Bulls Finish Seventh At Mat Town USA
Invitational
November 29, 2003
Ed Pawlak and Kyle Cerminara each place second in their respective weight
classesLOCK HAVEN, PA - The UB wrestling team
placed seventh in a field of 11 teams at the Mat Town USA Invitational on
Saturday. Seven Bulls placed within their respective weight classes, including
second-place finishes by Ed Pawlak (Lakewood, NY/Southwestern) and Kyle
Cerminara (Lewiston, NY/Lewiston-Porter).
Cornell - who is ranked eighth nationally in the latest
National Wrestling Coaches Association poll - won the tournament with 156.0 team
points. Tenth-ranked Penn State finished second (127), followed by Pittsburgh
(126.5), Ohio (119.5), Rider (88.0), Lock Haven (87.5), Buffalo (83.5), Virginia
(62.0), Clarion (54.5), Slippery Rock (40.5) and 25th-ranked North Carolina
(29.0).
In the 174-pound weight class, Pawlak won three matches -
including one by fall - to advance to the championship match. He then lost to
Cornell's Tyler Baier by an 8-4 decision.
Cerminara - who wrestles in the 197-pound weight class -
also won three straight matches to advance to the final. Matt Greenberg of
Cornell then beat Cerminara, 5-4, to win the 197-pound championship.
Mark McKnight (McDonald, PA/South Fayette) finished fourth
at 125 pounds, going 4-2 on the day. He lost to Penn State's Matt Smith by a 3-2
decision in the third-place match.
UB had a pair of fifth-place finishers - Brian Sebaaly
(Lancaster, NY/Lancaster) at 133 pounds and Mike Trotta
(Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) at 141 pounds. Pat Lloyd (Middleton,
NY/Valley Central) earned a seventh-place in the 149-pound weight class.
Greg Thomas (Baldwin,
NY/Uniondale) placed eighth in the heavyweight division, despite
having to forfeit his last two matches due to injury.