University of Virginia Library

Wrestlers Debut In State Tournament

By TOM BELL

Two Cavalier wrestlers will
defend their titles and a
number of others are expected
to be strong challengers
Saturday when the Cavalier
wrestling team opens its season
by hosting the annual state
tournament.

Lou Pavia, a 134-pounder,
and 190-pounder Kevin
Michaels will be the defenders.
Michaels won the ACC
championship last season in
addition to the state title,
while Pavia was an ACC
runner-up.

Captain John Pitas heads
the list of challengers. The
126-pounder has finished
second in the conference for
two consecutive years. Backing
Pitas are 142-pounder Shelley
Zablow, an ACC champ two
years ago who wrestled only
half a season last year;
150-pounder Denis
Bittenbender, who was third in
last year's conference
tournament starter; and
118-pounder Dave Wendell, a
promising first-yearman.

The Cavaliers will have 22
wrestlers participating in the
tournament, including 12
first-yearmen. Ed Fink and
James Holland join Wendell
118, while Pitas and Gary
Liechtenstein are entered at
126. Dennis Kersher and Pavia
will be at 134, and Zablow,
who won the Millersville Open
Tournament two weeks ago,
will be accompanied by Don
Drew and Steve Schmidt at
142.

Newcomers Richard Juarez
and Fred Schapiro will be at
150 pounds with Bittenbender,
while the 158 and 167-pound
slots have only one wrestler, a
first-yearman in both cases.
Tom Derrickson holds won
the 158 position and Larry
Sullivan the 167.

A trio of first-yearmen, Bill
Voliva, Jeff Stanley and Dave
Jackson combine with veteran
Fred Kaspick at 177. The team
is rounded out by Michaels at
190, and heavyweights Bill
Farrell and Bob Fowler.

The first round of the
tournament will start at noon
Saturday in University Hall
with the final round slated to
start at 8 p.m.

The Cavaliers have finished
second in the ACC for the last
three years, behind Maryland
which has won every tourney
since the conference began.
Their closest loss came two
years ago when they became
the only ACC team ever to
beat the Terps in a dual meet
and lost by only three points in
the tournament.

Mr. Edwards in entering his
fourth years as head coach of
the Cavaliers. Gone are two
year co-captains Ted Moore
and John Pegues, who was the
most valuable wrestler in last
year's ACC tournament, but
six starters will be back,
including two, Zablow and
Farrell, who never reached
peak form last year due to late
starts.

Captain John Pitas Leads This Year's Mat Team

Wrestlers Open Season With State Tournament In U-Hall