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Montaperto’s Title Leads Virginia At Patriot Open

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FAIRFAX, Va. – Kyle Montaperto’s championship at 133 pounds led a group of three place winners for Virginia at the A Better Way Athletics Patriot Open hosted by George Mason on Sunday (Dec. 8).

Montaperto went undefeated on the day to pick up the title at 133 pounds, while Michael Murphy placed third at 174 pounds and Ethan Weatherspoon placed fifth at 197 pounds.

In all, 10 wrestlers competed for the Cavaliers at the event.

NOTES ON THE HOOS

  • The title is Montaperto’s first of the season and his second open tournament of the 2024-25 campaign.
  • Ethan Weatherspoon battled back after dropping his opening match, winning four straight contests to go 4-1 on the day.
  • Michael Murphy went 3-1 on the day, advancing to the semifinals before moving to the consolation bracket.

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE GARLAND
“Absolutely crazy weekend. Competing three days straight and all that goes with that is a tough task for everyone involved. But you have to do hard things to grow. I’m happy these guys got a chance to compete. They haven’t had that opportunity much this year so this was good for them”

133
Kyle Montaperto – CHAMPION
R16: Montaperto major dec. D’Amani Almodovar (Rider), 17-8
QF: Montaperto over Hunter Adrian (Brown) by medical forfeit
SF: Montaperto dec. Takeo Davis (Gardner-Webb), 11-5
FINAL: Montaperto over Raymond Lopez (American) by medical forfeit

141
Sammie Hayes
R32: Hayes major dec. Daniel Tierney (Gardner-Webb), 14-1
R16: Bryce Kesho (F&M) dec. Hayes, 6-0
Conso. R16-2: Hayes dec. Ryder Gibson (Unaffiliated), 5-2
Conso. R8-1: Charlie Sly (Gardner-Webb) over Hayes by medical forfeit

Luke Roberts
R32: Roberts major dec. Ryder Gibson (Unaffiliated), 18-8
R16: Hunter Mason (VT) pinned Roberts, 2:46
Conso. R16-2: Roberts over Daniel Tierney (Gardner-Webb) by medical forfeit
Conso. R8-1: Patrick Phillips (F&M) tech fall Roberts, 18-3 (6:00)

157
Nick Sanko
R16: Sanko dec. Thomas Sofka (GMU), 13-11
QF: Connor Eck (Lock Haven) over Sanko by medical forfeit
Conso. R8-2: AJ Rodrigues (Maryland) over Sanko by medical forfeit

165
Gavin Cagle
R32: Louie Cerchio (Spartan Combat RTC) pinned Cagle, 4:31
Conso. R16-1: Cagle tech fall Cooper Lockhart (Morgan State), 22-7 (6:49)
Conso. R16-2: Austin Craft (American) dec. Cagle, 4-1 (sv-1)

Mason Stefanelli
R32: Cole McComas (Rider) dec. Mason Stefanelli. 13-10
Conso. R16-2: Stefanelli dec. Oren Bost (App. State), 7-4
Conso. R8-1: Stefanelli dec. Keegan Rothrock (Brown), 12-3
Conso. R8-2: Paul Ognissanti (Penn) dec. Stefanelli, 8-5

174
Michael Murphy – THIRD PLACE
R16: Murphy dec. Lance Urbas (PRTC), 8-1
QF: Murphy dec. Domenic D’Agostino (Drexel), 4-1 (sv-1)
SF: Logan Messer (GMU) tech fall Murphy, 15-0 (5:45)
THIRD-PLACE MATCH: Murphy dec. Gage Wright (VT), 6-5

Justin Phillips
R32: Phillips major dec. Andrew Wilson (Gardner-Webb), 14-0
R16:  Shane Reitsma (Rider) pinned Phillips, 6:38
Conso. R8-1: Drew Clearie (Brown) dec. Phillips, 5-4

197
Steven Burrell, Jr.
R16: Quinn Collins (Rider) dec. Burrell Jr, 8-5
Conso. R8-1: Thomas Sandoval (Brown) over Burrell, Jr. by medical forfeit

Ethan Weatherspoon – FIFTH PLACE
R16: Josh McCutcheon (Gardner-Webb) dec. Weatherspoon, 4-1
Conso. R8-1: Weatherspoon major dec. Ibrahim Ameer (Drexel), 12-1
Conso. R8-2: Weatherspoon pinned Hunter Adams (App. State), 0:46
Conso. R4: Weatherspoon major dec. Gage Yackee (Unaffiliated), 14-4
FIFTH-PLACE MATCH: Weatherspoon dec. Brock Zurawski (Rider), 10-9

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