March 3, 2007

CLEVELAND - After tonight's semifinal rounds, Pitt will definitely send four wrestlers to the NCAA tournament as they have qualified for tomorrow's championship bouts. As part of a new selection process, the top two placewinners in each event earn automatic bids to the NCAA tournament in addition to 12 wild cards to be determined tomorrow. Pitt has qualifiers at 133, 157, 165 and 174 pounds and could have a few wild card recipients based on the consolation rounds.

Tonight, Pitt was represented in five weight classes for the semifinal rounds. They picked up four wins and moved up to third in the tournament standings. With 59 points, they trailed West Virginia with 84.5 and Edinboro with 78. Pitt remained ahead of Lock Haven in fourth with 58 points.

At 125 pounds, Pitt's No. 5 seed Brad Gentzle (Easton, Pa./Easton) faced No. 1 Obenson Blanc of Lock Haven. The two went head-to-head twice this season, with Blanc victorious in both meetings. He won a 10-2 major decision at the Southern Scuffle and a 16-2 major decision in the Panthers' dual meet with the Bald Eagles. In the first period of tonight's semifinals, Blanc took a 4-1 lead, scoring on two takedowns while Gentzle scored on an escape. Gentzle had three escapes in the second, but Blanc picked up eight more points for a 12-4 lead heading into the final period. Gentzle scored on an escape and takedown, but Blanc still came away with the 15-7 major decision. The loss puts Gentzle in consolations where he'll face Scott Stuart of West Virginia. Gentzle picked up a 16-5 major decision over Stuart in the dual meet this season.

Pitt's No. 1 Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) wrestled Clarion's Sal Lascari at 133 pounds. This was the first meeting this season for the two wrestlers. In the first period, Headlee earned a 4-1 lead with two takedowns while holding Lascari to only one point on an escape. Headlee went on to earn three more points in the second period. In the end, he picked up three more points for the 10-2 major decision and his second bid to nationals. He'll face West Virginia's Mark Anderson tomorrow for the league title. Headlee defeated Anderson, 4-2, in the wrestling Backyard Brawl in early February.

No. 4 Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) went up against No. 1 Zac Fryling of West Virginia at 157 pounds. Kocher and Fryling faced each other twice this season with Kocher winning a 3-1 decision the first time and a 3-2 overtime decision in the dual meet. The two were scoreless in the first period, and Kocher picked up a point on an escape in the second to take the lead. Three more points in the final period gave him the 4-0 victory and his third berth into the NCAA tournament. He'll face Lock Haven's Seth Martin in tomorrow's championship finals. The two split the season in head-to-head competitions. Kocher won with a pin at the WVU Open, and Martin picked up the 5-3 decision to win the dual meet.

Things became exciting for the Panthers at 165 pounds as No. 2 Sean Richmond (Emmaus, Pa./Easton) faced Lock Haven's Landis Wright. When the two faced off at this year's dual, Wright came away with the 5-3 sudden victory. It proved to be Richmond's night this time around as he scored two early on a takedown and then pinned Wright at the 1:38 mark. The fall marked Richmond's fifth this season, giving him his first bid to nationals. In tomorrow's finals, Richmond will take on Edinboro's No. 1 Deonte Penn. The two wrestlers have not met this season as Richmond didn't wrestle in the dual meet against the Fighting Scots.

Pitt's other No. 1 seed, Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackwanna Trail) wrestled Lock Haven's No. 5 Mike Metzger at 174 pounds. In Pitt's dual with Lock Haven, Gavin earned a 9-4 decision, and things continued to go in his favor this evening. In the first period, he pulled ahead to a 4-1 lead and kept the momentum going. Gavin jumped ahead, 6-2, after another takedown in the second. In the final period, he earned a 16-3 major decision and his second trip to nationals. In tomorrow's championship finals, he'll take on No. 2 Kurt Brenner of West Virginia. In Pitt's dual with the Mountaineers, Gavin won a 9-4 decision.

Several of Pitt's wrestlers will compete in the first round of consolations this evening as well.

SEMIFINALS
125: Obenson Blanc (LH) maj. dec. Brad Gentzle (P), 15-7
133: Drew Headlee (LH) maj. dec. Sal Lascari (C), 10-2
157: Matt Kocher (P) dec. Zac Fryling, 4-0
165: Sean Richmond (P) WBF Landis Wright (LH), 1:38
174: Keith Gavin (P) maj. dec. Mike Metzger (LH), 16-3