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LIVE: Pitt Wrestling at ACC Championships: Updates, Results, Placements

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Pitt Wrestling

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Pitt wrestling competes at the ACC Championships Sunday at Carmichael Arena on Sunday, where they will try to place well, win an ACC title or at least earn an automatic bid for the NCAA Championships.

Pitt Wrestling ACC Championships Preview

Pitt Wrestling Receives Seeding for ACC Championships

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125 Pounds: No. 6 Colton Camacho

No. 6 redshirt senior Colton Camacho took on North Carolina No. 3 redshirt sophomore Spencer Moore to start off the day for Pitt Wrestling.

Both wrestlers made escapes and headed to bonus rounds. Defensive wrestlers in their own rights, no one scored in sudden victory, so they headed to tiebreakers.

Camacho rode Moore for 23 seconds, but Moore managed to get a late escape, taking a 2-1 lead. Camacho got out quicker in the next round to tie the match, but had the advantage on riding time. Moore tired to score, but Camacho countered and scored on him, settling for the 5-2 decision to move on to the semifinals.

He faced No. 2 Virginia Tech redshirt sophomore Cooper Flynn in the semifinals. The two had another close match, after a 3-1 decision for Flynn on Feb. 16, with both tied 1-1 through the third period.

Flynn eventually made a good attack on Camacho, who gave up the takedown. Camacho had a late escape, but Flynn won a 4-2 decision to move onto the final.

The loss for Camacho means he misses out on one of the two automatic qualifying spots for the NCAA Championships at 125 pounds for the ACC and has never appeared at them. He did walk on senior night, and if he chooses to graduate after five years, he won’t ever make it there for Pitt Wrestling.

Camacho faced No. 4 sophomore Kyle Montaperto in the Consolation Semifinals, where he used a second period takedown and riding time to ensure a 5-1 victory.

He faced a rematch with Moore in the Third Place match, but failed to do any attacking. Moore had an escape and then rode him out for the majority of the third period, to win a 2-0 decision after riding time.

Camacho finishes this season 11-13 and likely his Pitt wrestling career as well.

133 Pounds: No. 4 Vinnie Santaniello

Panthers No. 4 redshirt first-year Vinnie Santaniello faced off against Tar Heels No. 5 redshirt sophomore Jace Palmer in the First Round.

After a scoreless first period, Santaniello escaped and made a takedown to earn a 4-1 lead to finish the second period.

The match got more interesting when the referees called a number of cautions on Santaniello, giving a point to Palmer, and then he escaped to cut the lead to 4-3.

Despite a late attempt from Palmer, Santaniello made a late takedown and won an 8-3 decision on riding time to win.

He took on No. 1 Wolfpack redshirt junior Kai Orine in the semifinals. Orine, majored Santaniello, 10-1, back on Jan. 26, would get a similar result, a 10-0 major decision after riding time with three takedowns.

Santaniello faced No. 6 Blue Devils first-year Raymond Adams in the consolation semifinals. He won a 20-4 technical fall decision (6:58) back on Feb. 2 in their first match up this season.

Unlike their first match, Adams stood strong defensively, but failed to score, allowing Santaniello to win on a 2-0 decision, after riding time.

Santaniello faced No. 2 Cavaliers junior Marlon Yarbrough II in the Third Place match. Yarbrough used an escape and got a point for stalling on Yarbrough to take a 2-0 lead heading into the third period.

Despite falling behind, Santaniello got an escape and looked to make a takedown, but Yarbrough countered and took him down to get the lead and finished with a 6-2 decision after riding time.

The loss for Santaniello means that he missed out on the last automatic bid for the NCAA Championships.

He ends the season for Pitt 15-14 overall.

141 Pounds: No. 1 Cole Matthews

No. 1 Pitt redshirt senior Cole Matthews earned a First Round bye faced No. 4 North Carolina redshirt sophomore Lachlan McNeil in the semifinals.

Both wrestlers failed to make real challenges, as they made one escape to head to sudden victory level 1-1.

McNeil made a challenge on Matthews that almost got him, but Matthews caught his leg, flipped around and got him for the takedown to win 4-1 in sudden victory.

Matthews will face No. 2 NC State junior Ryan Jack in the final, who he holds a 5-0 record over him the past three seasons, winning the last two ACC titles per him and a 15-10 decision this year on Jan. 26.

149 Pounds: No. 4 Finn Solomon

No. 4 Panthers redshirt first-year Finn Solomon took on No. 5 Cavaliers sophomore Michael Gioffre in the First Round at 149 pounds.

Solomon started off with a takedown and three back points, but Gioffre countered with a reversal and a takedown to make it 7-5 at the end of the first period.

Gioffre then made takedown after an escape from Solomon to start the second period to tie it up at 8-8. Solomon escaped to end the second period, but Gioffre began the third period with an escape to make it 9-9.

Solomon then made a takedown and got three back points, setting him up for the 15-11 victory after riding time and an escape for Gioffre.

He took on No. 1 Hokies sophomore Caleb Henson in the semifinals, who beat him in a 10-6 decision back on Feb. 16.

Solomon had a 1-0 lead after an escape to start the second period, but a takedown gave Henson a 3-1 advantage. He would build more riding time and got a late takedown on Solomon to win an 8-1 decision after riding time.

The loss means that Solomon misses out on one of the two automatic bids to the NCAA Championships at his weight class.

He defeated No. 6 Blue Devils graduate student Jarred Papcsy in the consolation semifinals, 6-4 after riding time. Solomon also pinned him (4:09) back on Feb. 2.

Solomon faced No. 3 Tar Heels redshirt first-year Jayden Scott in the Third Place match.

Scott defeated Solomon in a 3-2 decision in the same building on Feb. 9, but Solomon came out better this time, getting a first period takedown.

He used riding time and a late escape to win a 5-2 decision to earn Third Place at 149 pounds. He’ll need an at-large bid to make the NCAA Championships.

Solomon is now 18-10 on the season.

157 Pounds: No. 4 Jared Keslar

No. 4 Panthers redshirt first-year Jared Keslar battled with No. 5 Cavaliers sophomore Nick Sanko in the first round at 157 pounds.

Sanko, like the past match on Feb. 23, took an early lead over Keslar, making it 12-2 throughout the second period and looked to be on his way to a technical fall.

Keslar, just like last time, made a quick takedown and then put Sanko on his back to pin him at 4:01, the second time he’s pinned him this year.

He faced No. 1 Tar Heels redshirt sophomore Sonny Santiago in the Semifinals, who defeated him in the same building in an 11-4 decision on Feb. 9.

Santiago used a takedown in the second period to win a close 4-2 decision, knocking Keslar into the consolation rounds.

The loss for Keslar means he misses out on an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, with only two at his weight class.

He took on No. 6 Blue Devils junior Logan Ferrero in the consolation semifinals, who he majored 11-3 back on Feb. 2.

Ferrero made a first period takedown and Keslar failed to complete an attack, losing a 5-2 decision after riding time.

Keslar finishes his season 14-16 overall.

165 Pounds: No. 2 Holden Heller

No. 2 Pitt redshirt senior Holden Heller earned a First Round bye with a top two seed and since Duke didn’t put anyone at No. 6, No. 3 Virginia Tech redshirt junior Connor Brady will served as his opponent in the semifinals.

Holden Heller defeated Brady, 11-5, back on Feb. 16, but Brady came out strong to begin this one, using a takedown and then getting four back points to establish a 7-0 lead.

Brady stood strong defensively against Holden Heller, not allowing a takedown and holding on for the 8-3 victory to make the final.

Holden Heller’s loss is the second to Brady in the ACC Championships semifinals, falling to him last year. It also means he misses out on one of the two NCAA auto bids at 165 pounds.

He faced No. 5 North Carolina redshirt sophomore Isaias Estrada, who he pinned in the same building back on Feb. 9, in the consolation semifinals.

Holden Heller made a late takedown in the second period to earn a 4-3 lead. Estrada would make a late takedown himself, but Holden Heller would win a 5-4 decision after riding time.

He battled No. 1 NC State Derek Fields in the Third Place Match. Fields defeated him in a 7-1 decision back on Jan. 26 and he was looking for revenge.

Both wrestlers fought hard, but settled for a 1-1 draw through three periods. Fields would take Third Place with a takedown shortly into extra time, earning the 4-1 decision.

Holden Heller needs an at-large bid to make it to the NCAA Championships. He is 13-7 on the season and may be done with his collegiate wrestling career.

174 Pounds: No. 5 Luca Augustine 

No. 5 Panthers redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine took on No. 4 Wolfpack fifth year Alex Faison in the First Round.

Both wrestlers struggled to complete attacks, with the score 1-1 after the first three periods and sudden victory. Augustine established some riding time, but Faison made a reversal, earning a 4-1 lead after the first period of tiebreakers. Augustine would earn a point on stalling by Faison, but couldn’t make a takedown, as Faison won a 4-2 decision.

The loss for Augustine is his fourth to Faison, losing in the dual and at the ACC Championships the past two seasons against him.

Augustine then faced No. 3 Tar Heels graduate student Tyler Eischens in the consolation semifinals. Eischens led 2-1 after a stall call on Augustine, but it was still close throughout the third period.

After defending a difficult position, Augustine stood strong and put Eischens straight up, but didn’t complete the move properly, falling onto his own back. Eischens then easily pinned Augustine, moving onto the Third Place Match.

With four NCAA automatic bids at 174 pounds, Augustine misses out and will now need an at-large bid to make it to the NCAA Championships.

He took No. 6 Blue Devils redshirt first-year Gaetano Console in the Fifth Place match, and won on technical fall.

Augustine is now 14-6 on the season and needs an at-large bid to make it to the NCAA Championships.

184 Pounds: No. 2 Reece Heller 

No. 2 Pitt redshirt senior Reece Heller took on No. 3 NC State redshirt first-year Dylan Fishback in the semifinals, with Reece Heller winning a close 4-3 decision over Fishback on Jan. 26.

Fishback, unlike Reece Heller, started out with a takedown, and had a 4-2 lead in the third period. Reece Heller looked like he made a takedown on Fishback and head coach Keith Gavin challenged it, but the referees held the call.

Despite some late attacks from Reece Heller, Fishback countered with a takedown and won an 8-2 decision after riding time.

Reece Heller then faced No. 5 Virginia fifth year Ethan Weatherspoon in the consolation semifinals, who he defeated in a 21-5 (6:19) technical fall back on Feb. 23.

He made two takedowns and held on for an 8-4 decision after riding time against Weatherspoon, to get one of the four auto bids for a spot at the NCAA Championships.

Reece Heller faced No. 4 UNC junior Gavin Kane in the Third Place Match. He used a takedown to get the initial lead and then a reversal in the third period helped him earn the 5-4 decision after riding time.

He is 19-6 on the season.

197 Pounds: No. 4 Mac Stout

No. 4 Panthers redshirt first-year Mac Stout faced off against No. 5 Cavaliers graduate student Krystian Kinsey in the First Round.

Stout started off with a takedown and built riding time. He had a 4-0 lead through two periods, but Kinsey escaped to start the third period and made a late takedown to tie it.

Luckily for Stout, his riding time gave him the 5-4 decision and the victory to move onto the semifinals.

He took on No. 1 Wolfpack redshirt senior Trent Hidlay, who defeated him on technical fall, 20-4 at 6:16, back on Jan. 26.

That same result happened in the semifinals, as Hidlay controlled the match from start to finish, winning a 19-4 (7:00) technical fall after riding time.

Stout faced No. 6 Blue Devils first-year Kwasi Bonsu in the consolation semifinals, and he won, again, on technical fall, 25-9 after riding time, after winning on tech fall in their dual this season.

That win earns him an auto bid for the NCAA Championships, his first in his collegiate career.

He faced a rematch with Kinsey in the Third Place Match, but Virginia forfeited, giving him spot on the podium.

285 Pounds: No. 4 Dayton Pitzer 

Pitzer made it back for Pitt Wrestling after missing the past six weeks due to dislocating his shoulder on Jan. 21 against Arizona State.

He took on No. 5 Duke first-year Connor Barket in the First Round, and a defensive battle ensued. Barket chose to go into neutral in the second period, but it hurt him in the end, as Pitzer scored on an escape to begin the third period and held on for the 1-0 decision.

Pitzer faced off against No. 1 NC State junior Owen Trephan in the semifinals. Trephan defeated Pitzer last year in their dual meet,  in a 3-1 sudden victory decision.

Trephan had no trouble with Pitzer, who still appears to have issues following his injury, taking a 7-3 decision after riding time.

The loss for Pitzer means he misses out on an auto bid for the NCAA Championships.

He battled No. 6 UNC redshirt sophomore Cade Lautt in the consolation semifinals, pinning him.

Pitzer then defeated No. 3 Virginia junior Ryan Catka in the Third Place match, in a 7-0 decision with two takedowns.

He is now 11-4 on the season and hopes to represent Pitt at NCAAs with an at-large bid.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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