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Wrestlers In Sixth Place After Day One Of EWL Tournament

Wrestlers In Sixth Place After Day One Of EWL Tournament
Posted: Mar 09, 2002

March 9, 2002

After the semifinal round of the Eastern Wrestling League Tournament, the Cleveland State wrestlers fell one spot to sixth among the eight teams. After breaking out into one of their best starts in the tournament in years, the Vikes ran into some trouble in the semifinals. 133-pounder Phil Mansueto (Middletown, N.Y./Middletown) was the only Viking to make it into tomorrow's championship match. However, CSU has six other wrestlers vying for third-place finishes in their consolation rounds. But the biggest blow has come at heavyweight, where Russ Davie (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) went down with 10 seconds left in his first round match with an injury. Now walking on crutches, Davie was forced to forfeit the consolation match and a shot at third place.

At 125 pounds Rocco Mansueto (Middletown, N.Y./Middletown) fell for the second time this season to Edinboro's Shawn Bunch. Bunch hit Mansueto with single and double-leg takedowns to win, 9-2. Mansueto's twin brother Phil did prevail against Shawn Amistade in a 6-3 win. The junior guaranteed a spot at the NCAA Tournament with the victory. Yet Mansueto will fight for first place with Clarion's 8th-ranked Rad Martinez. Martinez gave Mansueto his lone loss in the EWL in a thrilling 3-3 rideout in the tiebreaker during a dual meet last month.

At 141 pounds senior Nick Boucher (Sunfield, Mich./Lakewood) fell to third-ranked Sean Gray, 13-4. At 174 pounds Gerald Harris (Tulsa, Okla./East Central) faced a similar situation against third-ranked Greg Jones. Jones won, 12-2. It didn't get any easier for Joe Phillips (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights) in his bout against another third-ranked wrestler in Scott Justus. Justus downed Phillips, 8-3.

Yet Rocco Mansueto, Boucher, Harris and Phillips will be two matches away from third place tomorrow afternoon. A third place finish also guarantees a spot at the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Anthony Coleman (Bellevue, Ohio/Bellevue) and Jason Effner (Garfield Heights, Ohio/Garfield Heights) won their quarterfinal consolation matches and will be vying for third place tomorrow.

Davie, who finished second at the tourney two years ago as a freshman, may still receive a wild card to the NCAA Tournament. If the heavyweight's injury is not severe, he could grab one of the nine wild cards the EWL coaches will vote on Sunday night.