Wrestling Heads West to Las Vegas
12/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 2, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
PITTSURGH -- The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team returns to action this weekend, Dec. 5-6, at the 27th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The Panthers will one of 48 teams competing in the two-day event held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
VEGAS, BABY, VEGAS
The Panthers travel to Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 5-6 for the 27th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Last season, the Panthers finished in a tie with Cal State Fullerton for eighth place, totaling 68.5 points.
Five of last year's top eight teams make the return trip this year, including four Big Ten teams. Ohio State, Wisconsin and Illinois will join defending champion Michigan for the two-day event held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
DOUBLE DIGITS
Seven Panthers reached double digits in the win column by the end of the first month of the 2008-09 season. Eric Albright leads the team with 15, followed by Ryan Tomei (13), Matt Wilps (12) and Brad Gentzle (11). Brock Mantella, Tyler Nauman and Andy Vaughan each have 10 wins on the season.
FALLING DOWN
Senior heavyweight Zach Sheaffer was not only 4-0 at the Keystone Classic, he won each match by pinfall. Among his four falls was a the second fastest Panther pin on the season, coming just 59 seconds into the first period. Currently the No. 7 ranked wrestler in nation, Sheaffer now has 16 career falls.
Freshman Adam Counterman followed close behind Sheaffer, collecting three falls of his own on the day, with his quickest coming less than two minutes into the first period of a consolation match.
Tyler Nauman and Ethan Headlee each recorded two falls while Victor Konno and Jeff Warusz finished the day with one each.
KEYSTONE CLASSIC
The Panthers finished second at the Keystone Classic held Saturday, Nov. 23, in Philadelphia. Host Penn edged Pitt by a mere three and a half points, 138.5-135, for the overall team championship.
Advancing to the finals were Jimmy Conroy (133), Tyler Nauman (141), Matt Wilps (197) and Zach Sheaffer (285). Conroy, Wilps and Sheaffer each finished the day 4-0, winning their respective brackets while Nauman finished in second place with a 3-1 mark on the day.
BLOOMSBURG RECAP
Eight of 10 wrestlers won their respective matches in Pitt's first dual win of the 2008-09 season. The Panthers jumped out to a 12-0 lead over Bloomsburg before the Huskies were able to get on the board.
Freshman Chris Albright sparked the Panthers with a 9-8 come-from-behind win in the 125-pound match. Pitt went on to take the first four matches, building an insurmountable lead.
Classmates Zac Thomusseit and Matt Wilps also picked up their first collegiate dual wins on the night. Thomusseit was a 3-2 winner while Wilps earned his first career pin just under 20 seconds into overtime in the 197-pound match.
Senior Zach Sheaffer continued to dominate the heavyweight class with an 8-3 decision. Sheaffer tallied a two-point takedown less than 20 seconds into the match and earned over four minutes of riding time en route to his second straight dual win.