Cavaliers Finish Second in ACC Wrestling Championships

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March 7, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – North Carolina won its third straight ACCchampionship, riding on strong performances by nine finalists today atUniversity Hall in Charlottesville, Va. This is the Tar Heels seventh ACCchampionship title in eight years. JohnMark Bentley (149), Corey Bell(184), and Matt Kenny (HWT) scored championship wins for North Carolina.UNC coach Bill Lam was named the 1999 ACC Coach of the Year as well.Bentley, ranked #5 nationally, and Bell both won their second consecutivetitles while tonight’s victory was Kenny’s first.

At 125, Virginia’s eighth ranked Matt Roth claimed his first ACCtitle by upsetting two-time defending champion and sixth ranked ChuckieConnor of UNC in the much anticipated contest. Roth avenged his 2-0 lossto Connor earlier this season. Roth stuck Joe Guzzio with 12 seconds to goin the semifinal and went on to claim the Outstanding Wrestler Award aswell.

N. C. State had three wrestlers win championships, and all three ofthem were first-time champions: Tommy Davis (141), Pierre Pryor (157), andKevin Boross (174). Davis is currently ranked #15 in the country.Virginia’s Jim Harshaw, ranked #11 nationally, won his third consecutiveACC title, after winning the last two at 150 and tonight’s victory at 165.Brandon York of Maryland wonhis first title at 133, and joining him in thewinner’s circle for the first time was Craig Fenstermaker of Virginia, whowon at 197.

The ACC will send 20 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, whichwill take place in State College, Pa., March 18-20. A list of thequalifiers is listed below.

Wgt Championship Bouts

125  Matt Roth (UVA) dec. Chuckie Connor (UNC)       3-2133  Brandon York (MD)dec. Brand Byers (UNC)         8-2141  Tommy Davis (NCSU) dec. Josh Cowley (UNC)       8-3149  John Mark Bentley (UNC) dec. John Pozniak (UVA) 5-2157  Pierre Pryor (NCSU) dec. Pat Cadwallader (UNC)  4-1165  Jim Harshaw (UVA) dec. Matt Mapes (Duke)        7-1174  Kevin Boross (NCSU) dec. Jamie Groudle (UNC)    3-2184  Corey Bell (UNC) dec. Zach Breitenbach (NCSU)   4-2197  Craig Fenstermaker (UVA) WBF Ty Roofner (UNC)   3:33HWT  Matt Kenny (UNC) dec. Billy Noble (NCSU)        8-2

Team Scoring

1.  North Carolina  97.52.  Virginia        70.53.  N.C. State      67.54.  Maryland        36.55.  Duke            28.5

NCAA Qualifiers

DUKE
Matt Mapes, 165

MARYLAND
Brandon York, 133

NORTH CAROLINA
Corey Bell, 184
JohnMark Bentley, 149
Brad Byers, 133
Pat Cadwallader, 149
Chuckie Connor, 125
Jamie Groudle, 174
Matt Kenny, HWT

N. C. STATE
Kevin Boross, 174
Zach Breitenbach, 184
Lee Carroll, 125
Pierre Pryor, 149

VIRGINIA
Craig Fenstermaker, 197
Jim Harshaw, 165
John Pozniak, 149
Matt Roth, 125