SALEM, VA. – Maryland wrestling wrapped up a strong showing at the 2025 Southeast Open, highlighted by Branson John's first-place finish at 197 pounds. The Terps earned multiple podium finishes across both the Open and Freshman/Sophomore brackets..

John dominated his way to the 197-pound Open Division title, posting four straight bonus-point victories, including wins over ranked opponents No. 29 Gavin Nelson (Minnesota) and No. 27 Rune Lawrence (West Virginia).

Braxton Brown (133) and Oscar Williams (285 Freshman/Sophomore) each made strong runs to the finals, finishing second in their respective brackets. Brown earned three straight wins — including a 13-0 major decision in the semifinals — before falling to Virginia Tech's Dillon Campbell in the title bout. Williams went 4-1 on the day with three bonus-point victories en route to his runner-up finish.

Dario Lemus (141) battled through a deep field to place third, tallying three wins highlighted by a major decision in the consolation final. Abram Cline (125 Freshman/Sophomore) also impressed, advancing to the finals with three straight decision victories before earning a second-place finish.

Sepanta Ahanj-Elias (197 Freshman/Sophomore) and Tyler Garvin (125 Freshman/Sophomore) both finished fifth. Ahanj-Elias capped his tournament with a 12-4 major decision over Campbell's Sawyer Vanrider, while Garvin rallied through the consolation bracket for an 11-10 comeback win over VMI's Malachi Ortiz to clinch his spot on the podium.

Unattached Terp Kal Miller (157) made a strong run of his own, winning three straight bouts to reach the semifinals before finishing third.

Full Results:

125 lbs

Freshman/Sophomore Bracket

• Abram Cline:

  • Round of 16 – DEC (7-4) over Brody Gobbell (UT Chattanooga)

  • Quarterfinals – DEC (7-4) over Malachi Ortiz (VMI)

  • Semifinals – DEC (2-0) over Brad Yukom (NC State)

  • Finals – L, DEC (3-0) vs. Colby Crouch (Campbell) → 2nd place finish
     

• Tyler Garvin:

  • Round of 16 – MD (9-0) over Cooper Foster (App State)

  • Quarterfinals – L, DEC (8-5) vs. Colby Crouch (Campbell)

  • Consi of 8 #2 – DEC (7-1) over Conner Lenahan (Noke Wrestling)

  • Consi of 4 – MD (8-0) over Bobby Gobbell (UT Chattanooga)

  • 5th Place – DEC (11-10) over Malachi Ortiz (VMI) → 5th place finish

133 lbs (Open)

• Braxton Brown:

  • Round of 16 – DEC (6-5) over Musa Tamaradze (App State)

  • Quarterfinals – DEC (5-1) over Mason Kernan (West Virginia)

  • Semifinals – MD (13-0) over Mason Leiphart (Franklin & Marshall)

  • Finals – L, MD (11-0) vs. Dillon Campbell (Virginia Tech) → 2nd place finish

141 lbs (Open)

• Dario Lemus:

  • Round of 16 – MD (17-4) over Zander Phaturos (Campbell)

  • Quarterfinals – DEC (8-3) over Jordan Titus (West Virginia)

  • Semifinals – L, DEC (10-6 TB2) vs. Luke Simcox

  • 3rd Place – MD (19-11) over Bryce Kresho (Franklin & Marshall) → 3rd place finish

• Clayton Gabrielson:

  • Round of 32 – L, TF (18-2) vs. Bryce Kresho (Franklin & Marshall)

  • Consi of 16 #2 – MFF win over Zander Phaturos (Campbell)

  • Consi of 8 #1 – L, DEC (7-5) vs. Ryan Luna (Presbyterian)

149 lbs (Open)

• Michael Pizzuto:

  • Round of 32 – F (13-1) over Brandon Sauter (Franklin & Marshall)

  • Round of 16 – L, DEC (5-2) vs. Koy Buesgens (NC State)

  • Consi of 16 #2 – L, DEC (4-1 SV) vs. Thomas Termini (Citadel)

• (Unattached) Luke Jacobs:

  • Round of 32 – DEC (4-2) over Christopher Bacchioni (Virginia Tech)

  • Round of 16 – MFF win over Paul Woo (unattached)

157 lbs

• (Unattached) Kal Miller:

  • Round of 32 – DEC (5-0) over Billy Templeton (Franklin & Marshall)

  • Round of 16 – DEC (4-2) over Eric Doran (VMI)

  • Quarterfinals – DEC (4-2) over Kyrell Leavell (Citadel)

  • Semifinals – L, DEC (5-2) vs. Charlie Millard (Minnesota)

  • 3rd Place – MFF win over Cody Cittum (UT Chattanooga) → 3rd place finish (unattached)

• Freshman/Sophomore Bracket – Garrett Reece:

  • Round of 32 – L, MD (17-3) vs. Latrell Schafer (NC State)

  • Consi of 16 – L, DEC (7-4) vs. Bailey Wilman (Noke Wrestling)
     

• (Unattached) Nathan Perry:

  • Round of 32 – L, F (15-4) vs. Jeremiah Price (App State)

  • Consi of 16 – L, TF (20-5) vs. Laird Root (UNC)
     

165 lbs

• Open Bracket – John Martin Best:

  • Round of 32 – TF (20-3) over Brandon Jacoby (Presbyterian)

  • Round of 16 – DEC (7-1) over Bryce Griffin (Davidson)

  • Quarterfinals – L, DEC (7-3) vs. Ryan Brown (Virginia Tech)

  • Consi of 8 #2 – L, DEC (5-2 SV) vs. Anthony Conetta (App State)

• Open Bracket – AJ Rodriguez:
   

  • Round of 16 – L, DEC (4-2) vs. Anthony Federico (Southeastern – unattached)

  • Consi of 8 #1 – L, DEC (11-7) vs. Anthony Conetta (App State)
     

• Freshman/Sophomore Bracket – Alex Uryniak:

  • Round of 32 – L, SV (5-2) vs. Kendrick Hodge (Campbell)

  • Consi of 16 – TF (15-0) over Taven Williams (Noke Wrestling)

  • Consi of 16 #2 – DEC (8-3) over Josh Roe (Presbyterian)

  • Consi of 8 #1 – DEC (5-4) over Parker Kearns (Citadel)

  • Consi of 8 #2 – MFF win over Yanik Simon (Presbyterian)

  • Consi of 4 – L, F (5-2) vs. Kendrick Hodge (Campbell)

• (Unattached) Ryan Money:

  • Round of 16 – L, DEC (7-3) vs. Javon Mitchell (Southeastern – unattached)

  • Consi of 16 #2 – F (4-3) over Mateo Hernandez (Gunston WC)

  • Consi of 8 – L, DEC (8-2) vs. Jacob Lledo (Ohio)

174 lbs

• Open Bracket – Dom Solis:

  • Round of 16 – L, DEC (9-2) vs. Ethan Riddle (Minnesota)

  • Consi of 16 #2 – DEC (6-3) over Alex Hopper (App State)

  • Consi of 8 #1 – L, DEC (4-3) vs. Sabino Portella (UNC)

• Freshman/Sophomore Bracket – Seth Digby:

  • Round of 16 – MD (14-5) over Liam Johnson (Noke Wrestling)

  • Quarterfinals – L, DEC (8-5) vs. Braxton Russell (Citadel)

  • Consi of 8 #2 – TF (17-2) over Michael Fuccilli (Franklin & Marshall)

  • Consi of 4 – L, DEC (5-3) vs. Xavier Presion (Noke Wrestling)

197 lbs

• Open Division – Branson John:

  • Round of 16 – MD (14-3) over Hunter Adams (App State)

  • Quarterfinals – MD (13-3) over Braxton Lewis (VMI)

  • Semifinals – DEC (11-4) over No. 29 Gavin Nelson (Minnesota)

  • Finals – MD (12-2) over No. 27 Rune Lawrence (West Virginia) → 1st place, Open Division Champion

• Freshman/Sophomore Bracket – Sepanta Ahanj-Elias:

  • Round of 16 – DEC (7-3) over Evan Wingrove (Ohio)

  • Quarterfinals – L, DEC SV (9-6) vs. Kade Rule (UT Chattanooga)
    Consi of 8 #2 – TF (17-2) over Taylor Hornick (Presbyterian)

  • Consi of 4 – DEC (7-2) over Reid Hilltunin (App State)

  • 5th Place – MD (12-4) over Sawyer Vanrider (Campbell) → 5th place finish

• (Unattached) Anthony Bradley:

  • Round of 16 – L, TF (18-0) vs. Gabe Nagel (Minnesota)

  • Consi of 8 #1 – L, MD (10-1) vs. Silas Dailey (Minnesota)

285 lbs

• Freshman/Sophomore Bracket – Oscar Williams:

  • Round of 32 – TF (16-1) over Mason Blue (Gardner-Webb unattached)

  • Round of 16 – F (7-0) over Anthony Brown (Presbyterian)

  • Quarterfinals – DEC (7-3) over Brock Kehler (West Virginia)

  • Semifinals – DEC (5-0) over Brody Kline (Franklin & Marshall)

  • Finals – L, DEC (7-0) vs. Jacob Levy (North Carolina) → 2nd place finish

• Freshman/Sophomore Bracket – Joey Schneck:

  • Round of 32 – L, DEC SV (4-1) vs. Mason Ayers (Citadel)

  • Consi of 16 #2 – TF (20-3) over Lance Peterson (Citadel)

  • Consi of 8 #2 – DEC SV (8-5) over Cameron Cavins (Noke Wrestling)

  • Consi of 8 #2 – DQ win (1-0) over Garrett Tyre (Coker)