Can you believe it? Can you believe that we made it to the final day of NC2As already? I can scarcely believe it anyway. 

It's session five! This means we get one round of consi semis and then 7/8, 5/6 & 3/4 placement matches!

Today we have the quad laser configuration. pic.twitter.com/CJ6ozkCCTw

— Andrew Spey (@SpeyWrestle) March 19, 2022

It's also the session where some of the craziest results happen, as we are at the end of an insanely grueling season, and sometimes an insanely grueling collegiate career. 

More 2022 NCAA Match Notes: 1st Round | 2nd Round | Quarters | Semis | Medal Round | Finals

It's also a sentimental round, not quite at the hyper-emotional as the previous session, but you still see guys leave shoes on the mat. And for that reason, and because a certain segment of fans are "sleeping off" this round (not judging though!) this is considered the round for collegiate wrestling connoisseurs. 

To wrestle today you have to have earned All-American status. Everyone else's season (or career) ended yesterday or earlier. Here's a quick count of the podium placers. 

2022 NCAA Wrestling All-American count by conference, school, and state of graduated high school. pic.twitter.com/EZUpV9a3q4

— Andrew Spey (@SpeyWrestle) March 19, 2022

We start with the Consolation Semis. Winners wrestle for third, losers wrestle for fifth. 

125 Pounds

After a heartbreaking loss to Glory, Arujau must face the red hot, backside bracket buster, Pat McKee. Arujau with a slim 4-3 lead in the second. McKee finally loses a consolation round bout. 

DeAugustino, never a state champ in Florida, has last year's NCAA finalist Brian Courtney. SOlid work on top build an 8-4 lead for DeAuggy. DeAugustino wins by four. 

Results

125 Vitali Arujau, (Cornell) DEC Patrick Mckee, (Minnesota), 7-3

125 Michael Deaugustino, (Northwestern) DEC Brandon Courtney, (Arizona State), 10-6

133 Pounds

DeSanto will try to shake off yet another loss to RBY in the semis against another Big Ten rival, Lucas Byrd. DeSanto is winning the takedown battle and leads 6-3 thru 2 periods. DeSanto with a workmanlike 10-6 victory. 

Michael McGee, one of the few survivors of the Old Dominion program that was shuttered by cowardly administrators, defeated VTech's Korbin Myers. 

Results

133 Michael Mcgee, (Arizona State) DEC Korbin Myers, (Virginia Tech), 10-3

133 Austin Desanto, (Iowa) DEC Lucas Byrd, (Illinois), 10-6

141 Pounds

Not the finish Rivera wanted. He'll have his hands full again versus Real Woods. SeaBass jumps out to a 4-0 lead. Scracth that, the points came off and it's still 0-0. Now Rivera leads 3-1 going into the third. Rivera wins 3-2. 

Cole Matthews fell to Kizhan Clarke in the Tar Heel's Cinderella run. He'll need to chake that off against Grant Willits. Matthews gets the first takedown. 3-2 Matthews lead in the third. RT not a factor. Willits with a clutch TD and rideout to win 4-3.

Results

141 Grant Willits, (Oregon State) DEC Cole Matthews, (Pittsburgh), 4-3

141 Sebastian Rivera, (Rutgers) DEC Real Woods, (Stanford), 3-2

149 Pounds

Andonian of the ACC takes on the SoCon's sole All-American, Jonathan Millner. Andonian gets the first takedown. Millner ties it up 4-4. Andonian goes upper body (he's good at that) and gets a reversal. Andonian wins 9-4

Gomez and Sasso go at it again. Gomez won in the Big Ten finals 8-5. Sasso strikes first with a 1st period takedown and leads 3-1 in the second. Gomez takes the lead with a TD, leads 5-4. Gomez fneds off Sasso's comeback attempt.

Results

149 Bryce Andonian, (Virginia Tech) DEC Jonathan Millner, (Appalachian State), 9-4

149 Austin Gomez, (Wisconsin) DEC Sammy Sasso, (Ohio State), 6-5

157 Pounds

Peyton Robb gets the first takedown over the electric Jacori Teemer. Robb got the only takedown and leads 4-2 late. Teemer gets a late takedown to tie it but Robb has RT locked. Robb escapes and ties up Teemer for the win. Both wrestlers exhaust themselves and double carcass themselves (lay flat on their back after the match ends). The crowd showers them both with applause, as these are the types of performances the Saturday morning crowd came to see. 

Jordan Burroughs gets it. 

This is what every set of wrestlers should look like after a match. Leave it all out there! Bravo. 👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/J3kFNVZHOZ

— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) March 19, 2022

Carr trying to get the next best thing after losing early. He's got Will Lewan of Team 100. Carr has the only takedown, leads 3-1 after two. Carr wins and his drive for a third place medal is still alive. 

Results

157 Peyton Robb, (Nebraska) DEC Jacori Teemer, (Arizona State), 6-4

157 David Carr, (Iowa State) DEC Will Lewan, (Michigan), 6-3

165 Pounds

Cam Amine has the only true freshman in the All-American round, Dean Hamiti. Cam Amines Business takes a 4-1 leads in the second. Amine wins 7-5.

Marinelli has his nemsis, Evan Wick has his nemesis, Alex Marinelli, who's beaten him the last four times they've wrestled, but not since 2019. Wick gets the first takedown. Wick has Marinelli in a cradle. Wick leads 8-0 and takes top in the third. Marinelli never quits but Wick wins 9-4. 

Results

165 Cameron Amine, (Michigan) DEC Dean Hamiti, (Wisconsin), 6-4

165 Evan Wick, (California Poly) DEC Alex Marinelli, (Iowa), 10-4

174 Pounds

Plott and Hidlay face off as both respective programs are having rougher than expected tournaments. Hidlay is all over Plot, leading 5-0 in the second. Hidlay gets it done. It was never in much doubt. 

Kemerer and Mass step on the mat. There's a joke to be made about how old they are or when they graduated high school or whatever but I think we're all over those comments by now, yes? Time to just observe and appreciate the penultimate folkstyle match either will wrestle. Both warriors are leaving it all on the mat. it's tied 4-4 with a minute left in the third. They go to sudden victory and Kemerer gets the takedown, giving the many Iowa fans something to cheer about. Which they do, loudly. 

Results

174 Michael Kemerer, (Iowa) DEC Logan Massa, (Michigan), 6-4 SV

174 Hayden Hidlay, (NC State) DEC Dustin Plott, (Oklahoma State), 8-2

184 Pounds

Parker Keckeisen represents 184 Pound U while Trent Hidlay will try and capture third after dropping a heartbreaking semifinal to his nemesis Aaron Brooks. Keck gets the first takedown. Now tied up in the second, 3-3. I'ts 5-5 in the third. Keck with a low double, Hilday hits the table. No takedown but Coach Schwab wants a review. No TD. Sudden victory. Tiebreakers. Keckesisen got a reversal at the buzzer in the first period. Hidlay choose neutral. Couldn't get a takedown. Keckeisen will wrestle or third. 

Truax and Romero faceoff. Truax gets the first takedown. Truax will wrestle for third.

Results

184 Parker Keckeisen, (Northern Iowa) DEC Trent Hidlay, (NC State), 7-5 TB1

184 Bernie Truax, (California Poly) DEC Kaleb Romero, (Ohio State), 3-1

197 Pounds

Yonger Bastida gets the first takedown over Stephen Buchanan but Buchanan takes the lead later in the first. Buchanan now leads 4-2 to start the third. Bastida throws Buchanan into the scorer's table but no points are earned. 

Rocky Elam leaads Gavin Hoffman 2-0. 2-2 now in the second. Elam wins by a point, 3-2.

Results

197 Stephen Buchanan, (Wyoming) DEC Yonger Bastida, (Iowa State), 4-3

197 Rocky Elam, (Missouri) DEC Gavin Hoffman, (Ohio State), 3-2

285 Pounds

Jordan Wood ahs Lucas Davison. Woods gets the first breakdown, but now its 3-3 after 3 minutes. Good big man scrambles, its 4-3 in the second. Wood gets a takedown, Davison a quick escape, 5-5. Wood will be on bottom to start the third, RT not a factor. Wood escapes, RT still not a factor. Wood does have a stall warning tho. Wood ices it with a takedown. Altho not quite as Davison escaped and was in on a leg but Wood prevails, 8-7 and will wrestle or third. 

Last match of the consi semis, Parris and Kerkvliet. We've seen different versions of both wrestlers in the last two postseasons. This one could go either way. And it looks like we're getting 2022 postseason versions of both, as Kerkvliet takes a 5-1 lead into the 3rd. The sizable PSU contingent stand up and cheer. 

Results

285 Jordan Wood, (Lehigh) DEC Lucas Davison, (Northwestern), 8-7

285 Greg Kerkvliet, (Penn State) DEC Mason Parris, (Michigan), 6-1

Medal Matches

125 Pounds

3rd: Vito vs DeAugustino - Vito repped Cornell, the Ivy League and the EIWA, strikes first, leads 2-0. Escape and another takedown to make it 4-1. Arujau extends his leads to 7-1. Vito bounces back from his semifinal loss to win 2 straight and claim third.

5th: McKee vs Courtney - Slideby for Minnesota's McKee. Now 4-2. Some good flurries but McKee keeping Courtney at bay. McKee the Road Warrior, lost his first match in Detroit, then peeled off 6 of 7 backside wins to place fifth. 

7th: Barnett vs Kaylor - BK with the first TD. Two takedowns to three escapes and Kaylor leads 4-3. But Barnett flips the script, cradles Kaylor and gets the pit!

Results

3rd Vito Arujau, (Cornell) MD Michael DeAugustino, (Northwestern), 10-2

5th Patrick McKee, (Minnesota) DEC Brandon Courtney, (Arizona State), 8-3

7th Eric Barnett, (Wisconsin) F Brandon Kaylor, (Oregon State), 4:44

133 Pounds

3rd: DeSanto fires off a quick shot and takes down McGee for the early lead. DeSanto winning the takedown battle 2-0 and the RT battle 1:35 to 0 and on points 5-1. McGee made it interesting, pulling to within 2 late in the third, but DeSanto had riding time locked and prevails 7-4. Incredible career, started at Drexel, completed at Iowa, creating innumerable memes and memories along the way. He gets a standing O from the Hawkeye faithful.

5th: Myers in his last match of a stories career taking on Lucas Byrd, who, like McKee, lost in the first round of the tournament but has road warrior'ed his way to the 5th place match. Byrd secures the first takedown. Myers takes neutral in the second and evens the score before Byrd escapes to reclaim the lead, 3-2. They're in a scramble, Byrd pounces on a head and arm, whips Myers over and collects the fall!

7th: Devan Turner drops Cannon on his rear for the first takedown. Cannon escapes to make it 2-1. Cannon responds with a takedown of his own to take the lead. Several stoppages for blood time but now we're wrestling int he third period, Cannon with a 5-4 lead, RT not a factor. Short time, just a few seconds, Turner on a single, Cannon defends, places 7th! May have hurt his knee though. Ouch. Luckily he's got time to rest it, but man, getting hurt on the last sequence of the entire season. Tough sport for tough dudes!

Results

3rd Austin Desanto, (Iowa) DEC Michael Mcgee, (Arizona State), 7-4

5th Lucas Byrd, (Illinois) F Korbin Myers, (Virginia Tech), 6:59

7th Chris Cannon, (Northwestern) DEC Devan Turner, (Oregon State), 5-4

141 Pounds

3rd: SeaBass has Grant Willits in his quest for the next best thing after getting upset by Cole Matthews in the quarters. Rivera gets the first takedown, almost has another in the second but then widens the gap in the third. It's 5-2 in the final period of regulation. Rivera takes third for Rutgers and all of New Jersey.

5th: Matthews trying to avoid the dreaded semi-slide, having dropped his last two matches after winning in the quarterfinals. Woods jumps out to a quick 2-0 lead, now 2-1. And a brilliantly timed feet to back puts Woods in trouble. Matthews with 2 and 4 nearfall. Woods fights off his back but is in a 7-2 hole now. Second period Matthews starts on bottom. Woods with an impressive rideout in the second. Still trails by 5 but has over a minute of RT. Woods escapes in the third, but RT has been ground down under a minute. 7-3 Matthews. Woods attacks but the Pitt Panther defends and thanks to his big move in the first, wins to claim 5th place. 

7th: Bergeland is all over Composto off the whistle, leads 2-0. Composto is the first All-American during Coach Reina's second stint as head coach of UPenn. Escape in the second and its' 3-0, 2:47 of RT for Bergeland. The Gopher starts pouring it on with nearfall, 9-0 now in the third. 

Results

3rd Sebastian Rivera, (Rutgers) DEC Grant Willits, (Oregon State), 6-5

5th Cole Matthews, (Pittsburgh) DEC Real Woods, (Stanford), 7-3

7th Jake Bergeland, (Minnesota) MD CJ Composto, (Penn), 10-0

149 Pounds

3rd: Great bout. Gomez vs Andoian round II. Gomez going big, but so is Andonian. That's why we love these two. Gomez a great story as he was retired due to injury after taking a concussion at Iowa State, now healthy and cleared to wrestle and making the most of it at Wisconsin. High flying action but no points until late in the first when Andonian gets a takedown. Escape for Andonian, Gomez answers with a takedown, 3-2 Ando leads. Escape and takedown in short time and Andonian runs it up to 6-2. Into the third, Gomez chooses neutral. Takedown Gomez, escape Ando, 7-4, 30 seconds to go. They go back and forth in short time, but Andonian prevails for the second time this tournament. 

5th: Slammin Sammy Sasso taking on the SoCon's sole AA, Millner of App State. No scores in the first. Sasso with the first takedown, Millner escapes and returns the favor to make it 3-2. Sasso escapes with just a couple seconds left in the period, tied 3-3, RT at 0:57 for Millner. Millner escapes in the third, leads 4-3, Sasso needs a takedown. He gets it, now he needs a ride out. He'll do it to finish fifth! Great career for two-time All-American Millner. 

7th: Tariq, perhaps surprisingly, wrestling for 7th against Parco, wrestling for Trophy Hunting Arizona State. Two nearfall plus four nearfall makes it 8-0. Tariq makes it official 13-2. Stupendous career for the Wolfpacker from Steubenville, Ohio. 

Results

3rd Bryce Andonian, (Virginia Tech) DEC Austin Gomez, (Wisconsin), 10-6

5th Sammy Sasso, (Ohio State) DEC Jonathan Millner, (Appalachian State), 5-4

7th Tariq Wilson, (NC State) MD Kyle Parco, (Arizona State), 14-2

157 Pounds

3rd: Carr and Robb in a monster matchup of wrestlers with four letters in their last name, the two of which are repeats. Carr scores first and proceeds to put on a tough ride, figuring four the right leg of Robb and gluing him to the mat. Carr rides out the first. Robb escapes in the second but there are no more scores. Carr escapes in the third, then takes Robb down and is in firm command of the match at this point. It's official, Carr bounces back after a 2nd round loss to battle back for third!

5th: Lewan and Teemer faceoff in a class of style, tactical and electric. Score is tied in the middle of the second, but Teemer scored the only takedown, while Lewan has two escapes. Teemer chooses neutral in the 3rd, score still 2-2, RT not a factor. To sudden victory. Low shot off the whistle by Lewan, no score. Lewan slips out of a single leg attack from Teemer. One minute left of SV. Lewan goes up upper body, Chest lock and BIG mat return! Lewan takes it in overtime to the delight of the Team 100 and the Wolverine fans!

7th: Hunter Willits takes seventh as Austin O'Connor medically forfeit from the tournament after winning in the bloodround. Great tournaments by both wrestlers. O'Connor persevered through injuries and a first-round loss to Citadel's Casto. Willits took out the number one seed and returning champ David Carr in the second round as the #17 seed. 

Results

3rd David Carr, (Iowa State) DEC Peyton Robb, (Nebraska), 7-2

5th Will Lewan, (Michigan) DEC Jacori Teemer, (Arizona State), 4-2 SV

7th Hunter Willits, (Oregon State) DEF Austin O'connor, (North Carolina)

165 Pounds

3rd: Wick comes close to a takedown in the first, instead runs Amine out of bounds, who picks up a stall call, which is a penalty point for Wick? Need to review the rulebook on that one. Anyway, period ends, 1-0 Wick. Amine take neutral in the second and scores a takedown and gains the lead. Wick escapes and the period ends 2-2, RT not a factor. Wick takes bottom int he final stanza of regulation, escapes and regains the lead 3-2. Amine in on a shot, 25 seconds to go. Wick sitting the corner. No score. And Wick finishes his career with another 3rd palce finish! Should also be noted that Amine wrestled out of his mind to place fourth. Excellent tournament for both, as this weight class was stacked. 

5th: Alex Marinelli gets a standing ovation as he places fifth due to a medical forfeit to Dean Hamiti. As snakebitten at NCAAs as they come, Marinelli caps off an incredible career as a Hawkeye nonetheless. This is also shockingly the highest placement of his four trips to the tournament. 

7th: Kharchla is battling through one of the gnarliest shiners I've ever seen. Hall is a placer as a true freshman after reaching the bloodround in 2021. A key component of Coach Flynn's rebuild at West Virginia. No scores after the first. Escape in the second for Hall. Kharchla reverses in the third to make it 2-1.  Kharckla putting a ride on, keeps Hall down for over a minute. 37 seconds left in the third. RT over a minute for Kharchla. 14 seconds left on the restart. Hall needs a reversal or a quick escape and TD. Hall's out with 7 seconds to go. Kharchla defends. The Buckeyes have a 7th placer! 

Results

3rd Evan Wick, (California Poly) DEC Cameron Amine, (Michigan), 3-2

5th Alex Marinelli, (Iowa) FOR Dean Hamiti, (Wisconsin)

7th Carson Kharchla, (Ohio State) DEC Peyton Hall, (West Virginia), 3-2

174 Pounds

3rd: Kemerer and Hidlay in an All-Star third-place bout. KemDaughg gets their first TD off a well-timed double. Hidlay esacpes, has an over under and he throws Kem on to his back! He'll get two and two to take a 5-2 lead.  Hidlay with another takedown and it's now 8-3 in the third. Hidlay pours it on late, winning 12-4. It's a major decision! Hidlay is a four-time All-American. Kemerer is a four-time All-American. Just an insane number of miles, matches and achievements for both of these studs. 

5th: Massa in his last match against the sophomore Plott of Oklahoma State. Tactical 0-0 first. Plott escapes in the second to break the goose off the scoreboard. Well timed double in short time gives Massa the 2-1 lead going into the third. Massa reverses Plott to make it 4-1. Massa gonna rideout the final period of his collegiate career. He wins in dominant fashion to finish fifth, his third trip to the podium. Standing O from the Michigan faithful, and well deserved if I may add. 

7th: Labriola and Lautt battled for seventh. Scoreless first. Lautt escapes in the second for the first point. No more points in the period, Labs is down to start the third. Labriola escapes, then takes Lautt down to lead 3-1. Labriola makes it official winning 3-2. 

Results

3rd Hayden Hidlay, (NC State) MD Michael Kemerer, (Iowa), 12-4

5th Logan Massa, (Michigan) DEC Dustin Plott, (Oklahoma State), 5-1

7th Mikey Labriola, (Nebraska) DEC Clay Lautt, (North Carolina), 3-2

184 Pounds

3rd: Truax trying to give Cal Poly their second 3rd placer. Keckeisen repping UNI aka 184-Pound U. Truax leads 2-1 early in the first. Keck escapes in the third 2-2 now in the second. Keckeisen scores a takedown to take his first lead. Now 4-3. We're in the third, 4-4 is the score, RT not a factor. Keckeisen with a perfectly timed takedown and he will hold on to win 6-4. That was slick. And Keckeisen is now a two-time third placer in two trips to the NCAAs. 184-Pound U is in good hands for the next two years. 

5th: Hidlay with an early takedown on Romero, trying to finish the season with a win like his older but smaller brother Hayden. Hidlay gets a takedown in the first. Now leads 3-1 in the second. We go to the third. Romero starts the third on bottom, trailing by 2. Romero escapes, goes on the offensive. Hidlay keeps him at bay and it's a 5th place finish for Trent. Both Hidlay bros walk off the floor today as winners. 

7th: #11 seed Loew and #8 seed Coleman faceoff. Coleman leads 2-1 after 3 minutes. 2-2 after a Loew escape. Coleman another takedown, lead 4-2. Coleman takes down in the third, escapes to lead 5-2 and has 1:26 of RT. Coleman pulling away, 7-2 late in the third. Wins it 8-2. 

Results

3rd Parker Keckeisen, (Northern Iowa) DEC Bernie Truax, (California Poly), 6-4

5th Trent Hidlay, (NC State) DEC Kaleb Romero, (Ohio State), 3-2

7th Marcus Coleman, (Iowa State) DEC Jonathan Loew , (Cornell), 8-3

197 Pounds

3rd: Just 16 bouts left this season! Buchanan vs Elam is one of them! Scoreless first. Nothing but an escape for Buchanan in the second. RT not a factor. Elam chose neutral. Final 30 seconds, still 1-0. Elam on a single leg, Buchanan sprawls. Elam can't break through and Stephen Buchanan takes third in a wild and crowded 197-pound field. 

5th: Bastida gets the lowest seed to place, #21 Gavin Hoffman. Hunter Willits at #17 was the second lowest seed. Bastida, a Cyclone by way of Cuba, goes feet to back on Hoffman. He's got a lot of time to work for the fall. And there it is! And a backflip! A crowd-pleaser for Iowa State. And a great tournament by Hoffman, despite the semi-slide. 

7th: Schultz and Bulsak are both first time All-Americans in their fourth and final NCAA tournament. Schultz in on a shot, Bulsak defends. In the second, Schultz took neutral, then finally does get the takedown and is now riding in the second, still with a 2-0 lead. Bulsak escapes before RT hit a minute for Schultz. Bulsak chooses down. He escapes, but RT is at 1:23 for Schultz. 30 seconds to go. Schultz holds on to win 3-2. Very evenly matched wrestlers both finally climb the podium. 

Results

3rd Stephen Buchanan, (Wyoming) DEC Rocky Elam, (Missouri), 1-0

5th Yonger Bastida, (Iowa State) F Gavin Hoffman, (Ohio State), 2:29

7th Eric Schultz, (Nebraska) DEC Greg Bulsak, (Rutgers), 3-2

285 Pounds

3rd: Greg Kerkvliet forfeits to five-time conference champ Jordan Wood who finishes his career with his highest placement ever. Kerkvliet looked good earlier this morning so not sure what happened but hopefully he is okay. Also, spoiler alert, PSU has the team title already locked up. 

In any event, cheers to the most accomplished Lehigh heavyweight since Zach Rey!

5th: Mason Parris charges right after Lucas Davison and scores the first points. Davison escapes to make it 2-1, and that's all the action in the first. Now 4-1 in the second but there's a challenge from Northwestern. No change in scores so no idea what the challenge was. Back to the action. Davison escapes, then gets a double on Parris in short time to tie it up. Clutch takedown from the Wildcat. Parris takes bottom. Davison gets riding time under a minute but Parris escapes to take the lead. Then gets a takedown to pull away. 30 seconds to go, 7-4 lead, RT back over a minute. 8-5 is the official final. And that was the find bout of the evening.

7th: A tactical, scoreless first period between more Big Tenners Christian lance and Tony Cassioppi. In the second, Tony rides for at least 90 seconds and has Lance on his tummy. Full second period ride out. Cassioppi chooses down in the third and is out almost immediately. That's all there is to that bout and Cassioppi take seventh with a 2-0 victory. Good for Lance getting on the podium. Started his career at DII Fort Hays State in Kansas and is now a D1 All-American.  

Results

3rd Jordan Wood, (Lehigh) M FOR Greg Kerkvliet, (Penn State)

5th Mason Parris, (Michigan) DEC Lucas Davison, (Northwestern), 8-5

7th Tony Cassioppi, (Iowa) DEC Christian Lance, (Nebraska), 2-0

Just ten more matches left in the season. This tournament also go by so fast. Time to eat, recharge, and get ready for the most-watched round of wrestling on planet earth!

Sorry for the typos, too hype to stop and correct them. See you in the evening!