Don't Miss These Matches - Best Bouts Of The Weekend
Don't Miss These Matches - Best Bouts Of The Weekend
A breakdown of the best matches of the weekend.
The last weekend of dual matches has arrived and will close out the regular season with a bang! The FloWrestling crew will be commentating live on Sunday evening for the Virginia Tech-NC State and Iowa-Nebraska duals, but take a look below at a breakdown of all the best potential matches this weekend has to offer.
#3 Tariq Wilson (NC State) vs #6 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)
Wilson vs Andonian has the potential to be the match of the weekend and could play a huge role in seeding at the NCAA tournament. On paper, Wilson might be a slight favorite but anyone who’s watched Andonian wrestle knows anything can happen when he takes the mat.
Sunday at 6:00 pm on ACC Network
#3 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) vs #4 Hayden Hidlay (NC State)
Mekhi Lewis and Hayden Hidlay are both undefeated on the season and will likely meet again in a few weeks at the ACC Tournament. Hidlay and Lewis have never met in college but did wrestle back in high school at the 2015 Journeymen Classic. Though that match means little to the outcome of this one, Hayden Hidlay came out on top, 10-3.
Sunday at 6:00 pm on ACC Network
Hidlay's win over Lewis from 2015:
#3 Trent Hidlay (NC State) vs #12 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)
Hidlay has a winning record against most 184 pound wrestlers in the country but not against Hunter Bolen. Hidlay is only 1-3 against Bolen but did win their last meeting - a 3-1 overtime victory at last year’s ACC Tournament. Despite their head-to-head record, Hidlay has put together a much better season than Bolen and should be considered the favorite entering their match on Sunday.
Sunday at 6:00 pm on ACC Network
#2 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa) vs #10 Chad Red (Nebraska)
The Iowa vs Nebraska dual will feature a number of top ten matchups with Chad Red vs Jaydin Eierman being the most unpredictable of the bunch. Eierman and Red wrestled twice last season with the Hawkeye coming out on top in both meetings. Both wrestlers have a dynamic style with match-ending potential - expect fireworks in this showdown at 141.
Sunday at 7:00 pm on BTN
#5 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) vs #10 Max Murin (Iowa)
Murin and Lovett met twice last season with each wrestler winning one match. Murin won their meeting at NCAAs (5-3) with Lovett winning at the Big 10 Tournament (11-6). This match is also especially intriguing considering the styles of both wrestlers. Murin is calculated and reserved in his wrestler whereas Lovett is a prolific scrambler.
Sunday at 7:00 pm on BTN
#8 Peyton Robb (Nebraska) vs #13 Kaleb Young (Iowa)
Peyton Robb started his season with a bang defeating returning national champion Austin O’Connor in just his second match of the year. Robb followed up that match by pushing David Carr to his toughest match of the season - a 7-5 overtime bout. Robb has cooled off a little since his hot start after dropping matches to Brayton Lee, Will Lewan, and Ryan Deakin. Young’s season has been the reverse of Robb with a rough start at the beginning of the year but a strong stretch of late. Currently Young is riding a seven-match winning streak, highlighted by a 4-1 win over Wyatt Sheets last week.
Sunday at 7:00 pm on BTN
#2 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) vs #6 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska)
Kemerer and Labriola have only wrestled one time in their college career - a 3-1 win by Kemerer back in January of 2020. In that match, Kemerer secured a takedown with less than 20 seconds left in the match to get the win. Expect a similar bout this Sunday in a match that should be competitive until the end.
Sunday at 7:00 pm on BTN
Labriola and Kemerer's match from 2020:
#2 Jacob Warner (Iowa) vs #5 Eric Schultz (Nebraska)
Depending on how the dual plays out, the Jacob Warner - Eric Schultz match could be instrumental in determining the winner. The two have wrestled four times in their career with Schultz winning the last two matches - 3-1 and 3-2. In their first two matches, Warner won 4-1 and 7-5 (in overtime). Taking those results into consideration, their match on Sunday is truly a toss-up and could be one of the best bouts of the dual.
Sunday at 7:00 pm on BTN
Warner and Schultz's match from last season:
#3 Tariq Wilson (NC State) vs #16 Zach Sherman (North Carolina)
Since 2018, Tariq Wilson and Zach Sherman have wrestled seven times with Wilson holding the series lead - 6-1. They last met at the ACC tournament last year with Wilson winning by major decision (the only bonus point decision in the series). Wilson is currently undefeated on the year at 11-0 with his highest-ranked win coming against #13 Josh Finesilver. Sherman has had a much different season compiling a 5-7 record but 6 of his 7 losses have been to top 10 ranked wrestlers.
Friday at 7:00 pm on ACC Network
Wilson and Sherman wrestling all the way back in 2018:
#3 Austin O’Connor (North Carolina) vs #9 Ed Scott (NC State)
O’Connor and Scott met last year when they both wrestled at 149. In that meeting, O’Connor won by major decision, 11-3. Scott has put together a great season this year at 19-2 and looks to have made a major leap forward from his freshman year. Will O’Connor prove superior again or will Scott avenge last season’s loss? We’ll find out Friday night in what should be an incredible match.
Friday at 7:00 pm on ACC Network
#4 Hayden Hidlay (NC State) vs #14 Clay Lautt (North Carolina)
Hayden Hidlay has been just as dominant this season at 174 pounds as he was in his first five years at 157. Hidlay has never met Lautt in his college career but the Tar Heel could present some unique challenges to make this a competitive match.
Friday at 7:00 pm on ACC Network
#11 John Poznanski (Rutgers) vs #24 Travis Stefanik (Princeton)
Poznanski is coming off a tough stretch in an unrelenting Big 10 schedule where he’s lost 4 of his last 5 matches. In spite of that, Poznanski is still 14-4 on the year and a returning All-American. Stefanik certainly isn’t an easy match for Poznanski and could even be an opportunity for Stefanik to cement himself as an All-American contender.
Friday at 7:00 pm on BTN+
#6 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) vs #21 Jarod Verkleeren (Virginia)
Bryce Andonian is one of the most dynamic wrestlers in the country but has only wrestled 7 matches on the year. Andonian is 6-1 with 5 wins coming by bonus points - 4 pins and 1 major decision. Verkleeren is a major underdog entering the match against Andonian on Friday night and is in major need of a win. While he is 16-7 on the year with numerous ranked wins, he’s lost his last three against Josh Finesilver, Tariq Wilson, and Zach Sherman.
Friday at 7:00 pm on ACC Network
#2 Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) vs #11 Kendall Coleman (Purdue)
Ryan Deakin is one of the best wrestlers in the country who hasn’t yet won an NCAA title. Deakin is 9-0 on the year and has a 4-0 college record against Kendall Coleman. Their most recent match came back in December at the CKLV where Deakin won by pin in the first period. However, Coleman has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career and if he’s wrestling his best, the match against Deakin could be highly competitive.
Saturday at 1:30 pm on BTN
Deakin’s win over Coleman from the 2021 CKLV:
#7 Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) vs #11 Devin Schroder (Purdue)
While Michael DeAugustino is ranked higher, Devin Schroder is 2-0 in his college career against DeAugustino. They last met 2 years ago at the 2020 Big 10 Tournament with Schroder winning 2-0. Their matchup on Saturday could be crucial for seeding at the upcoming Big 10 tournament and ultimately the NCAA Tournament.
Saturday at 1:30 pm on BTN
#4 Jacori Teemer (Arizona State) vs #10 Josh Humphreys (Lehigh)
Jacori Teemer and Josh Humphreys have been two of the best 157-pound wrestlers this season. They wrestled two years ago in a wild back-and-forth match. Ultimately, Teemer won the bout 8-6 after securing a reversal with just over 10 seconds left in the match. Should they meet on Saturday, expect a highly competitive bout decided by a takedown or less.
Saturday at 2:00 pm on Pac-12 Insider
#5 Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) vs #6 Jordan Wood (Lehigh)
Big man showdown! Cohlton Schultz is 15-0 on the year while Jordan Wood is 18-1 (his only loss Tony Cassioppi, 3-2). Schultz and Wood have never met in college but their results and wrestling styles suggest their match should be a lower-scoring, close bout. Because Wood has a loss to Cassioppi on the year, this match will serve as crucial to seeding at the NCAA Tournament.
Saturday at 2:00 pm on Pac-12 Insider
#12 Jaden Abas (Stanford) vs #17 Legend Lamer (Cal Poly)
Some might be surprised to find out Legend Lamer has a winning record in his college career against returning All-American Jaden Abas. On top of that, Lamer tech falled Abas back in November of 2019. Abas does hold the last win over Lamer - a 10-5 match from last year’s PAC 12 tournament. Their meeting on Saturday will tell us a great deal about who is wrestling their best heading into the postseason.
Saturday at 8:00 pm on Pac-12 Insider
#1 Evan Wick (Cal Poly) vs #2 Shane Griffith (Stanford)
Wick and Griffith met in the finals of the 2021 CKLV where Wick won in a controlling 6-2 match. In that match, Wick controlled every aspect of the bout securing two takedowns, an escape, and a riding time point. Their match on Saturday will tell us if Griffith’s made the proper adjustments or if Wick will prove to be a step ahead.
Saturday at 8:00 pm on Pac-12 Insider
#3 Vito Arujau (Cornell) vs #5 Eric Barnett (Wisconsin)
Wisconsin vs Cornell should be a great dual from start to finish. The dual will begin with one of the best matches of the night between All-Americans Vito Arujau and Eric Barnett. The two have never met in college but this match will tell us if Barnett is able to challenge the top-tier at 125 or if he’s still a rung behind the best in the country.
Sunday at 1:00 pm on BTN+
#1 Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) vs #4 Austin Gomez (Wisconsin)
Diakomiahlis and Gomez are two of the most exciting 149-pound wrestlers in the country and their match on Sunday should be highly entertaining. Diakomihalis should be a considerable favorite but Gomez has put together the best season of his career and is capable of pulling the upset.
Sunday at 1:00 pm on BTN+
#8 Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) vs #9 Julian Ramirez (Cornell)
Dean Hamiti has wrestled better than any true freshman this season with an 18-1 record and 16 wins by bonus points. With that in mind, Hamiti hasn’t yet defeated a top-ten opponent. Julian Ramirez will be a formidable opponent for Hamiti considering his win over defending national champion Shane Griffith.
Sunday at 1:00 pm on BTN+
#18 Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State) vs #22 Willie McDougald (Oklahoma)
Despite the loss to Murin last weekend, Gfeller has wrestled great this season with a 12-2 record on the year. Willie McDougald has been a huge addition to the Sooners lineup this season compiling a 16-3 record and is currently riding a 13 match winning streak. This match could influence the outcome of the Bedlam dual and tell us how close McDougald is to challenging for All-American honors.
Sunday at 3:00 pm on ESPN+
#14 Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State) vs #15 Justin Thomas (Oklahoma)
Wyatt Sheets and Justin Thomas have developed quite the rivalry in their college career. In their six meetings, they’ve won three matches apiece. In their match earlier this season, Sheets won a tight, 4-2 overtime bout. Expect their match on Sunday to be decided in a similar fashion.
Sunday at 3:00 pm on ESPN+
#7 Dresden Simon (Central Michigan) vs #14 Stevan Micic (Michigan)
Stevan Micic, a three-time All-American, has had an up-and-down return to folkstyle wrestling this season. Though Micic is ranked behind Simon, the Wolverine boasts two past wins over Simon - both by bonus points. Micic needs a top-10 win to get him back on track before the post-season.
Sunday at 2:00 pm on ESPN+