Falcon Wrestling Concludes Competitive App State Invite with 10 Placers

BOONE, N.C. – Air Force concluded the Mountaineer Invite with 10 placers across nine weight classes, Sunday afternoon, in Appalachian State's Varsity Gym. The field was comprised of seven programs from premier wrestling conferences, including the Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC, Big 12, MAC and Southern Conference.

Falcon senior Jake Thompson led Air Force with a second-place finish in the 184 class, winning two decision victories en route to the title bout where he fell to No. 14 Donnell Washington of Indiana.

Air Force had a strong showing in the 165 class as Jack Ganos and Jack Johnson finished third and fourth, respectively. Falcon sophomore Giano Petrucelli also battled to a third-place finish in the 157 class, registering a major decision and a fall en route to a decision win for third in the consolation bracket.

Sam Wolf, a sophomore 174-pounder out of Warsaw, New York, battled to a fourth-place finish after upending Gardener-Webb's 2021 NCAA qualifier, Rodrick Mosely, by decision.

AIR FORCE PLACERS
125, Quinn Melofchik, sixth-place
133, Sidney Flores, fourth-place
141, Cody Phippen, fifth-place
149, Dylan Martinez, fifth-place
157, Giano Petrucelli, third-place
165, Jack Ganos, third-place; Jack Johnson, fourth-place
174, Sam Wolf, fourth-place
184, Jake Thompson, second-place
197, Kayne Hutchison, sixth-place

"We're wrestling some of the top guys in the nation and we're putting it all out there," head coach Sam Barber said. "I'm proud of our guys, they represented the Academy with tenacity and grit. We didn't get all the results that we wanted, and the guys know that and they want to get better. They're bought in to the program, and that's where you want to be heading into a tough conference schedule. Improving."

On another front, a small contingent of Falcons went to work at the Colorado Mesa Open in Grand Junction, Colorado. Air Force junior Nick Krug led the way with a second-place finish in the 133 class. Teammates Bradley Bitting, Colton Woods, Garrett Bowers, and Andrew Wenzel finished third in their respective weight classes.

Colorado Mesa Open results can be viewed here.

Next up, Air Force opens up the dual slate against at Big 12 newcomer, Missouri, who is ranked fourth in the nation in dual meets. Action is slated for 7 p.m. CT in the Hearnes Center, Columbia, Missouri.

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