PEMBROKE, N.C. – For the first time in program history, the No. 2 Lander wrestling team has taken home the Super Region II title after blitzing past the competition with 164 team points.
The Bearcats saw nine wrestlers qualify for the Div. II National Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa., on March 10 and 11.
After Lander's 164 team score, the next closest team was Mount Olive's 115. Newberry College rounded out the top three with 111.5 points.
The Bearcats also set a new scoring record at the Super Region II championships with their 164 team score.
The Bearcats have increased the number of wrestlers they've sent to the National Championships each year. 2021 saw two wrestlers qualify while 2022 saw four.
Lander finished Super Regionals with nine national qualifiers, seven Super Region championships, one second-place finish and one third-place finish.
James Joplin - 125 (3-0)
After getting a bye in the first round, James Joplin took down Lens Mathurin of Mount Olive with his seventh pin of the year to advance to the semifinals.
Joplin would take care of business in the semifinals as he earned a 13-2 major decision over Kevin Radcliff of Limestone to advance to the finals.
In the finals, Jopling would scrap for a 3-2 win by decision to take first place at 125 over Zach Shupp of Newberry.
Elijah Lusk - 133 (3-0)
Elijah Lusk won his first match of the day in the quarterfinals with a 16-6 major decision over Brandon Dasen of Coker to move on to the semifinals.
Lusk would take down Franky Medina of King 9-3 to advance to the finals.
In the championship match, Lusk would go up against Harold Robinson of Mount Olive. Lusk would earn his second consecutive appearance in the national tournament with an 8-5 win by decision.
Zeth Brower - 141 (3-0)
Like most of the Bearcats, Zeth Brower got a bye to move to the quarterfinals. Brower would use a 16-0 tech fall, his sixth of the season, to defeat Hayden Waddell of Mount Olive to march to the semifinals.
Brower would roll over Joshua Kincaid of Emmanuel as he won 18-2 for his second tech fall of the day and advanced to the finals.
Brower would battle Josh Blatt of Newberry College in the championship match. The defending national champion would give Lander a 3-2 victory and its third national qualifier.
Jack Tangen - 149 (2-1)
Jack Tangen started his day with a 12-7 win by decision over Tyler Pepe of Belmont Abbey to move to the semifinals.
Tangen then turned up the heat as he pinned Dallas Wilson of Mount Olive in the semifinals before falling in a narrow 2-1 match against Devan Moore of Newberry in the championship match.
Gage Bernall – 157 (4-1)
Gage Bernall started his day off with a bang as he took down Will Evans of Newberry with a pin before advancing to the semifinals with a forfeit.
In the semifinals, Bernall would fall to Maxwell Kiel of Belmont Abbey 5-3.
Bernall would bounce back on the consolation bracket as he won 9-4 by decision over Noah Korenosk of Coker to make his way to the consolation finals match.
Making it to the third-place match, Bernall would take a 6-1 win by decision over Jake Nicolosi of Mount Olive to earn his first-ever appearance at the national championships.
David Hunsberger – 165 (3-0)
David Hunsberger didn't waste much time getting used to Pembroke, N.C., as he defeated Connor Smith of Emmanuel 19-3. Hunsberger now has six tech falls this season.
Hunsberger would earn his second tech fall as he ran over Mike Vernagallo of Mount Olive 19-5 to advance to the finals.
The championship match would see Hunsberger go up against Patrick Wunderlich of Newberry. Hunsberger became the sixth Bearcats to qualify for the big dance with a 5-2 win by decision.
Jack Bond – 174 (3-2)
Jack Bond rattled off two wins to begin his day. Bond first won by tech fall as he took down Jack Hill 17-0 of Lincoln Memorial before winning 18-8 by major decision over Kyler Picard of Belmont Abbey.
Bond would first drop a 7-3 decision to Hunter Haven before falling by pin to Dayton Fields of Newberry. Bond would finish fifth at 174 after taking a victory by medical forfeit.
Logan Hall – 184 (3-0)
Logan Hall began his day with a 16-0 tech fall. His second of the season, over Devin McCorkle of Mount Olive.
Hall would battle his way to a 6-5 win in sudden victory over ZeBrandon Grantof Newberry to move his way to the finals at 184.
Hall would get revenge for an earlier loss to Shylik Scriven as the Bearcats would defeat the Brave 7-4 and become the seventh national qualifier for Lander on the day.
Anthony Yacovetti – 197 (3-0)
Anthony Yacovetti won by pin, his ninth of the season, over Okten Logue of Lincoln Memorial in his first match of the day.
Yacovetti would win by pin once again, this time taking down Micha Clemson of Emmanuel to advance to the finals.
Lander would once again go up against a UNC Pembroke Brave, as Yacovetti matched up against Bryce Walker in the championship match. Yacovetti would earn a narrow 1-0 win by decision to keep the number of national qualifiers growing.
Juan Edmond-Holmes – 285 (3-0)
Juan Edmond-Holmes starts his day with a pin, his ninth of the season, against Ja'Mond Goodwine of Emmanuel College to move to the semifinals.
Edmond-Holmes would earn a narrow 2-1 win by decision against Devon Rice of Newberry for his second win of the day.
Edmond-Holmes would bully Nico Ramirez of Mount Olive in the championship match. Taking a major decision, Edmond-Holmes would take the victory to the tune of a 13-2 thrashing.
The Bearcats will now prepare to do what they've done all season, compete with the nation's best wrestlers and show that they are the best of the best.
The NCAA Div. II National Championships will run from March 10 through March 11 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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