CORBIN, Ky. – The Fire recorded some outstanding opening season performances on Saturday. Southeastern University showed its team wrestling depth with eight placewinners at the Pepsi Patriot Open.
Graham Calhoun, Brody Brisker and Tyson Barnhart made runs to their respective 174-open, 141-freshman/sophomore and 165-freshmen/sophomore championship matches as the top three Fire performances. Starting with Calhoun, the senior started with a decision win before he had a strong 16-0 tech fall and back-to-back falls to reach the championship match.
In his first collegiate event, Brisker registered a 16-3 major to start the day before a pair of decisions wrapped around an opponent's disqualification for his bracket championship run.
Also an inaugural event, Barnhart was unstoppable. The freshman ran off an opening fall, then a 16-1 tech fall before two more falls. Barnhart added a 12-3 major decision until a forfeit in the championship bout.
Joining their fellow freshmen, SEU's Ty Rodriguez and Bryce Wheatley made their way to the freshman/sophomore semis at 165 and 285 weight classes. Rodridguez had his biggest result of a 20-5 tech fall in his first bout before he registered a 13-2 major and a 7-2 decision. In the semis, Rodriguez dropped his lone match by a 4-3 final.
At 285, Wheatley did not lose a match he wrestled. The first-year Fire wrestler won by a 17-5 major before he moved up to an 18-3 tech fall. Wheatley added a fall in 3:00 before he bowed out by forfeit in the semi finals.
The final Open trio of SEU placewinners – Aaron Lucio, Anthony Federico and Jonathan Vanderbilt – each secured 6th place in their brackets. Lucio had his most impressive result in a 19-4 tech fall over Williams Baptist' Gatlin Taylor. Lucio added a 10-2 major before he fell by a 7-5 decision in the semifinal of the 133 weight class.
Federico claimed victories in his first three 165-pound bouts – an 11-3 major, a 4-1 sudden victory and a 4-1 decision.
At 184, Vanderbilt registered a fall in 3:30 to start his day. The junior added a 4-2 decision and a 2-1 tiebreaker decision.
SEU opens its dual meet season next Saturday night, Nov. 9, in a 7 p.m. match at Truett-McConnell.
