Kovacs finishes sixth at Southern Scuffle

AJ Kovacs (Danbury) of North Carolina State finished sixth at 157 pounds in Sunday’s Southern Scuffle in Tennessee. (Photo courtesy Sam Janicki / SJanickiPhoto.com)

No. 5 North Carolina State took six wrestlers to the Southern Scuffle tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn., this weekend and four wrestlers earned medals, including freshman A.J. Kovacs of Danbury.

Kovacs (13-2) finished sixth at 157 pounds in the tournament. After nine straight wins to begin his collegiate career, Kovacs dropped a 7-3 decision to Cornell’s Richard Hunter in the round of 16.

Kovacs won four straight consolation round decisions before falling to Missouri’s Jarett Jacques by pin to finish sixth in the tournament.

Kovacs beat Appalachian State’s Cody Bond, 6-5 thanks to a takedown with 53 seconds remaining to put him ahead by two points. Kovacs beat Penn State’s Joe Lee, 6-3 with a takedown with 56 seconds remaining that put him ahead by three and outlasted West Virginia’s Alex Hornfleck, 4-1.

Michael Burchell of Madison, the former Hand High star, wrestled at 285 pounds for Appalachian State and went 0-2 in the tournament.

Burchell (7-5) dropped a 3-1 decision in overtime to Konner Doucet of Oklahoma State in his first match and was eliminated by Missouri’s Seth Nitzel, 9-3 in the consolation found.