University of Virginia Library

Wendell Only Victor

Terp Matmen Overpower Cavs, 35-5

By RANDY WERT

Maryland's wrestling team
came to town yesterday with
an experienced and much
decorated lineup and, after
suffering an initial delay,
walked off with a 35-5 win in
Memorial Gym.

"We wrestled terribly," said
Cavalier coach George
Edwards, making no excuses
for the rout. "We weren't
sharp," he indicated, "we just
didn't want it." Edwards had
words of praise for first
yearman Dave Wendell, and
with good reason as the little
118-pounder waltzed to the
only Virginia win of the match
over Bennett Myers. Although
seemingly dominating the
bout, Wendell found the score
tied 4-4 after two periods and
came on to escape and score a
takedown in addition to the
minute riding time advantage
which upped the final score to
8-5.

Former ACC champ Ed
Doebler caught Cavalier
captain John Pitas for a cheap
takedown early in the
126-pound bout, but Pitas
escaped before the end of the
period. Doebler quickly
escaped in the second frame
but Pitas knotted the score at
3-3 with a good takedown
before tiring in the final three
minutes. Doebler ran off two
predicaments and a time
advantage point for a 9-3
decision.

"Kershner got caught,"
stated Edwards, referring to
the first yearman's loss by fall
to ACC defending champ Pete
Pappas at 134. Shelly Zablow
did not look himself at 142 in
dropping an 8-2 decision to the
Terps' Tom Pappas. After a
scoreless opening period,
Zablow escaped and displayed
aggressiveness on his feet, but
Pappas got the takedown and
continued on in the last period
with six points as Zablow tired.

Denis Bittenbender also
wore out, but against Dave
Strauss After being taken down
and caught for a quick
predicament in the opening
two minutes, Bittenbender
came back with a scrambling
escape, gave up another
takedown, escaped gained,
and tripped his opponent from
standing position to score a
takedown at the buzzer.
Trailing 6-4 with three minutes
remaining, Bittenbender lost a
reversal and was put on his
back, and lost a 12-4 decision.

George Myers, another ACC
titleholder, ran into stiff
resistance in the person of first
yearman Tom Derrickson.
Scoreless after one, Myers hit a
quick reversal in the second
period, and got a takedown
after Derrickson escaped.
Myers was then reversed by the
Wahoo 158-pounder and was
nearly put on his back when he
caught Derrickson napping at
the edge of the mat and scored
the deciding three points when
the young Cav thought the
whistle would be blown. In a
hustling match, Derrickson
could not get the needed
takedown at the end and lost
8-6.

Another one of Edwards'
youngsters, Larry Sullivan,
looked strong at 167 before
being flattened with 1:05 gone
in the final stanza. Both men
wrestled a very physical match
but Sullivan's opponent took a
takedown right into the fall
and muscled his way to the
win.

Kevin Michaels, a surprise
performer at 177, came from
behind to tie Rich Ragan in a
bout chocked full of whistles
for out of bounds calls. With
the crowd screaming for the
official to warn Ragan for
stalling, Michaels was nearly
out several times but lost much
of his riding time before finally
scoring. With Ragan avoiding
the takedown. Michaels had to
settle with the draw with the
match score at 26-5.

With interest in the match
dwindling, 190-pounder Fred
Kaspick was caught at 1:30
into the second period by Pat
McCall, ACC runner-up (to
Michaels). Bill Farrell, still not
quite ready after a long season
in the 'Hoos' offensive line,
tired under massive Mark Reid
and dropped the heavyweight
bout, 7-2.

118-Pounder Dave Wendell Grapples With Terrapin Adversary In Virginia's Only Victory Yesterday

Kevin Michaels Scored Cavaliers' Only Other Points In Disappointing 35-5 Memorial Gym Loss