Redshirt sophomore Connor Barket lived up to his high preseason expectations, dominating opponents with strength and technique en route to a second-place finish in his first competition of the season.
The Blue Devils started the year with some strong individual performances in the Battle at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., Sunday. Aidan Wallace, Vincent Lee, David Hussey and Barket all finished top four in their respective weights, indicating that Duke might be in for some improvement over last season.
“We have a little ways to go, but I think it's a good start, especially for the young guys stepping up and wrestling,” head coach Glen Lanham said.
Wrestling at 165 pounds, Wallace triumphed in back-to-back matchups to start the day. The sophomore ultimately fell short in his semifinal test against George Mason’s Evan Maag, losing 7-2 by decision. He avenged his semi-final defeat in the consolation round, though, getting the better of Luke Ahrberg from N.C. State.
“He was really aggressive,” Lanham said of Wallace. “The more matches he gets, he's going to get a lot better.”
Lee — a freshman standout — also shined, finishing with three wins. Competing at 197 pounds, the Warren, N.J., native racked up wins against wrestlers from The Citadel, Appalachian State and N.C. State, earning himself a fourth-place finish in his college wrestling debut.
“That's his first go at college wrestling. To see him come in and step up and take fourth out there was definitely a good showing for him,” Lanham said. “It gives him some confidence, like, ‘hey, I can get out here and compete.’”
Barket — the 285 pounder — forced technical falls in his first two matchups, coming out on top against wrestlers from George Mason and The Citadel. Barket proceeded to advance to the semifinals, where he won by major decision. In the final, N.C. State’s Owen Trephan took the win via technical fall, resulting in a respectable second place finish for Barket.
“I think once he starts getting his feet on the ground he's going to do really well for us,” Lanham said.
The next test for Duke comes on the road at WrangleMania, held in Bethlehem, Pa. The Blue Devils will face off against both Rutgers and LIU Brooklyn in what should be a solid challenge early in the season.
“We don't have to fear the unknown. Our guys have gone through a tournament. We've had success in this tournament,” Lanham said. “Journeymen is a little tougher, but we know what we're capable of going in. I'm excited to see how our guys step up to this caliber of competition.”
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