University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
at 2006 East Coast Duals (Shippensburg Univ.) - 01/21/06
Wrestlers Post 4-0 Record at East Coast Duals;
Thad Benton One Win Shy of 100 Career Victories
01/21/06...Just 12 hours after handing Anderson (S.C.) College a lopsided loss in the Sports Center, Head Coach Pat Pecora's #3-ranked Mountain Cat wrestlers traveled to the 2006 East Coast Duals at Shippensburg University on Saturday and eanred four more victories. Pitt Johnstown defeated #12 Wisconsin-Parkside, Newberry (S.C.) College, Limestone (S.C.) College and Carson-Newman (TN) College by a combined score of 140-33. In the process, senior National Champion Thad Benton (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.) picked up three falls to give him 99 victories in his Mountain Cat career. Pitt Johnstown is now 19-4 on the year.
Pitt Johnstown opened with a 25-9 victory over #12 Wisconsin-Parkside, behind Benton's (141 lbs.) fall at :40 over Craig Becker. Sophomore Brandon Reasy (New Enterprise, Pa.) won a 14-2 major decision over Matt Lentz at 133 lbs., while senior Jay Matteo (149 lbs.) (New Castle, Pa.), junior Joe Strittmatter (157 lbs.) (Ebensburg, Pa.), junior Adam Musisko (174 lbs.) (McKeesport, Pa.), All-American Mike Corcetti (184 lbs.) (Export, Pa.) and 2-time National Qualifier Zach Majocha (HWT.) (Upper Burrell, Pa.) all earned decision victories.
In Saturday's second round against Newberry, Mazzocco (125 lbs.), Reasy (133 lbs.) and Benton (141 lbs.) scored consecutive falls to seal the Mountain Cats' 32-9 win. Corcetti (184 lbs.) dealt Leighton Ellis a 17-2 technical fall, and sophomore Eric Svec (149 lbs.) (Greensburg, Pa.), Musisko and junior Mike Fowler (197 lbs.) Carrolltown, Pa.) all won by decision.
The Mountain Cats continued their dominance with a 42-6 win over Limestone in the third round. Along with falls from Reasy (133 lbs.), Strittmatter (157 lbs.) and Musisko (174 lbs.), Corcetti earned his second technical fall of the day with a 16-0 win over Mike Walsh at 184 lbs. Red-shirt freshman Mazen Kholi (149 lbs.) (Allentown, Pa.) won by injury default and Mike Fowler got a forfeit victory at 197 lbs., while sophomore Tom Brambley (141 lbs.) (Everett, Pa.) won by major decision and Majocha (HWT.) collected a 3-2 decision over Trey Moss.
Carson Newman proved to be Pitt Johnstown's final victim. The Mountain Cats got falls from Reasy (133 lbs.), Benton (141 lbs.), Svec (149 lbs.) and Musisko (174 lbs.) and a 17-1 technical fall from Fowler over Garrett Watts at 197 lbs. to lead Pitt Johnstown to a 41-9 win. Mazzocco won by forfeit and sophomore Rob Sakmar (165 lbs,) (Johnstown, Pa.) and Corcetti (184 lbs.) both won by decision.
Pitt Johnstown returns home to host East Region rival and #16-ranked Gannon University on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Sports Center.
Last Reviewed: January 21, 2006