MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (November 9, 2023)- The St. Thomas University Wrestling team returned to the mat in the FFC for the first time this season. The Bobcats showed resiliency early, but ultimately the #3 Southeastern Fire would be too much to handle.
 
The action kicked off at 125 pounds, where Stephen Moreno of St. Thomas faced off against #24 Trevor Borom of Southeastern. Moreno demonstrated his technical expertise and determination, securing a hard-fought victory with a 4-1 decision. This early triumph set the tone for St. Thomas, earning them an early 3-0 lead.
 
At 133 pounds, Omar Corrales of St. Thomas faced a tough challenge against Tanner Kuketz of Southeastern. Despite a valiant effort, Corrales succumbed to Kuketz's skills, with Kuketz claiming the victory with a fall at 4:35. This setback put Southeastern on the board, trailing St. Thomas 3-6.
 
The 141-pound match featured Thomas Williams of St. Thomas against #8 Kael Brisker of Southeastern. Williams dominated the mat, securing a convincing 10-2 major decision and adding four more points to St. Thomas's total. The team widened their lead to 7-6.
 
A closely contested battle unfolded at 149 pounds, with #24 Chris Kelly of Southeastern narrowly overcoming Christian Espinoza of St. Thomas in sudden victory, with a score of 11-8. Southeastern earned three points.
 
In the 157-pound bout, Andreus Bond of Southeastern secured a 7-2 decision against Noah Horst of St. Thomas, narrowing the team score to 7-6. However, St. Thomas responded strongly at 165 pounds, as Wetzel Hill triumphed over #18 Trace Braun with a 7-5 decision, extending their lead to 10-6.
 
The 174-pound match witnessed #22 Karter Johnson of Southeastern dominating Anthony Bernieri of St. Thomas with a 13-1 major decision. Southeastern closed the gap, trailing St. Thomas 10-4.
 
St. Thomas faced challenges at 184 and 197 pounds, with Noah Gallardo and Jeffrey Geller of Southeastern securing technical fall victories over Jeivan Ross and Estaban Hoyos, respectively. Southeastern gained 10 crucial points, putting the score at 10-14.
 
The final bout at 285 pounds saw #2 Gabe Jacobs of Southeastern pinning Jairo Caceres of St. Thomas in just 1:03, earning six more points for Southeastern. Despite the push from the Bobcats early, #3 Southeastern maintained their lead, ending the dual meet with a final score of 32-10.