Wrestling updates: Wyoming Seminary validates No. 1 rank with win over Blair Academy

Welcome to the rivalry, Jude Correa.

With the match on the line, Wyoming Seminary's nationally-ranked freshman left no doubt against Blair Academy's Roman Martinez in an emphatic win at 182 pounds.

While Blair Academy trimmed a nine-point deficit down to two with one match left, Correa sealed a 31-26 win for Wyoming Seminary with a no-doubt 8-1 decision in the final match.

The victory staked the top-ranked Blue Knights' rightful place to atop the national rankings as Blair Academy came in with the No. 2 ranking following wins at the Beast of the East, Sam Lovello and Walsh Ironmen tournaments and a 38-22 victory over Non-Public power Bergen Catholic last week.

Wyoming Seminary got the job done despite missing Iowa commit Gabe Arnold, who won the 16U freestyle national title last summer, and cadet world champion Meyer Shapiro.

With the match tied at 15, the Blue Knights got into gear with a quick pin from Vince Bouzakis at 132 pounds, followed by a 3-2 win from Kai Owen over PJ Ognissanti with a big escape inside 10 seconds left to open a 24-15 lead.

After back-to-back major decisions from Blair Academy's William Henkel at 145 and Wyoming Seminary's Joe Sealey at 152, the Buccaneers made a move.

Lorenzo Norman used a third -period takedown to score an 11-3 major decision win and Danny Wask followed it up with a convincing 13-6 decision over Wyoming Seminary's Carter Schubert to cut the Buccaneers' deficit to 28-6.

But the match fell right in the Blue Knights' wheelhouse, with their talented freshman ready to make a big impression in one of their biggest duals.

It was the latest win in Wyoming Seminary's rise over the last few seasons.

The last time the two programs squared off, in 2020, Blair Academy won four of the last five bouts to secure a 31-24 victory. Wyoming Seminary, however, went on to win the National Prep Championship, unseating the Buccaneers, which won five straight titles between 2015 and 2019.

See below for the updates from Friday night's match:

182 pounds

With the match on the line, Wyoming Seminary freshman never left any doubt.

He notched easy takedowns in all three periods to emerge with a convincing 8-1 victory over Blair Academy's Roman Martinez, clinching the match for the Blue Knights.

Wyoming Seminary 31, Blair Academy 26

170 pounds

Blair Academy’s Danny Wask was searching for bonus points to try and help draw the Buccaneers back even or push them ahead but he came up just short in a 13-6 decision over Wyoming Seminary’s Carter Schubert.

Wask headed into the final period with a 4-2 lead and escaped and scored a pair of takedowns to go up 9-3. But Schubert was able to counter and score a takedown of his own.

Wask was able to pull a late reverse and two back points but the buzzer ended the threat.

Wyoming Seminary 28, Blair Academy 26

160 pounds

Blair Academy’s Lorenzo Norman spent the majority of the match in control, notching three takedowns against Carter Schubert in the first period.

He was ahead 8-3 entering the final period and was able to score an escape and takedown and ride out Schubert to pick up huge bonus points in an 11-3 major decision.

He staved off one last roll from Schubert in the waning seconds to escape with four points.

Wyoming Seminary 28, Blair Academy 23

152 pounds

Joe Sealey bookended a strong match with four pins in each of the first and third periods to roll to a 16-8 major decision over Nicholas Kunstek.

Sealey was on the front foot throughout the entire match aside from the second period, which he spent largely on the bottom. When he was on his feet, it was one takedown after the next.

Wyoming Seminary 28, Blair Academy 19

145 pounds

A clinical win from Blair Academy’s William Henckel, who rolled to a 15-3 major decision over Christopher Crawford.

Henkel had Crawford on his back in the second and third periods but could not pick up two more bonus points as both moves were ruled dangerous.

Wyoming Seminary 24, Blair Academy 19

138 pounds

A match filled with momentum swings back and forth between Blair Academy’s PJ Ognissanti and Wyoming Seminary’s Kai Owen.

Owen grabbed a takedown right as the first period ended in a disputed call before he spent the entire second period on the bottom.

In the third period, Ognissanti was able to pick up a reverse to tie the match at 2-2 and had control of Owen’s right arm late in the third. But Ognissanti slipped too high up and Owen was able to work back to neutral with 10 seconds left to score the decisive point.

Wyoming Seminary 24, Blair Academy 15

132 pounds

Vince Bouzakis comes out with a head of steam following his brother’s buzzer-beating loss. He decks Blair Academy’s Ibrahim Ahmed in 40 seconds.

Wyoming Seminary 21, Blair Academy 15

126 pounds

Huge win from Blair Academy. It didn’t seem like Matthew Lopes could get anything going outside of a pair of escapes in the first and third periods. But a late drag and single-legged takedown as time expires gives him a 4-3 win over Wyoming Seminary’s Nic Bouzakis.

Blair Academy 15, Wyoming Seminary 15

120 pounds

Blair Academy picks up critical bonus points from their top-ranked wrestler at 120. After three takedowns and three back points to take a 9-4 lead after the first period, Mark Anthony McGowan is able to lock in a cradle with 20 seconds left in the second period for a big pin.

Wyoming Seminary 15, Blair Academy 12

113 pounds

After a high-flying first period ends scoreless, the pair trade escapes early in the second and third periods.

Wyoming Seminary's Luke Lilledahl counters a shot from Leo DeLuca and scores a takedown with 1:10 left in the match. After DeLuca escapes, Lilledahl is able to put his left shin down and weather a low shot at the buzzer to escape with a 3-2 win.

Wyoming Seminary 15, Blair Academy 6

106 pounds

Wyoming Seminary takes its first lead as Cooper Hilton picks up a forfeit win.

Wyoming Seminary 12, Blair Academy 6

285 pounds

Wyoming Seminary's DJ Moehring takes advantage of a shorthanded Blair lineup up top, notching a 33-second pin and getting the Blue Knights on the board.

Blair Academy 6, Wyoming Seminary 6.

220 pounds

TJ Stewart (Blair Academy) vs. Jack Darrah (Wyoming Seminary)

Stewart takes a 2-0 lead in the second period on an escape and second stall warning on Darrah.

Darrah is able escape with 50 seconds left in the match but Stewart keeps him at a distance and holds on for a 2-1 result.

Blair Academy 6, Wyoming Seminary 0

195 pounds

Isaac Schmidt (Blair Academy) vs. Wolfgang Frable (Wyoming Seminary)

It's a rematch from the Beast of the East where Frable, an Army commit, won an 8-0 major decision in the wrestleback rounds.

The Buccaneers grab a huge result as Schmidt is able to grab Frable's right leg and take him down for two points with 11 seconds left in overtime.

Blair Academy 3, Wyoming Seminary 0

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Wrestling: No. 2 Blair Academy vs. No. 1 Wyoming Seminary updates