The Emory & Henry College Men’s Wrestling Team opened the season on Sunday, Nov. 5 at the James Madison University Invitational. The Wasps picked up a pair of first-place finishes in two separate weight classes on their way to finishing third as a team.
Junior Tito Hernandez fell in his first match of the day by a 13-8 decision, before winning his first consolation round match by a 19-6 major decision. Hernandez then won his second consolation match by fall in 1:37 and dropped a match by fall in 1:34. Hernandez came up short against Patrick Henry Community College’s Hunter Fulp in the fifth-place match by a 12-7 decision to finish in sixth place.
Sophomore Logan Arnold won his first two matches of the day by fall in 1:47 and 1:51 respectively. He then lost by fall in the championship match in 3:55 to Dillon Messick of The Apprentice School to take home second place.
At 141 pounds, junior Isaiah Dotson lost by fall in 33 seconds in his opening round match before pinning his opponent in 35 seconds in his first consolation round match. Junior Avery Almany won by fall in 3:36 in his opening round before losing by fall in five minutes in the second round of competition. Almany then topped teammate Dotson in the consolation round by fall, before dropping a 14-6 major decision to Marymount’s Luke Wahlquist.
Sophomore Collin Davidson, wrestling at 149 pounds, fell in his opening match of the day by fall, then picked up a victory by fall in 2:45 in his first consolation round match. He then bowed out with a loss by fall to Christian Duke of The Apprentice School in 6:52.
At 157 pounds, junior Levi Field won his opening match by fall in just 34 seconds before receiving a win by medical forfeit in the second round. Field earned a big win by technical fall, 21-6, in the third round. Field took home medalist honors with a win by a 9-4 decision over Pahris Petalas of Marymount in the championship match.
Tristan Lorenz opened his day with a loss by fall before bouncing back with wins by a 17-2 technical fall and fall in 4:40 in his first two consolation matches. He then fell by a 16-12 decision and by fall in 1:57 to Shawn Disbennett of The Apprentice School in the fifth-place match to finish sixth.
At 165 pounds, Sebastian Gaberette opened the day with a 4-0 win by decision, then dropped his second championship round match by fall in 3:17. He then responded by winning three straight matches in the consolation rounds by a 15-0 technical fall, 16-6 major decision and 8-3 decision respectively. Gaberette finished off his maiden collegiate competition with a win by medical forfeit to finish in third place.
Freshman A.J. Marshall got his collegiate career off to a perfect start as he rolled through his competition to take home first place. Marshall won his first three matches by a fall in 2:08, 7-2 decision and by fall in 1:18 to reach the championship match. Marshall completed his perfect day with an 8-0 major decision victory over Marymount’s Isaiah Ponce to earn E&H’s second medalist honors of the day.
Fellow freshman Evan Alger of Pulaski continued the winning trend for the Wasps at 184 pounds. He advanced through the championship bracket with a first-round win by fall in 58 seconds, second-round win by 18-2 technical fall and third-round win by fall in 4:46. He would come up short in the championship match as he fell by technical fall, 21-6, to Rylan Moose of Marymount to finish in second place.
At 285 pounds, Hunter Brown won his opening match by fall in 2:06 before dropping his second match by fall to reach the consolation bracket. Brown then won his first consolation match by fall in 2:50 before dropping back-to-back matches to finish in sixth place.
