HAMPTON, VA – The Johns Hopkins wrestling team scored a decisive victory against Greensboro and dropped tight decisions against Centenary and Washington & Jefferson at the two-day Virginia Duals at the Hampton Coliseum on Friday and Saturday.  The Blue Jays had opened the tournament with a loss to Glenville State, the 10^th-ranked Division II team in team in the nation, to finish 1-3 on the weekend.
 
After falling to the Pioneers, 48-3, to open the tournament, the Blue Jays fell to Centenary (25-16) and Washington & Jefferson (26-24) in their next two matches before topping Greensboro, 32-7, in their final match.  The short-handed Blue Jays forfeited bouts at 125 and 133 in each of their four matches.  In contested bouts, they won five of eight matches in the tight losses to Centenary and Washington & Jefferson.
 
Against Centenary, the Blue Jays found themselves in an early 18-0 hold before battling back to within 21-13 with two bouts remaining.  Wins by decision from Freddy Pimental (149), Connor Powell (165) and AJ Gordon (174) and a major decision from Kadin Khalloufi (184) fueled the surge for Johns Hopkins before Centenary sealed the win with a major decision at 197.  Jacob Pomykata added a 1-0 win at 285 for the Blue Jays to account for the final score.
 
The forfeits at 125 and 133 helped Washington & Jefferson grab an early 15-0 lead, only to have the Blue Jays snag bonus-point wins from Pimental (tech. fall), Giorgio Difalco (maj. dec.) and Powell (pin) before an AJ Gordon win by decision at 174 gave the Blue Jays an 18-15 lead.  The Presidents responded with a technical fall and pin in the next two bouts to grab a 26-18 lead before Pomykata closed things out with a win by fall at 285.
 
In the win against Greensboro, both teams forfeited the first two bouts at 125 and 133 before a Max Apsel win by major decision at 141 sparked a run of four straight wins for the Blue Jays that included two wins by technical fall (Pimental, Powell) and one by fall (Difalco).  The Pride would grab wins at 174 and 197, but a Khalloufi win by forfeit at 184 and another Pomykata pin closed out the victory.
 
Powell paced the Blue Jays as he went 4-0 on the weekend with a pin, technical fall and two wins by decision.  Pomykata and Pimental both went 3-1 with a pair of bonus-point wins and a decision each, while Difalco (2-1), Khalloufi (2-2) and Gordon (2-2) also won a pair of matches on the weekend.
 
Notes of Interest
• Pimental and Powell both collected the 70^th win of their careers.  Pimental bumped his career record to 70-36, while Powell's perfect weekend improved his career mark to 73-45.
• Pimental's two wins by technical fall moved him past 20 techs in his career (21).
• Powell's pin against W&J was the 25^th of his career.
• Difalco inched closer to career win number 50 as he is now 47-26.
 
Day 1 – January 9, 2026
#10 (D2) Glenville St.-48, Johns Hopkins-3
125 – Colton Drousias (G) win by forfeit (6-0)
133 – Zach Parker (G) win by forfeit (12-0)
141 – Ethan Hardy (G) tech. fall Max Apsel (J), 17-2 (17-0)
149 – Gabriel Onorato (G) dec. Freddy Pimental (J), 11-9 (20-0)
157 – Moses Eads (G) win by inj. def. Giorgio Difalco (J) (26-0)
165 – Connor Powell (J) dec. Connor Holm (G), 11-4 (26-3)
174 – Ethan Lopez (G) maj. dec. AJ Gordon (J), 11-1 (30-3)
184 – Zach Holstoin (G) pin Kadin Khalloufi (J) (2:49) (36-3)
197 – Nicholas Johnson (G) pin Chuck Dunn (J) (2:06) (42-3)
285 – Colby Whitehill (G) pin Jacob Pomykata (J) (1:41) (48-3)
 
Centenary-25, Johns Hopkins-16
125 – Jack Thode (C) win by forfeit (6-0)
133 – Daniel Gonzalez (C) win by forfeit (12-0)
141 – Daniel Haws (C) pin Max Apsel (J) (3:45) (18-0)
149 – Freddy Pimental (J) dec. Joseph Innamorato (C), 12-5 (18-3)
157 – Colin Neal (C) dec. Brennan McGrann (J), 5-3 (21-3)
165 – Connor Powell (J) dec. Hunter Cleaver (C), 10-4 (21-6)
174 – AJ Gordon (J) dec. Reece Smith (C), 7-3 (21-9)
184 – Kadin Khalloufi (J) maj. dec. Alex Mercado (C), 8-0 (21-13)
197 – Angelo Piazza (CC) maj. dec. Chuck Dunn (J), 12-4 (25-13)
285 – Jacob Pomykata (J) dec. Jonathan Martinez (C), 1-0 (sv) (25-16)
 
Day 2 – January 10, 2026
Washington & Jefferson-26, Johns Hopkins-24
125 –Brandon Dami (W) win by forfeit (6-0)
133 – Alexander Tucker (W) win by forfeit (12-0)
141 – Joshua Smith (W) def. Max Apsel (J), 10-8 (15-0)
149 – Freddy Pimental (J) tech. fall Bryce Rodriguez Uram (W), 17-0 (15-5)
157 – Giorgio Difalco (J) maj. dec. Jackson Sandor (W), 18-4 (15-9)
165 – Connor Powell (J) pin De'Mier Hamilton (W) (0:37) (15-15)
174 – AJ Gordon (J) dec. Jiovanni DeChicchis (W), 5-1 (OT) (15-18)
184 – Vitali Daniels (W) tech. fall Kadin Khalloufi (J), 16-0 (20-18)
197 – Jaden Fields (W) pin Chuck Dunn (J) (1:32) (26-18)
285 – Jacob Pomykata (J) pin Fre'Jon Beasley (W) (4:33) (26-24)
 
Johns Hopkins-32, Greensboro-7
125 – Double forfeit
133 – Double forfeit
141 – Max Apsel (J) maj. dec. Ivan Benitez (G), 12-2 (4-0)
149 – Freddy Pimental (J) tech. fall Josue DelCid (G), 18-2 (9-0)
157 – Giorgio Difalco (J) pin Matthew Myers (G) (0:14) (15-0)
165 – Connor Powell (J) tech. fall Nicholas Menjivar (G), 17-0 (20-0)
174 – Ethan Kring (G) maj. dec. AJ Gordon (J), 16-8 (20-4)
184 – Kadin Khalloufi (J) win by forfeit (26-4)
197 – Isaiah Manning (G) dec. Chuck Dunn (J),7-2 (26-7)
285 – Jacob Pomykata (J) pin Amarion Wilson (G) (5:22) (32-7)