Coincidentally, he achieved it in the company of many App State wrestlers who helped him get there.
With a large group of wrestling alums in attendance for the annual Old Timers Match, Bentley picked up the 100th win of his head coaching career as the Mountaineers swept a Southern Conference doubleheader in Varsity Gym.
App State opened the doubleheader with a 48-0 victory against Presbyterian and finished it with a 41-3 victory against Davidson to improve to 3-0 in SoCon action and 4-2 overall. In the process, Bentley improved his career record to 101-68-1 (with five SoCon regular season titles) since he became the Mountaineers' head coach in 2009.
In between the two wins Sunday, App State recognized its wrestling alums with a presentation that included handshakes from Bentley, who received plenty of congratulatory embraces and comments immediately after the announcement of his 100th victory.
"I'm just honored and humbled and thankful to be able to coach a lot of great wrestlers and a lot of great teams," Bentley said. "My sights are all looking forward to what we're going to do to move forward."
App State picked up 19 wins in 20 total matches, with bonus points resulting from 15 — there were a combined four forfeits. Cary Miller (heavyweight), Matt Zovistoski (157 pounds) and Jonathan Millner (149 pounds) delivered pins as part of 2-0 afternoons, with Millner accounting for 11 points individually thanks to a tech fall in his other match.
There were also 2-0 records produced by Sean Carter (two major decisions at 125 pounds), Codi Russell (tech fall and major decision at 133 pounds), Bradley Irwin (one tech fall at 141 pounds), Thomas Flitz (nine total team points at 174 pounds), Mason Fiscella (one major decision at 184 pounds in the first two dual appearances of his career) and Paul Carson (two forfeit wins at 197 pounds).
App State 48, Presbyterian 0
The Mountaineers, who received wins by forfeit from Will Formato (165 pounds), Flitz and Carson against a SoCon newcomer in its first year of Division I wrestling, also got six points from a win by fall from Millner in the third period of his match against Bryton Goering.
App State benefited from back-to-back tech falls from Russell (first period against Parker Corwin) and Irwin (third period against Reid Stewart). The major decisions came from Carter (14-4 against Jacob Brasseur) and Miller (14-2 against Imani Heslop).
The closest matches of the dual involved Zovistoski, who won a 5-3 decision against Zachary Phillips, and Fiscella, who pulled out a 3-2 decision against Austin Stith. A redshirt freshman, Fiscella recorded a takedown in the first 10 seconds of his first career dual appearance and earned a tiebreaking escape early in the third period against Presbyterian's leader in wins.
App State 41, Davidson 3
Miller wrapped up the doubleheader with a pin just 1:38 into his match against Finlay Holston. Zovistoski also produced six points with his third-period pin of Hunter Costa.
Millner pushed his lead to 16-1 to win by tech call against Will Baldwin, and App State's major decisions against the Wildcats came from Carter (against Cian Fischer), Russell (against Kyle Gorant) and Fiscella (against Gavin Henry). Irwin won an 8-5 decision against David Loniewski.
With riding time in his favor, Irwin trailed 5-4 on the scoreboard entering the third period in the down position. He essentially broke a tie on a reversal with 1:37 left and added to his lead with a stalling penalty against Loniewski.
The 2019-20 wrestling season for App State is presented by Hungry Howies. App State returns to action Thursday with a 6:30 p.m. home dual against Lock Haven (5-2).
App State 48, Presbyterian 0
125: Sean Carter (APP) def. Jacob Brasseur (PC), 14-4 maj. dec.
133: Codi Russell (APP) def. Parker Corwin (PC), 18-2 tech. fall
141: Bradley Irwin (APP) def. Reid Stewart (PC), 17-2 tech. fall
149: Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Bryton Goering (PC), fall, 5:19
157: Matt Zovistoski (APP) def. Zachary Phillips (PC), 5-3 dec.
165: Will Formato (APP) won by forfeit
174: Thomas Flitz (APP) won by forfeit
184: Mason Fiscella (APP) def. Austin Stith (PC), 3-2 dec.
197: Paul Carson (APP) won by forfeit
285: Cary Miller (APP) def. Imani Heslop (PC), 14-2 maj. dec.
App State 41, Davidson 3
125: Sean Carter (APP) def. Cian Fischer (DAV), 14-3 maj. dec.
133: Codi Russell (APP) def. Kyle Gorant (DAV), 10-1 maj. dec.
141: Bradley Irwin (APP) def. David Loniewski (DAV), 8-5 dec.
149: Jonathan Millner (APP) def. Will Baldwin (DAV), 16-1 tech. fall
157: Matt Zovistoski (APP) def. Hunter Costa (DAV), fall, 6:07
165: Noah Satterfield (DAV) def. Will Formato (APP), 4-3 dec.
174: Thomas Flitz (APP) def. Steven Newell (DAV), 10-3 dec.
184: Mason Fiscella (APP) def. Gavin Henry (DAV), 12-4 maj. dec.
197: Paul Carson (APP) won by forfeit
285: Cary Miller (APP) def. Finlay Holston (DAV), fall, 1:38
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