WALESKA, Ga.— The Montreat wrestling team picked up its first win in program history at the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Duals today, knocking off Bluefield College by a score of 36-24. The Cavs, who faced five total teams during the duals, also went on to also defeat West Virginia Tech and St. Andrews to end the conference tournament with a 3-2 record.
In the match against the Rams, Montreat got off to a 24-0 start behind a trio of forfeits from Bluefield and a pin by Landon Chambers at 149. The teams then traded pins over the next four individual bouts, with Easton Griffin and Seth Williamson coming out on top for the Cavaliers, who stretched the lead to 36-12. Williamson's fall at 4:51 over his opponent secured the initial team win in program history, a 12-point triumph over the Rams.
Chambers started the day 2-0 after defeating his first opposition in the match against Truett McConnell by tech fall (17-2). Braden Wharton also dominated his match in the 133-pound class versus TMU with a 19-3 tech fall, but Montreat fell short to TMU 45-10.
After a rough outing against No. 4 Reinhardt, the Cavs bounced back in a major way versus West Virginia Tech, recording the second team win of the day, season and program history. The Cavaliers held the Golden Bears without a single point, collecting an impressive 53-0 shutout triumph in the process.
Five WVU Tech forfeits gave Montreat 30 points off the bat, while the Cavs went to work on the mat earning big results. Jonathan Zafra registered his first win of the day, as did Tyler McDonald, each pinning their respective opponents at 149 and 174.
Griffin and Williamson both tallied their second victories of the tournament as Griffin pinned his opposition at 165 and Williamson notched a tech fall at 184 (22-5) to open up a 47-0 advantage before the final surrender from the Golden Bears.
In the last contest of the event, Wharton put Montreat up 12-0 with a pin over St. Andrews before the Knights answered with seven straight points. The Cavs responded with a decision from Chambers and a tech fall from Griffin to build a 20-7 lead.
Williamson then put the competition away for the Cavaliers by pinning his second opponent of the day as Montreat recorded yet another victory with a 26-13 win.
The Cavs will host their first home dual on Friday against Campbellsville. Match time is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
Truett McConnell University (TMU) 45, Montreat College (Mont) 10 TMU Mont
125: Brandon Navixay (TMU) over Brantley Hart (Mont) (Fall 3:37) 6 0
133: Braden Wharton (Mont) over Ethan Frye (TMU) (TF 19-3 6:41) 0 5
141: Geowel Silvestre (TMU) over Alexander Chester (Mont) (Fall 7:00) 6 0
149: Leonel Silvestre (TMU) over Jonathan Zafra (Mont) (TF 16-1 7:00) 5 0
157: Landon Chambers (Mont) over Mitchell Braddy (TMU) (TF 17-2 5:56) 0 5
165: Mitchell Thompson (TMU) over Easton Griffin (Mont) (Fall 3:28) 6 0
174: Ian James (TMU) over Malik Jenkins (Mont) (Fall 3:35) 6 0
184: Hans Evatt (TMU) over Seth Williamson (Mont) (MD 13-4) 4 0
197: Dalton Hardeman (TMU) over Jim Connaghan (Mont) (Fall 3:37) 6 0
285: Ethan Powell (TMU) over Xander Walser (Mont) (Fall 0:41) 6 0
Montreat College (Mont) 36, Bluefield College (Blue) 24 Mont Blue
125: Brantley Hart (Mont) over (Blue) (For.) 6 0
133: Braden Wharton (Mont) over (Blue) (For.) 6 0
141: Alexander Chester (Mont) over (Blue) (For.) 6 0
149: Landon Chambers (Mont) over Pablo Maltez (Blue) (Fall 3:43) 6 0
157: Creed Lumpp (Blue) over Jonathan Zafra (Mont) (Fall 0:15) 0 6
165: Easton Griffin (Mont) over Kyle Neal (Blue) (Fall 1:57) 6 0
174: Luke Young (Blue) over Tyler McDonald (Mont) (Fall 1:41) 0 6
184: Seth Williamson (Mont) over Francisco Vasquez (Blue) (Fall 4:51) 6 0
197: Zachary Silver (Blue) over (Mont) (For.) 0 6
285: Jaxon Bast (Blue) over Benjamin Austin (Mont) (Fall 1:22) 0 6
Reinhardt University (Rein) 53, Montreat College (Mont) 0 Rein Mont
125: Walker Byrd (Rein) over Brantley Hart (Mont) (Fall 1:54) 6 0
133: Elijah Griffin (Rein) over Braden Wharton (Mont) (Fall 3:15) 6 0
141: Trevor Burdick (Rein) over Alexander Chester (Mont) (TF 16-0 2:51) 5 0
149: Jody McAlister (Rein) over Landon Chambers (Mont) (MD 11-1) 4 0
157: Matt Jenkins (Rein) over (Mont) (For.) 6 0
165: Aushaud Evans (Rein) over Easton Griffin (Mont) (MD 8-0) 4 0
174: Sam Irwin (Rein) over Malik Jenkins (Mont) (MD 9-1) 4 0
184: Jacob Henderson (Rein) over Seth Williamson (Mont) (Fall 3:26) 6 0
197: Antonio Stewart (Rein) over (Mont) (For.) 6 0
285: DeShaun Baker (Rein) over Benjamin Austin (Mont) (Fall 1:44) 6 0
Montreat College (Mont) 53, West Virginia Tech (WVT) 0 Mont WVT
125: Brantley Hart (Mont) over (WVT) (For.) 6 0
133: Braden Wharton (Mont) over (WVT) (For.) 6 0
141: Alexander Chester (Mont) over (WVT) (For.) 6 0
149: Jonathan Zafra (Mont) over Cairo Henderson Stewart (WVT) (Fall 2:05) 6 0
157: Landon Chambers (Mont) over (WVT) (For.) 6 0
165: Easton Griffin (Mont) over Logan Allen (WVT) (Fall 2:04) 6 0
174: Tyler McDonald (Mont) over Jephte Jean Paul (WVT) (Fall 6:03) 6 0
184: Seth Williamson (Mont) over Jacob Thomas (WVT) (TF 22-5 4:57) 5 0
197: Double Forfeit 0 0
285: Xander Walser (Mont) over (WVT) (For.) 6 0
Montreat College (Mont) 26, St. Andrews (SAU) 13 Mont SAU
125: Brantley Hart (Mont) over (SAU) (For.) 6 0
133: Braden Wharton (Mont) over Andrew Adams (SAU) (Fall 4:04) 6 0
141: James Roberts (SAU) over Alexander Chester (Mont) (Dec 8-4) 0 3
149: Josh Soliz (SAU) over Jonathan Zafra (Mont) (MD 15-3) 0 4
157: Landon Chambers (Mont) over Dakota Johnson (SAU) (Dec 5-3) 3 0
165: Easton Griffin (Mont) over Akazee Kum Akab A Sei (SAU) (TF 17-1 6:35) 5 0
174: Jermy Cope (SAU) over Malik Jenkins (Mont) (Dec 2-0) 0 3
184: Seth Williamson (Mont) over Tyler Godfrey (SAU) (Fall 1:58) 6 0
197: Double Forfeit 0 0
285: Logan Sage (SAU) over Benjamin Austin (Mont) (Dec 3-0) 0 3
