Three RU Wrestlers Reach Midlands Quarterfinals
Dec 29 | Wrestling
EVANSTON, Ill. (Dec. 29, 2009) — Three members of the Rutgers wrestling team reached the quarterfinals of their respective brackets at the the 47th Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill. at the Welsh-Ryan Arena. Rutgers as a team was in 16th place in the latest team rankings with 22 points.
Redshirt junior Dominick Russo’s (Netcong, N.J.), junior Billy Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) and Trevor Melde (Hewitt, N.J.) all fell in their quarterfinals matches and will compete for third place on Wednesday.
Nusports.cstv.com will continue to serve as the official Web site of the Midlands Championships and will have complete session-by-session scheduling, a weight-by-weight preview and up-to-date tournament brackets throughout the event.
Eighth-ranked and seventh-seeded Russo cruised to the quarterfinals by pins under three minutes in his first two matches by taking down Cleveland State’s Chris Weber (1:29) and Oregon State’s Bubba Owens (2:15). Russo lost only his second match of the season in the quarterfinals to third-ranked and second seeded Zak Rey of Lehigh by a 5-2 decision. Russo is 13-2 on the season.
Ashnault, who was seeded eighth in the bracket and listed at No. 17 in the latest InterMat rankings, picked up his sixth and seventh pin of the season by dropping Purdue’s Akif Eren (5:32) and No. 18-ranked and ninth-seeded David Marble of Bucknell (6:54) in his first two matches. The RU newcomer fell to top-seeded and fifth-ranked Nick Fanthorpe of Iowa State in the quarterfinals by a 6-2 decision. Ashnault is 13-3 this season.
19th-ranked and 11th seeded Melde picked up a 9-1 major decision over Vince Vercelli of Illinois in the second round followed by an 8-6 decision over 15th-ranked and sixth-seeded Seth Ciasulli of Lehigh. Melde faltered against 10th-ranked and third seeded Alex Krom of Maryland in the quarterfinals as he was pinned in 1:45.
157-pound redshirt junior Daryl Cocozzo (River Edge, N.J.) competed for the first time as a Scarlet Knight and reached the third round. Cocozzo, the 11th seed, knocked off Joey Deaguero of Adams State in the first round by a 6-3 decision. Cocozzo picked up a 3-1 win against Trent Weatherman in the second round. 13th-ranked and sixth seeded Jake Deitchler defeated Cocozzo by a 5-2 score in the third round.
Cocozzo was eliminated in the wrestleback consolation round by Andrew Sorenson of No. 2 Iowa State by a 5-2 mark.
Two Scarlet Knights competed in the 165-bracket. Scott Winston (Jackson, N.J.), the sixth seed,wrestled unattached as he is expected to receive a redshirt for the season. Winston pinned Oregon State’s Dan Brascetta (6:30) in the second round but was forced to forfeit due to injury. Sophomore Gregory Zannetti (Edison, N.J.) fell in the second round to Mike Finch of Iowa State, 8-4. In the consolation round, Zannetti slipped against Rob Morrison of Rider by a 9-3 decision.
The event will resume Wednesday at Noon.
47th Midlands Championships
Evanston, Ill. at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Dec. 29, 2009
Rutgers Results
133-Pound Bracket
Second Round
No. 17/8th Billy Ashnault (RU) pins Purdue’s Akif Eren (PU), 5:32
Third Round
No. 17/8th Billy Ashnault (RU) pins No. 18/9th David Marble (Bucknell) 6:54
Quarterfinals
No. 5/1st and Nick Fanthorpe (Iowa State) dec. No. 17/8th Billy Ashnault (RU) 6-2
141-Pound Bracket
Second Round
No. 19/11th Trevor Melde (RU) major dec. Vince Vercelli of (Ill) 9-1
Third Round
No. 19/11th Trevor Melde (RU) dec. No. 15/6th Seth Ciasulli (Lehigh) 8-6
Quarterfinals
No. 10/3rd Alex Krom (MD) pins No. 19/11th Trevor Melde (RU) 1:45
157-Pound Bracket
First Round
11th Daryl Cocozzo (RU)dec. Joey Deaguero (Adams St.) 6-3
Second Round
11th Daryl Cocozzo (RU) dec. Trent Weatherman (unattached) 6-3
Third Round
No. 13/6th Jake Deitchler (unattached) dec. 11th Daryl Cocozzo (RU) 5-2
Wrestleback (consolation round)
Andrew Sorenson (Iowa St.) dec. 11th Daryl Cocozzo (RU) 5-2
165-Pound Bracket
Second Round
6th Scott Winston (RU) pins Dan Brascetta (Oregon St.) 6:30
*Winston forfeited due to injury
Mike Finch (Iowa St.) dec. Gregory Zannetti (RU) 8-4
Wrestleback (consolation round)
Rob Morrison (Rider) dec. Gregory Zannetti (RU) 9-3
285-pound Bracket
Second Round
No. 8/7th Dominic Russo (RU) pins Chris Weber (Cleveland St.) 1:29
Third Round
No. 8/7th Dominic Russo (RU) pins Bubba Owens (Oregon St.) 2:15
Quarterfinals
No. 3/2nd Zak Rey (Lehigh) dec. No. 8/7th Dominic Russo (RU) 5-2
No. – National ranking/seed
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