Hey everyone. It’s me, Vonwolf. It’s been a wild week of yelling and fighting. I’m sorry (ehh, not really), but I have good news to share!
What we’ve all witnessed over the last week, might be the best collective State athletics effort since…I don’t even know. We had wins in all sports, from blowouts to instant classics with recruiting and great news in-between. Not to brag or be egotistical, but this is why I was so angry with a subset of folks just overshadowing moments with negativity. I don’t care what happens in January, I want to enjoy the moment that is here and now.
Football
Let’s be honest…We’ll remember that game for a long time. The feeling of being lower than low and then State races all the way back. Just a reminder, down nine with two to go.
A rivalry game that turned into something talked about for years. It got the team to their ninth win and a chance to go double-digit wins for only the second time ever. Leary is breaking records, Emezie is going out a king, Dunn with *technically* his second successful onsides kick, and the defense gets the game ending INT. Just perfect.
To make it even better, at half we’re celebrating a national championship from women’s cross country. Bing, bang, boom.
Then we follow it up with eight members making All-ACC teams, including SIX first-teamers. Couldn’t get any better than that…oh, wait…Moore and Durden have already committed to bringing it back next year. Add that to an already loaded group, things get serious again in 2022 for football.
Women’s Basketball
Wolfpack basketball has roared back into the national conversation. How do you get people to forget your opening day loss? You win three games in seven days, with two of those being against #2 Maryland and #6 Indiana on the road. State is now locked into a #2 national ranking without any question or disagreements.
Cherry on top is having Diamond Johnson be the ACC Player of the Week. Johnson, through her two games against Maryland and Washington State, put up; 41 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists and 8 steals. All that production and only four turnovers…good lawd.
Men’s Basketball
But, but, but they won’t win and aren’t good…whatever. During this week’s stretch they moved to third in overall records within the ACC, with wins over LA Tech and Nebraska. The latter of which, became it’s own instant classic. Four OTs of come from behind theatrics.
Seabron just so happened to have the following line; 57 minutes, 39 points and 19 rebounds. Dowouna only got EIGHT BLOCKS. Everyone played, everyone contributed.
And before the Nebraska game even happened, State picked up a commitment from the #1 point guard in the entire 2023 class. Dillingham is the talk of the country and he picked State to be his college of choice. Unbelievable.
Even State’s darkest day this season was made brighter. Bates had successful surgery in Florida and is already rehabbing in Raleigh. Will he come back next year?
Wrestling
Thursday, State Wrestling not only won…they beat the stuffing out of Gardner-Webb. “Well, they should have beat them, they are far superior.” Yeah, they got that message and proceeded to win every. single. match in route to a 45-0 win.
Ed Scott and Trent Hidlay both with tech falls. No match, and I mean none, were close.
Volleyball
Even though their season came to an end, State finished off Senior Night on Saturday with a win against Clemson, 3-1. An up and down season, but still seniors are heading out with a win.
Women’s Soccer
It was announced that both Jenna Butler (All-Atlantic Region third-team) and Lulu Guttenberger (three-time All-ACC and team captain) were returning to State for their extra year of eligibility. We’ve talked about it previously, but this team was on the literal cusp of having a season to remember in Raleigh. Big, big pieces back for the Pack.
Just look at that damn list! That’s every sport winning, recruiting and returning. State may not have ever had a week in which there was so much drama and GOOD, FUN DRAMA. What a time to be a State fan, regardless of how long the dream lasts.
#GoPack
I wonder how many of those coaches were hired by Yow? She did us right.