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Three Matmen Win In Tourney

The Cavalier wrestlers took
three individual titles and three
runner-up spots in the Virginia
State. Wrestling Tournament on
the first weekend of the Christmas
break, as they greatly
improved on their performance
of a year ago when they did
not win a single championship.

Co-captain John Pegues,
134-pounder Lou Pavia, and
190-pounder Kevin Michaels
were the individual winners for the
Cavaliers. Only William and Mary,
with five champions outdid the
Cavaliers in the tournament, but no
team totals were kept.

Michaels, who took his title by
beating W&M's Tony Crist 5-1 in
overtime after a 2-2 regulation tie,
continued his success by beating
Crist again in the finals of the
Wilkes Open last week in Wilkes-Barre,
Pa. The holiday tournament
annually attracts some of the nation's
finest wrestlers. Michaels was
the only Cavalier wrestler entered.

Pegues Beats Teammate

Pegues took his title with an 8-5
final victory over teammate Denis
Bittenbender in the 150-pound
class. Bittenbender dropped from
158 pounds for the tournament.
The Cavaliers entered no one in the
158-pound and Heavyweight
classes.

Pavia defeated W&M's Bill Nagata
10-1 in the finals. Regular
134-pounder John Pitas won the
consolation round by pinning
W&M's John Kaila with 1:52 left in
the overtime period, after a 1-1
regulation tie.

Four Lose In Finals

Jack Johndrow, Don Drew, Bittenbender,
and Fenton Priest
reached the tournament's final
round before losing. Johndrow lost
to 126-pounder Jim Ryan of
William and Mary, Drew lost to
Norfolk State's Alex Cunningham
in a close 3-2 decision in the
142-pound class, and Priest lost
11-1 to W&M's Scott Moyer at 177.

Jay Douglas reached the consolation
finals at 167, but dropped a
14-6 decision to VCU's Kenneth
Elliott.

Host W&L Saturday

The Cavaliers get back into
action Saturday when they host
Washington and Lee in a warmup
for their big match with Maryland
the following Tuesday. The Cavaliers
handed Maryland their first
ACC dual meet loss in history last
year, in an upset. The meet will be
at College Park, and "the toughest
dual meet we will have", according
to Head Coach George Edwards.