Wrestling Lineup Near Completion After Panther Wrestle-Offs
11/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Wrestling Lineup Near Completion After Panther Wrestle-Offs
11/8/2004
PITTSBURGH ? The 2004-05 Pittsburgh wrestling season began on Saturday at the Wrestle-Offs, held at Fitzgerald Field House. All but one spot for the starting lineup was contested for and all nine winners were 2-0 victors in the best-of-three format.
At 125 pounds, freshman Dave Morgan (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) was able to defeat fellow newcomer Zach Bowman (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) by scores of 10-4 and 21-5, a technical fall win) to earn the starting spot at the lowest weight class.
Last year's 125-pounder, Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) moved up to 133 pounds and earned the starting position with 3-2 and 8-0 victories over Mike Ciotti (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe).
The Panthers will have junior Ronald Tarquinio (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) back at 141 pounds after an EWL title and a second NCAA appearance in 2003-04. Tarquinio defeated freshman Joe Ciampoli (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) by scores of 8-2 and 10-2 at Saturday's wrestle-offs.
Sophomore Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) was the Panthers' leader in wins as a true freshman and will again be the 149-pounder this season after earning two wins by fall over sophomore Michael Perinotti (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall). The first came at the 1:59 mark of the first period and the second win came at 4:52 in the second frame.
The Panthers' new 157-pounder will be sophomore Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail), who earned two major decisions over freshman Brian Scott (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) by scores of 16-5 and 12-4 to win the starting spot.
Moving up from 157 pounds is two-time NCAA qualifier Justin Nestor (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds). Nestor won the 165-pound wrestle-offs over redshirt freshman Tim Allen (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) with pins at the 2:32 and 3:44 marks.
A three-time NCAA qualifier at two different weight classes, senior Zachariah Doll (Quakertown, Pa./The Hill School) has moved up for the second time, now wrestling at 174 pounds. Doll was able to defeat freshman Nick Padezan (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) with a 7-2 decision and a pin at 1:52 on Saturday.
Sophomore Eric Cassidy (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) will be the Panthers' starter at 184 pounds against the Cyclones of Iowa State on Friday after earning two decision victories over senior Steve Selcher (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) by counts of 4-1 and 8-1.
There were no matches at 197 pounds and this year's starter is still to be determined. At the heavyweight class, Zach Sheaffer (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) won a battle of true freshmen over Devin Derrico (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) with 3-1 and 3-2 decisions.
Pittsburgh will open at Iowa State on Friday, November 12 before returning home to take on EWL rival Bloomsburg on Wednesday, November 17 in the Fitzgerald Field House opener.