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2022 NWCA All-Star Classic

Match Notes: 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic

Match Notes: 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic

All the action from Austin and the 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic, the college wrestling event of the year!

Nov 22, 2022 by Andrew Spey
Match Notes: 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic

It's back! An all-star slate of epic proportions! 15 matchs in total, 11 men's and four women's bouts will be held today in Austin, TX. Check back here early and often for updates in real-time!

2022 NWCA All-Star Classic


First whistle is scheduled for 8:00PM eastern! Below is the bout order:

125: Pat McKee (Minnesota) vs Kysen Terukina (Iowa State)

133: Lucas Byrd (Illinois) vs Michael McGee (Arizona State)

157: Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) vs Will Lewan (Michigan)

197: Jacob Warner (Iowa) vs Rocky Elam (Missouri)

285: Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa) vs Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)

191: Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley) vs Sydnee Kimber (McKendree)

170: Yelena Makoyed (North Central) vs Jessie Lee (Life)

184: Aaron Brooks (Penn State) vs Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)

141: Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) vs Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado)

143: Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) vs Alara Boyd (McKendree)

109: Peyton Prussin (Life) vs Emily Shilson (Augsburg)

165: David Carr (Iowa State) vs Quincy Monday (Princeton)

165: Dean Hamiti Jr. (Wisconsin) vs Keegan O'Toole (Missouri)

149: Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) vs Austin Gomez (Wisconsin)

174: Carter Starocci (Penn State) vs Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)

It's nearly time! Blogging perch secured. I'm flanked by the great Mark Bader to my left and the inimitable Shane Sparks to my right!

125: #3 Pat McKee (Minnesota) vs #12 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State)

1st period: These guys are used to being the first match of an event. Terukina repping Iowa State by way of Hawaii, McKee is a local Minnesota product. Good action but no scores after a minute. Terkuina shoots a sweep single but a strong chest wrap from McKee defends. Still no scores. 1 minute left in the period. Another shot by Terukina, he's in deep but McKee head cartwheels over and scores the takedown. Impressive counter by Pat. Solid ride by McKee, Terukina keep pretty close to the mat for the final minute and McKee has a 2-0 leads and 55 seconds of riding time at the break

2nd period: McKee chooses bottom. He stands and is out after about 15 seconds. A couple shots from Terukina, reattack by McKee. Knee pick straight to the back. McKee pounces on the head. Terukina may have though they were going out of bounds but McKee drags his toe. Readjust, barely in bounds still, and there's the fall! Pat McKee wins the first All-Star Classic bout since 2018 via pinfall!

133: #4 Michael McGee (Arizona State) vs #5 Lucas Byrd (Illinois) 

1st period: McGee comes out in a Sunkist Kids freestyle singlet. Byrd is wearing the traditional Illinois singlet featuring a Block I. All of which is allowed, as these matches are exhibitions. It's also why they're wearing red and blue ankle bands rather than red and green. No scores half way through the 1st period. Byrd with the first penetrating attack with about a minute left. And he converts for two, McGee tried to roll through but Byrd had the move sniffed out. McGee escapes after 28 seconds of RT. 2-1 Byrd leads at the break. 

2nd period: Byrd chooses down. Builds to a quad-pod. And Byrd's out while preserving 3 seconds of RT in his favor. 3-1 leads for Illinois. Another good shot from Byrd, he's got a leg, McGee goes over the top, grabs some angles, no a crotch lock. There's a scramble. McGee is close. No score! Time expired, and Mark Perry, in the corner for McGee, throws the challenge brick. Thorough review, and call is confirmed. No takedown, still 3-1 Bryd. 

3rd period: McGee underneath and a stand to a granby and and McGee is out in about 10 seconds. 3-2 now, RT not a factor. Final minute of regulation, still on our feet. No stall calls on either wrestler. McGee furiously attacking. Byrd doesn't let him get close, and Byrd takes it 3-2!

157: #2 Will Lewan (Michigan) vs #4 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech)

1st period: Andonian is appointment viewing and Lewan is as tough as they come. Should be a fun one, although, duh, they all should be. No scores after a minute. Andonian coils up and unleashes a deep double but Lewan pulls him up with overhooks and stops the attack. No scores as we get to short time. And a perfectly timed double by Lewan scores with just 6 seconds left in the period. 2-0 as we go to the break. 

2nd period: Lewan starts underneath, and he's out in 6 seconds so RT clock reads triple zero and Lewan has a 3-0 lead. Another double by Lewan but Andonian stops him. Bryce slaps on an over-under bodylock. Lewan fights out of it. Good flurry in short time but no scores. Another flurry as the clock hits zero, still 3-0 Lewan.

3rd period: Andonian with a turn on bottom. He's out quickly, 3-1. RT not a factor. Lewan not afraid to go upper body. Some good flurries but still 3-1 with a minute to go in regulation. Andonian picks up the pace but Lewan won't let him lock anything up tight. Time expires and Will Lewan wins 3-1!

197: #2 Jacob Warner (Iowa) vs #4 Rocky Elam (Missouri)

1st period: Our first of two back-to-back bouts featuring Hawkeyes. Warner was an NCAA runnerup last season and a three-time All-American. Elam is a two-time All-American. This is the first collegiate meeting between the two of them. Warner walks out to 'Fat Bottom Girls', Elam appropriately comes out to the Rocky theme song. Elam his a single early and he scores quickly. Warner out quickly, Elam leads 2-1. Collar ties and hand fighting, not a lot of level changes over the next 90 seconds. The period ends with no more scores, still 2-1 Missouri. 

2nd period: Elam on bottom. False start and caution on Rocky. Clean start, Warner lifts and returns. Takes a few tries but Elam is out after about 30 seconds. Elam in on a shot. Stalemated with 44 seconds on the clock, 3-1 Elam. We break for blood, looks like it's coming from Elam. We're back in business. No scores to close out the period, still 3-1 Elam, RT not a factor.

3rd period: Warner starts on bottom. He sits and is out in 4 seconds. Great exchange, attack by Elam, reattack by Warner, both almost scores. Another attack by Elam, he's got a leg, he's chewing up clock, and the takedown at the edge. 5-2 Elam now and he's got a 3 point lead with 52 seconds to go on the restart. Warner with a switch off the whistle, and cuts him immediately. Shot by Elam, he leads 6-4 and wants to use up this clock. Warner counters and the Iowan ties it up! 6-6, Warner on a leg, he gets hit with a stall call but it's worth it because the period expires and we're going to overtime!

Sudden Victory: Warner pressuring in. Elam drops underneath and converts for the win! 8-6, and a statement win for thr Missouri Tiger. He'll likely move up to #2 in the nation after that victory. 

285: #2 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) vs #4 Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa) 

1st period: Another big one, figuratively and literally. The battle starts as heavyweight bouts often do, a lot of handfighting. 90 seconds no scores. Straight on low double by Kerkvliet and Cassioppi goes down to the mat. Clean conversion for Kerkvliet. Kerk throws a leg in on the left side. Rides for 40 seconds, 35 left in the period. Cass throws the leg out, stands and is out with 15 seconds left in the period. Kerk leads 2-1 with exactly 1 minute of RT.

2nd period: Kerkvliet chooses bottom. Cass riding tough but Kerk stands and peels hands for the escape while preserving 33 seconds of riding time. Cassioppi shoots Kerkvliet out of bounds and there's a stall call on Kerkvliet. And Kerk responds with another low double and that's another takedown to make it 5-1. Kerkvliet throws in another leg, Cassioppi scrambling underneath. And with just a few seconds to go he gets a reversal. That was big for Cassioppi. Riding time still over a minute but the leads is just two as its 5-3 going to the third. 

3rd period: Cassioopi elects to go underneath again. Cassioppi working for the escape, finally gets it after a minute. Riding time point locked up, 5-4 Penn State with under a minute to go. Shot by Cass, he's got a leg. He's close! But the defense by Kerk is too strong, he gets a go behind as Cassioppi looks like he put everything he had into trying to get that takedown. He escapes for an extra point but that's all he can muster. With the RT point its a 8-5 victory for Kerkvliet. Great heavyweight bout!

191: Kelani Corbett (Missouri Valley) vs Sydnee Kimber (McKendree)

1st period: We're wrestling freestyle for these women's matches. Quick takedown for Kimber and she leads 2-0. Kimber in on another shot, good defense from Corbett but Kimber won't be denied. 4-0 lead for McKendree, a powerhouse women's DII program in Illinois. Corbett repping the NAIA and is ranked #1 in the coaches' poll. And 4-0 is still the score at the halfway mark.

2nd period: Corbett looking for her offense, Kimber making her stay on her defense. More shots from Kimber, but the last attack was stalemated. Another stalemate, 2 minutes left in the match. Kimber continues to attack. She hasn't scored but she's eating up a lot of clock. 1 minute to go. Another shot by Kimber, and she converts that won and finished the match on top. Sydnee Kimber with the 6-0 victory!

170: Yelena Makoyed (North Central) vs Jessie Lee (Life)

1st period: Makoyed wrestling out of NCC, a DIII wrestling power located outside of Chicago. Lee repping Life U, an NAIA school near Atlanta. Single leg right off the whistle, runs the pike and there's a quick two. Power half by Makoyed but Lee doesn't turn. Makoyed getting time to work and now she gets an exposure. Lee eventually bellies out and we restart. 4-0 after 90 seconds. Another single and takedown for Makoyed. Two more turns on a gut wrench and that's it! 10-0 tech fall, masterful performance from Yelena Makoyed!

184: #1 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) vs #2 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)

1st period: Number 1 vs number 2. Hard to do better than that! And the fur is flying right off the whistle. Good flurry, no scores. On the next attack Brooks converts cleanly on a double leg. Keckeisen escapes quickly. 2-1. Brooks with the snaps and picks causing Keckeisen to react. Brooks doesn't let off the gas, fights through Keckeisen's defenses and there' another takedown. 4-1 after two minutes. Keckeisen has to work for it but he gets another escape. RT stops at 50 seconds. 4-2 asthe period runs out. 

2nd period: Keckseisen chooses down. Escapes before riding time hits a minute to make it 4-3. Brooks changes that with a beautiful ankle pick to make it 6-3. Now Keckeisen needs more than a quick escape, although he does get out to make it 6-4. 1 minute to go in the second. Keckeisen attacking but it's a reattack by Brooks that scores. 8-5 after the escape. Period ends. 

3rd period: Brooks gets to try out bottom, and he's out to make it 9-5 Penn State. Add another takedown, that's five, and it's 11-5. Brooks cuts Keckeisen who isn't going down without a fight. Riding time locked up. Keck keeps going. And he gets a takedown to ensure it's just a regular decision. Final scores though, an impressive 12-8 victory for Aaron Brooks, who looks every bit the #1 wrestler in the NCAA. 

141: #1 Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) vs #4 Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado)

1st period: Alirez a late replacement for the match and good on him for agreeing to take on the #1 wrestler in the nation on short notice. Matthews is a Primanti Brothers sponsored athlete, an excellent chain of restaurants in the Pittsburgh metro area. Heavy hands to start the bout, where you can hear the impact. A few flurries but no scores after two minutes. Good action but no scores or stall warnings going into the second.

2nd period: Alirez is on bottom, he stands and reverses in about 1 second, for real. That was explosive. Matthews is out in about 2 seconds and it's 2-1 Alirez in the lead. Simultaneous shots, no score. Another shot by Alirez and now a stall warning on Matthews. Alirez shoots again, he's in deep, Matthews over the top, grabs ankles, a scramble but no more scores. 

3rd period: Matthews starts the third on bottom, he's out quickly and it's 2-2. Shots from space from both guys. Still tied with just under a minute. Hands to the face call, one point Matthews. Coach Nickerson wants to challenge. That's a tough call at this point in the match but I didn't get a good look at the action in real time. And the call is reversed. Makes sense, good challenge. Shot by Alirez, on a single leg, Matthews has good defense here and a rubber knee. No score as time expires. Let's keep wrestling!

Sudden victory: Shot by Alirez, Matthews defends and nearly gets a go behind. Good flurry. No takedowns for either wrestler, one reversal for Alirez, two escapes for Matthews. Another shot by Alirez, and there it is! Takedown for Alirez in overtime over the #1 ranked Cole Matthews! Northern Colorado likely getting a top ranked wrestler by next week. 

143: Adaugo Nwachukwu (Iowa Wesleyan) vs Alara Boyd (McKendree)

1st period: Another two women's freestyle bouts on the slate. Both Boyd and Nwachukwu have UWW age level world team experience. Boyd has made four teams and has two U17 medals. Nwachukwu made the 2022 U20 team and earned a bronze medal. Nwachukwu strikes first with an early takedown. 2-0 now half way through the period. Boyd the second McKendree wrestler on the card, trying to replicate her teammate's Sydnee Kimber's win from earlier tonight. Nwachukwu has other idea though, as she shoots Boyd off the mat for another point, and leads 3-0. Boyd with an underhook, trying to gain the momentum. Nwachukwu pressuring again, on the edge, nearly another takedown similar to the first but time runs out and we get white paddles from the refs.

2nd period: Nwachukwu underhooks and drives Boyd to the edge again, they tumble to the mat, the whistle says two but the table judge and chairperson say just one, so Nwachukwu leads 4-0. Two minutes to go in the match. Low shot by Nwachukwu, Boyd reattacks but Nwachukwu throws Boyd by and collects the takedown. 6-0 now the lead. One minute left. Nwachukwu pushing for the tech but she's not going to get it. But Adaugo does shut out Boyd to win 6-0! Iowa Wesleyan has a good one in Nwachukwu!

109: Peyton Prussin (Life) vs Emily Shilson (Augsburg)

1st period: Life University's second competitor tonight takes on one of the most credentialed women's wrestler in the nation. Shilson has won a UWW U17, U20 and U23 world gold medal, needing only a senior world gold to complete the set. Prussin with the first deep attack. She's got Shilson's right leg locked up but Shilson defending furiously. The scramble goes on for nearly a minute before Prussin finally converts for two hard fought points. Prussin warned for hands to the face. One minute left in the period. Shilson in on a deep shot but Prussin gets her hips back and Shilson can't convert. Shilson taking ground, Prussin's feet to the boundary but then she arm throws Shilson out of bounds. No exposure but two points are awarded for a correct throw and Prussin takes a 4-0 lead into the break. 

2nd period: Shilson fights through Prussin's head and hands defense but its a shallow shot. Shilson muscles up from underneath Prussin's hips and powers through for a takedown. Immediately Shilson transitions to a leg lace and gets one turn before her lock is broken. Score is 4-4 but Shilson leads on criteria. 90 seconds to go in the match. Prussin marches forwards, Shilson times a shot and snags a leg. Stalemated but that chews up some clock. 42 seconds left at the restart. Prussin now in on a deep shot. Belly whizzer almost scores for Shilson but it's stalemated eventually. 17 seconds to go. Prussin on a shot, Shilson defends, we'll get a restart with just 4 seconds on the clock. Desperation shot and Shilson counters with a feet to back pancake for four. 8-4 is the final but it was as close as a match can be. Emily 'Stonecold' Shilson is victorious!

165: #1 David Carr (Iowa State) vs #1 Quincy Monday (Princeton)

1st period: The Carr vs Monday rivalry continues one generation later! Monday is moving down to 157 after this bout but he didn't want his college career to go by without a match against Carr so he agreed to take this bout and the entire wrestling community is the beneficiary. A lot of motion and probing but not much in the way of shots or flurries two minutes into the bout. Zero scores as the period ends. 

2nd period: Carr goes underneath, he stands and is out in 6 seconds to break the goose egg off the board. Shot and reshot from Carr but Monday was in position to defend both attacks. And the second period ends like the first one, no other scores but the escape so a 1-0 lead for Carr after 2 periods. 

3rd period: Now Monday gets a turn underneath. Carr throws a leg in on the right. Rides for at least 30 seconds and counting. Monday up, Carr brings him down. Was there locked hands? Coach Dubuque thinks so and throws the challenge brick. Clock stops at 53 seconds with 1:00 of RT for Carr. The refs take a look at the sequence. After further review, the call is confirmed, no locked hands. Monday stands on the restart, and he's out to tie the score but RT is at 1:16 for Carr. Now the pace quickens. Action from both wrestlers. Carr keeping his distance, and with the riding time it's a near run 2-1 decision for David Carr! Defense and riding time for Carr gets it done as he beats the 2021 runnerup and #1 ranked wrestler at 157. 

165: #1 Keegan O'Toole (Missouri) vs #5 Dean Hamiti Jr. (Wisconsin) 

1st period: Two of the most electric wrestlers in the NCAA. They've never met in college. O'Toole the reigning 165-pound champ. Hamiti placed sixth last season. O'Toole walks out to Master of Puppets by Metallica. Hell yeah. O'Toole finds one of Hamiti's legs and he converts for an early two. Hamiti close to escape but O'Toole brings him to the mat and has a decent ride going. O'Toole with some big time mat returns and Shane Sparks is in heaven. He just said Hamiti is in Alcatraz right now, no getting out right now. Two minutes and 42 seconds and a monster ride out for O'Toole, he leads 2-0 at the break.

2nd period: O'Toole chooses bottom, Hamiti rides for a bit but as Hamiti brings O'Toole down on a mat return, Keegan hits a switch and reversed Hamiti for a 4-0 lead. A perfectly timed switch. Now Hamiti is able to get out quickly and it's 4-1 but O'Toole still has 2:30 of RT. Hamiti has a motor but that first period had to have been a draining experience. Period ends still 4-1 Missouri.

3rd period: Hamiti picks neutral and will try and win this bout on his feet. They trade shots. No Scores. One minute to go. RT long since locked up. Deep shot by Hamiti but O'Toole scrambles and now has Hamiti up in the air with a single leg. Keegan happy to chew up clock. Tree topped and tripped and O'Toole makes it 6-1. O'Toole with the rideout and Hamiti shakes his dead. Dominant win by the champ! And cue the 'Tallica!

149: #2 Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) vs #5 Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) 

1st period: This weight class has been all over the place after just three weeks, so throw the records and rankings out the window. Chuck em out I say! Good scramble off the whistle but no score after a minute. Another scramble but neither wrestler threatens much. Short time left in the first. 0-0 going to the second. 

2nd period: Gomez underneath, he gets an escape after just 9 seconds. Upper body ties. They dudes are dangerous. Inside trip Sasso, Gomez launches, but Sasso recovers and comes out on top for two. Figure fours a leg and starts to ride. They go out of bounds and Gomez will get a restart. Explosion off the whistle and Gomez is out. RT under a minute, score is 2-2. Gomez in on a shot, long scramble, Sasso finds himself in an advantageous position. Flash takedown from rear standing awarded. That was close if it even happened. Sasso gets the rideout but the refs want to take another look at it so official review. Scoreboard says 4-2, 53 seconds of RT for Sasso. Call on the mat stands so big point swing for Sasso in short time. 

3rd period: Sasso takes down and Gomez cuts him to start in neutral. 5-2 Sasso. Gomez in on a shot, and converts cleanly and cuts him. Another takedown for Gomez. He went right back in and he cuts the lead to 1. Gomez lets him up and its 7-6. Another takedown, and he's out, 8-8. Three takedowns in 30 seconds! Good lord! Late in the period it's another takedown. Gomez takes a 10-8! Sasso escapes and goes on the attack. He's in deep but Gomez will hold on for victory! What a match! First period was slow but it was all action from about halfway thru the second to the end. Incredible work from Austin Gomez. 

174: #1 Carter Starocci (Penn State) vs #2 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech)

1st period: That's a tough act to follow but luckily for us it's our headliner! A rematch of the 2022 NCAA final. That match was decided in riding time criteria and was about as close as a match gets. Deep underhook for Starocci, Lewis wrestles out of it. Starocci in deep on a shot but Lewis muscles up and shakes himself free. Short time in the first, Starocci gets a single leg but times runs out, still 0-0. 

2nd period. Starocci chooses bottom and escapes in five seconds. Back in neutral. Deep single leg on Lewis but Starocci can't finish. Lewis has to be the hardest guy to finish a single leg on. Another shot by Starocci and now Lewis gets warned for stalling. 26 seconds on the restart. Period ends and it's 1-0 Penn State.

3rd period: Lewis will go underneath. He's down a point and has picked up a stall warning. Lewis is up to his feet but Starocci is good at pinching the right leg. He brings Lewis down. Lewis up again but Starocci brings him down again. Starocci with a navy ride now. Riding time is at 1:12 as they go out of bounds, no change in position, still 1-0. Lewis needs more than an escape at this point. Lewis up to his feet but broom stick trip from Starocci puts Lewis back on the mat. 20 seconds to go. A rideout would obviously do it for Starocci. And Starocci does it with the rideout! Incredible strength from Carter Starocci and he wins two in around against Mekhi Lewis. Penn State goes 3 for 3 in the All-Star Classic!

And that's it for the NWCA All-Star Classic! How great is it to have this event back? Tremendous. Apologies for the typos and happy Thanksgiving!