CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Fueled by a trio of key performances in the midweights from Carson DesRosier (149 lbs), Kyrel Leavell (157 lbs) and Thomas Snipes (165 lbs), The Citadel (4-5, 0-0 SoCon) orchestrated a strong overall team showing to launch the 2026 half of the campaign at the annual Southern Scuffle, registering three total placements -- fourth for both DesRosier and Snipes plus sixth in a surprise surge for Leavell -- across the two-day individual tournament Saturday and Sunday at McKenzie Arena.

Notably, Leavell left a trail of highly-ranked wrestlers in his wake during his climb to the semifinals within the 157 lbs division, initially knocking off No. 26 Joe Antonio (Army, No. 8 seed) in the first round before later taking down CJ Liddle (UTC, No. 9 seed) and No. 31 Colt Washleski (UVA, No. 1 seed).

"The Southern Scuffle has always been a great holiday tournament," interim head coach Luke Welch said. "I thought this year the brackets were deeper and there was a lot of talent across the field, so to have three guys place and have a handful lose the last round to make it to day two of the tournament was reassuring. I was very proud of the way the team performed, I am just excited to get into SoCon play later this month continue to have our guys improve on the mat."


SOUTHERN SCUFFLE

ROUND OF 64
157 --  Jacob Silka (CIT) over Daishun Powe (UNC), DEC (4-3)
165 -- Thomas Snipes (CIT) over Kaleb Williams (CORN), DEC (10-3)
197 -- Roy Price III (CIT) over Anthony Bruscino (NAVY), DEC (4-2)

ROUND OF 32
125 -- Zeke Witt (NDSU) over Gylon Sims (CIT), FALL (6:44)
125 -- Marcello Milani (CORN) over Tyler Washburn (CIT), MD (10-1)
133 -- Dom Serrano (UNC) over Teegan Vasquez (CIT), MD (11-2)
141 -- Kyren Butler (UVA) over George Rosas (CIT), DEC (11-5)
149 -- Carson DesRosier (CIT) over Michael Pizzuto (MD), DEC (5-0)
149 --  Clayton Jones III (MSU) over Thomas Termini (CIT), DEC (13-6)
157 --  Kyrel Leavell (CIT) over Joe Antonio (ARMY), DEC (9-6)
157 --  Jacob Silka (CIT) over Benny Rogers (CORN), MD (8-0)
165 -- Thomas Snipes (CIT) over Jack Conley (MSU), DEC (4-2)
165 -- Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (CLAR) over Parker Kearns (CIT), DEC (2-0)
174 -- Connor O'Neill (MSU) over Braxton Russell (CIT), DEC (5-0)
174 -- Owen Hendricks (CIT) over Brian Heard (PENN), MFOR
184 -- Caleb Campos (AU) over Brodie Porter (CIT), MD (11-2)
197 -- Josh Barr (PSU) over Adam Ortega (CIT), TF (18-2, 4:10)
197 -- Stephen Little (LR) over Roy Price III (CIT), TF (20-5, 4:46)
285 -- Connor Barket (DUKE) over Christian Bell (CIT), MD (14-1)

CONSOLATION OF 32 #2
125 -- Gylon Sims (CIT) over John Bergmann (NAVY), DEC (5-0)
165 -- Parker Kearns (CIT) over Josh Greenwood (MSU), DEC (2-0)
174 -- Taye Wilson (LR) over Braxton Russell (CIT), DEC (8-5, SV-1)
197 -- Adam Ortega (CIT) over Anthony Bruscino (NAVY), DEC (7-0)

ROUND OF 16
149 -- Carson DesRosier (CIT) over Wynton Denkins (UVA), DEC (7-4, SV-1)
157 --  Kyrel Leavell (CIT) over CJ Liddie (UTC), MD (10-2)
157 --  Daniel Zepeda (NCST) over Jacob Silka (CIT), DEC (8-5, SV-1)
165 -- Thomas Snipes (CIT) over Austin Craft (AU), DEC (7-3)
174 -- Tyson Sherlock (DAV) over Owen Hendricks (CIT), DEC (7-0)

CONSOLATION OF 16 #1
125 -- Gylon Sims (CIT) over Tyler Harper (LR), DEC (6-4)
125 -- Tyler Washburn (CIT) over Colby McBride (APST), DEC (4-2)
133 -- Bryce Luna (UTC) over Teegan Vasquez (CIT), DEC (6-3)
141 -- George Rosas (CIT) over Shawn Ryncarz (MSU), MD (9-0)
149 --  Dylan Ross (DUKE) over Thomas Termini (CIT), DEC (4-2)
165 -- Michael Murhphy (UVA) over Parker Kearns (CIT), MD (10-1)
184 -- Tre McTorry (UTC) over Brodie Porter (CIT), DEC (8-5)
197 -- Adam Ortega (CIT) over Eric Washington (MSU), DEC (13-6)
197 -- Landon Jobbers-Spence (LR) over Roy Price III (CIT), DEC (8-3)
285 -- John Pardo (PENN) over Christian Bell (CIT), FALL (5:32)

CONSOLATION OF 16 #2
125 -- JJ Pearce (AU) over Gylon Sims (CIT), DEC (5-4)
125 -- Tyler Washburn (CIT) over Cooper Foster (APST), DEC (8-7)
141 -- Brennen VanHoecke (LR) over George Rosas (CIT), DEC (5-2)
157 --  Jacob Silka (CIT) over Jeb Prechtel (BELL), MD (10-1)
174 -- Owen Hendricks (CIT) over Hunter Hohman (AU), DEC (10-8)
197 -- Adam Ortega (CIT) over Andrew Liber (BELL), DEC (8-2)

QUARTERFINALS
149 -- Max Petersen (NDSU) over Carson DesRosier (CIT), DEC (14-8)
157 --  Kyrel Leavell (CIT) over Colt Washleski (UVA), FALL (2:50)
165 -- Thomas Snipes (CIT) over Anthony Ferrari (CAMP), DEC (6-2)

CONSOLATION OF 8 #1
125 -- Charlie Farmer (ARMY) over Tyler Washburn (CIT), MD (11-2)
157 -- Kendrick Hodge (CAMP) over Jacob Silka (CIT), DEC (6-3)
174 -- Colt Campbell (APST) over Owen Hendricks (CIT), DEC (5-2)
197 -- Martin Cosgrove (PENN) over Adam Ortega (CIT), DEC (4-1, SV-1)

CONSOLATION OF 8 #2
149 --  Carson DesRosier (CIT) over Kaemen Smith (NAVY), DEC (8-1)

SEMIFINALS
157 --  Joe Sealey (PSU) over Kyrel Leavell (CIT), MD (11-2)
165 -- Matty Bianchi (LR) over Thomas Snipes (CIT), DEC (4-1, SV-1)

CONSOLATION OF 4
149 --  Carson DesRosier (CIT) over Kelly Dunnigan (PENN), DEC (7-2)

CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
149 --  Carson DesRosier (CIT) over Carter Young (MD), MFOR
157 --  Jude Swisher (PENN) over Kyrel Leavell (CIT), DEC (8-3)
165 -- Thomas Snipes (CIT) over Dylan Elmore (NAVY), DEC (2-2, TB-2)

FIFTH PLACE
157 --  Colt Washleski (UVA) over Kyrel Leavell (CIT), DEC (10-4)

THIRD PLACE
149 --  Cross Wasilewski (PENN) over Carson DesRosier (CIT), DEC (8-2)
165 -- Sean Seefeldt (PENN) over Thomas Snipes (CIT), DEC (5-0)