University of Virginia Library

Defending ACC Champs

Grapplers Face Terps

BY RANDY WERT

Wrestling is a sport which
receives limited attention
around the University
Explorations of this are varied
including alleged back of
spectator appeal and glamour.
However, this afternoon at 4,
Mr. George Edwards and his
varsity squad undertake
perhaps the biggest match since
he became head coach four
years ago.

One of the more successful
branches of the Athletic
Department in recent years,
the wrestling program faces a
tremendous challenge today
against a Maryland team which
Edwards calls "the best they've
had in the four years I have
been here." Featuring a horde
of defending Atlantic Coast
Conference champions coming
in a wide selection of graduate
sizes, Terp mentor Sully
Krouse, in his 26th campaign
at the College Park school, has
lost only one conference match
over the years, that to the
Cavaliers in Memorial Gym two
seasons past.

Several outstanding
matchups will highlight the
momentous meeting of the two
rival teams. Whereas
Maryland's roster sounds like
the roll call of defending
titleholders, Coach Edwards'
slate exhibits a balance of old
reliables blended with several
new but hot names. Edwards is
convinced that the key to the
match for the Cavaliers lies in
"getting those first three of
four matches. We've got to win
four of the first six bouts and
do what we can with the rest."

Leading off with Virginia's
hopes will be red hot first
yearman Dave Wendell who
will tangle at 118 pounds with
last year's champion, Steve
Nickolaus. Wendell won the
Virginia State tournament and
both of his dual meet
appearances along the way to
posting his 5-0 mark thus far.
A victory in the initial bout
usually succeeds in giving the
runner's team a psychological
boost, making Wendell's
assignment double tough.
Captain John Pitas, at 126,
the only fourth yearman
starting for Edwards, will face
either John Ferrara or Ed
Doebler, winner in the ACC
tournament two years ago.
Pitas, in the last year of a long
and dedicated mat career at
Virginia, is 3-1 overall
including a second place finish
in the state tournament.

Pete Pappas, the man Pitas
lost to in the ACC finals at 126,
will be first yearman Dennis
Kershner's opponent at 134.
Kershner is unbeaten in two
dual meet outings but was
tripped up twice in the state
tourney as is 4-2 overall. Third
yearman Sheldon Zablow will
meet Tom Pappas at 142
pounds, in what should be one
of the least interesting of the
pairings. Zablow, an ACC
winner in this first year, is
equally tough on his feet and
on the mat and is a good bet to
overwhelm his Terp opponent.

Probably the most pivotal
individual bout of the
afternoon should come at 150
pounds where undefeated (4-0)
state champ Denis
Bittenbender must tackle ACC
title holder Dave Strauss. Only
second year, Bittenbender is
constantly improving and is
strong in the arms and on the
mat.

Smack in the middle of
Maryland's bit guns will be
190-pounder Kevin Michaels
who so far has been the
outstanding performer for the
Cavaliers. Victorious in the
state meet, Michaels runs into
old adversary Pat McCall whom
he knocked off to win the
ACC's last winter in
Charlottesville. Bill Farrell, a
heavyweight working hard to
get into mat shape after
football, wrestles ACC
runner-up Mark Reid in the
match final. Conceivably, the
whole thing could come down
to the Farrell-Reid bout, a
possibility which thrills the
hard-core fan.

This explanation of the
strategy is prompted by the
fact that the bulk of the Terp
meat tie on the larger pairs of
tights and jerseys.

Although Mr. Edwards see
conditioning as a problem for
some of the upper weights,
facing a tough opponent such
as Maryland this early in the
season in an unenviable
assignment. However, Edwards
has more talent in his practice
room, and has them in better
shape, than ever before.

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