PISCATAWAY – Initially presenting a confusing scene, Rutgers’ junior 184-pounder and two-time NCAA qualifier Brian Soldano’s decision to compete at 197 pounds for the Scarlet Knights’ home opener against Lock Haven (Pa.) on Friday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena concluded in an impressive manner.
Locked in a competition with redshirt freshman Shane Cartagena-Walsh for the 184 starting post, Soldano pinned Tucker Hogan in just 53 seconds, thrilling the audience of 3,434.
Cartagena-Walsh, who has caught the coaching staff’s attention throughout the preseason and the initial matches, achieved a 4-3 victory over nationally-ranked Colin Fegerty. These performances propelled Rutgers to a commanding 34-6 triumph over the Bald Eagles.
The Scarlet Knights, who didn’t score offensively until the third match and recorded no takedowns until the fifth, came alive in the latter portion of the nonconference duel, concluding their last four matches with bonus points.
Returning NCAA seventh-place finisher Yaraslau Slavikouski (heavyweight) also obtained a pin, while Dean Peterson (125) and Joey Olivieri (141) each claimed wins by technical fall.
The Scarlet Knights (4-2), currently ranked 17th nationally, secured victories in eight out of ten matches.
Soldano showcasing his talent
Soldano undeniably appeared at ease at the higher weight, executing moves that only he can perform.
Just as Hogan seemed poised to take him down, Soldano executed one of his signature roll-throughs, putting Hogan onto his back, causing the crowd to erupt. As the pin was confirmed, Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale celebrated with a fist pump towards the audience. This marked Soldano’s fifth pin of the season.
His exceptional ability to pin nearly any opponent from seemingly disadvantaged positions is what renders Soldano a formidable competitor. However, this same riskiness in his style can lead to vulnerabilities against various wrestlers.
Cartagena-Walsh strengthens his argument for a starting spot
Cartagena-Walsh notched another victory against a nationally-ranked wrestler, avenging his earlier loss to Fegley during the November 3 Princeton Open semifinal with this latest win. Fegley holds the 28th rank via intermatwrestle.com and 31st by flowrestling.org.
A first-period takedown, marking Rutgers’ initial takedown of the match, was sufficient for Cartagena-Walsh to secure the win. He currently stands at 9-3 for the season. Alongside his victory over Stewart, Cartagena-Walsh, a sixth-place finisher at 157 in the NJSIAA during his senior year at Ocean Township High School, outperformed Long Island University’s Anthony D’Alessio 9-3 on November 17, with D’Alessio ranked No. 32 at that time.
Cartagena-Walsh holds a 4-0 record in dual matches. He placed third at the Princeton Open and fourth at the Black Knight Invitational at West Point (N.Y.) on November 24, reaching the semifinals in both events.
Anthony White makes a strong case for the starting position
Redshirt junior Anthony White, competing against freshman Andrew Barbosa for the starting role at 165, managed a 4-1 win over Caden Dobbins through two solid rides.
In only his second dual meet of the season, White, an NCAA qualifier at 149 in 2023, controlled Dobbins for 1:26.4 in the second period and rode him for the final 1:39 of the match following a reversal. He concluded with a 2:45.1 advantage in riding time.
White is 6-2 this season, placing third in the Black Knight Invitational and fourth in the Princeton Open. He previously won by a major decision against Franklin & Marshall’s Josh Palmucci in his only dual meet prior to Friday’s match.
Barbosa’s record stands at 2-1 in dual meets, with his sole loss being a 10-8 decision against Virginia Tech’s Mac Church.
Peterson’s successful return to the mat
Peterson, a two-time NCAA qualifier, showcased an impressive performance, appearing swift in his first match since November 17.
After needing to enter concussion protocol following an injury default against North Carolina State’s Vince Robinson, Peterson did not compete against Virginia Tech.
Claiming his first victory since the season opener against Duke on November 9, Peterson amassed a slew of points in the first period, nearly pinning Frye. He continued to rack up points in the second period, concluding with just 14 seconds remaining.
This victory ended a two-match losing streak for Peterson, who narrowly missed being an All-American in 2023. He also faced a loss against LIU’s unranked Robbie Sagaris on November 17.
Harer secures a win against a returning NCAA qualifier
Conner Harer emerged as the second Rutgers freshman to triumph over a returning NCAA qualifier this season with a narrow 1-0 victory against Nick Stampoulos, scoring on a second-period escape.
Stampoulos, ranked No. 33 by intermat, was 0-2 in the previous year’s national tournament while competing for Buffalo.
A curious decision from the Lock Haven coaching staff had an effect on the match, as they opted for Stampoulos to start neutral in the third period rather than down, presumably wary of Harer’s riding skills.
Stampoulos struggled to get near a takedown throughout the bout.
Lock Haven takes the spotlight in a key bout
In a pivotal matchup, Lock Haven’s Anthony Noto triumphed over Dylan Shawver with a score of 10-7, showcasing the clash of two former NCAA All-Americans.
Noto secured a fourth-place ranking at 125 in 2023, clinching his All-American status with a 3-1 victory over Peterson, as well as placing third in the national tournament last year. Shawver finished seventh at 133 last season.
Noto overturned a 4-3 deficit late in the first period by reversing Shawver and nearly pinning him for a six-point move.
Though Shawver escalated the pace in the last two periods, Noto successfully fended off two takedown attempts, incurring two stalling points in the closing minute.
Rutgers 34, Lock Haven 6
Rankings from intermatwrestle.com and flowrestling.org
149: Lucas Kapusta (LH) d. 31/25 Andrew Clark 4-1 (sudden victory).
157: Conner Harer (R) d. 33/NR Nick Stampoulos 1-0.
165: 31/30 Anthony White (R) d. Caden Dobbins 4-1.
174: 20/20 Jackson Turley (R) d. 33/NR Avery Bassett 10-3.
184: Shane Cartagena-Walsh (R) d. 28/31 Colin Fegley 4-3.
197: Brian Soldano (R) p. Tucker Hogan :53.
HWT: 9/6 Yaraslau Slavikouski (R) p. Ethan Miller 5:28.
125: 19/13 Dean Peterson (R) tf. Lucas Frye 4:46 (20-5).
133: 14/13 Anthony Noto (LH) d. 5/7 Dylan Shawver 10-7.
141: 24/32 Joey Olivieri (R) tf. Conner Heckman 6:32 (19-3)
Rutgers wrestling kicked off the season with an impressive 34-6 victory over Lock Haven, showcasing strong performances from athletes like Brian Soldano, who pinned his opponent in just 53 seconds. The Scarlet Knights appear poised for a successful season with several wrestlers, including Shane Cartagena-Walsh and Dean Peterson, stepping up in key matches. As they build momentum, it’s clear that the team is not only aiming for individual accolades but also a strong collective effort in their campaign. Exciting things are on the horizon for Rutgers wrestling!
“Looks like the Scarlet Knights are ready to unleash some wrestling wizardry! 🏅🔥 With Soldano pulling off those jaw-dropping moves in record time, he must’ve been channeling his inner superhero! 🦸♂️🥇 Can’t wait to see what other tricks the team has up their sleeves this season! 💪🎉”