The setting was a new one. Rather than under the high ceilings of Memorial Gym, the wrestling mat was rolled out at the North Grounds Rec Center. Still, the bleachers filled with fans rich with optimism for the coming season. As the matchups for Virginia’s Blue-Orange intrasquad meet were introduced Friday, the crowd went quiet, intent to see the first display of Cavalier wrestling this year.
The first two matches of the night ended with matching major decisions, 14-4. Freshman Aiden Allen took control early in his match with fellow freshman Ethan Timar in the 133 pound match. Ultimately Allen staved off Timar’s aggression in the later periods despite his headgear falling over his eyes. All the while, Coach Steve Garland, as he would do all night, brought the occasional instruction or encouragement from the side.
Next, returning NCAA qualifier and senior Keyveon Roller curbed redshirt freshman Anthony Rossi en route to his own major decision. Roller finished third in the ACC Championships at the 125 pound mark last year, and will be a key piece of the team's hopes to make a climb in the ACC rankings.
In the 141 pound matchup, redshirt sophomore Gable Porter, who was wrestling up a weight from his typical 133, earned a 7-3 decision against freshman Jayce Paridon. Paridon strung together several escapes but Porter sealed the match with a takedown in the third period.
The largest margin of victory on the night would be junior transfer Wynton Denkins’s tech fall over freshman Aiden King. A past NCAA qualifier, Denkins controlled the match from the beginning, ending the contest early at 17-3. Denkins is one of two NCAA qualifiers who joined the Cavaliers in the offseason from Campbell University, the other being senior Dom Baker.
Baker and Denkins add to the team’s resume of five national qualifiers, a group that will look to lead Virginia to both greater conference and national success.
Garland believes the roster has the firepower and talent needed to improve on its sixth place ACC finish last season.
“That’s more than we had to start the season last year,” Garland said, “so we’re more loaded.”
But the Cavaliers know it will be an uphill battle. The five ACC schools that finished above the Cavaliers last year were all ranked in the top 25 at the end of the season.
The closest and lowest scoring match of the night came in Colton Washleski’s 5-2 decision over redshirt freshman Nathan Rickards. The two were familiar with each other, having wrestled in competition last season. But that level of familiarity is what makes intrasquad meets so competitive and beneficial.
“This is what’s crazy about intrasquads, is they wrestle each other every day,” Garland said. “They train together, they’re friends, and they’ve wrestled before in real competition. I think that's why that match was so close. They both know each other very well.”
Senior Griffen Gammel secured an 8-2 decision over redshirt freshman Jack Lesher. Gammell got an early takedown and continued to rack up points with several near falls in his victory in the 184 pound match.
In the 197 pound bout, redshirt freshman Max Shulaw won by injury default over redshirt sophomore Steven Burrell Jr. After experiencing LCL discomfort at several points in the match, Burrell defaulted, the coaching staff seeing no reason to risk his health so early in the year.
The night concluded with Allen taking the mat for the second time, this time against senior Kyle Montaperto. And what a finale it was: in a blistering match totaling 35 combined points, Montaperto took the decision over Allen at 20-15.
“I’m pumped,” Garland said about the match. “Right from the jump I saw a lot of attacks … a lot of good action going on. I was really excited about that overall.”
Virginia will officially begin its season Nov. 2 with the Navy Classic Invite. It will be the beginning of a schedule featuring just three home duals and none until January 16. With Memorial Gym under renovations, the team must hit the road for a slate sure to test the Cavalier’s limits.
“We’re gonna do a lot of hard stuff in November, together,” Garland said. “If they get through that, God willing, they’re going to be pretty battle-tested by the time January comes.”
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