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Builders Holding Seven-Point Advantage After First Saturday Session
After the first round on Saturday morning, the Apprentice School holds first place in the 2009 National Collegiate Wrestling Association National Championships with 102.5 points. Three-time defending champion Grand Valley State sits second with 95.5 followed by Marion Military Institute with 85.5 points in the 84-team event held at the Hampton University Convocation Center.
Freshman Marcus Chevres advanced to the finals at 133 pounds with a 10-5 decision over Joey Heersche of Kansas State. After two periods the match was tied 5-5, but Chevres recorded a two-point takedown and a two-point near fall with 1:25 left to go with riding time advantage for the 10-5 victory. In the finals he will face Steven West of the U.S. Military Academy Prep School at 4 pm. A win would make him the second 133-pound champion for the school after Maurice Lacy won the 133-pound title in the Builders first-ever trip to nationals in 1999.
Senior Ty Holley pulled a 15-5 major decision in his consolation quarterfinal matchup with Jason Mustall of Mott Community College. That win puts him into the consolation semifinals where he will face Mark Burchardt of Hudson Valley Community College. A win in that matchup puts him in the third-place match at 4 pm, while a loss puts him in the fifth place match.
Junior Mark Perry lost a 6-5 decision to Jeffrey Slaughter of Louisiana State University in his 149 pound consolation quarterfinal. He will wrestle for seventh place at 4 pm against Lance Goodell of Mott Community College.
Sophomore Will Harcum won by fall in 1:43 over Michael Wright of Delaware in his 165 pound consolation quarterfinal. He wrestles Nick Newell of Kansas State in the consolation semifinals at 11:30 am.
Freshman Charles Mills lost a hard-fought 4-2 decision to Richard Doherty of Grand Valley State in his semifinal match at 174 pounds. Mills now will face Michael Bard of Delaware in the consolation semifinals at 11:30 am.
Senior Cecil Lee used an escape with 54 seconds left in his heavyweight semifinal match over Chris DeSanctis of Pittsburgh to take a 1-0 victory and advance to the national championship match. His win tied the school record for victories in a season with 45. He will face Tim Rose of Amherst College in the national championship match.
TOP TEN TEAM SCORES: Apprentice School 102.5, Grand Valley State 95.5; Marion Military Institute 85.5; U.S. Naval Academy Prep 77.5; Central Florida 73.5; U.S. Air Force Prep 58.5; U.S. Military Academy Prep 58.5; Mott Community Colleg e56; Northampton CC 52.
