(CORBIN, Ky.) – The Thomas More University wrestling team competed in the Patriot Open Saturday, hosted by University of the Cumberlands in Corbin, Ky.
The Saints were led in the Open division by
Ryan Moore at 149 pounds and
Daulton Mayer at 285 pounds. After winning their matches during Friday night's dual victory over Truett-McConnell, they wrestled well on Saturday.
Moore won the 149-pound division for the Saints. His first two matches were falls in 5:53 and 4:39 respectively, to move onto the quarterfinals. He beat Mitchell Freeman of the University of Rio Grande in the quarters by major decision (10-2) before a 7-5 decision over Indiana Tech's Corey Cavanaugh earned him a spot in the finals. Cavanaugh was the 14th ranked 149 heading into the season. In the finals, Moore pinned NCAA Division I Bellarmine University's Zac Cowan in 4:33 to win the bracket.
Mayer finished 3rd at 285, with four falls over his six matches. He won by fall at 1:49 in round one before a tech fall in round two sent him to the quarterfinals where he faced No. 23 Ethan Powell, who he also faced last night. He pinned Powell in 1:03 to head to the semis. He lost to University of the Cumberlands No. 15 Gabe Jacobs in a low scoring 2-0 decision. Mayer would rebound though and pin No. 11 Earnest Johnson of Keiser in 1:23 before a fall in 1:34 over Lindsey Wilson's Niko Bussell in the third-place match.
Other placers for the Saints were a pair of fourth-place finishes in the Freshman/Sophomore division. At 165 pounds, sophomore
Zavier Campsey won his first match by fall in 1:04 before dropping match two. In the consolation bracket, he won by fall in 2:21, and then won a high-scoring 16-13 decision, before another fall in 2:06 put him in the third-place match. He fell in the match but had a great showing on the day.
At 197, first-year
Zachary Watson used a bye and a fall in 2:31 to get to the semifinals, before dropping his match. He then worked his way to the third-place match where he lost for the fourth-place finish.
The Saints get some time off before their next tournament on Nov. 20 at the Star City Classic in Salem, Va. with the tournament set to begin at 9:00 a.m.
