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NCAA National Tournament - 03/11-12/05

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Mountain Cat Wrestlers
Place Fourth
at National Tournament;
Thad Benton Wins Title at 141 lbs.,
Ryon Mazzocco Places Second and
Team Boasts Six All-Americans
     Junior Thad Benton (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa./Claysburg-Kimmel H.S.) became the eighth Pitt Johnstown wrestling individual National Champion and junior Ryon Mazzocco (125 lbs.) (Cresson, Pa./Penn Cambria H.S.) earned a national Runner-up finish to lead Head Coach Pat Pecora's Mountain Cats to a fourth place finish at the 2005 NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships at the University of Nebraska-Omaha over the weekend. Of the eight Mountain Cat National Qualifiers, six became All-Americans. Along with Benton and Mazzocco, red-shirt freshman Mike Corcetti (184 lbs.) (Export, Pa./Kiski Area H.S.) placed fourth, senior Howard Bell (197 lbs.) (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford H.S.) placed fifth, sophomore Eli Garshnick (174 lbs.) (Armagh, Pa./United H.S.) placed sixth and senior Ryan Ickes (149 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa./Claysburg-Kimmel H.S.) placed eighth. Complete results can be found at http://gomavs.unomaha.edu/wrestling_nationals/index.php.
     Benton, now a two-time All-American, posted a 4-0 record at the National Tournament, including an impressive 9-4 victory over Nebraska-Omaha's Eli Dominquez in the title bout at 141 lbs. In his four victories, Benton recorded three decisions and a major decision. Mazzocco, who got to the championship bout with three decision victories, suffered a very tough, 4-3, loss to Aaron Graumann (Augustana (SD) College) in the championship match at 125 lbs.
     In all, five Pitt Johnstown wrestlers earned spots in the tournament's semifinals. Corcetti, who made his first appearance at nationals, placed fourth after losing 14-5 to Ashland (OH) University's Clint Carmony in the Third Place match, while Bell became a four-time Division II All-American with a fifth place finish. Bell earned a 4-2 win over John Goral (University of Wisconsin-Parkside) in the Fifth Place match. Both Corcetti and Bell ended the tournament with 3-2 records. Garshnick, who also made his first appearance at the National Tournament, upset #2-ranked Tommy Bauer (Ashland) in the first round. Garshnick then won his second match to advance to the semifinals, before suffering three losses, including a 14-2 setback to Southwest Missouri State's Tim Johns in the Fifth Place match. Ickes rounded out the Mountain Cat All-Americans with an eighth place finish. After losing his first match of the tournament, Ickes battled back to post a 2-3 record. Ickes, a two-time All-American, lost to Shea Timothy (Central Oklahoma University), 4-2, in the Seventh Place match.
     Senior Matt Roncolato (157 lbs.) (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury H.S.) and junior Zach Majocha (HWT.) (Upper Burrell, Pa./Burrell H.S.) both wrestled at the National Tournament, but did not place. Roncolato posted a 1-2 record, while Majocha was forced to take an injury default and finished with an 0-2 record.
     TOP-10 FINAL TEAM STANDINGS: Nebraska-Omaha (109.5 pts.), Augustana (101.0 pts), Minnesota State-Mankato (77.5 pts.), PITT JOHNSTOWN (73.5 PTS.), University of Findlay (OH) (65.0 pts.), Nebraska-Kearney (54.5 pts.), UNC-Pembroke (52.5 pts.), Shippensburg (51.5 pts.), Mercyhurst (48.5 pts.), Adams State (CO) College (45.5 pts.)

Last Reviewed: March 12, 2005
Copyright © March 2004
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown