Kings of the South: #2 Wrestling Claims Second Straight Super Regional Title on backs of Nine National Qualifiers

GREENWOOD - The second-ranked Lander Wrestling team showed why they were the top-ranked team in the region all season on Saturday as the Bearcats won their second straight NCAA Super Region II title inside Finis Horne Arena. Lander amassed 160.5 team points aided by nine of ten wrestlers qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championships in two weeks in Wichita, Kansas, as well as six wrestlers winning regional titles at their weight classes.

The nine wrestlers that will wrestle for a national championship on March 15th and 16th are James Joplin (Greensboro, N.C.) (125), Elijah Lusk (Merritt Island, Fla.) (133), Isham Peace (Okatie, S.C.) (141), Zeth Brower (Medford, Ore.) (149), Jack Tangen (Glenview, Ill.) (157), David Hunsberger (Duncan, S.C.) (165), Brandon Matthews (Venetia, PA) (174), Anthony Yacovetti (Bridgeport, Pa.) (184), and Juan Edmond-Holmes (Goose Creek, S.C.) (285).

The Bearcats earned 20 bonus point victories out of 27 total victories on the day, including starting the day with eight straight tech falls.

125: #1 James Joplin - 1st (4-0)
Joplin opened the morning with a first period 19-4 technical fall over Brett Balzan of Belmont Abbey and repeated the feat in his quarterfinal matchup with Porter Finstad of Lincoln Memorial, this time with a 17-2 scoreline.

In his semifinal matchup against Finnearty from Limestone, Joplin was able to grit out a 4-0 decision to secure his NCAA berth before taking down #5 Logan Seliga in the championship bout with a 7-2 decision.

133: #8 Elijah Lusk - 2nd (2-1)
Just like Joplin, Lusk opened his morning with a tech fall over Szewczyk of Lincoln Memorial after earning a bye in the first round to send him to the semifinals.

In the semis, Lusk was equally as dominant, securing an 11-1 major decision to propel him into the championship bout. However, top-ranked Gabe Hixenbaugh downed Lusk with a 10-4 decision to take the top step of the podium.

141: #9 Isham Peace - 1st (3-0)
After also having a bye in the first round, Peace earned a 17-1 tech fall over JP Gamez from Newberry before taking down UNC Pembroke's Avery Buonocore, 11-4, to secure a NCAA berth and a spot in the finals.

His final match was cut short as Carayiannis of Belmont Abbey defaulted due to injury, giving Peace the regional title in his first full season as a starter.

149: #4 Zeth Brower - 1st (3-0)
Brower cruised through the 149-pound bracket, earning a tech fall in each of his three bouts on the day. His first came over Lundquist of Emmanuel, 19-3, he secured his NCAA bid with a 18-3 technical fall over Wilson of Mount Olive before grabbing his third straight regional title with a 20-4 win over Moore of Newberry.

157: Jack Tangen - 2nd (2-1)
After a bye in the first round, Tangen opened his day in dominating fashion with a 21-5 tech fall of Drakeford of Limestone before securing a 9-2 decision to punch his NCAA ticket. He would come short of the regional title, however, falling to Kiel of Belmont Abbey, 7-3 in the finals.

165: #1 David Hunsberger - 1st (3-0)
After a bye in the first round, Hunsberger opened his championship run with a second period pin of Bancroft of Mount Olive, ending the streak of eight straight tech falls to open the tournament for Lander, before finding himself in a dogfight with Trimble of Emmanuel but the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class was able to grit out a 3-2 decision to clinch a spot in the finals.

In the finals, Hunsberger got back to dominating ways as he got a pin in 3:42 for his second straight regional title.

174: Brandon Matthews - 2nd (3-1)
Matthews earned two straight tech falls to send him into the semifinals, 16-0 over Newton of Coker and 17-1 over Galang of King, before a 8-5 decision over Andrew Reed of Newberry saw the graduate student earn his first ever berth at NCAAs.

Matthews did not wrestle his championship bout, placing him second.

184: Anthony Yacovetti - 1st (3-0)
Yacovetti had the most dominant day for the Bearcats and arguably was the most dominant wrestler at the tournament, scoring 21 team points with three pins.

His first two pins came in the first period over Graham of Montevallo and PIckard of Belmont Abbey before securing his second regional title with a 3:27 pin over Hill of Emmanuel.

197: Jack Bond (0-2)
Bond fell just short in his opening bout as a late takedown handed him a 6-5 loss before his run ended in the consolation bracket with a loss to Kump of Belmont Abbey.

285: #4 Juan Edmond-Holmes - 1st (4-0)
Edmond-Holmes opened his day with a 17-2 tech fall win over Olea of Emmanuel before earning a semifinal berth with a 17-second pin over Melton of Limestone and added another bonus point win to secure a NCAA berth with a 13-1 win over Cooper of Coker.

In the finals, Edmond-Holmes found himself against Devon Rice of Newberry, an opponent which he has seen many times across his career at Limestone and Lander, and a back-and-forth battle ended up in sudden victory where he was able to secure a takedown to give him his second region title with the Bearcats.

The nine national qualifiers will have two weeks to train before traveling to Wichita for the NCAA Division II National Championships on March 15th and 16th.

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Players Mentioned

Jack Bond: Redshirt Senior; 174

Zeth Brower: Redshirt Senior; 141

Juan Edmond-Holmes: Graduate Student; 285

David Hunsberger: Sophomore; 157

James Joplin: Junior; 125

Elijah Lusk: Junior; 133

Isham Peace: Redshirt Sophomore; 133

Jack Tangen: Graduate Student; 149

Anthony Yacovetti: Senior; 197

Brandon Matthews: Graduate Student; 174/184

Players Mentioned

Jack Bond
: Redshirt Senior; 174

Zeth Brower
: Redshirt Senior; 141

Juan Edmond-Holmes
: Graduate Student; 285

David Hunsberger
: Sophomore; 157

James Joplin
: Junior; 125

Elijah Lusk
: Junior; 133

Isham Peace
: Redshirt Sophomore; 133

Jack Tangen
: Graduate Student; 149

Anthony Yacovetti
: Senior; 197

Brandon Matthews
: Graduate Student; 174/184