Hailey Franklin

Wrestling 1/29/2026 10:12:00 PM Turner Kirby - Director of Athletic Communications

Lander Dominates Shorter and Emmanuel to Clinch Spot in Conference Carolinas Championship

GREENWOOD – The 15th-ranked Lander wrestling team clinched a spot in the Conference Carolinas Championship on Thursday night with a dominant Senior Night sweep, shutting out the Shorter Hawks 53-0 before knocking off the Emmanuel Lions 42-6 inside Horne Arena.

The match with Shorter had been postponed from Tuesday due to the impacts of Winter Storm Fern in both Georgia and South Carolina.

Lander improved to 18-3 overall and 9-0 in Conference Carolinas action, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the West Division. The Bearcats became the only program to qualify for the Conference Carolinas Championship in all three seasons under the current four-team bracket format. UNC Pembroke will host this year's championship on February 15 after securing hosting rights earlier in the week. Lander won the 2024 conference title in Pembroke with a 29-9 victory over the host Braves in the championship match.

Lander never trailed on the evening and won 19 of the 20 bouts contested, with 17 victories coming via bonus points and four different Bearcats recording pins.

#15 Lander 53, Shorter 0

Wins by forfeit at 125 and 141 bookended a dominant performance by seventh-ranked James Joplin, who rolled to an 18-2 second-period technical fall with a 12-point opening period to give the Bearcats a 17-0 lead after three bouts.

Garrett Wood followed with the first pin of the night for Lander, his third of the season and second in as many matches. Noah Roulo continued the momentum with a 17-2 technical fall after building a 16-point first-period lead, pushing the advantage to 28-0.

Ransom Randolph added six more points with a pin in 1:19, his fifth fall of the season. Major decisions from Xander McWilliams and Sean Crews extended the lead further, with Crews forcing four stalling calls and coming one call shy of a disqualification.

Champ Higdon picked up a win by forfeit at 197 before 12th-ranked Isaac Sheeren closed the match with a pin in 1:19 to complete the shutout.

#15 Lander 42, Emmanuel 6

Kaden Kuenzi opened the second dual with a 5-3 decision, and Joplin followed by making quick work of his opponent with a 66-second pin, his first of the season, to put Lander ahead 9-0.

Emmanuel got on the board with a pin at 141, but Isham Peace responded immediately with a fall at 149 in his final dual inside Horne Arena, marking his first pin of the season.

Wood earned a win by injury default at 157 before two-time national champion David Hunsberger closed out his Horne Arena dual career in emphatic fashion, recording his nation-leading 11th technical fall of the season with a 21-1 victory.

Maxwell Kiel and Crews added back-to-back major decisions before 14th-ranked Marvelous Rutledge posted an 18-0 technical fall at 197. Sheeren closed the night with a 7-2 decision to cap the Senior Night sweep.

Lander looks to become the only program to win three Conference Carolinas Division titles as it travels to Montevallo, Ala., for a showdown with the Falcons on Saturday. First whistle is set for 7 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. local.

Results

vs. Shorter
125: Kaden Kuenzi (LAND) won by forfeit
133: James Joplin (LAND) over Max Meredith (SU) (TF 18-2 3:42)
141: Jaxton Freeman (LAND) won by forfeit
149: Garrett Wood (LAND) over Ethan Ross (SU) (Fall 2:12)
157: Noah Roulo (LAND) over Jonathan Fogus (SU) (TF 17-2 3:34)
165: Ransom Randolph (LAND) over Cumberland Kines (SU) (Fall 1:19)
174: Xander McWilliams (LAND) over Riley Davis (SU) (MD 13-1)
184: Sean Crews (LAND) over Nahzir Turner (SU) (MD 9-0)
197: Charles Higdon (LAND) won by forfeit
285: Isaac Sheeren (LAND) over Eli Kimball (SU) (TF 19-4 3:35)

vs. Emmanuel
125: Kaden Kuenzi (LAND) over Braydon Mitchell (EU) (Dec 5-3)
133: James Joplin (LAND) over Alex McMiller (EU) (Fall 1:06)
141: Davin Lundquist (EU) over Jaxton Freeman (LAND) (Fall 1:57)
149: Isham Peace (LAND) over Isaac Piatek (EU) (Fall 2:38)
157: Garrett Wood (LAND) over Christian Gordon (EU) (Inj. Def. 2:10)
165: David Hunsberger (LAND) over Nate Stratton (EU) (TF 21-1 3:16)
174: Maxwell Kiel (LAND) over Michael McCarthy (EU) (MD 13-3)
184: Sean Crews (LAND) over Chase Bisel (EU) (MD 11-0)
197: Marvelous Rutledge (LAND) over Anthony Olea (EU) (TF 18-0 5:44)
285: Isaac Sheeren (LAND) over Kobe Pablo (EU) (Dec 7-2)

Print Friendly Version

#Wrestling

Players Mentioned

Sean Crews: 174; Sophomore; 174

Jaxton Freeman: 141; Sophomore; 141

Charles Higdon: 197; Junior; 197

David Hunsberger: 165; Senior; 157

James Joplin: 133; Graduate Student; 125

Kaden Kuenzi: 125; Graduate Student; 125

Xander McWilliams: 157; Senior; 157

Isham Peace: 149; Redshirt Senior; 149

Ransom Randolph: 165; Junior; 165

Marvelous Rutledge: 197; Senior; 197

Players Mentioned

Sean Crews
: Sophomore; 174
: 174

Jaxton Freeman
: Sophomore; 141
: 141

Charles Higdon
: Junior; 197
: 197

David Hunsberger
: Senior; 157
: 165

James Joplin
: Graduate Student; 125
: 133

Kaden Kuenzi
: Graduate Student; 125
: 125

Xander McWilliams
: Senior; 157
: 157

Isham Peace
: Redshirt Senior; 149
: 149

Ransom Randolph
: Junior; 165
: 165

Marvelous Rutledge
: Senior; 197
: 197