North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Wrestling Hits The Road To Campbell, Iowa State
2/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 19, 2003
RALEIGH, N.C. - Bruised and battered, the NC State wrestling team heads back on the road this week for dual matches at Campbell on Thursday, February 20, and at 21st-ranked Iowa State on Sunday, February 23.
The Wolfpack, 6-9 in dual-match competition this season, will head into action with yet another front-line performer out with an injury. Two-time defending ACC champion 125-pounder George Cintron could be lost for the rest of the season following surgery Tuesday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Cintron suffered the injury in practice on Monday, February 17.
At 16-5 this season and 70-28 for his career, Cintron was a major cog in NC State's ACC team championships the past two seasons. He had won 13 of his last 14 matches, with the only loss coming in sudden death to North Carolina All-American Chris Rodrigues. The arthroscopic procedure on Cintron's knee was successful, and he will undergo an aggressive rehabilitation program in an attempt to be back in action for the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on March 8 at Boone, N.C.
Cintron joins 157-pounder Scott Garren (knee), 165-pounder Dustin Kawa (back) and 174-pounder Kevin Gabrielson (thumb) as key starters who are battling injuries for NC State. Garren could be back for Campbell and Iowa State this week, but Kawa probably will be out of action until February 27 at Duke. Gabrielson, like Cintron, is out at least until the ACC Tournament.
NC State defeated the Camels 36-6 back on January 30 at Reynolds Coliseum, but Cintron, Garren, Kawa and Gabrielson all competed and won their respective matches. With those four out of action, the NC State lineup loses a wealth of experience. Combined they are 51-15 for the season, and 188-84 for their careers.
"We've certainly been devastated by injuries," Wolfpack head coach Bob Guzzo said. "It's hard to imagine losing four starters the caliber of the guys we have out of the lineup. With Cintron, the surgery went well, and we're going to work really hard on rehabbing that knee. Hopefully he'll be back in time for the conference tournament. In the meantime, we have to move on, and the guys who are in there are going to have to continue to work hard to improve."
Brian Conyer, a true freshman from Raleigh, will likely take Cintron's place in the NC State lineup. He has yet to wrestle collegiately, and will join Bryant Reams (157), Michael Waite and Courtney Bird (174), Daniel Humphries and Matt Gulliver (197), and Leroy Harris (heavyweight) as first-year performers who have been thrust into starting roles for the Wolfpack this season.
The Iowa State match would have been challenging enough with a healthy lineup on the mat. The Cyclones (6-10 against a brutal schedule) have six wrestlers ranked in the national top 20 in their respective weight classes, led by 133-pounder Zach Roberson and 141-pounder Aaron Holker, both ranked No. 4 by Intermat.
