No. 8 Minnesota (3-0) reached rarefied air with its second straight shutout as the Golden Gophers took all 10 matches from Campbell (1-4) Sunday at Maturi Pavilion, 44-0.
Coming off a 39-0 win Friday at North Dakota State, it was the first time posting back-to-back shutouts since blanking four straight opponents in December of 1997 when current head coach Brandon Eggum was a sophomore. Prior to that, the only other time it happened in program history came in the first three matches of the 1936-37 campaign.
Minnesota has also won nine straight duals dating back to last season. During the current streak, Minnesota has outscored opponents 299-51 and hasn’t allowed more than 12 points in any contest.
As a result of Campbell winning a pre-dual coin toss, the first ever meeting between the Gophers and Fighting Camels started with a top-10 heavyweight showdown between top-ranked Gable Steveson, the two-time national champion making his home debut, and No. 7 Taye Ghadiali, a returning All-American from last season.
Both competitors felt each other out in the early going, but it was quickly clear that Steveson’s experience and skill level were going to be too much for Ghadiali, as Steveson held a 6-1 lead after the first period. The lead grew to 10-1 after two and Steveson found himself up 17-4 with 10 seconds left, needing one more takedown for a tech fall. After a restart, he got Ghadiali around the ankles for a 20-4 victory, the first of three tech falls wins on the day for Minnesota.
Another ranked matchup followed at 125 pounds with No. 14 Cooper Flynn facing No. 26 Anthony Molton. Flynn trailed 3-2 going into the final period, but less than 20 seconds into the third period he got in on Melton’s right leg and was able to drive him down for what would be the winning takedown in a 5-4 decision that pushed the Minnesota lead to 8-0.
All eight remaining wins came via bonus points for the Gophers, starting at 133 pounds as No. 8 Tyler Wells scored a major decision over No. 22 Domenic Zaccone. It was scoreless after one, but Wells got a takedown in the closing seconds of period two to lead 4-0. Wells tacked on a pair of takedowns in the third, including the clincher with less than 30 seconds to win 10-2.
The final ranked pairing came at 141 pounds with No. 5 Vance VomBaur meeting No. 30 Shannon Hanna. Action was tight over the first two periods with VomBaur leading 3-1, but the redshirt junior scored an escape and two more takedowns in the third to prevail by major decision, 11-2, extending the team lead to 16-0.
No. 22 Drew Roberts and No. 7 Tommy Askey both cruised to major decisions of their own. Roberts’ was an 11-3 victory over Oliver Fairchild at 149 pounds, while Askey routed Seth Larson, 13-1, at 157.
The second tech fall of the day for Minnesota came at 165 with a 25-9 victory at 6:56 for No. 10 Andrew Sparks over Ryan Bolletino. The first period was full of action as Sparks jumped out to an 11-0 lead, but Bolletino surprised with a takedown and nearfall points to cut the lead to 16-9 after the opening three minutes. Sparks settled in, though, with a reversal in the second, and another in the third, plus nearfall points.
No. 25 Clayton Whiting added the fifth major decision with a 15-4 win over Brant Cracraft at 174 pounds. A 6-1 lead after one period grew to a 9-3 advantage after two. A reversal, a takedown and riding time in the third resulted in Whiting’s first major of the season.
At 184 pounds, No. 10 Max McEnelly continued his streak of posting a tech fall in every match this season. McEnelly wasted no time with five takedowns in the first period. He then needed just 13 seconds in the second period to move to 6-0 on the year with six tech falls. McEnelly has outscored opponents, 126-26, so far this year.
That would end up being the fall match of the day as No. 7 Isaiah Salazar won by forfeit at 197 pounds.
Minnesota is back in action next Sunday at South Dakota State in a 2 p.m. dual.
Match Results
#8 Minnesota 44, Campbell 0
Nov. 24, 2024 | Minneapolis | Maturi Pavilion | Attendance: 2,346
285 #1 Gable Steveson TF #7 Taye Ghadiali (CAMP), 20-4 6:56 | MINN 5, CAMP 0
125 #14 Cooper Flynn dec. #26 Anthony Molton (CAMP), 5-4 | MINN 8, CAMP 0
133 #8 Tyler Wells MD #22 Domenic Zaccone (CAMP), 10-2 | MINN 12, CAMP 0
141 #5 Vance VomBaur MD #30 Shannon Hanna (CAMP), 11-2 | MINN 16, CAMP 0
149 #22 Drew Roberts MD Oliver Fairchild (CAMP), 11-3 | MINN 20, CAMP 0
157 #7 Tommy Askey MD Seth Larson (CAMP), 13-1 | MINN 24, CAMP 0
165 #10 Andrew Sparks TF Ryan Bolletino (CAMP) 25-9, 6:56 | MINN 29, CAMP 0
174 #25 Clayton Whiting MD Brant Cracraft (CAMP), 15-4 | MINN 33, CAMP 0
184 #10 Max McEnelly TF Conor Maslanek (CAMP) 19-4, 3:13 | MINN 38, CAMP 0
197 #7 Isaiah Salazar win via forfeit | MINN 44, CAMP 0
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
