow. The Hokies sent a total of seven wrestlers with five finding the podium to help lead Tech to an 11th-place team finish on Saturday evening.
Leading the way was No. 2 Mekhi Lewis with a runner-up finish. In his second CKLV finals appearance in as many entries, Lewis became the first two-time finalist in program history. In a highly entertaining finals match, Lewis dropped a tight loss to No. 3 Mikey Labriola of Nebraska in sudden victory, 3-1. Lewis was tactical all weekend – picking up two bonus point victories and dispatching three ranked opponents.
The second highest placing Hokie was graduate senior No. 9 Hunter Bolen with a third-place finish. The Christiansburg Cowboy went 6-1 over the two-day tournament to claim third in his last Cliff Keen Invitational. Bolen dropped his quarterfinal bout to No. 4 Kaleb Romero of Ohio State before winning two straight on the backside to set up a third meeting with Romero this season. He would avenge his earlier loss with a 3-1 sudden victory. Bolen secured three bonus point victories in six wins to help match his third place CKLV finish three years ago.
Making their Cliff Keen Invitational debuts and finding the podium were No. 9 Sam Latona, No. 13 Tom Crook, and No. 32 Andy Smith. Latona highlighted his weekend with an upset victory over returning All-American No. 7 Chris Cannon of Northwestern to push him into the semifinals. Crook picked up three ranked wins on the night in his first trip out west to find the podium. Smith put the nation on notice with his victory over No. 11 Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State to propel him into the semifinals match.
Full brackets and results can be found at top left of page. The Hokies return to action next Sunday for the first home dual of the season as they host No. 6 Mizzou at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
Official Results
No. 16 Eddie Ventresca (125-pounds)
- DEC Oscar Sanchez (Ohio University), 3-2
- DEC No. 31 Kase Mauger (Utah Valley University), 7-5
- Loss No. 10 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State), 4-6 SV
- Loss No. 27 Liam Cronin (Nebraska), 3-7
No. 9 Sam Latona (133-pounds, 6th Place)
- DEC Kobe Nelms (Utah Valley University), 8-3
- DEC No. 32 Jason Shaner (Oregon State), 5-2
- DEC No. 7 Chris Cannon (Northwestern), 7-2
- Loss No. 3 Vito Arujau (Cornell), 1-6
- Loss No. 32 Jason Shaner (Oregon State), 1-3
- Loss No. 5 Dylan Ragusin (Michigan), 1-3
No. 13 Tom Crook (141-pounds, 5th Place)
- DEC Ty Smith (Utah Valley University), 7-6
- MAJ DEC Isaac Salas (Cal State University-Bakersfield), 14-5
- Loss No. 22 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa), 1-7
- DEC No. 18 Jesse Vasquez (Arizona State), 7-6
- DEC No. 23 Parker Filius (Purdue), 6-2
- Loss No. 14 Ryan Jack (NC State), 1-6
- Med For No. 11 Clay Carlson (South Dakota State)
Drew Nicholson (165-pounds, graduate)
- MAJ DEC Stoney Buell (Purdue), 12-3
- Loss No. 10 Josh Ogunsanya (Columbia), 4:41
- DEC Jon Park (Navy), 6-1
- Loss Enrique Munguia (Kent State), 1-2
No. 2 Mekhi Lewis (174-pounds, Runner-Up)
- TECH FALL Joey Arnold (Edinboro), 21-6 7:00
- DEC Sammy Starr (Navy), 10-3
- FALL No. 19 Cade DeVos (South Dakota State), 1:51
- DEC No. 9 Chris Foca (Cornell), 3-2
- Loss No. 3 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska), 1-3 SV
No. 9 Hunter Bolen (184-pounds, 3rd Place)
- MAJ DEC Noah Blake (US Air Force), 11-1
- DEC No. 27 Cade King (South Dakota State University), 8-2
- Loss No. 4 Kaleb Romero (Ohio State), 2-3
- TECH FALL Darion Johnson (Wyoming Western), 16-0 3:52
- DEC No. 10 Matt Finesilver (Michigan), 5-4
- FALL Lenny Pinto (Nebraska), 4:23
- DEC No. 4 Kaleb Romero (Ohio State), 3-1 SV
No. 32 Andy Smith (197-pounds, 6th Place)
- MAJ DEC Calvin Sund (US Air Force), 10-2
- FALL No. 31 Evan Bockman (Utah Valley University), 6:58
- DEC No. 11 Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State), 5-2
- Loss No. 21 Tanner Harvey (Oregon State), 2-3
- Med For to No. 31 Evan Bockman (Utah Valley University)
- Med For to No. 23 Silas Allred (Nebraska)