Cornell sophomore Simon Ruiz and Virginia Tech senior Eddie Ventresca won NCAA rematches to help kick off the college wrestling season at the NWCA All-Star Classic at Rutgers Saturday.

The exhibition event matches some of the top wrestlers in the country.

Ruiz rallied from a 6-1 deficit to defeat Rutgers’ Lenny Pinto, 9-6, in an 174-pound match.

A two-time state champion at Delbarton, Ruiz used two back points in the second period and a third-period takedown to erase the deficit. Ruiz defeated Pinto, 2-1, in the blood round of the NCAA Tournament last year when Pinto wrestled for Nebraska.

Pinto transferred to Rutgers in the offseason.

Virginia Tech senior Eddie Ventresca, a Pope John state champion and two-time All-American for the Hokies, defeated Lehigh’s Sheldon Seymour, 5-0, at 1

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