Wrestling Southern Conference

SoCon Wrestling Results, Nov. 14-15, 2003

Chattanooga at Oklahoma State, Nov. 15

STILLWATER, Okla.---Chattanooga wrestler Josh Keefe scored an 11-9 victory Friday over Oklahoma State's Johnny Thompson, the nation's top-ranked collegiate wrestler at 133 pounds. The Mocs lost the overall dual match 29-9 to the No. 1-ranked Cowboys in the season opener for both squads.

Keefe, a redshirt freshman from Ringgold, Ga., was behind 7-5 after two periods. His escape with 1:45 remaining in the match proved to be the difference in the upset victory.

Keefe's win snapped Thompson's 18-match win streak. Thompson, who was 28-2 in 2002-03, is a two-time NCAA Champion and three-time All-America.

The Mocs took an early 6-0 lead in the match. Matt Pitts edged No. 17-ranked Cody Stiles 6-5 at 125 pounds before Keefe's win. A Pitts takedown with one minute left decided the match.

OSU's Ronnie Delk cut into the lead with a 20-15 decision over Michael Keefe at 141, and the Cowboys, the defending NCAA Champions, took the lead for good on fourth-ranked Zack Esposito's technical fall over Robert Buckhaults at 149.

OSU added victories at 157, 165 and 174 before UTC's John Davis out-pointed Brett Munson 5-4 at 184 pounds. The Cowboys closed out the match with a pin from Rusty Blackmon at 197 and a 14-6 major decision from heavyweight Willie Gruenwald, ranked sixth nationally.

The Mocs will compete at the Missouri Open next weekend.


125 - Matt Pitts (UTC) dec. Cody Stites (OSU), 6-5
133 - Josh Keefe (UTC) dec. Johnny Thompson (OSU), 11-9
141 - Ronnie Delk (OSU) dec. Michael Keefe (UTC), 20-15
149 - Zack Esposito (OSU) tf. Robert Buckhaults (UTC), 15-0, 2:17
157 - Kevin Ward (OSU) dec. Jake Yost (UTC), 4-3
165 - Tyrone Lewis (OSU) dec. Jon Sioredas (UTC), 9-5
174 - Chris Pendleton (OSU) tf. Josh Ward (UTC), 16-0, 5:50
184 - John Davis (UTC) dec. Brett Munson (OSU), 5-4
197 - Rusty Blackmon (OSU) fall. Drew Roberts (UTC), :41
285 - Will Gruenwald (OSU) m.d. Jason Pennington (UTC), 14-6

Davidson at Pembroke Classic, Nov. 14-15

PEMBROKE, N.C. - Several members of the Davidson wrestling team posted victories at the UNC Pembroke Classic this past weekend. Senior Mark O'Hair and sophomore Patrick Coman each earned sixth-place finishes in their respective weight classes. Seventeen other teams joined Davidson in the competition.

O'Hair posted three straight wins in the 165-pound weight class before falling to eventual champion Dwayne Coward of UNC Pembroke. O'Hair lost his next two matches to finish in sixth place overall. Also wrestling at 165 was freshman Marcus Boyd who picked up two victories in the tournament.

Coman, the Wildcats starter at 125 last season, recorded wins over Anderson's Clyde Pollock and Adam Bessinger of Apprentice in his first two matches. Coman suffered a loss to third-place finisher Andy Bricker but rebounded to post two more wins in the tournament, good for sixth place.

Sophomore Matt Leonard was one of three Davidson wrestlers competing in the 141-pound division.The sophomore from Pompton Plains, N.J., posted a 5-4 decision over Campbell's Adam Bricker before falling 5-1 to Parris Dottery of the host UNC Pembroke. Leonard earned another victory before suffering a loss to Duke's Dan Shuartsman. Freshman Marc LaRochelle posted three victories and sophomore Henry Blue got into the win-column as well wrestling at 141.

Sophomores Travis Hunter(133) and Derek Stroke (133) and freshman Jayson Powers (197) also posted victories at the competition.

Davidson continues tournament competition at the Bodybar Invitational in Ithaca, N.Y., on Saturday, Nov. 22.