Four Cobras Place at Citadel Open; Laxton Captures Open Title

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Four Cobra wrestlers placed in the top four of their respective weight classes to pace the Coker wrestling team at the 2014 Citadel Open on Saturday (Nov. 1). 

Leading the way for the Cobras was senior Travis Laxton at the 125-pound division. Laxton captured the tournament championship with four straight victories by decision. Sophomore Kevin Thompson earned a third place finish at the 141-pound division. Also capturing third place honors was sophomore Robert Parland at the 197-pound division. Rounding out the Cobras earning spots in the top four was Derek Rothermel at the 157-pound weight class.

In addition to the four placers, Coker had several wrestlers with strong showings at the Citadel Open. Freshman Tristan Sommer went 4-2 at the 149-pound class, while junior Derek Booth also went 4-2 on the day at the 165-pound weight class. Freshmen Rocco Hladney and Luis Peguero earned three wins each at the 174-pound and 184-pound weight classes, respectively. Also picking up three wins was Alex Green at the 285-pound division.

The Cobras will be back in action on Sunday (Nov. 9) at the 34^th Annual Pembroke Classic hosted by UNC Pembroke.

Citadel Open Results

125-pound

Travis Laxton (Coker) dec. Devane Dodgers (UNA) D 4-1

Travis Laxton (Coker) dec. Sean Ngyuen (Darton) D 6-5

Travis Laxton (Coker) dec. Zach Young (Citadel) D 6-3

Travis Laxton (Coker) dec. Josh Markham (Old Dominion) D 6-5

133-pound

Joshua Shelton (Truett-McConnell) tech. fall Varlee Kelleh (Coker) T1.5; 17-2; 7:00

Emilio Saavedra (Old Dominion) tech. fall Cody Walker (Coker) T1.5; 20-4; 5:15

Jamel Sharp (Darton) major dec. Gavin Perkins (Coker) M 14-0

Varlee Kelleh (Coker) dec. Gavin Perkins (Coker) D 10-4

John Hyre (Life) dec. Varlee Kelleh (Coker) D 8-6

Cody Walker (Coker) dec. Hector Contreras (Spartanburg Methodist) D 3-1

Cody Walker (Coker) pinned Joshua Dominguez (Truett-McConnell) F 5:45

Jamel Sharp (Darton) dec. Cody Walker (Coker) D 7-2

141-pound

Walker Barfield (Coker) dec. Brandon Weber (Darton) D 4-3

Walker Barfield (Coker) dec. Kenneth Porter (Limestone) D 5-0

Lucas Stewart (Campbell) dec. Walker Barfield (Coker) D 3-1

Kevin Thompson (Coker) pinned Madison Martin (King) F 4:48

Kevin Thompson (Coker) dec. Dylan Hunziker (Old Dominion) D 7-5

Kevin Thompson (Coker) pinned Terrence Duggay (Limestone) F 6:40

Kevin Thompson (Coker) dec. Nicholas Anthony (Central Florida) D 7-1

Ty Buckiso (Citadel) dec. Kevin Thompson (Coker) D 9-7

Kevin Thompson (Coker) dec. Curtis Harris (Unattached) D 4-0

Kevin Thompson (Coker) dec. Nicholas Anthony (Central Florida) D 15-9

149-pound

Garret Gotthelf (Clemson) dec. Jamez Taylor (Coker) D 2-1

William Nash (Truett-McConnell) pinned Jamez Taylor (Coker) F 3:45

Rashad Cunningham (Coker) dec. Daniel Smith (Citadel) D 11-4

Rashad Cunningham (Coker) dec. Dallas Roemer (George Washington) D 7-5

Landon Reed (King) dec. Rashad Cunningham (Coker) D 11-9

Tristan Sommer (Coker) major dec. Ian Clevenger (Spartanburg Methodist) M 17-3

Cole Graves (George Washington) dec. Tristan Sommer (Coker) D 12-9

Tristan Sommer (Coker) dec. Casey Malloy (UNC Pembroke) D 7-3

Tristan Sommer (Coker) dec. William Nash (Truett-McConnell) D 8-3

Tristan Sommer (Coker) dec. Rashad Cunningham (Coker) D 3-2

Johnny Gahagan (NC State) dec. Tristan Sommer (Coker) D 8-5

157-pound

Daniel Richardson (Campbell) major dec. Nick Celella (Coker) M 10-0

Norman Manning (Limestone) major dec. Nick Celella (Coker) 12-4

Derek Rothermel (Coker) pinned Nick Brady (Central Florida) F 2:51

Derek Rothermel (Coker) dec. Nathan Pristavec (Brewton-Parker) D 7-6

Grant Blumenthal (Campbell) dec. Derek Rothermel (Coker) D 5-1

Derek Rothermel (Coker) pinned Terry Harris (Campbellsville) F 2:51

Derek Rothermel (Coker) pinned Rowdy Prior (Life) F 0:42

Derek Rothermel (Coker) dec. Robert Manning (Limestone) D 10-5

Grant Blumenthal (Campbell) dec. Derek Rothermel (Coker) D 3-2

165-pound

Derek Booth (Coker) dec. Jason Carr (Citadel) D 6-2

Derek Booth (Coker) dec. John Weiss (Campbell) D 2-0

Jimmy Sandlin (Limestone) dec. Derek Booth (Coker) D 10-3

Derek Booth (Coker) pinned Jeff Walker (Central Florida) F 6:30

Derek Booth (Coker) dec. Anthony Codella (Life) D 6-0

Logan Dean (Campbell) dec. Derek Booth (Coker) D 3-1 

174-pound

Zach Dicus (Coker) dec. Michael Seymour (Central Florida) D 3-2

Zach Dicus (Coker) dec. Payton Mills (George Washington) D 6-5

Terrence Zaleski (UNC Pembroke) major dec. Zach Dicus (Coker) M 16-5

Travis McIntosh (Campbellsville) major dec. Zach Dicus (Coker) M 14-4

Rocco Hladney (Coker) major dec. Alex Walker (Life) M 9-0

Rocco Hladney (Coker) pinned Brandon Pledger (Campbellsville) F; M FOR

Robert Slade (UNC Pembroke) pinned Rocco Hladney (Coker) F 4:38

Rocco Hladney (Coker) dec. Ulysses Avgeros (Citadel) D 10-3

Joey Balboni (Old Dominion) major dec. Rocco Hladney (Coker) M 18-7

Ridge White (UNC Pembroke) pinned Jordon Garlow (Coker) F 2:58

Jordon Garlow (Coker) dec. Antoine Hammond (Spartanburg Methodist) D 12-5

Kaleab Fetahi (Old Dominion) pinned Jordon Garlow (Coker) F 3:32

184-pound

Matt Carroll (Darton) dec. Andrew Carnes (Coker) D 7-5

James Chambers (Spartanburg Methodist) pinned Andrew Carnes (Coker) F 1:32

Caleb Rivera (Limestone) dec. Luis Peguero (Coker) D 5-4

Luis Peguero (Coker) pinned Dylan Edwards (UNC Pembroke) F 4:00

Luis Peguero (Coker) dec. Giovanni Jiovenetta (Central Florida) D 4-0

Luis Peguero (Coker) dec. Miguel Santis (Campbellsville) D 5-4

Caleb Rivera (Limestone) dec. Luis Peguero (Coker) D 4-3

197-pound

Robert Parland (Coker) dec. Noah Fleckenstein (Citadel) D 13-7

Nate Knauf (Campbellsville) dec. Robert Parland (Coker) D 8-2

Robert Parland (Coker) pinned Matt Allen (BWC) F 2:08

Robert Parland (Coker) dec. Daniel Witmore (Spartanburg Methodist) D 8-2

Robert Parland (Coker) dec. Canyon Ebanks (Unattached) D 3-2

Robert Parland (Coker) major dec. Jacob Allen (Limestone) M 13-2

Robert Parland (Coker) pinned Dalton Bailey (Life) F; M FOR

Robert Parland (Coker) dec. Vincent Jiovenetta (Central Florida) D 6-1

285-pound

Cody Davis (King) major dec. Tyvon Leacock (Coker) M 14-0

Tyvon Leacock (Coker) pinned Cody Vandelinde (Limestone) F 0:30

Tyvon Leacock (Coker) pinned Danny Berrier (UNC Pembroke) F 1:49

Alex Green (Coker) major dec. Ryan Camp (Truett-McConnell) M 11-3

Alex Green (Coker) dec. Drew Barrett (George Washington) D 11-3

Garrett Fosdyck (King) dec. Alex Green (Coker) D 4-0

Alex Green (Coker) dec. Tyvon Leacock (Coker) D 2-1