NEW YORK CITY — Four Appalachian State University wrestlers completed the first day of action at Madison Square Garden for NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship. All four Mountaineers are alive in the wrestle-back brackets going into day two.

Michael Longo was up first for the Apps in the 141-pound preliminary match vs. Zach Finesilver of Duke. After being knotted at 2-2 after the first period, Longo took the lead in the second and went on to win a 7-6 decision over Finesilver. With the win, Longo advances to wrestle No. 12 seed Chris Mecate of Old Dominion in bout 48.

Longo fell behind, 4-0, in the first period against Mecate. Mecate held off Longo in the final two periods to win 5-0. Mecate was an All-American in 2015.

In Longo's first wrestle-back match he took on No. 5 seed Matt Manley of Missouri. Manely defeated Longo during the regular season when the Tigers came to Boone, but Longo got the best of Manley on Thursday night. Longo won the rematch by 12-3 major decision to progress to day two.

Forrest Przybysz took on No. 7 seed Anthony Perrotti in his first-career match at the NCAAs. Perrotti fought off a near-takedown from Przybysz and secured a win by pin in the first period. 

Przybysz met Cody Wiercioch of Pittsburgh in his first consolation match at 165-pounds. Przybysz earned his first-career NCAA Championship win with a 6-1 decision over Wiercioch. Up next for Przybysz is Chad Welch of Purdue.

No. 14 seed Nick Kee in his first appearance at nationals wrestled against Jonathan Schleifer of Princeton. Kee trailed, 4-1, going into the final period but with the help of an escape, a takedown, and a riding-time point won a, 5-4, decision to advance to the next round.

Kee wrestled Matt Reed of Oklahoma who upset No. 3 seed Blaise Butler in the first round. Kee suffered a 11-5 setback to Reed and will enter the wrestle-back bracket starting tomorrow morning against Alex Meyer of Iowa.

No. 6 seed Denzel Dejournette started his tournament against Brooks Black of Illinois. Dejournette fell behind in the first round and was unable to recover, falling by a 7-2 decision. 

Dejournette was slated to face Sam Stoll of Iowa in the wrestle-back bracket but Stoll sustained an injury in his first match and had to forfeit the match. Dejournette will face Ross Larson of Oklahoma in his first match tomorrow morning. 

The NCAA Championship will resume matches tomorrow starting at 11 a.m.