MARIETTA, Ga. – The Fire wrestlers had a good day on Friday. Southeastern University pinned 12 opponents and sent 10 wrestlers to Saturday's semifinals as they hold in first place after the Appalachian Athletic Conference Wrestling Championship opening day.
Fire wrestlers recorded 18 wins over six weight classes and have half of the AAC semifinalist going to the final day. The SEU semifinalists are comprised of Aaron Lucio and Andrew Voiles (133), Kael Brister and Drew Jones (141), Mario De La Torre and Chris Kelly (149), Anthony Federico (165), Trillyon Fils-Aime and Gentry Smith (197) and Gage Braun (285). Trace Braun is also still alive in the 174 consolation semifinals.
With half the wrestling of the winners bracket, SEU has accumulated 108.5 team points after its 12 competitors compiled a 23-3 overall record. Host Life University holds second place with 94.5 points and Reinhardt University is third (83 points) in the 11-team field.
Of its 23 team-match wins, SEU won 18 of them by bonus point efforts – 12 falls and six tech falls. De La Torre, Fils-Aime, Smith all pinned both their opponents, while Federico and Gage Braun had a fall in their only bouts. Lucio and Voiles split their wins with a fall and then a tech fall, while Brisker had a pair of tech falls.
SEU aims for the AAC team title when the second day starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Fire Wrestler Rundown:
133
No. 6-ranked Lucio started strong with four first-period takedowns and rode the fourth into a fall over Issac Hall of Truett-McConnell. Lucio raced out to a 10-1 lead in the quarterfinals and added a 10-2 second-frame score for a 20-3 tech fall win in 5:00 over Grady Bryant of St. Thomas.
No. 17-ranked Voiles was on a collision course with his teammate. Voiles turned his first immediate takedown in the first 16 seconds and pinned St. Andrew's Amon Ellis in 1:38. He racked up the first-period points to a tune of 17-4 before his first takedown of Keiser's Trevon Hawkins-Robertson in the second frame ended the match at 20-4 in 3:22.
Lucio and Voiles will toe the line against each other in the weight classes' semifinal match tomorrow.
141
Fourth-ranked Brisker outscored his two foes by a 41-10 total in 6:05 of wrestling on the mat. He took down St. Thomas' Lane Wishart six times in a 21-6 tech fall in only 2:00. He didn't waste time in the Quarterfinals with four takedowns and two near falls sets for a 14-3 lead on the way to a 20-4 tech fall final in 3:45 over Keiser's Josiah Fernandez.
After an opening round bye, Jones never trailed in his only match. He took down Brewton-Parker's Blake Walker at 1:50 in the first period, but a reversal with 17 seconds left in the second put him ahead for good for an eventual 9-5 decision.
In the semifinals, Brisker takes on Reinhardt's Garrett Pace and Jones battles No. 8 Thomas Williams of St. Thomas.
149
Between De La Torre and Kelly, SEU won three of the four bouts via fall. No. 24 De La Torre pinned Keiser's Blaze Garica only 26 seconds in the second period. The Fire grappler pulled off a resounding upset of No. 19 Pat Gould of Life by fall only 2:13 into the first period.
Tied at 3-3, Kelly escaped with 39 seconds left in the second period for a 4-3 edge over Keiser's Joaquin Tanabe. Kelly reversed his foe with 1:36 left in the final two minutes and went on for the 7-4 decision. Kelly went on for a quarterfinal pin of C.J. Shadinger from Reinhardt in 2:37.
In the semifinals, both Fire wrestlers will have their hands full. De La Torre takes on No. 9 Devin Griffen of Reinhardt, while Kelly matches with No. 15 Bret Minor of Life.
165
Following an opening bye, No. 6 Federico had a dominant match. On his fourth takedown, Federico scored three sets of two near fall points for an 18-3 tech fall over Shemar Barthelus of St. Thomas in 2:32.
Federico takes the mat against No. 9 Reese Jones from Life in the semifinals.
197
For the fourth time in this tournament SEU has two of the four semifinalists in a weight class. No. 14 Fils-Aime started his drive when he turned a slim 7-6 lead in the second into a fall with a takedown of Keondre Benner from Montreat in 4:41. Fils-Aime repeated the feat in the quarterfinals early in the second with a second fall in 4:02 over Elijah Hester from Truett-McConnell.
No. 12 Smith kept pace with his teammate's production with his own set of falls. The SEU wrestler turned a takedown only 46 seconds into the match with Jackson Geslin of Keiser in a pair of near fall combinations for a fall in 2:01. Smith cut the time frame in half against Jackson Evans from West Virginia Tech in a quick fall in 1:05.
The two Fire teammates will face each other in their semifinal match.
285
No. 2 Gage Braun lived up to his ranking as the team's tenth semifinalist. Braun was leading in the first round before Truett-McConnell's Phillip Terrell bowed out with an injury. Braun finished off Brewton-Parker's John Arellano in a quick 1:19 as he led 13-2 when the bout ended.
Braun moves on for a matchup with St. Thomas' Ralph Riche in the semifinals.
174
SEU's No. 15 Trace Braun and No. 3 Graham Calhoun suffered the only Friday upsets after both had opening round byes. Braun raced out to a 15-0 tech fall shutout of Josh Mojca-Smith of Montreat in 1:50. In the quarterfinals, Braun trailed 13-4 in the third period before he mounted a late charge with an escape into a takedown and 4-point near fall for a 13-12 margin. Life's Tre Morrisette held on for the 15-12 decision. In the consolations, Braun pinned Ryan Turney of West Virginia Tech in 1:54.
Calhoun posted a pair of takedowns and a 4-point near fall for an 11-4 lead over Kiser's Viliam Piekh and then pinned him early in the second in 3:33. Sean Houston (Brewton-Parker) scored a first-period takedown in the quarterfinals and fended off Calhoun, who had an escape and a penalty point in the third period of the 3-2 decision. Calhoun won his first consolation round match via fall in 1:50 over Brewton-Parker's Jesus Grijalva.
In consolation Round 5, Braun advanced to Saturday with a medical forfeit over Calhoun.
133
Aaron Lucio (23-5) placed 6th and scored 9.5 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Aaron Lucio (Southeastern University) 23-5 won by fall over Issac Hall (Truett McConnell University) 0-2 (Fall 2:37)
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Quarterfinal - Aaron Lucio (Southeastern University) 23-5 won by tech fall over Grady Bryant (St. Thomas University) 1-1 (TF-1.5 5:00 (20-3))
133
Andrew Voiles (9-3) placed 6th and scored 9.5 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Andrew Voiles (Southeastern University) 9-3 won by fall over Amon Ellis (St. Andrews University) 3-15 (Fall 1:38)
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Quarterfinal - Andrew Voiles (Southeastern University) 9-3 won by tech fall over Trevon Hawkins-Robertson (Keiser University) 0-2 (TF-1.5 3:22 (20-4))
141
Drew Jones (20-11) placed 6th and scored 6.0 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Drew Jones (Southeastern University) 20-11 received a bye () (Bye)
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Quarterfinal - Drew Jones (Southeastern University) 20-11 won by decision over Blake Walker (Brewton-Parker College) 1-2 (Dec 9-5)
141
Kael Brisker (9-1) placed 6th and scored 9.0 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Kael Brisker (Southeastern University) 9-1 won by tech fall over Lane Wishart (St. Thomas University) 0-2 (TF-1.5 2:20 (21-6))
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Quarterfinal - Kael Brisker (Southeastern University) 9-1 won by tech fall over Josiah Fernandez (Keiser University) 1-1 (TF-1.5 3:45 (20-4))
149
Chris Kelly (14-5) placed 6th and scored 8.0 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Chris Kelly (Southeastern University) 14-5 won by decision over Joaquin Tanabe (Keiser University) 0-2 (Dec 7-4)
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Quarterfinal - Chris Kelly (Southeastern University) 14-5 won by fall over CJ Shadinger (Reinhardt University) 2-1 (Fall 2:37)
149
Mario De La Torre (19-8) placed 6th and scored 10.0 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Mario De La Torre (Southeastern University) 19-8 won by fall over Blaze Garcia (Keiser University) 1-2 (Fall 3:26)
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Quarterfinal - Mario De La Torre (Southeastern University) 19-8 won by fall over Pat Gould (Life University) 9-2 (Fall 2:13)
165
Anthony Federico (10-1) placed 6th and scored 7.5 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Anthony Federico (Southeastern University) 10-1 received a bye () (Bye)
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Quarterfinal - Anthony Federico (Southeastern University) 10-1 won by tech fall over Shemar Barthelus (St. Thomas University) 1-2 (TF-1.5 2:32 (18-3))
174
Trace Braun (15-2) placed 6th and scored 12.5 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Trace Braun (Southeastern University) 15-2 received a bye () (Bye)
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Champ. Round 2 - Trace Braun (Southeastern University) 15-2 won by tech fall over Josh Mojica-Smith (Montreat College) 1-2 (TF-1.5 1:50 (15-0))
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Quarterfinal - Tre Morrisette (Life University) 16-3 won by decision over Trace Braun (Southeastern University) 15-2 (Dec 15-12)
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Cons. Round 4 - Trace Braun (Southeastern University) 15-2 won by fall over Ryan Turney (West Virginia University Institute Of Technology) 16-12 (Fall 1:54)
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Cons. Round 5 - Trace Braun (Southeastern University) 15-2 won by medical forfeit over Graham Calhoun (Southeastern University) 12-3 (M. For.)
174
Graham Calhoun (12-3) place is unknown and scored 6.5 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Graham Calhoun (Southeastern University) 12-3 received a bye () (Bye)
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Champ. Round 2 - Graham Calhoun (Southeastern University) 12-3 won by fall over Viliam Piekh (Keiser University) 1-2 (Fall 3:33)
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Quarterfinal - Sean Houston (Brewton-Parker College) 2-0 won by decision over Graham Calhoun (Southeastern University) 12-3 (Dec 3-2)
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Cons. Round 4 - Graham Calhoun (Southeastern University) 12-3 won by fall over Jesus Grijalva (Brewton-Parker College) 1-2 (Fall 1:50)
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Cons. Round 5 - Trace Braun (Southeastern University) 15-2 won by medical forfeit over Graham Calhoun (Southeastern University) 12-3 (M. For.)
197
Trillyon Fils-Aime (10-4) placed 6th and scored 10.0 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Trillyon Fils-Aime (Southeastern University) 10-4 won by fall over Keondre Bonner (Montreat College) 0-2 (Fall 4:41)
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Quarterfinal - Trillyon Fils-Aime (Southeastern University) 10-4 won by fall over Elijah Hester (Truett McConnell University) 0-2 (Fall 4:02)
197
Gentry Smith (14-5) placed 6th and scored 10.0 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Gentry Smith (Southeastern University) 14-5 won by fall over Jackson Geslin (Keiser University) 0-2 (Fall 2:01)
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Quarterfinal - Gentry Smith (Southeastern University) 14-5 won by fall over Jackson Evans (West Virginia University Institute Of Technology) 5-5 (Fall 1:05)
285
Gage Braun (8-1) placed 6th and scored 10.0 team points.
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Champ. Round 1 - Gage Braun (Southeastern University) 8-1 won by injury default over Phillip Terrell (Truett McConnell University) 1-1 (Inj. 0:00)
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Quarterfinal - Gage Braun (Southeastern University) 8-1 won by fall over John Arellano (Brewton-Parker College) 0-1 (Fall 1:19)
