Friday's match between Virginia Tech (9-3) and North Carolina State, as both teams are on a six-game winning streak, have even conference records at 4-0, and have a total of 11 wrestlers in the top 13. A contention for the ACC Championship between the schools (15-2) could be a possibility. Gives new meaning to the word toss-up.
The rivalry resumes Friday night at 7 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh on the ACC Network. Tech, ranked No. 9, has 113 points in its last three games and won 16-14 last season, but trails 36-29-1 in the series. The fifth-ranked Wolfpack has wrestlers rated higher than the Hokies in six of their 10 games, but the gap is often narrow.
“They obviously have a great team and are very solid… There are very few holes, if any, in the lineup,” Virginia Tech coach Tony Roby said of State. “There's all kinds of torso games. They're slight favorites in a lot of places, and maybe their players are ranked a little higher than ours, and vice versa. But at the end of the day , I think there are some matches that could go either way.
“Like any dual competition, you have to win the toss-up match. The team that can win the toss-up match and the close match is going to win. We have to figure out a way to do that. It's a challenge. It's going to be, we understand that. They've got a great team, but we're excited about it. We're excited about the environment. We went there. I'm excited for the opportunity to compete and win the ACC title.”
If you're looking for highlight matches, don't wait to watch. If a match starts at 125, the first four matches in which Tech's wrestlers are listed first are #7 Cooper Flynn vs. #16 Jacob Camacho at 125 and #13 Sam Latona vs. #5 Kai Olin at 133. , vs. #13 Tom Crook vs. #4 Ryan Jack and #2 Caleb Henson vs. #4 Jackson Arrington.
The most common question is whether it will be a split or someone will step up early and take control.
“I feel good about where our team is right now heading into the homestretch of the season,” Roby said. “I think our guys have been wrestling pretty well for the most part. I think the lineup is coming together. We've been able to figure that part out.
“Get Cooper (Flynn) in there (at 125) and make him wrestle the way he’s ever wrestled, then put Tom Crook (at 141) in there and make him wrestle like he’s ever been. I think our team has become really good by letting them do that.''We've been solid throughout. ”
The lineup is not complete yet
Bryce Andonian, a 157-pound senior All-America, is healthy for the ACC Tournament in Chapel Hill on March 10, as Roby said. , it is unlikely that technology will go all out.
“Bryce is doing well,” Robbie said. “I think he'll be close to 100 percent by the time the ACC Championships roll around. He's been back on the mat the last few weeks. He's been able to hand fight, he's progressed to drilling. , and now they're doing some pretty intense sparring.
“I'm not saying it's the same as wrestling. It's hard to replicate that. But Bryce can push himself. His mentality helps in that way and Bryce's history The thing is, even if you take a little break or get injured from time to time, you usually come back stronger. So we're hoping this year will be the same.”
Roby also said that redshirt freshman TJ Stewart (5-2), who started against Pitt and beat then-No. 9 Reese Heller on penalty points for an abrupt win with 184 points, is doing well.
“He got a big win against Pitt last weekend, so I'm looking forward to seeing him compete again. And I think he's capable of great things,” Roby said.
Hokies on a Roll
Tech's winning streak includes convincing wins over Appalachian State, North Carolina, Virginia, Duke, George Mason and Pitt by an average score of 33-6.
Roby hopes to carry this momentum into Friday's trip.
“Obviously you want to get off to a good start,” he said. “Friday night it gets more difficult.”
