North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Wrestling On The Road In The Badlands
12/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 15, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State wrestling team returns to action following the exam break this weekend with a pair of road matches, at North Dakota State on Friday and at South Dakota State on Saturday.
Friday's match at North Dakota State will begin at 8 p.m. Central Time, 9 p.m. on the East Coast. The match on Saturday at South Dakota State will start at 7 o'clock Central Time, 8 p.m. EST. NC State is 2-0 in dual match competition. This weekend's bouts will mark the beginning of the dual season for both the Bison and the Jackrabbits/
NC State, coming off a solid showing at the Cliff Kean Las Vegas Invitational, will welcome sophomore 157-pounder Kody Hamrah back to the lineup. The 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year missed the first month of the season with a fractured wrist, but should be in the lineup this weekend.
Redshirt-freshman Ryan Goodman leads the Wolfpack with an 8-2 mark at 197 pounds. Goodman, ranked 19th nationally, took fifth place at the Cliff Kean Las Vegas Invitational with three wins over ranked opponents. His two losses this season came by a combined three points to opponents both ranked in the top six nationally. Redshirt-junior Jeremy Hartrum (125 pounds) and freshman Joe Caramanica (149) also head into action this weekend with 8-2 overall records. Junior heavyweight Jainor Palma is 7-2, and redshirt-junior 133-pounder Jeff Breese is 6-2.
North Dakota State defeated the Wolfpack 19-13 at least year's NC State Duals, but the Bison return only two starters - sophomore 125-pounder Mike Meger and junior 174-pounder Matt Hermann -- from that team. The North Dakota State lineup is bolstered by the return to action of redshirt-sophomore Eric Sanders at 133 pounds. He was an NCAA qualifier two years ago before sitting out the 2004-05 season. The Bison roster includes eight true freshmen and 10 redshirt-freshmen, with eight true or redshirt-freshmen listed as possible starters for Friday's match.
South Dakota State, in its first year of NCAA Division I wrestling, is led by junior Nate Althoff at 165 pounds. Althoff won four of six matches in the Cliff Kean Las Vegas Invitational, including an 8-5 decision over No. 15 Deonte Penn of Edinboro. Sophomore heavyweight Jason Stripling, freshman 125-pounder Alan Marvin and sophomore 133-pounder Derek Pirner all went 1-2 at the Las Vegas Invitational.
Following the matches at North Dakota State and South Dakota State, the Wolfpack will break for the Christmas holiday, then will participate in the Southern Scuffle, December 29-30 at the Greensboro Coliseum.
