FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. (Nov. 10) – The University of Mount Olive men's wrestling program featured six individuals on the podium on Sunday after competing at the Georgia Open hosted by Emmanuel University.

The Trojans had 17 wrestlers compete in the event after securing a conference victory at Bluefield State earlier in the week. Mount Olive totaled over 35 victories while recording 14 falls and 14 decisions during the competition.

The brotherly duo of senior Jake Nicolosi and freshman Brent Nicolosi each placed second overall in their respective weight classes on Sunday.

In the 157-weight class, J. Nicolosi posted a 4-1 record including four-straight victories to reach the finals. He delivered a quick 58-second pin over Isaiah Castro of Emmanuel in the first round before battling to a 10-6 decision versus Riley Brewer of Andrew. Nicolosi followed up with a 10-4 win over Sammy Gerard of Lander and registered a win via fall in the semifinals of AuShaud Evans of Reinhardt. He ultimately was pinned in the championship match by Hayden Watson of The Citadel.

B. Nicolosi in his first collegiate open delivered an impressive 4-1 record at 165 while competing in Georgia. In the first round, he produced a first-round fall over Robert Best of Central Florida before back-to-back wins via decision against Jaden New of Life and Cade Parent. Nicolosi reached the finals with a late pin over Alexander Clark of Life before placing second after a 10-4 loss by decision to Konlin Weaver of Life.

In the 133-weight class, redshirt sophomore Jeffrey Richards and freshman Eli Pendergrass each reached the podium on Sunday.

Richards produced a fourth-place finish in his respective weight class behind a 4-2 record. He earned a hard-fought 5-2 decision over Spencer Reep of Lincoln Memorial in the second round before a dominant 18-3 tech fall versus Joaquin Crook of Andrew. In the quarterfinals, Richards suffered a loss via a 7-2 decision to James Joplin of Lander before rebounding with a 15-7 major decision over Josiah Boyden. Following a bye, he registered a 16-1 tech fall over Nick Sykes and would forfeit the third-place match to Thaddeus Long of Life. 

Pendergrass recorded an incredible run through the consolation bracket following a loss in the championship second round to place seventh overall at 133. He delivered fourth-straight victories after his first bye in the consolation. Pendergrass posted a first-round pin against Alex Tabb of Andrew before earning a 13-7 decision over Josiah Fernandez of Keiser. He followed up with another fall win over Joaquin Crook of Andrew and claimed a medical forfeit versus Kaden Kuenzi. Pendergrass was pinned in the next round by Olliver Webb to finish seventh.  

At 197, sophomore Raife Smart posted a 4-2 record to place eighth at the Georgia Open. He won his opening three rounds with major decisions over Dominic Love of Florida A&M and Jett McCauley of Keiser. Smart battled to a 9-6 decision versus Champ Higdon of Lander before suffering a loss in the quarterfinals to Dough Dittmer of Life by an 8-3 decision. He answered with an 8-2 decision against Jeffery Tubbs of Montevallo before a defeat to Landon Williams of Life by a 10-2 major decision.

Redshirt junior Slade Watkins earned an eighth-place finish in the 285-weight class. He fought to a 4-1 decision versus Willie Cox of Montevallo before a loss to Earnest Johnson of Life by a 7-2 decision. In the consolation bracket, he rattled off three consecutive wins, starting with a first-round pin over Chipper Creager of Life. Watkins continued with a sudden victory versus Jaylin Bien-Aime of Lindsey Wilson before defeating Albert Goodgame of Reinhardt via a 7-5 decision. He ultimately was pinned by Spencer Dacus of Life and forfeited the next match to Russell Fickett of Central Florida.

UMO returns to the mat on Wednesday, Nov. 13, for a Conference Carolinas dual meet versus Emory & Henry in Kornegay Arena at 7 p.m.

Individual Results
125
Champ. Round 1 - Christian Decatur (Mount Olive) over Hernad Pinto (Lincoln Memorial) (Maj 10-2)
Champ. Round 2 - Genaro De La Garza (Citadel) over Christian Decatur (Mount Olive) (Dec 10-7)
Cons. Round 2 - Christian Decatur (Mount Olive) over Brandon Didat (Pikeville) (Dec 9-3)
Cons. Round 3 - Charlie Smiarowski (Central Florida) over Christian Decatur (Mount Olive) (MFF)
 
Champ. Round 1 - Lens Mathurin (Mount Olive) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 - Gylon Sims (Citadel) over Lens Mathurin (Mount Olive) (TF 19-4)
Cons. Round 2 - Lens Mathurin (Mount Olive) over Matthew Walker (Life) (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 3 - Tyree Henry (Life) over Lens Mathurin (Mount Olive) (Dec 10-6)
 
133
Champ. Round 1 - Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 - Noah Smith (Montevallo) over Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) (Dec 14-7)
Cons. Round 2 - Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) received a bye
Cons. Round 3 - Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) over Alex Tabb (Andrew) (Fall 2:17)
Cons. Round 4 - Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) over Josiah Fernandez (Keiser) (Dec 13-7)
Cons. Round 5 - Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) over Joaquin Crook (Andrew) (Fall 2:08)
Cons. Round 6 - Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) over Kaden Kuenzi (Unattached) (MFF)
Cons. Round 7 - Olliver Webb (Southeast) over Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) (Fall 2:24)
7th Place Match - Eli Pendergrass (Mount Olive) received a bye
 
Champ. Round 1 - Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 - Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) over Spencer Reep (Lincoln Memorial) (Dec 5-2)
Champ. Round 3 - Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) over Joaquin Crook (Andrew) (TF 18-3)
Quarterfinal - James Joplin (Lander) over Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) (Dec 7-2)
Cons. Round 6 - Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) over Josiah Boyden (Backyard Bullies WC) (Maj 15-7)
Cons. Round 7 - Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) received a bye
Cons. Semi - Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) over Nick Sykes (Unattached) (TF 16-1)
3rd Place Match - Thaddeus Long (Life) over Jeffrey Richards (Mount Olive) (FF)
 
141
Champ. Round 1 - Elijah-Kade Millsaps (Lincoln Memorial) over Logan Tortual (Mount Olive) (Fall 1:19)
Cons. Round 1 - Logan Tortual (Mount Olive) received a bye
Cons. Round 2 - Logan Tortual (Mount Olive) over Dominic D`Ambrosio (Lander) (Fall 1:19)
Cons. Round 3 - Logan Tortual (Mount Olive) over Justin Smith (Open) (Fall 2:58)
Cons. Round 4 - Kaden Brown (Montevallo) over Logan Tortual (Mount Olive) (Maj 18-10)
 
149
Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Pepin (Mount Olive) over Carter Jackson (Life) (Inj. 3:09)
Champ. Round 2 - Garrett Wood (Lander) over Dylan Pepin (Mount Olive) (TF 18-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Dylan Pepin (Mount Olive) over Hassan Ali (Lindsey Wilson) (TF 25-4)
Cons. Round 3 - Dylan Pepin (Mount Olive) over Nicholas Clay (Central Florida) (Fall 3:47)
Cons. Round 4 - Dylan Pepin (Mount Olive) over Zachery Lee (Life) (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Round 5 - Nick Dempsey (Montevallo) over Dylan Pepin (Mount Olive) (Dec 11-6)
 
Champ. Round 1 - Joabe Araujo (Unattached) over Shayden Edwards (Mount Olive) (Dec 6-3)
Cons. Round 1 - Shayden Edwards (Mount Olive) received a bye
Cons. Round 2 - Conner Wright (Brewton-Parker) over Shayden Edwards (Mount Olive) (Dec 15-8)
 
157
Champ. Round 1 - Jake Nicolosi (Mount Olive) Isaiah Castro (Emmanuel) (Fall 0:58)
Champ. Round 2 - Jake Nicolosi (Mount Olive) over Riley Brewer (Andrew) (Dec 10-6)
Quarterfinal - Jake Nicolosi (Mount Olive) over Sammy Gerard (Lander) (Dec 10-4)
Semifinal - Jake Nicolosi (Mount Olive) over AuShaud Evans (Reinhardt) (Fall 4:23)
1st Place Match - Hayden Watson (Citadel) over Jake Nicolosi (Mount Olive) (Fall 4:42)
 
165
Champ. Round 1 - Zander Stillgess (Gulf Coast Grappling Academy) over Benjamin Taylor III (Mount Olive) (Maj 13-1)
Cons. Round 1 - Sean Crews (Unattached) over Benjamin Taylor III (Mount Olive) (Fall 1:08)
 
Champ. Round 1 - Brent Nicolosi (Mount Olive) over Robert Best (Central Florida) (Fall 1:30)
Champ. Round 2 - Brent Nicolosi (Mount Olive) over Jaden New (Life) (Dec 5-4)
Quarterfinal - Brent Nicolosi (Mount Olive) over Cade Parent (Unattached) (Dec 8-3)
Semifinal - Brent Nicolosi (Mount Olive) over Alexander Clark (Life) (Fall 6:58)
1st Place Match - Konlin Weaver (Life) over Brent Nicolosi (Mount Olive) (Dec 10-4)
 
174
Champ. Round 1 - Trent Gormady (Andrew) over Jacob Farmer (Mount Olive) (TF 21-5)
Cons. Round 1 - Jacob Farmer (Mount Olive) over Samuel Mullins (Unattached) (Dec 19-13)
Cons. Round 2 - Efren Arizmendez (Life) over Jacob Farmer (Mount Olive) (Fall 0:20)
 
Champ. Round 1 - Jostyn Zayas (Lindsey Wilson) over Everett Rouse (Mount Olive) (TF 16-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Furman Smith (Life) over Everett Rouse (Mount Olive) (Fall 7:00)
 
184
Champ. Round 1 - Nicholas Mascolino (Unattached) over Bryan Pagola (Brewton-Parker) (Fall 0:59)
Champ. Round 2 - Nicholas Mascolino (Unattached) over Chase Bisel (Emmanuel) (Maj 17-5)
Quarterfinal - Jesse Perez (Life) over Nicholas Mascolino (Unattached) (Fall 0:52)
Cons. Round 4 - Gio Jackson (Life) over Nicholas Mascolino (Unattached) (Fall 3:46)
 
Champ. Round 1 - Diontae Smith (Mount Olive) over Shane Brakke (Keiser) (Fall 2:11)
Champ. Round 2 - John Roberts (Southeastern) over Diontae Smith (Mount Olive) (TF 19-0)
Cons. Round 2 - Riley Davis (Shorter) over Diontae Smith (Mount Olive) (TF 17-1)
 
197
Champ. Round 1 - Jonathan Clack (Mount Olive) received a bye
Champ. Round 2 - Jonathan Clack (Mount Olive) over Trillyon Fils-Aime (Southeastern) (Fall 1:42)
Champ. Round 3 - John Parker (Newberry, Unattached) over Jonathan Clack (Mount Olive) (Fall 4:39)
Cons. Round 4 - Jonathan Clack (Mount Olive) over Jett MCcauley (Keiser) (Fall 3:40)
Cons. Round 5 - Marvelous Rutledge (Lander) over Jonathan Clack (Mount Olive) (Maj 11-1)
 
Champ. Round 1 - Raife Smart (Mount Olive) over Dominic Love (Florida A&M) (Maj 15-3)
Champ. Round 2 - Raife Smart (Mount Olive) over Jett MCcauley (Keiser) (Maj 14-2)
Champ. Round 3 - Raife Smart (Mount Olive) over Champ Higdon (Lander) (Dec 9-6)
Quarterfinal - Dough Dittmer (Life) over Raife Smart (Mount Olive) (Dec 8-3)
Cons. Round 6 - Raife Smart (Mount Olive) over Jeffery Tubbs (Montevallo) (Dec 8-2)
Cons. Round 7 - Landon Williams (Life) over Raife Smart (Mount Olive) (Maj 10-2)
 
285
Champ. Round 1 - Slade Watkins (Mount Olive) over Willie Cox (Montevallo) (Dec 4-1)
Champ. Round 2 - Earnest Johnson (Life) over Slade Watkins (Mount Olive) (Dec 7-2)
Cons. Round 2 - Slade Watkins (Mount Olive) over Chipper Creager (Life) (Fall 2:16)
Cons. Round 3 - Slade Watkins (Mount Olive) over Jaylin Bien-aime (Lindsey Wilson) (SV-1 4-1)
Cons. Round 4 - Slade Watkins (Mount Olive) over Albert Goodgame (Reinhardt) (Dec 7-5)
Cons. Round 5 - Spencer Dacus (Life) over Slade Watkins (Mount Olive) (Fall 1:12)
7th Place Match - Russell Fickett (Central Florida) over Slade Watkins (Mount Olive) (FF)