WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (November 4, 2023)- The St. Thomas University Wrestling team traveled north to Kentucky to start their year in the Pepsi Patriot Open. Tucker was the highlight for the Bobcats, working his way all the way to the semifinals in the 133 lb. division.
 
125 Fr/So
 
Grady Bryant faced a challenging opening round in the 125 Fr/So weight class, where he unfortunately succumbed to a pin from Jeremiah Baird of Cumberlands. Though the start may not have been ideal, it's all part of the learning process for Bryant. Bryant in the consolation round advanced to the second round via bye, then was eliminated by Patrick Jones of Brewton-Parker 11-3. 
 
125 Open
 
Stephen Moreno, competing in the 125 Open category, showcased his skills. He started with a 4-2 decision win over Nathan Gregory from SEU, displaying his technical prowess. Moreno continued to impress in the following round, securing a dominant 11-3 major decision victory over Kaluv Peterson from Keiser. However, his journey was cut short in the quarterfinals when he fell by decision, with a final score of 5-0, to Nickolas Alayan from Rochester. In the consolation round Moreno made it to the fourth round, getting beat by Clarence Lee Green of Lindsey Wilson 5-3.
 
DJ Perez, also in the 125 Open weight class, faced a tough opponent in his opening match, losing 5-1 to Pacey Najdusakz from Cumberland. Every match provides valuable experience for growth in the world of wrestling. Perez lost to Ty Haskins from Marian 16-0.
 
133 Open
 
Kahlill Tucker's journey in the 133 Open division got off to an advantageous start with two byes. When he finally entered the fray against Ethan Kimberlin from Bluefield, Tucker wasted no time making his presence felt. He secured an impressive Tech Fall win with a commanding score of 15-0 just a minute into the second period. This victory propelled him into the semi-finals, where he continued to shine, winning by a solid 7-2 decision against Bryce Cockrell from Keiser. The semi-final match was a hard-fought battle, but Tucker ultimately fell in overtime, with a final score of 7-4. In the consolation round Tucker was defeated by Souther Oregons' Simon Graeber by fall, taking home 5th place.
 
141 Open
 
Thomas Williams began the day on a high note in the 141 Open division, earning two wins. His first victory was a dominant Tech Fall with a score of 15-0, followed by a nail-biting 1-0 decision win. Unfortunately, his journey came to an end in the quarterfinals when he faced the formidable no. 1-ranked wrestler, Gould from Keiser, and fell with a score of 4-1. In the fourth round of consolation Williams defetated Dru Willson from Lourdes by majority decision 15-5.
 
Jaylen Claudio, also in the 141 Open division, kicked off his day with a thrilling 9-8 decision win. However, he faced a setback in the second round, falling by pin. 
 
149 Open
 
Christian Espinoza had a strong start in the 149 Open category, winning his first two matches with authority. He secured a Tech Fall win with a dominant score of 20-5, followed by a solid 10-3 decision victory. Unfortunately, his journey ended in the quarterfinals with a 17-3 loss. In the consolation round Espinoza was defeated by Travis Thorpe from Southern Oregon 5-3.
 
174 Open
 
Jeivan Ross got off to a promising start with a quick and impressive 50-second pin in his first match, following a first-round bye. However, he faced a formidable opponent in the quarterfinals, resulting in a 21-3 loss. In the consolation round Ross was defeated by TJ Huber from Cumberlands 18-6.
 
285 Open
 
Jairo Caceres received a bye in the opening round. Despite the rest, he faced a tough challenge and was defeated by fall in just 1 minute and 40 seconds by Jackson Schenk of Rochester University.