It all takes place at 7:00 PM ET in the historic Rec Hall on the Penn State University campus and is blogged here, for you, the wise and knowledgeable college wrestling fan.
2023 NWCA All-Star Classic
2023 NWCA All-Star Classic roster
- 116: #3 Sydney Petzinger, North Central (NCAA) vs. #2 Samara Chavez, King (NCAA)
- 130: #1 Sarah Savidge, Life (NAIA) vs. #2 Alexis Janiak, Aurora (NCAA)
- 136: #1 Adaugo Nwachukwu, William Penn (NAIA) vs. #1 Yele Aycock, North Central (NCAA)
- 160: #1 Marlynne Deede, Iowa (NCAA) vs. #1 Latifah McBryde, Life (NAIA)
- 125: #1 Anthony Noto, Lock Haven vs. #4 Matt Ramos, Purdue
- 133: #5 Sam Latona, Virginia Tech vs. Connor McGonagle, Lehigh
- 141: #3 Lachlan McNeil, North Carolina vs. #10 Josh Koderhandt, Navy
- 149: #2 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State vs. #3 Kyle Parco, Arizona State
- 157: #1 (DII) Nick Novak, St. Cloud State vs. #2 (DIII) Nolan Hertel, UW-LaCrosse
- 165: #4 Dean Hamiti, Wisconsin vs. #6 Izzak Olejnik, Oklahoma State
- 174: #1 Carter Starocci, Penn State vs. #2 Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech
- 184: #1 Parker Keckeisen, Northern Iowa vs. #2 Bernie Truax, Penn State
- 197: #1 Aaron Brooks, Penn State vs. #2 Tanner Sloan, South Dakota State
- 285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State vs. #2 Wyatt Hendrickson, Air Force
The most recently completed battles are displayed at the top of the page. So if you’re reading this after the dual and want to read it in chronological order, scroll to the bottom of the article and read it from bottom to top.
141: #3 Lachlan McNeil, North Carolina vs. #10 Josh Koderhandt, Navy
1st Period: Koderhandt was a late replacement for the event, but one of the brightest stars on a very strong Navy squad.
2nd period:
3rd period:
133: #5 Sam Latona, Virginia Tech vs. Connor McGonagle, Lehigh
1st third: McGonagle is only off the rankings because his teammate, redshirt freshman Ryan Crooham, was on fire and had already beaten then-No. 1 Vito Arujau this season. McGonagle was ranked 6th at the start of the season. Latona has a solid shot, but McGonagle timed it well, stopping it and running back for a big three-pointer after about 100 seconds of wrestling. Latona throws McGonagle’s legs out and slides free for an escape point. This is how the period ends, 3:1 for McGonagle.
2nd period: Latona wins the coin toss and chooses down. McGonagle throws legs in and again Latona throws them out and escapes. 3-2, 90 seconds left, McGonagle with 55 seconds to go. Latona gained ground, firing a few half shots while McGonagle kept him at bay. The period still ends 3-2.
3rd period: McGoangle’s decision and he defeats. Latona starts neutral, giving McGonagle another point. 4:2, but Latona is only just away from the lead. Latona hits a leg, he works his way up and gets a takedown to make it 5-4. McGonagle quickly made it 5:5. 30 seconds left. We have a match here! Can Latona maintain the momentum and end it in regulation time? No, we move on with the times.
Sudden Victory: Two minutes, first score wins. Latona is more active, but after a minute there are no committed shots or jumps. Latona fires a low shot, it has a leg. McGonagle grabs a far away ankle, they will be confused in short order. Latona grabs his knee. He could be injured. The whistle blew, no results. But Latona shakes it off. He will continue to wrestle. No points, so we go to the tiebreaker.
Tiebreaker 1: McGonagle is at the bottom. He is now standing in front of a switch. They crawl. Latona falls to one leg and takes a stall call. Reboot again for 12 seconds. McGonagle grambist, then hi heists, but McGoangle is in position for a reversal. He gets it! Can also get side blows. Not a nearfall, but 7-5, now McGonagle leads. However, Latona challenged and said it wasn’t a turnaround because Latona had one leg the whole time. However, the call still stands, so it’s still 7-5. Latona’s choice in the next tiebreaker.
Tiebreaker 2: Latona still limps slightly. He chooses neutrality. 30 seconds on the clock. Latona attacks, McGonagle stalls, his first warning. Latona dives in, but McGonagle stuffs him and chews up some clock. Latona can’t score in the final seconds and McGonagle wins! Kudos to Latona for pulling out of the friendly when he would have been legitimately talented due to injury. And we thank McGonagle for turning it around in overtime to secure the title. Great fight!
133: Connor Mcgonagle (Lehigh) DEC Sam Latona (Virginia Tech), 7-5 TB2
125: #1 Anthony Noto, Lock Haven vs. #4 Matt Ramos, Purdue
1st Period: This was a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup early in the season. Since then, Noto has moved up from No. 2 to No. 1 and Ramos has dropped a few spots from No. 1 to No. 4. Collar tie and a few half throws, but no score after a minute. Same offer after another minute. Tough melee combat, but not many targeted attacks. More scrum but no goal, so the score is 0-0 in the first period.
2nd period: Noto chooses down to start the second period. Noto is in a hurry. Ramos fires a shot and lands on Noto’s legs. He converts it into a three-pointer and it’s 3-1, now 3-2 as Noto escapes again. Quick reminder: Starting this year in college, takedowns are worth 3 points! Noto, now there’s a shot, there’s a scramble. 30 seconds left, still tedious. Noto builds up height, but Ramos manages to avoid the danger and keep the momentum going. There is no score as time is running out, so the score is 3-2, 31 seconds of riding time, which goes in Ramos’ favor.
3rd third: Ramos opts for neutral. Slow, tactical pace. No stable warnings for either wrestler. Just a minute. At 30, Noto hasn’t found a way through Ramos’ defense. There is a shot from Noto, Ramos catches him in a headlock. Noto tries to jump over and make something happen, but Ramos was ready for him and hits Noto on the back. He’ll score four nearfalls in the final seconds, bringing the score to 10-2 after that five-point move. New number one at 125?
125: Matt Ramos (Purdue) MD Anthony Noto (Lock Haven), 10-2
160: #1 Marlynne Deede, Iowa (NCAA) vs. #1 Latifah McBryde, Life (NAIA)
1st Period: Deede is the only Hawkeye here at the All-Star Classic. Both she and McBryde are ranked No. 1 by their respective college associates. McBryde has two sisters who are also currently on the life wrestling team. At the beginning of the quarter there is some heavy hand fighting, a headlock attempt from Deede doesn’t land, McBryde tries a suplex but it doesn’t land. They’re in a scramble, McBryde gets exposed, but Deede responds with a crotch lock and throws McBryde through for two more. The score is 2-2, with Deede leading by criteria. They wrestle to the edge of the mat, maybe throwing heads or glancing at McBryde, but she needs the trainer. She’s fine and they return to wrestling after McBryde gets a lead. The quarter ended 3-2 in Latifah’s favor.
2nd Period: McBryde gets ground, they’re at the edge of the mat, and Deede hips McBryde onto her back, and that’s for the Hawkeyes, who make it 6-3 with 90 seconds left in the game. Now Deede comes into view (accidentally) and we pause the action. Back to center. Deede defends and takes the opportunity to bring another downblock attacker to the ice and the margin of victory is 8-3. Deede is the first female wrestler from Iowa to win the NWCA All-Star Classic!
Marlynne Deede (Iowa) VPO1 Latifah Mcbryde (Life), 8-3
136: #1 Adaugo Nwachukwu, William Penn (NAIA) vs. #1 Yele Aycock, North Central (NCAA)
1st Period: Nwackukwu is the favorite as she has been able to hold her own and even beat some of the best seniors in the country at this weight. Both Adaugo and Yele are ranked number one in their respective college associations. Nwachukwu strikes first with a double leg. Aycock fends off the next attack. Nwachukwu keeps coming forward, throwing in an underhook and knocking Aycock to the ground for another takedown. 4-0 at halftime of the first half. Aycock shoots in but is stopped. With 30 seconds left in the period, Aycock shoots again, headbutting Nwachukwu for a takedown and she’s on the court. 4-2 Nwachukwu leads one period.
2nd period of the game: Nwachukwu immediately gets back to work after the final whistle. Double leg converted for Adaugo, who converted into a gut wrench that scored two more goals. At the start of the second period the score is 8:2. Aycock pushes in, Nwachukwu is pushed back to the boundary, she tries to punch over Aycock but Aycock just tips her onto her back for a four-pointer foot-to-back and it’s 8-6 as they go beyond boundaries. Nwachukwu challenges but loses. 8-7 and Yele is right back in this fight. A point would give Aycock the lead according to criteria. 90 seconds left. A single leg from Aycock, a scramble, Nwachukwu grabs a leg and manages to wrestle to a stalemate. Back to neutrality. Under a minute. 30 seconds. Simultaneous shots and Nwachukwu is behind Aycock, creating a huge two points for Adaugo in short order. One step out, two seconds left, and you can put it in the books. Great fight, 11-7 win for Adaugo Nwachukwu!
Adaugo Nwachukwu (William Penn) VPO1 Yele Aycock (North Central), 11-7
130: #1 Sarah Savidge, Life (NAIA) vs. #2 Alexis Janiak, Aurora (NCAA)
1st half: No wasted time in this game, a single leg from Janiak, a clean finish and a two point lead. Janiak has tied a shoelace. She takes Savidge for two more. Lots of space to work. Three more rounds with the leg tip and it’s 10-0 for Alexis Janiak of Illinois!
Aurora’s Alexis Janiak quickly defeated Sarah Savidge in their NWCA All-Star Classic showdown! pic.twitter.com/2arGOMpbLO
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) November 22, 2023
Alexis Janiak (Aurora) vs. SU Sarah Savidge (Life), 10-0 0:31
116: #3 Sydney Petzinger, North Central (NCAA) vs. #2 Samara Chavez, King (NCAA)
1st Period: We begin the 2023 edition of this historic event with the first of four women’s fights. For women it is held in freestyle. It’s back and forth for the first minute, then Chavez loads up and fires off a headlock hip toss and Perzinger goes back first to the mat. Petzinger fights back and finally manages a restart, Chavez leads 4-0. Chavez goes back to the headlock, but Petzginer stops the move, sticks her head out and then comes after it to force a takedown. Chavez responds with a great double takedown to make it 6-2. Another headlock misses Chavez and again Petzinger takes advantage of another takedown. Acton’s packed first period comes to an end with Chavez leading 6-4.
2nd period of the game: Petzinger goes on the offensive in this period of the game. Gets the tie she wants and takes a flight back. Chavez adjusts and pulls off another headlock, knocking Petzinger onto his back again. Chavez adjusts and squeezes and that’s all she wrote! Chavez by Pinfall!
King’s Samara Chavez managed a headlock not once, but TWICE to open the NWCA All-Star Classic!
Follow all the action LIVE on FloWrestling! pic.twitter.com/PfxujrvRSa
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) November 22, 2023
Samara Chavez (King) VFA Sydney Petzinger (North Central), 8-4 3:50
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