HAMPTON, VA – The Johns Hopkins wrestling team wrapped up competition at the 2023 Virginia Duals on Saturday as the Blue Jays fell to Averett (27-12) and Roanoke (29-10) to place eighth in the 12-team field.  Coupled with a tournament-opening win against Apprentice and a loss to eventual champion Glenville State, the Blue Jays are now 4-5 on the year.
 
Three Late Wins Power Averett
Averett closed its match against Johns Hopkins with three straight wins – two by major decision and one by decision – to turn a 16-12 lead into the 27-12 victory.
 
The Blue Jays found themselves down 12-3 after three bouts but rallied to within 16-12 on the strength of wins by decision from freshman Connor Powell (149) and Jake Hoffmann (165) and 10^th-ranked graduate student Joe Paul (174).  Powell pulled off the biggest win of his young career as his 3-2 win at 149 came against seventh-ranked Hai Siu.
 
After Paul's 4-3 win over Alex Turley at 174, the Cougars lost a team point on an unsportsmanlike conduct violation to account for the 16-12 score entering the final three bouts, but Khalil Mitchell's major decision at 184 ignited the three-bout run that carried AU to the victory.
 
Maroons Top Hopkins in Seventh-Place Match
The Blue Jays' bout against Roanoke in the seventh-place match followed a similar script to the earlier match against Averett as the Maroons jumped out to a 13-0 lead and held off a mild Hopkins rally before claiming the 29-10 victory.
 
Down 13, the Blue Jays again rallied behind wins from Powell (2-0), Hoffmann (8-3) and Paul (14-4) to pull within 18-10.  From there, the Maroons grabbed a win by technical fall and two more by decision to pull away for the 29-10 victory
 
What's Next
Johns Hopkins will return to action on Friday, January 20 when the Blue Jays welcome Ursinus to Goldfarb Gym (7 pm).
 
#23 Averett-27, Johns Hopkins-12
125 – #8 Mason Barrett (A) pin Dhilan Patel (J) (1:10) (6-0)
133 – Brent Lorin (J dec. Daniel Porter (A), 10-6 (6-3)
141 – Olli Karjalainen (A) pin (Alex Tinana (J) (1:48) (12-3)
149 – Connor Powell (J) dec. #7 Hai Siu (A), 3-2 (12-6)
157 – #7 Jesse Alvardo (A) tech. fall Fritz Maurath (J), 22-0 (17-6)
165 – Jake Hoffmann (J) dec. Nathan Mallery (A), 8-4 (17-9)
174 – #10 Joe Paul (J)  dec. Alex Turley (A), 4-3 (16-12) *
184 – Khalil Mitchell (A) maj. dec. Colin Vallis (J), 17-5 (20-12)
197 – William Baldwin (A) dec. John Libby (J), 5-3 (23-12)
285 – Jamar Christian (A) maj. dec. Jacob Pomykata, 10-1 (28-12)
* Averett had one team point deducted for unsportsmanlike conduct at 174
 
Roanoke-29, Johns Hopkins-10
125 – Mac Cafurello {R} maj. dec. Dhilan Patel (J), 22-9 (4-0)
133  - Sean Hall {R} dec. Brent Lorin (J), 9-2 (7-0)
141 – Dustin Smith {R} pin Alex Tinana (J) (0:40) (13-0)
149 – Connor Powell (J) dec. Andru Boyd {R}, 2-0 (13-3)
157 – Zane Cox {R} tech. fall Fritz Maurath (J), 17-2 (18-3)
165 – Jake Hoffmann (J) dec. David Reid {R}, 8-3 (18-6)
174 – #10 Joe Paul (J) maj. dec. Kyle Lee {R}, 14-4 (18-10)
184 – Mahlic Sallah {R} tech. fall Colin Vallis (J), 24-8 (23-10)
197 – Wyatt Sage {R} dec. John Libby (J), 7-3 (26-10)
285 – Brady Elswick {R} dec. Jack Dunn (J), 7-1 (29-10)