BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Redshirt senior Eloheim Palma earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, while Campbell placed third at the Southern Conference Championships held Saturday at the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center.
Chattanooga won its fifth-straight Southern Conference Championship and 28th overall with 88.0 points, while The Citadel finished second with 78.5 points. Campbell took third placed with 54.0 points.
Palma was one of four Fighting Camels who advanced to championship bouts. The second seed at the heavyweight spot, he blanked The Citadel's Joe Bexley, 6-0, in the first round. He used a 7-3 decision over VMI's Juan Adams to advance to the final round, where he fell 3-0 to the fifth seed, David Devine of SIUE. His second-place finish earned him the second SoCon automatic bid to the national tournament at 285 pounds.
At 125 pounds, freshman Tyler Walker advanced to the final round after defeating Davidson's Philip Elias, 10-1, and The Citadel's Joaquin Marquez, 6-4 in sudden victory. In the championship, Appalachian State's Dominic Parisi took the 9-5 win over Walker, taking the NCAA bid.
Drew Walker followed his brother at 133 pounds, pinning SIUE's Patrick Myers in 2:39 to open. In the semifinal, he posted a 5-3 win over The Citadel's Aaron Hansen 5-3. Nick Soto, the No. 1 seed, took Walker out in the championship with a 12-2 major decision.
The fourth Camel to make a championship bout was freshman Ville Heino at 184 pounds. The fourth seed, he edged SIUE's Deshoun White 2-1 in the first round and took down the No. 1 seed, Josh Lampe of UTC, 11-4, in the semifinal. Davidson's Scott Patrick took the title with an 8-3 decision over Heino.
Sophomore Grant Blumenthal was the only other Camel to reach the podium. He defeated Gardner-Webb's Cole Graves, 12-11, to open before UTC's Alex Hudson posted a 15-0 tech fall to knock Blumenthal into the consolation bracket. In the consolation final, Blumenthal defeated Appalachian State's Aaron Scott, 7-4, to claim third place.
Southern Conference Championship Results for Campbell
125 - Tyler Walker (2-1) placed 2nd and scored 10.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Tyler Walker (Campbell) 2-1 won by major decision over Philip Elias (Davidson) 1-2 (MD 10-1)
Semifinal - Tyler Walker (Campbell) 2-1 won in sudden victory - 1 over Joaquin Marquez (The Citadel) 2-2 (SV-1 6-4)
1st Place Match - Dominic Parisi (Appalachian State) 3-0 won by decision over Tyler Walker (Campbell) 2-1 (Dec 9-5)
133 - Drew Walker (2-1) placed 2nd and scored 11.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Drew Walker (Campbell) 2-1 won by fall over Patrick Myers (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 0-2 (Fall 2:39)
Semifinal - Drew Walker (Campbell) 2-1 won by decision over Aaron Hansen (The Citadel) 3-1 (Dec 5-3)
1st Place Match - Nick Soto (Chattanooga) 3-0 won by major decision over Drew Walker (Campbell) 2-1 (MD 12-2)
141 - Michael Dahlstrom (2-2) placed 4th and scored 4.50 team points.
Quarterfinal - John Petrov (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 1-2 won by decision over Michael Dahlstrom (Campbell) 2-2 (Dec 3-1)
Cons. Round 1 - Michael Dahlstrom (Campbell) 2-2 won by tech fall over Javon Johnson (Appalachian State) 0-2 (TF-1.5 7:00 (19-2))
Cons. Semi - Michael Dahlstrom (Campbell) 2-2 won by decision over Emmitt Kelly (VMI) 1-2 (Dec 9-2)
3rd Place Match - Ryan Mosley (Gardner-Webb) 3-1 won by decision over Michael Dahlstrom (Campbell) 2-2 (Dec 7-3)
149 - Brent Jorge (1-2) place is unknown and scored 1.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Brent Jorge (Campbell) 1-2 won by decision over Shabaka Johns (VMI) 1-2 (Dec 8-3)
Semifinal - Dyllan Cottrell (Appalachian State) 3-0 won by decision over Brent Jorge (Campbell) 1-2 (Dec 6-3)
Cons. Semi - Austin Sams (Chattanooga) 2-2 won by decision over Brent Jorge (Campbell) 1-2 (Dec 5-3)
157 - Grant Blumenthal (3-1) placed 3rd and scored 5.50 team points.
Quarterfinal - Grant Blumenthal (Campbell) 3-1 won by decision over Cole Graves (Gardner-Webb) 1-2 (Dec 12-11)
Semifinal - Alex Hudson (Chattanooga) 2-1 won by tech fall over Grant Blumenthal (Campbell) 3-1 (TF-1.5 2:25 (15-0))
Cons. Semi - Grant Blumenthal (Campbell) 3-1 won by decision over Aaron Scott (Appalachian State) 0-2 (Dec 7-4)
3rd Place Match - Grant Blumenthal (Campbell) 3-1 won by decision over Edward Gottwald (VMI) 2-2 (Dec 5-3)
165 - Paul Duggan (2-2) placed 4th and scored 3.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Matthew Lester (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 1-2 won by decision over Paul Duggan (Campbell) 2-2 (Dec 1-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Paul Duggan (Campbell) 2-2 won by decision over Mark Darr (VMI) 0-2 (Dec 9-6)
Cons. Semi - Paul Duggan (Campbell) 2-2 won by decision over Zachary Strickland (Appalachian State) 1-2 (Dec 5-1)
3rd Place Match - Austin Trott (Gardner-Webb) 3-1 won by major decision over Paul Duggan (Campbell) 2-2 (MD 14-2)
174 - Cody Ryba (1-2) place is unknown and scored 1.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Cody Ryba (Campbell) 1-2 won by decision over Nathaniel Powers (Davidson) 0-2 (Dec 9-2)
Semifinal - Levi Clemons (Chattanooga) 3-0 won by major decision over Cody Ryba (Campbell) 1-2 (MD 11-2)
Cons. Semi - Collin Hedash (Appalachian State) 2-2 won by decision over Cody Ryba (Campbell) 1-2 (Dec 6-3)
184 - Ville Heino (2-1) placed 2nd and scored 9.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Ville Heino (Campbell) 2-1 won by decision over Deshoun White (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 0-2 (Dec 2-1)
Semifinal - Ville Heino (Campbell) 2-1 won by decision over John Lampe (Chattanooga) 1-2 (Dec 2-1)
1st Place Match - Donald Patrick (Davidson) 3-0 won by decision over Ville Heino (Campbell) 2-1 (Dec 8-3)
197 - Garrison Matthews (0-2) place is unknown and scored 0.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Scottie Boykin (Chattanooga) 2-1 won by major decision over Garrison Matthews (Campbell) 0-2 (MD 17-4)
Cons. Round 1 - Ian Solcz (Davidson) 1-2 won by decision over Garrison Matthews (Campbell) 0-2 (Dec 8-3)
285 - Eloheim Palma (2-1) placed 2nd and scored 9.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Eloheim Palma (Campbell) 2-1 won by decision over Joseph Bexley (The Citadel) 0-2 (Dec 6-0)
Semifinal - Eloheim Palma (Campbell) 2-1 won by decision over Juan Adams (VMI) 3-1 (Dec 7-3)
1st Place Match - David Devine (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) 3-0 won by decision over Eloheim Palma (Campbell) 2-1 (Dec 4-0)
