Gatlinburg, TN – The Patriots traveled to compete in the Rocky Top Duals on December 16^th, leaving with a 4-1 record and defeating one ranked team with multiple UC wrestlers going undefeated.

#9 Cumberlands Shuts Out West Virginia Tech, 59-0
UC won 59-0 over West Virginia Tech with eight falls and one technical fall. The Pats started the dual with two forfeit wins from #9 Austin Franco and #25 Chandlar Akins to take an early 12-0 lead. In the 141-weight class, Gage Hudson had a 21-4 tech fall in 6:59 over Corbyn Cunningham. #2 Jace Luchau returned to the mat by notching a fall at 0:22 against Zachary Mullins, followed by a fall notched at 3:00 from Seth Lambers over Andrew Dado. #22 O'Brian Black earned six points with a forfeit and #24 Charles Friedenreich had a fall at 2:36 against Ryan Turney with two 3-point takedowns. Notching another fall, #23 Tobias Garrison won over Maxwell Underwood in 1:02 and Jovon Howe had a 0:29 pin over John Parks. Wylie Dunn had the final fall in 5:55 against Jeffery Bowles. Two extra wrestlers, Marc Le Gaspe (6:32) and Dylan Preston (2:11), both had falls over their opponents.

#9 Cumberlands Outscores St. Thomas (RV), 42-3
In the dual against St. Thomas, the Patriots had three falls and two tech falls. Franco took a 17-0 win over DJ Perez in 5:13 with two 4-point nearfalls, two 3-point takedowns, a 2-point reveral and riding time, followed by another technical fall, 15-0, by Akins over Jaylan Claudio with a 3-point takedown and three 4-point nearfalls. Conner Burrus had three 3-point takedown, a 2-point reversal, and riding time over Jerry Molina to win in a 12-4 major decision. Lambers notched a fall at 2:12 against Kade Clute and Black won over #15 Wetzel Hill by a 16-6 major decision with five 3-point takedowns. In the 184-weight class, Garrison took a close 7-5 decision over Buck Abidin. Two falls rounded out the dual, Howe won over Estaban Hoyos at the 2:16 mark and Dunn notched his at 1:02 over Jario Caceres.

#9 Cumberlands Falls to #2 Life, 11-34
UC battled against #2 Life, but only two Patriots earned points for the team. Franco opened the dual with a 17-2 technical fall at 0:00 over Kolby Dempsey to notch five points for the Patriots. In the 165-weight class, Weston Melvin won by injury forfeit over #5 Steven Villalobos.

#9 Cumberlands Wins Over Truett-McConnell, 54-0
The Patriots bounced back against Truett-McConnel, taking the dual 54-0. In a 7-0 decision, Franco took the first match against Gavin Hayes followed by a forfeit win for Boyd. In the 141-weight class, Hudson had a pin at the 2:16 mark over Geowel Silvestre. Luchau notched his second fall of the day at 2:16 versus Matthew Jenson and Lambers pinned Chase Bond at 2:38. Two more wrestlers, Harrison Brooks and Preston had falls at 1:33 and 2:16 over their opponents. Garrison won in a close 4-3 decision and Howe earned his third fall of the day, at 2:48 over Seth Hogan. Dunn took the final six points over an opponent forfeit. 

#9 Cumberlands Finishes over #7 Reinhardt, 21-15
UC took their final dual, defeating ranked opponent #7 Reinhardt. In his fifth match of the day, Franco took a 4-1 decision with a 3-point takedown over #7 Angel Banda. Boyd outscored Easton Bishop 18-1 with two 4-point nearfalls, a 3-point nearfall, and two 3-point takedowns. Both Hudson and Luchau had 4-2 decisions, with Hudson over Domenico DiGena and Luchau over #11 Dawson Bates. Weston Melvin defeated Nathan Napolitano in a close 1-0 decision. In the 174-weight class, Friedenreich notched four 3-point takedowns and riding time to secure the final points for the Pats in a 14-4 major decision against #12 Wyatt Higgins.

Cumberlands will take the mat at the NWCA National Duals on January 5^th – 6^th in Cedar Falls, Iowa, with matches beginning at 9 a.m.

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