Hokies throttle North Carolina in Chapel HillHokies throttle North Carolina in Chapel Hill
Wrestling

Hokies throttle North Carolina in Chapel Hill

CHAPEL HILL, NC – The No. 8 Virginia Tech wrestling team completed the sweep over North Carolina foes with a 28-8 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday night. The Hokies won eight out of ten matches and were led by bonus point victories by Mekhi Lewis and Sam Latona, including an upset victory by Eddie Ventresca.


 
At 125-pounds, it was the Hokie Eddie Ventresca starting things off in Chapel Hill against North Carolina's No. 17 Jack Wagner. Ventresca – the lone unranked Hokie – made a major statement with a dominating performance, racking up two takedowns, a two-point nearfall off a tilt, and an escape to take the 7-2 decision for the visiting team.


 
No. 7 Sam Latona kept momentum rolling with a 12-3 major decision over Jace Palmer at 133-pounds. Latona was persistent early with two takedowns in the first to lead. Latona would then garner an escape and add three more takedowns and a riding time to rack up the bonus point victory for the Hokies and push the team score to 7-0.


 
In the first ranked bout of the night, it was No. 11 Tom Crook taking on No. 12 Lachlan McNeil at 141-pounds. Crook kept it close early but McNeil eventually took control into the second and third periods. Crook battled throughout but dropped the bout 3-12.
 
No. 8 Caleb Henson was next up at 149-pounds to get the Hokies reset and back on the winning side. Henson was offensive early against Wil Guida; it was all Henson with heavy handfighting and numerous shot attempts but was stifled by the long defense of Guida throughout the bout. Henson earned a second period rideout to accrue 2:00 of riding time as the score remained locked at zero. The Hokie would then choose bottom and earn an escape quickly into the third and would add a takedown on the edge for safe measure as the bout expired to pick up the 4-0 over Guida to push the team score to Hokies 10, Tar Heels 4.
 
In the highest ranked match of the evening, it had been two years since No. 5 Bryce Andonian and No. 3 Austin O'Connor met – the last time in 2021 for the 149-pound ACC crown. It was junior world bronze medalist and All-American versus the national champion and three-time All-American in a clash of styles meeting once again, but it was O'Connor coming away with the 11-3 win over Andonian in what was the last win of the night for the Tar Heels.
 
At 165-pounds it was No. 27 Connor Brady digging deep to garner the decision victory over UNC's Joey Mazzara in the sixth bout of the evening. After a scoreless first period, Brady picked up an escape to start the second and added a takedown that proved to the difference maker as the period waned down but gave up an escape with short time left in the second period. Mazzara would then take bottom to begin the third, leading to riding time being locked by Brady to ultimately make the score 4-2 to conclude the match. The Hokies wouldn't look back as they would win the next five bouts to seal the dual.
 
Next was No. 3 Mekhi Lewis in a dominant display from start to finish against Michael Goldfeder at 174-pounds. Lewis was firing early with two first period takedowns and over 1:30 of riding time to his name. The second period saw Lewis letting Goldfeder to his feet before adding a double on the edge and circling back in to pick up the eventual fall 4:55 into the bout to pick up six more points to the Hokies' team score.


 
No. 7 Hunter Bolen was back to winning form with a dominant win over No. 11 Gavin Kane – marking his first win against the Tar Heel in their three meetings. Bolen scored late into the first with an underhook throwby and would finish out the period with a strong ride on top. The Christiansburg Cowboy chose bottom in the second, would pick up an escape, and add a sweeping low-single to mount his lead. Bolen would then secure a third period rideout to pick up the riding time point en route to a controlling 6-0 decision.


 
The Hokies would then finish off the dual with victories from No. 22 Andy Smith and No. 20 Hunter Catka. Smith would earn a 10-3 decision over Cade Lautt at 197-pounds with four takedowns on the evening in combination of a riding time point and escape. Catka would score out the gate and never look back with two takedowns, an escape, and riding time point to control a 6-2 decision and end the dual for the Hokies.
 
Tech returns to action on Friday, February 17 at 7 p.m. EST against Virginia in Cassell Coliseum to close out the regular season.
 
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No. 8 Virginia Tech vs North Carolina
Results
125 – Eddie Ventresca DEC No. 17 Jack Wagner (UNC), 7-2
133 – No. 7 Sam Latona MAJ DEC Jace Palmer (UNC), 12-3
141 – No. 11 Tom Crook loss No. 12 Lachlan McNeil (UNC), 3-12
149 – No. 8 Caleb Henson DEC Wil Guida (UNC), 4-0
157 – No. 5 Bryce Andonian loss No. 3 Austin O'Connor (UNC), 3-11
165 – No. 27 Connor Brady DEC Joey Mazzara (UNC), 4-2
174 – No. 3 Mekhi Lewis FALL Michael Goldfeder (UNC), 4:55
184 – No. 7 Hunter Bolen DEC No. 11 Gavin Kane (UNC), 6-0
197 – No. 22 Andy Smith DEC Cade Lautt (UNC), 10-3
285 – No. 20 Hunter Catka vs Brandon Whitman (UNC), 6-2