Pembroke, NC. – For the first time since the 2018-2019 academic year, the Wheeling University Wrestling team took the mat at the Pembroke Classic. The Cardinals were led by a fourth-place finish in the 133-pound weight class by
Julius Hobbs, as they showed what they can do against some of the best competition around Division II Wrestling.
Hobbs began his run to the semifinals after earning a pinfall against Bluefield State's Gabe Nesmith in 2:55. He earned a 6-2 decision over St. Andrews James Roberts to advance to the quarterfinal round before falling in a 14-2 major decision against Coker's Reuben Calderon. He moved to the loser's bracket, where he earned a spot in the third-place match when he scored his first major decision of the night when he defeated UNC Pembroke's, Anthony Carter. He would face Lander's Elijah Lusk in that match but would settle for fourth place in his weight class, falling in a 5-2 decision.
Wheeling's lightweight wrestlers also included
Chase Montgomery and
Kale'anahe Slaughter. Both wrestlers earned first-round byes in their respective weight classes and made it to their first-round match-ups. Montgomery would go first in the 125-pound weight class, and he dropped his match-up to Lander's Austin Rose. Montgomery would move on to the loser's bracket but fell their ending his night. For Slaughter, his match-up would happen in the 141-pound weight class as he lost a 9-0 major decision to UNC Pembroke's Chase Cottingham, to end his day.
The three other competitors for Wheeling on the day were
Brennon Reid and
Austin Mele in the 157-pound weight class and
Mason Kuneff in the 184-pound weight class. Reid was the most successful of the two wrestlers, making it to the quarterfinal round of the bracket. Reid began his day with a bye before taking on Lander's Toby Foster in his first collegiate match. He won the decision 8-1 and earned a quarterfinals match-up with Coker's Patrick Wunderlick. Reid would fall in a 6:11 pinfall. Mele had one match-up in the first round of the 157-pound weight class and fell to Pembroke's Will Lowery in a pinfall in 4:11. Kuneff only got to wrestle once in the 184-pound weight class when he took on Lander's Ethan Lopez. He would fall 4-2 in his first collegiate match-up, rounding out the day for Wheeling.
The Wheeling University Wrestling team returns to action when they come home to face West Liberty on Wednesday at 6 PM.
