Wrestling Preview: #6 Virginia Tech vs #4 NC State

#6 Virginia Tech vs #4 NC State
Friday, February 5 @ 8PM on ACCN

This is the biggest match of the year for the Hokies and it is a shame there won't be a few thousand fans in the stands. NC State has talent up and down the lineup and the Hokies will need to have their best performance if they want to walk away with a win. There are a number of ranked matches that will have huge implications for seeding at the NCAA Championships.

Matchups

125: (#8 Sam Latona vs #4 Jakob Camacho) Starting off with one of the most anticipated matches of the night. These two have met before with Latona besting Camacho both times. They met in 2020 at the US Senior Nationals (freestyle), with Latona winning 5-4, and at the prestigious Southern Scuffle (folkstyle), with Latona winning 10-5. Latona has looked like the real deal coming off a prolific redshirt season but Camacho is the reigning ACC champion and will be an extremely difficult test.

133: (#8 Korbin Myers vs #13 Jarrett Trombley or Ryan Jack) Korbin Myers has been at the top of his game this season coming off two decisive victories against ranked opponents, both by major decision. Trombley only has one loss on the season to #4 Mickey Phillippi of Pitt. He didn't wrestle Hayes or Hernandez in the duals, instead wrestling an exhibition against lesser competition, so I am not sure what to make of that. Ryan Jack wrestled in both of those duals with losses to the same opponents Myers defeated. A bonus point victory could be in play here and would go a long way towards a Hokie team victory.

141: (Sam Hillegas vs #10 Tariq Wilson) Hillegas showed promise his last match out but made one too many mistakes and ended up losing in Sudden Victory Overtime. Tariq Wilson continues to be one of the best in the ACC. His size and experience will likely prove too much for Hillegas. Wilson is extremely talented on top so Hillegas needs to do his best to avoid that position.

149: (#11 Bryce Andonian vs Ed Scott) Outside of his loss to the top ranked wrestler in the country, Andonian has outclassed his opponents and put up a ton of points. Scott is just outside of the rankings but has not shown he can be competitive against a ranked opponent. This could be a good opportunity for Andonian to score some back points and get a bonus point victory.

157: (Connor Brady vs #2 Hayden Hidlay) Brady has had an up and down season so far with his best outing coming last weekend against UNC. Hidlay on the other hand is one of the most dominant wrestlers in the weight class and is hunting for a title. Brady will have to wrestle his best match of the season or this one could be rough.

165: ( #1 Mekhi Lewis vs #15 Thomas Bullard) Lewis gave up his first takedown in a college match since 2018 last weekend against Kennedy Monday but was able to get away with a win. Thomas Bullard lost a close match to Monday but does have a top 10 ranked win on his resume this season. Look for Lewis to use his elite defense and reshots to secure another win over a ranked opponent.

174: (Dakota Howard vs #7 Daniel Bullard) Dakota Howard had the best match of his young career last week and was honored with ACC Wrestler of the Week. Daniel Bullard is the top in the ACC at 174 with his only loss of the season coming out of conference back in January. Howard will need to use his motor to wear down his opponent if he wants to keep it close.

184: (#2 Hunter Bolen vs #4 Trent Hidlay) This is the premier match of the night. Bolen bested Hidlay in extremely close matches last season, once in the dual meet and then again in the finals of the ACC Championships. Both wrestlers are hunting for a National Championship and this match has huge implications for seeding.

197: (Andy Smith vs #16 Isaac Trumble) Smith gave great effort last weekend but was unable to come up with a win. Trumble is undefeated on the season with four wins by fall and a victory over a top 10 opponent. Smith has struggled to give himself a chance against ranked opponents but has also avoided giving up bonus points so far this season. This is another match that will put that to the test.

HWT: (#17 John Borst vs #19 Deonte Wilson) Borst has dominated lesser wrestlers but had a very tight match against his first quality opponent. Wilson has only one bonus point victory on the season and remains undefeated. Wilson defeated Borst in a close match last season in their only head-to-head meeting. This match is very important for both wrestlers to improve their seeding at the ACC Championships.

Edit Note: I added in a bit about Trombley at 133. I can't find out why he didn't wrestle in their dual against UNC last week but all of the promotional info coming from Virginia Tech has him as the expected starter.

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A decade on TKP and it's been time well spent.

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Bob: What would ya say ya do here?

Brad: I already told you! I iron out the minutiae so Justin doesn't have to. I have people skills dammit! What the hell is wrong with you people?

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I told him I’d crawl on my hands and knees to be the DL coach at Virginia Tech. Now, all of a sudden, I’m sitting in this chair and I told him I’d still crawl on my hands and knees to work here. I just want to be here.
JC Price

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Even when you get skunked; fishing never lets you down. 🎣

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
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No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
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Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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Marshall University graduate.
Virginia Tech fanatic.
Formerly known as JWillHokieAlum.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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I criticize knowing full well I could never do what these athletes do.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Marshall University graduate.
Virginia Tech fanatic.
Formerly known as JWillHokieAlum.

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Sometimes we live no particular way but our own

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We put the K in Kwality

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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If it ain't orange, it better be maroon...and if it ain't maroon, it better be soon!

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We put the K in Kwality

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Even when you get skunked; fishing never lets you down. 🎣

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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21st century QBs Undefeated vs UVA:
MV7, MV5, LT3, Grant Wells, Braxton Burmeister, Ryan Willis, Josh Jackson, Jerod Evans, Michael Brewer, Tyrod Taylor, Sean Glennon, and Grant Noel. That's right, UVA. You couldn't beat Grant Noel.

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Plan for the worst and hope for the best, not the other way around.