Bristol, Tenn. - Led by redshirt-sophomore Justin Kozera and freshman Kyle Ash's first-place finishes, the Runnin' Bulldogs had five grapplers place in the top-three in their respective weight classes on Sunday at the King College Open in Bristol, Tenn.
Kozera (4-0), who wrestled unattached, posted four straight wins after a first round bye to take first-place overall at 285 pounds. Kozera pinned Garrett Fosdyck of King College at 6:22 in the finals to record the first-place finish.
Like Kozera, Ash (4-0), who also wrestled unattached, was perfect on the day, posted a pin in the first round, a tech fall win in the quarterfinals and then back-to-back decisions in his final bouts on his way to a first-place finish at 165 pounds.
Fellow freshman Boyce Cornwell (3-1) battled his way to the finals at 197 pounds, registering three straight decisions before surrendering a heartbreaking 8-6 sudden victory loss to Joe Grisko of Newberry in the finals to finish in second-place overall.
Posting third-place finishes on the day were newcomers Austin Trott (3-1) at 157 pounds and Hunter Gamble (3-1) at 174 pounds.
Trott, who recorded a tech fall win in the first round, bounced back from a quarterfinals loss by way of a pin to John Austi Jones of King College to sweep through the consolation bracket with three straight fall victories before defeating Jones in the third-place match by way of a 15-2 major decision win.
Gamble, who suffered his lone loss of the day in the championship semifinals, finished his day with two straight wins as he defeated Tj Cayruth of Newberry 7-0 for third-place overall at 174 pounds.
Just missing out on the top-three at 141 pounds was freshman Ryan Mosley (4-2). Mosley, who took fourth-place overall on Sunday, recorded a pin and a tech fall win in two of his four victories on the day.
Redshirt-freshman Josh Burns (1-2) and newcomer Joseph Evans (1-2), who wrestled unattached, both went 1-2 overall on the day at 165 pounds, while felloe freshman Alex White (0-2), who wrestled unattached, competed at 125 pounds.
Gardner-Webb (1-1) will jump back into dual meet action this Monday night, November 19th, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will host Belmont Abbey at 7 p.m. in Paul Porter Arena.
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Gardner-Webb
Championship First Round
125 - Alex White (GWU-Na) received a bye.
141 - Ryan Mosley (GWU-Na) FALL Cullen King (King) - 4:45
157 - Austin Trott (GWU-Na) received a bye.
165 - Kyle Ash (GWU-Na) FALL David Capers (Cumberland) - 0:49
165 - Josh Burns (GWU) DEC Tyler Williams (Brewton-Parker) - 10-4
165 - Markevis Duncan (ETSU) FALL Joseph Evans (GWU-Na) - 2:53
174 - Hunter Gamble (GWU-Na) received a bye.
197 - Boyce Cornwell (GWU-Na) DEC Mike Brennan (App. State) - 7-3
285 - Justin Kozera (GWU-Na) received a bye.
Championship Second Round
125 - Brandon Harrison (Limestone) MD Alex White (GWU-Na) - 10-1
141 - William Young (Newberry) DEC Ryan Mosley (GWU-Na) - 9-2
157 - Austin Trott (GWU-Na) TECH FALL Robbie Collum (Brewton-Parker) - 17-0
285 - Justin Kozera (GWU-Na) FALL Christophe Sayers (Limestone) - 0:39
Consolation Second Round
125 - Christopher Diaz Rivera (Limestone) FALL Alex White (GWU-Na) - 6:50
141 - Ryan Mosley (GWU-Na) TECH FALL Cole Schurlkight (Cumberland-Na) - 16-0
165 - Joseph Evans (GWU-Na) DEC Chris Cortopassi (Ferrum) - 5-0
Championship Quarterfinals
157 - John Austi Jones (King) FALL Austin Trott (GWU-Na) - 2:02
165 - Kyle Ash (GWU-Na) TECH FALL Tyler Johnson (Newberry) - 21-4
165 - Davis Bagwell (Newberry) MD Josh Burns (GWU) - 13-0
174 - Hunter Gamble (GWU-Na) DEC Tj Cayruth (Newberry) - 3-2
197 - Boyce Cornwell (GWU-Na) DEC Jacob Dempset (Life) - 11-4
285 - Justin Kozera (GWU-Na) DEC Harrison Honeycutt (Newberry) - 2-0
Consolation Third Round
165 - Ryan Buchanan (Limestone) INJ Default Josh Burns (GWU) - 6:47
165 - Tyler Johnson (Newberry) DEC Joseph Evans (GWU-Na) - 12-5
Consolation Fourth Round
157 - Austin Trott (GWU-Na) FALL Kevin Boston (Cumberland) - 0:16
Consolation Quarterfinals
141 - Ryan Mosley (GWU-Na) DEC Michael Akins (Chattanooga) - 7-2
157 - Austin Trott (GWU-Na) FALL Cole Dodd (Chattanooga-Na) - 1:06
Championship Semifinals
165 - Kyle Ash (GWU-Na) DEC Justin Sperin (Brewton-Parker) - 9-2
174 - Joe Pittman (Unattached) DEC Hunter Gamble (GWU-Na) - 3-2
197 - Boyce Cornwell (GWU-Na) DEC Justin Tribble (Limestone) - 6-5
285 - Justin Kozera (GWU-Na) DEC Raul Leyva (ETSU) - 9-3
Consolation Semifinals
141 - Ryan Mosley (GWU-Na) DEC Marcelle McCabe (King) - 3-2
157 - Austin Trott (GWU-Na) FALL Reggie Adams (King) - 1:17
174 - Hunter Gamble (GWU-Na) TECH FALL Jesse Masters (King) - 16-1
Championship Finals
165 - Kyle Ash (GWU-Na) DEC Davis Bagwell (Newberry) - 11-6
197 - Joe Grisko (Newberry) DEC Boyce Cornwell (GWU-Na) - 8-6 (SV1)
285 - Justin Kozera (GWU-Na) FALL Garrett Fosdyck (King) - 6:22
Consolation Finals
141 - William Young (Newberry) DEC Ryan Mosley (GWU-Na) - 8-6
157 - Austin Trott (GWU-Na) MD John Austi Jones (King) - 15-2
174 - Hunter Gamble (GWU-Na) DEC Tj Cayruth (Newberry) - 7-0
