CORBIN, Ky.— Montreat College's men's wrestling team competed in the first event of its 2025-26 campaign on Saturday when it traveled to the Pepsi Patriot Open. The University of the Cumberlands hosted the event. A total of 31 teams brought wrestlers to the tournament, and 18 Cavaliers made the trip to compete. Of those wrestlers, 16 of them competed in at least two matches, and nine of them managed to win at least one bout.
 
In the team standings, Montreat finished 21^st out of 30 teams that scored points. The Cavs scored 69.5 points on the day. Lourdes University placed one spot ahead of the Cavaliers with 70.5 points, and Thomas More University placed one spot behind the Cavs with 66 points.
 
Landon Herndon finished second in the freshmen/sophomore division at 157, notching a record of 5-1 throughout his tournament run. He did it all as he won his five matches via a different method. Herndon won by forfeit, fall, tech fall, decision and major decision in the event. He was undefeated throughout the entire day until the first-place match. The freshman from Hedgesville, W.Va., lost the final by a 9-4 decision.
 
Kane Bryson placed fifth at 125, going 6-2 in the freshman/sophomore tournament. He lost his first battle by being pinned in 5:47. The freshman from Canton, N.C. then won five consecutive bouts, with four of them being pins. His other victory came from a major decision, where he won 15-2. After that, Bryson won the fifth-place match on a forfeit.
 
At 149 in the freshman/sophomore bracket, Boedi Kirkland finished sixth with a 6-3 record. He won his first match via an 11-8 decision. Kirkland was on the other end of a decision when he lost his next bout 6-4. After that, he won his next four in a row. He tallied three tech falls and a decision in those four triumphs. He lost his second match by a forfeit. The freshman from Catawba, N.C., was credited with a loss in a no-contest in the fifth-place bout.
 
Freshman Austen Mayfield won four duals during his freshman/sophomore tournament run and concluded with a record of 4-2. He wrestled at 157 and started out with a 17-2 victory via a tech fall. After losing his next match by a major decision 13-5, he won his next three in a row. Two of those wins were by decision, and the other was a pin in 38 seconds. His second loss came from a forfeit.
 
Louis Mehaffey ended 3-2 in the 141-lb open tournament bracket. After dropping his first match by a decision 5-3, he won three consecutive bouts at 4-0, 18-3 and 7-3, respectively. His day ended after being pinned after 4:44 in his final match.
 
Four Cavaliers finished their day 1-2. Zeke Grabowski, Jack Mathieu, Reese Ferm and Milosz Gargol all registered a win before being eliminated from the tournament.
 
"I am extremely proud of the way these men competed today," said head coach Jim Connaghan. "This is the most competitive wrestling team I've been lucky enough to be a part of at Montreat College. I am excited to see what direction we go in for the rest of the season."
 
For complete results from the Pepsi Patriot Open, click here.
 
The next event on the Cavaliers' schedule is a team dual against the (RV) Truett McConnell University Bears in Cleveland, Ga. on Nov. 8.