CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coker College wrestling team got its inaugural season started on Saturday (Nov. 2) at the Citadel Open. The event featured over 350 wrestlers from 25 schools from all around the Southeast.
Leading the way for the Cobras was Austin Akins at the 285-pound division. The sophomore went 4-1 on the day, recording a 5-2 decision over Jake Barnhart (UNC), a 6-1 decision against Josh Mackey (King) and a 3-1 decision over Joshua Woods (Central Florida). Akins advanced to the finals of the heavyweight division by defeating Joseph Bexley (Citadel) in sudden death, where eventually fell to Mike Kosoy (NC State) in a 7-0 decision, earning a second place finish.
Also placing for the Cobras was freshman Rashad Cunningham. The 141-pounder won his first match of the day with a pin of Jacob Cannon (Spartanburg Methodist, 2:20). He then earned a 16-6 major decision against Kendrich Portorreal (Limestone) and a 7-4 decision over Frank Yattoni (King). Cunningham suffered a 8-0 loss to James Ward (UNC Greensboro) dropping him to the wrestle-back bracket where he defeated Dillan Schouw (Life) in a 7-4 decision. The win earned him a spot in the wrestle-back final, where he took fourth place after a 10-0 loss to Christopher Vasser (Gardner-Webb).
In all 16 of the 22 wrestlers that competed in the Citadel Open for Coker earned at least one win, including 10 with multiple victories.
The next test for the Cobras will be on Saturday (Nov. 9). They will travel to UNC Pembroke for the 33rd Annual Pembroke Classic at the English E. Jones Center. The action is set to begin at 9 a.m. and run all day.
Citadel Open Results
125
Gavin Perkins (Coker) pinned Evan Dipsiner (Central Florida) F 1:53
Brandon Jeske (Old Dominion) tech. fall Gavin Perkins (Coker) T1.5, 16-1 4:30
Gavin Perkins (Coker) dec. Quintni Noel (Darton) D 8-4
Gavin Perkins (Coker) dec. Hector Contreras (SMC) D 6-3
Gavin Perkins (Coker) maj. dec. Steven Cox (Citadel) M 10-2
Clarence Arrington Jr. (Citadel) maj. dec. Gavin Perkins (Coker) M 14-4
Alexander Tanzman (Duke) pinned Jordan Ludd (Unattached) F 0:53
Blake Boshell (Newberry) dec. Jordan Ludd (Unattached) D 4-2, SV1
Mikel Nelson (Coker) pinned Quintni Noel (Darton) F 6:05
Clarence Arrington Jr. (Citadel) dec. Mikel Nelson (Coker) D 4-1
William Anderson (Gardner-Webb) maj. dec. Mikel Nelson (Coker) M 13-2
133
DMarcus Spencer (King) pinned RaSean McArthur (Coker) F 1:22
RaSean McArthur (Coker) pinned William Rees (Belmont Abbey) F 1:20
Jake Smith (UNCP) pinned RaSean McArthur (Coker) F 6:06
Charlie Huff (Coker) dec. Colby Yates (Limestone) D 7-1
Virgil Toms (Newberry) dec. Charlie Huff (Coker) D 11-10
Charlie Huff (Coker) dec. Zachary Young (Citadel) D 8-4
Trung Duong (Newberry) dec. Charlie Huff (Coker) D 10-5
141
Zach Wright (Darton) maj. dec. Joseph Fought (Coker) M 14-3
Rashad Cunningham (Coker) pinned Jacob Cannon (SMC) F 2:20
Rashad Cunningham (Coker) maj. dec. Kendrich Portorreal (Limestone) M 16-6
Rashad Cunningham (Coker) dec. Frank Yattoni (King) D 7-4
James Ward (UNC) maj. dec. Rashad Cunningham (Coker) M 8-0
Rashad Cunningham (Coker) dec. Dillan Schouw (Life) D 7-4
Christopher Vassar (Gardner-Webb) maj. dec. Rashad Cunningham (Coker) M 10-0
Cameron Pike (Coker) dec. Cody Cardinale (Florida Gulf Coast) D 4-1
Corey Selmon (Darton) dec. Cameron Pike (Coker) D 15-10
Cameron Pike (Coker) dec. Chase Johnson (Darton) D 5-4
Cameron Pike (Coker) dec. Lucas Setzer Jr. (UNCP) D 5-4
William Ferguson (Citadel) med. forfeit Cameron Pike (Coker) F M. FOR
Justin Street (King) pinned Ed Stokes (Coker) F 4:49
Nicholas Anthony (Central Florida) pinned Ed Stokes (Coker) F 1:28
149
Benjamin Hefner (NC State) dec. Walker Barfield (Coker) D 6-4
Walker Barfield (Coker) maj. dec. Erik Yo (SFL) M 10-0
Walker Barfield (Coker) dec. Jeffery Drever (Life) D 4-2
Walker Barfield (Coker) pinned Anderson Pope (UNC) F 2:39
Austin Eads (Old Dominion) dec. Walker Barfield (Coker) D 6-4
Kevin Thompson (Coker) med. forfeit William Jenkins (Newberry) F M. FOR
Kevin Thompson (Coker) dec. Anderson Pope (UNC) D 7-0
Aaron Walker (Citadel) tech. fall Kevin Thompson (Coker) T1.5 24-8 6:45
Sam Melikian (NC State) dec. Kevin Thompson (Coker) D 10-8
157
Travis Edwards (King) dec. Trey Arant (Coker) D 11-5
Trey Arant (Coker) pinned Jamal Reylonds (Mercer) F 3:20
Trey Arant (Coker) med. forfeit James Green (STA) F M. FOR
Joe Remaklus (UNCP) dec. Trey Arant (Coker) D 10-3
Shawn Landgraff (Newberry) pinned JD Dykes (Coker) F 4:27
JD Dykes (Coker) dec. Faris Teia (UNCP) D 3-2 SV1
Corey Wilson (Darton) pinned JD Dykes (Coker) F 4:05
165
Alexander Bennett (Gardner-Webb) pinned Ellison Sanders (Coker) F 3:45
Richard Hicks (Citadel) dec. Ellison Sanders (Coker) D 7-3
174
Adrian Solo-Perez (App. State) pinned Joseph Holland (Coker) F 3:30
Hunter Gamble (Gardner-Webb) pinned Joseph Holland (Coker) F 2:38
Dezel Leggett (STA) dec. Phillip Durrows (Coker) D 12-7
Phillip Burrows (Coker) maj. dec. Angel Gomez (SFL) M 12-4
Arthur Walthour (Brewton Parker) pinned Phillip Burrows (Coker) F 5:33
184
Alex Kruklinski (App. State) dec. Jacob Ralph (Coker) D 6-0
Jacob Ralph (Coker) dec. Hamilcar Lawson (Limestone) D 5-3
Janicento Williamson (STA) dec. Jacob Ralph (Coker) D 10-3
Shane Carpenter (Coker) dec. Michael Burns (UNCP) D 4-2
Shane Carpenter (Coker) pinned Tyler Patrick (Duke) F 2:15
Jared Holiday (Newberry) dec. Shane Carpenter (Coker) D 5-1
Shane Carpenter (Coker) dec. Cody Chaney (Brewton Parker) D 6-5
Shane Carpenter (Coker) dec. Alex Kruklinski (App. State) D 4-1
Jesse Masters (King) dec. Shane Carpenter (Coker) D 8-5
197
Jacob Dempsey (Life) pinned Robert Parland (Coker) F 0:47
Robert Parland (Coker) pinned Aaron Goodman (Brewton Parker) F 2:36
Robert Parland (Coker) dec. Vincent Jlovenetta (Florida Gulf Coast) D 9-4
Kacee Hutchinson (App. State) dec. Robert Parland (Coker) D 4-1
285
Lucas Ryan (Old Dominion) dec. Alex Green (Unattached) 7-0
Alex Green (Unattached) maj. dec. Michael Doherty (Old Dominion) M 9-0
John Griswold (SMC) dec. Alex Green (Unattached) D 5-1
Zachary Boyda (USC) pinned Brian Lussier (Unattached) F 4:22
Thomas Turpin (Belmont Abbey) dec. Brian Lussier (Unattached) D 5-0
Austin Akins (Coker) dec. Jake Barnhart (UNC) D 5-2
Austin Akins (Coker) dec. Josh Mackey (King) D 6-1
Austin Akins (Coker) dec. Joshua Woods (Central Florida) D 3-1
Austin Akins (Coker) dec. Joseph Bexley (Citadel) D 5-5, RT, TB2
Mike Kosoy (NC State) dec. Austin Akins (Coker) D 7-0