Wrestling Southern Conference

SoCon Wrestling Results, January 18, 2004

VMI: 1st of 6 Teams

Norfolk, Va. -- For the first time in the 26 years that team scores have been kept at the Virginia Intercollegiate Wrestling
Championships, VMI captured first place at the meet held on Sunday at Old Dominion University. The Keydets finished four points ahead of runner-up Virginia and 7.5 points ahead of George Mason in winning the title. For the second straight year and fourth time in his career, Keydet head coach John Trudgeon was named coach of the meet.

VMI boasted two first place finishers, four runner-ups and two third place finishers.

Senior Juan Sanchez (Alexandria, Va./ Hayfield) won his first individual title (at 125 lbs.), wrestling in his last state meet. Sanchez defeated
Virginia's Ryan Stewart, 9-0 in the one match he had to win to claim the title. Three wrestlers were registered at 125 lbs.

Fellow senior Jason Cox (Amherst, Va./ Amherst County) also found the fourth time to be the charm as he won the 197 lb. bracket. Cox defeated James Madison's Brandon Scott, 15-3 and George Mason's Harry Zander, 17-12 to claim the title.

Sophomore Micah Amrozowicz (Virginia Beach, Va./ Kellam) placed second in the 133 lb. bracket. Amrozowicz scored a 16-0 technical fall over James
Madison's Justin Haedrich and a major decision over Chris Buckner of Old Dominion before falling, 6-1 to David Emison of George Mason in the championship match.

Freshman Sam Alvarenga (Springfield, Va./ Edison) took the silver medal in
the 149 lb. bracket. Alvarenga beat George Mason's Robert Henry, 8-3 in the
quarterfinals and Dennis Whitby of ODU in the semfinals, 5-4. In the
championship match, he dropped a tough 4-0 match to GMU's Adrian Austin, who
is currently ranked 18th individually by Intermat.

Redshirt freshman Corry Murray (Tully, N.Y./ Tully) took second place in the
184 lb. bracket. Murray notched an 18-2 technical fall win over James
Madison's Lamont Logan and an 11-1 major decision over Kendall Ridenour of
the Apprentice School to reach the title match, where he lost an 8-3 match
to Old Dominion's Adam Wright.

Sophomore Scott Buhman (Portage, Ind./ Portage) rounded out VMI's quartet of
silver medalists, by earning second place in the 285 lb. bracket. Buhman
pinned Jerry Connelly of George Mason in 1:43 of the quarterfinal round and
defeated JMU's Matt Coffey, 4-2 to reach the title match, where he lost 5-2
to ODU's Derrell Lorthridge.

Freshman David Metzler (Dayton, Va./ Turner Ashby) placed third in the 141
lb. bracket. Metzler pinned JMU's Brian Kibler in 2:04 of his first round
match, but dropped a 4-1 match to 10th-ranked Rob Becker of GMU. In the
consolation bracket, Metzler pinned teammate Jay Carter in 2:56 and ODU's
Jason Earnhardt in 2:00 to take the consolation crown.

Freshman Aaron Kerkhof (Muncie Ind./ Delta) took third place in the 174 lb.
bracket. Kerkhof lost his first round match to Matt Ulrey of ODU, 6-1. In
the consolation bracket, he defeated ODU's Josh Howland, 7-2 and then won a
rematch with Ulrey, 7-4 to take third place.

The Keydets will wrestle their first two home dual matches at Cocke Hall on
Friday night. VMI welcomes Southern Conference foe Davidson at 4:30 and
Gardner-Webb at 7:30.

Team Results

1. VMI 97.5
2. Virginia 93.5
3. George Mason 90
4. Old Dominion 84.5
6. James Madison 34
6. Apprentice School 15