App State wrestling was back in action with back-to-back Southern Conference wins over Campbell University in Buies Creek and Bellarmine University in Boone Friday and Monday.
The successful weekend saw five wrestlers go undefeated over two dual meets, putting the team at 4-0 in conference play and moving them into first place in the SoCon.
The 29-12 win over Campbell marks revenge for the Black and Gold after the Camels won in Boone last year, forcing the two teams to share the 2024-25 regular season championship title.
A 30-6 win versus Bellarmine, which was 3-0 in the SoCon, allowed the Mountaineers to take a share of first place in the current conference standings. App State is currently tied with The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina as both teams are undefeated ahead of their matchup Sunday.
The Mountaineers produced the same starting lineup in both dual meets, and with the most important part of the season approaching, it could continue to be the same 10 wrestlers for the final month of play. The lineup features two ranked wrestlers in the new Coaches Poll in No. 30 149-pound redshirt junior Kaden Keiser and No. 23 184-pound redshirt sophomore Tomas Brooker.
Both sides of the first-year college wrestling experience were had by 125-pound freshman Cooper Foster, who was pinned by Campbell’s Colby Crouch in just 27 seconds before he beat Damion Ryan of Bellarmine 5-0. The two results moved Foster to 15-12 this season and 4-1 in his last 5 duals.
Redshirt freshman Jarvis Little made his 11th and 12th start at the 133-pound class, finishing 1-1 over the weekend. A 7-2 defeat at the hands of Campbell’s Logan Heil was his first in conference this season, but a close 4-2 win over the Knights’ Trayce Eckman looks to keep him at the top of the SoCon’s second-lightest weight class.
Making his 18th and 19th career starts in the 141-pound class, redshirt sophomore Aldo Hernandez followed the 1-1 trend of his lightweight teammates. His match against Bellarmine went into overtime tied at 1 before a takedown was scored by his opponent, leading to Hernandez’s second conference loss this season. His match versus Campbell saw him grab his first fall of the season with just 14 seconds left in the opening period.
Keiser was one of the five wrestlers to finish 2-0 against both conference foes. A 22-5 tech-fall against the Camels, followed by a first-period pin against the Knights’ Zac Cowan. The undefeated weekend moves Keiser to 7-1 since Jan. 1.
At 157-pounds, redshirt sophomore Jeremiah Price dropped a 7-2 decision against Kendrick Hodge from Campbell. Hodge is usually the backup at 165-pounds for the Camels.
A 7-0 opening match win over Bellarmine’s Jeb Prechtel gave Price his 20th overall win of the season.
Redshirt junior 165-pound Anthony Conetta picked up a tech-fall victory to kick off his weekend before a 10-5 loss against the Knights’ Noah Hall. Conetta moves to 21-8 in the season.
Freshman 174-pound Colt Campbell continues to turn heads to start the season. One of two true freshmen in the starting lineup, Colt Campbell finished the weekend 2-0 with a major decision and a close 5-4 victory. Colt Campbell heads into the final month of the season with a 4-0 conference record and wins over veteran SoCon wrestlers.
In the 184-pound weight class, Brooker finds himself at his highest he’s ever been during his comeback season. A No. 23 ranking, 19-8 overall record and the conference weight class running through him is the norm for a wrestler of his stature, and it showed this weekend, outscoring his opponents 30-4 in the two duals.
Redshirt sophomore Logan Eller continues to grow up night-in and night-out in front of App State fans’ eyes. He was the fourth Mountaineer to go 2-0 in the weekend with close wins in the 197-pound class, but his personal improvement on the mat is what gets coaches and teammates hyped up about him. He’s now 22-9 on the season.
The once fantastic freshman, now a superstar heavyweight sophomore, Stephan Monchery, continues to start slow but finishes strong every time he puts on the Black and Gold singlet. A 4-2 win over Sawyer Van Rider of Campbell firmly puts Monchery at the top of the SoCon in his class. He followed that big win with a 7-3 victory over the Knights’ heavyweight.
App State wrestling continues its season Sunday as the team welcomes The Citadel. The matchup is currently slated for 2 p.m. and can be streamed on FloSports.
