University of Virginia Library

Remain Unbeaten

Grapplers Rout UNC

By Gordy Rawles
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Coach George Edwards'
wrestling squad showed some
overpowering strength in the lower
and middle weight classes as they
rolled over the North Carolina Tar
Heels, 32-8, for their fourth victory
of the season and a dazzling home
debut.

Seemingly overjoyed by the
turnout of nearly 2,000 fans for
their opening performance, the
Cavaliers got the ball rolling with
four pins in the first five matches.
First-year man Kim Hatcher
merited the Quickest Pin of the
Night Award as he upped his record
to 3-0 by doing away with UNC's
Bill Baranger at 1:47 in the first
period.

In the next match John Ptas,
who finished second in the ACC
tournament, continued to perform
well as he controlled Pat Lancella
for the centre third period but
failed to floor his opponent and
had to settle for a 7-4 decision.

Perhaps the most exciting match
of the evening came next in the 134
pound bracket as Virginia's Lou
Pavia squared off with Tar Heel
John Dan. The first half of the
bout looked like a complete
mismatch as Dana amassed a 9-1
lead putting Pavia on his back
several times, but with only 1:22
remaining in the final period Pavia
turned the tables and decked the
Tar Heel to put Virginia ahead,
13-0.

Shelly Zablow and Co-captain
John Pegues were quick to follow
suit as each of the Granby High
School alumnus defeated their
respective opponents. Zablow,
previous two-time Virginia state
champion, has now won four
straight matches, and Pegues, last
year's ACC champ at 137 pounds,
has a comparable 3-0 record.

With the team score now at 23-0
Carolina's faint hopes were
definitely waning in the distance,
and two of Coach Edwards' potent
crew of first-year men were there to
put the icing on the cake. Wrestling
at 158 pounds, Wayne Hoffman
showed great determination in
decisioning UNC's Mike
Stephenson, 7-2. Likewise, Kevin
Michaels upped his mark to 3-0-1 in
a tough match against a muscular
Jeff Parsons.

Due to an injury to Co-captain
Ted Moore, who normally fills the
177 pound spot, Rich Offedal, a
relatively inexperienced first-year
man took the mat against UNC's
Randy Rudolph and despite a
spirited effort came out on the
short end of a 5-0 decision.

Paul Bom proved to be the
class of the Cavalier heavyweights
as he decisioned his adversary by a
9-4 score for the last Virginia win.
In the unlimited class the Tar Heels'
Tom Parrish outlasted Dick Opp in
a brutish bout which ended with
Opp on his back, an ironic finale to
a Cavalier team victory by the
lopsided 32-8 margin.