App State stayed in the championship hunt with a 30-9 home victory against SIU-Edwardsville on Sunday in the annual Old Timers Match at Varsity Gym.
The Mountaineers (5-3, 3-0 SoCon) took a 15-3 lead into the intermission, when the alums were recognized, and they moved ahead 27-3 thanks to back-to-back pins from 197-pound junior Randall Diabe (in overtime) and sophomore heavyweight Cary Miller.
"I'm really excited for our 197-pounder ... Randall really just wrestled a hard, focused match," App State coach JohnMark Bentley said. "There were a couple instances when he could have lost focus, and he didn't. He kept attacking and ultimately got a pin in overtime by continuing to wrestle.
"I thought that was a big step for him mentally, and it was a big boost for our team coming out of the break."
The Mountaineers return to action Thursday with a 7 p.m. dual meet at Campbell's Gore Arena. App State, Chattanooga (4-0) and Campbell (1-0) still have unblemished SoCon records.
Appalachian won six of the first seven matches Sunday, starting with a 6-4 decision via sudden victory by Gavin Londoff at 149 pounds. He executed a takedown of Tyshawn Williams only 22 seconds into their extra period.
Angel Najar posted a 13-6 decision against Karsten Van Velsor at 157 pounds, and App State moved ahead 12-3 thanks to Forrest Przybysz's win by forfeit at 174 pounds. The lead increased to 15-3 following a 6-5 decision by Alan Clothier, who broke the final tie with a quick escape to open the third period against Bryce Shewan at 184 pounds.
Diabe led 1-0 entering the third period against Christian Dulaney, who brought a 14-7 record to Boone. Dulaney tied the match with a third-period escape, and 16 seconds were left in the first sudden-victory period when Diabe picked up the win by fall.
"I saw an opening," Diabe said. "He kept stopping my shots, but I knew if I kept going after him, I was going to score on one of them. I kept going and kept pushing and got what I wanted."
Miller needed only 2:01 to record his pin against Tommy Helton, and the Mountaineers closed the match with an 8-4 decision from Irvin Enriquez in his victory against Dakota Leach at 141 pounds.
With redshirt freshman Thomas Flitz (165), true freshman De'Andre Swinson-Barr (125) and redshirt freshman Codi Russell (133) also in the App State lineup, SIU-Edwardsville (3-12, 1-2) posted its three wins by a combined five points.
"I think this team is growing," Bentley said. "At 125 and 133, we're starting to turn the corner, and we're getting better."
Results:
149: Gavin Londoff (APP) def. Tyshawn Williams (SIUE), 6-4 dec. (SV) (3-0)
157: Angel Najar (APP) def. Karsten Van Velsor (SIUE), 13-6 dec. (6-0)
165: Nate Higgins (SIUE) def. Thomas Flitz (APP), 7-5 dec. (6-3)
174: Forrest Przybysz (APP) won by forfeit, (12-3)
184: Alan Clothier (APP) def. Bryce Shewan (SIUE), 6-5 dec. (15-3)
197: Randall Diabe (APP) def. Christian Dulaney (SIUE), fall, 7:44 (21-3)
HWT: Cary Miller (APP) def. Tommy Helton (SIUE), fall, 2:01 (27-3)
125: Zac Gentzler (SIUE) def. De'Andre Swinson-Barr (APP), 3-1 dec. (27-6)
133: John Muldoon (SIUE) def. Codi Russell (APP), 6-5 dec. (27-9)
141: Irvin Enriquez (APP) def. Dakota Leach (SIUE), 8-4 dec. (30-9)
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