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Newcomers shine in Blue-Gold Dual

The Blue-Gold Dual didn’t produce many results that surprised head coach Keith Gavin, but Friday night’s intrasquad scrimmage was important just the same.

All-Americans Micky Phillippi (133), Cole Matthews (141) and Nino Bonnacorsi (197) didn’t wrestle. Nor did projected starters Brock McMillen (149) and Reece Heller (184). But it was a chance to see freshmen such as Dayton Pitzer (285) and Mac Stout (197) and transfers Dazjon Casto (157) and Holden Heller (165) in Pitt uniforms.

“It was a good opportunity for those young guys to put the singlet on and get a match in,” Gavin said Saturday. “It’s good to get that first weigh-in in for a lot of guys. It’s always a strange environment. It’s good for them to get a practice run.”

The Pitzer problem
Pitzer pounded projected starter Jake Slinger, 11-1, at 285 pounds. While it’s great to have someone with Pitzer’s talent on the roster, the plan has always been to redshirt him this season, allowing him time to add weight to his lanky frame. He still only weighs 220 pounds, and the Panthers staff isn’t looking to rush him into the lineup.

“I think Dayton looked very good,” Gavin said.

The Panthers likely will take advantage of an NCAA rule change that allows wrestlers to participate in up to five competitions and still retain their redshirt status. That means Pitzer won’t wrestle in the Clarion Open on Nov. 6 but might make appearances in key dual meet situations throughout the season.

That could be the best of both worlds for Pitt and Pitzer.

Tipping the scales
Gavin was happy with what he saw from 125-pound starter Colton Camacho. The redshirt junior rolled to an 18-2 tech fall over freshman Jordan Villareal, but what impressed Gavin was how Camacho handled his weight cut.

“I think that was an important thing for him,” Gavin said. “He made weight and had a lot of energy. It’s going to be about him being consistent in making the weight the right way.”

The same held true for Dazjon Casto, the transfer from The Citadel who lost in the blood round of the NCAA Tournament last season. After each won a match, Casto beat Tyler Badgett 7-2 at 157 pounds.

“I thought he wrestled well,” Gavin said. “He’s similar to Camacho in that he needs to get his weight down and get it out of the way. I thought he did a nice job.

“He’s got a unique style because he’s explosive but also is a great scrambler.”

Injury update
Bonnacorsi, Reece Heller and McMillen sat out with injuries, but Gavin doesn’t expect any of them to be long-term issues. Reece Heller and McMillen are possibilities for the Clarion Open while veterans such as Bonnacorsi, Matthews and Phillippi probably won’t compete there.

While McMillen’s injury isn’t expected to sideline him for long, it’s the latest in a series of health issues that he’s had since enrolling at Pitt last in 2021. Coaches and teammates expect big things from the redshirt freshman, but he’s got to find a way to stay healthy.

“Getting consistent training in with him (has been difficult),” Gavin said. “We’re all high on Brock because he’s a hard worker. He’s very committed. We’re just trying to be smart with him.”

The Panthers have already suffered one significant injury. Gavin said that freshman 125-pounder Vinnie Santaniello will miss the season after injuring his shoulder on the second day of practice. Santaniello originally committed to the Naval Academy but attended prep school in 2021-22, meaning that his college clock has not yet started, so he will be eligible to redshirt this season as he recovers from surgery.

Panther positives
Gavin was pleased with what he saw at 165 pounds. Freshman Jared Keslar beat Tye Weathersby 7-5 before falling 13-4 to Holden Heller. A redshirt junior who transferred from Hofstra, Heller has quickly made an impression at Pitt.

“Holden’s good,” Gavin said. “He’s one that we’ve been very happy with so far.”

Despite the loss, Keslar also showed his coach something, as he battled until the end. It’s something that Gavin saw from a lot of his freshman, including Briar Priest (141) and Kellin Laffey (149), both of whom posted victories in the dual.

“They have a lot of fight,” Gavin said. “That’s tough to teach, and they have it.”

Luca Augustine showed that his strong summer was no fluke with a 15-4 victory over Carson Miller at 174 pounds. The redshirt freshman won the U-20 national title in freestyle, then captured PanAm gold and was named USA Wrestling’s Athlete of the Week for his performance in Mexico.

“He made big jumps in the summer, for sure,” Gavin said. “He’s looking really good so far. He’s a machine.”

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