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DC wrestlers pick up some big wins at Patriot Open
November 1, 2025

DC wrestlers pick up some big wins at Patriot Open

Results

Williamsburg, Ky. - A new season of Defiance College men's wrestling saw several impressive individual performances as the Yellow Jackets traveled to the University of the Cumberlands for the Pepsi Patriot Open on Saturday.

Defiance wrestled 13 athletes in nine weight classes and nine earn their first college wins.

Daniel Thatcher highlighted the day for Defiance with a 5-1 day at 174 before meeting his match limit. Four of his victories came by the pin, including two in less than one minute.

DC was very competitive at 149 as Dominic Graziani and Drew Matthews each recorded three pins. Graziani went 4-2 with his quickest pin in 2:51 while Matthews had a 2:29 pin and was knocked out of the open bracket by the 18th-ranked wrestler in the nation in his weight class.

Peyton Brown, Samuel Moore, Graiden Troth also secured pins among their multiple wins on Saturday. Owen Kasza, Connor Sintobin and Evan Smigelski also secured their first college wins, including Sintobin over the #22 wrestler in the NAIA's 197 class.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

  • 133
    • Timothy "Gage" Grunden (unattached): 2-2, L 7-1 vs. Jarrod Gilliam (Briar Cliff), W 11-1 vs. Kullum Irvin (Brewton-Parker), W Fall 4:42 vs. Alex Tabor (Lindsay Wilson), L Fall 6:12 vs. Josiah Fernandez (Keiser)
  • 141
    • Owen Kasza: 2-2, W 10-3 vs. Jeremiah Louis (Briar Cliff), L 3-0 vs. Brady Willman (St. Mary-Woods), W 17-1 TF vs. Kevondre Young (Georgetown), L 18-3 TF vs. Conner Blessing (Rio Grande)
  • 149
    • Dominic Graziani: 4-2, W Fall 2:51 vs. Arslan Bekirov, L 8-2 vs. Evan McGhee (Lindsey Wilson), W 3:36 vs. Nathan Payton (Lindsey Wilson), W Fall 4:50 vs. Ethan Kessinger (Georgetown), W DEF vs. Thawbaan As-Sidiq (Andrew), L forfeit vs. Luke Arthur (Pikeville)
    • Drew Matthews: 3-2, L 4-2 vs. Dakota Quinlan (Rochester Christian), W Fall 2:29 vs. Michael Tharpe (Indiana Tech), W Fall 3:30 vs. Dylan McKelvey (Marian), W Fall 6:28 vs. Caleb Mays (Cumberlands), L 4-1 vs. Garrett Pace (Reinhardt)
  • 157
    • Peyton Brown: 3-2, L 13-1 vs. Mackandle Freeman (Rio Grande), W Fall 4:16 vs. Jaheim Mills (Andrews), W 10-7 vs. Adam Ohnoutka (Briar Cliff), W forfeit vs. Loudon Stradling (Cleary), L 4-3 vs. Christian Arberry (Marian)
    • Parker Cone: 0-2, L 5-4 vs. Dalton Birchmeier (Cornerstone), L 9-4 vs. Mason Ducat (Lourdes)
  • 165
    • Brian Swinehart: 0-2, L 12-3 vs. Wyatt Clemens (Cleary) & L 16-0 vs. Justin Major (Cleary)
    • Graiden Troth: 3-2, W TF 18-0 vs. Reid Linak (Thomas More), L 8-1 vs. Wyatt Johnston (Cumberlands), W 3-1 vs. Gabriel Hightower (Brewton-Parker), W Fall 0:38 vs. Tommie Johnson (Andrews), L 11-7 vs. James Dozler (Marian)
  • 174
    • Daniel Thatcher (6th place): 5-1, W Fall 6:03 vs. Mark Kapenga (Cornerstone), L TF 16-0 vs. Gallan Wilds (Brewton-Parker), W Fall 4:27 vs. Angel Turner (Montreat), W 12-9 vs. Nasir Levy (Lourdes), W Fall 0:45 vs. Keenan Shively (Georgetown), W Fall 0:34 vs. Christian Preston, L no-contest vs. Gallan Wilds (Brewton-Parker)
  • 184
    • Kale Waxler: 0-2, L 9-3 vs. Lane Kiser (Cumberlands), L 8-4 vs. Doug Dittmer (Georgetown)
    • Samuel Moore: 2-2, W 2-0 vs. Matthew Russell (Williams Baptist), L 17-1 TF vs. Derek Washington (Southeastern), W Fall 6:26 vs. Tripp Price (Williams Baptist), L 18-1 TF vs. Dathan Smith (St. Mary-Woods)
  • 197
    • Connor Sintobin: 1-2, L 5-4 vs. Jackson Turner (Cornerstone), W 10-7 vs. Greyson Stevens (Cumberlands), L TF 19-0 vs. Jett McCauley (Keiser)
  • 285
    • Evan Smigelski: 1-2 L Fall 4:33 vs. Trey White (Cumberlands), W 5-2 vs. Eathan Westfall (Cleary), L 10-2 vs. Ian Clifford (Indiana Tech)

UP NEXT
 Defiance gets right back to action next Friday with a tri-match at Rio Grande against the Red Storm and West Virginia Tech. 

-JACKETS-