CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Highlighted by Cody Bond's run to the 149-pound final, which included a semifinal pin of a top-10 opponent, App State had seven wrestlers reach the podium as top-eight placers at the Southern Scuffle, presented by Compound Sportswear.
Bond advanced to the championship match with a 3-0 start to the event, including an overtime win and a second-period pin of ninth-ranked Jadan Abas from Stanford. Chad Bellis' quarterfinal win against 15th-ranked Brayden Palmer from Chattanooga served as another highlight.
Abas, a 2021 All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier, led 6-2 after one period before Bond threatened to ride out the entire second period of their semifinal match.