North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State To Conclude Regular Season In Wrestling On Wednesday
2/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 22, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. - A regular season of progress and setbacks will come to an end Wednesday night at Reynolds Coliseum when the NC State wrestling team hosts Duke in the final match for the Wolfpack before the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on March 5.
NC State is looking to snap a two-match losing streak. The Wolfpack dropped dual matches this past week to North Carolina in Chapel Hill and to league-leading Virginia Tech at Reynolds Coliseum. With eight freshmen or sophomores in the starting lineup, head coach Carter Jordan has seen his young but talented squad take two steps forward only to take a step back several times this year. The losses to the Tar Heels and Hokies are temporary setbacks, and the Wolfpack will be looking to get on the winning track against a Duke squad that has improved significantly over the past two seasons under head coach Clar Anderson.
"Duke is a quality wrestling program," Jordan said. "They had a solid year last year and Clar was ACC Coach of the Year. They're better this year, so we'll have to wrestle well to beat them. The thing for us is to keep getting better. We've improved quite a bit over the course of this season, but we've obviously had some growing pains and we'll probably have some more. But we need to keep getting better."
The Wolfpack has been led all season by sophomore 125-pounder Garrett Cummings (15-8), senior 149-pounder Alex Hernandez (13-6), freshman 157-pounder Kody Hamrah (14-9), junior 174-pounder Kevin Gabrielson (16-8) and sophomore heavyweight Jainor Palma (15-12).
Those five have been steady all season for the Pack, and of the five, Hamrah, a true freshman, has been the team's hottest performer. Hamrah has won five matches in a row and seven of his last eight. He avenged his only loss to an ACC opponent this season on Saturday when he defeated Virginia Tech's Reed Carpenter 12-10 in overtime. Carpenter had defeated Hamrah 11-8 at the Navy Classic back in November.
Hernandez, the Wolfpack's lone senior, will be honored prior to the match. He has won eight of his last nine matches and is 11-3 since his redshirt season was cancelled when Chris DeLuca left the team at Christmas.
Gabrielson also is on a bit of a roll, having won his last four matches, and seven of his last nine. He is a perfect 5-0 this season against ACC competition.
Cummings has slowed down some after a hot start, but his performances have been steady all season. He is in one of the ACC's most competitive weight classes and is 4-3 against ACC foes.
Palma, arguably the most improved wrestler on the team this season, has wrestled the second most ranked opponents of anyone on the team this season. He is on a two-match losing streak, but won three in a row and five of seven prior to that.
The Blue Devils, 9-4 overall and 2-2 in the ACC, are fresh off a 19-15 victory over Virginia in Charlottesville. ...
NC State (6-7, 3-2)
125 - Garrett Cummings (15-8)
133 - Jeremy Hartrum (1-3) or Matt Spengler (1-5)
141 - Jeff Breese (5-7 / 9-12)
149 - Alex Hernandez (13-6)
157 - Kody Hamrah (14-9)
165 - Ryan Nowicki (5-9) or Rick Brownlee (2-1)
174 - Kevin Gabrielson (16-8)
184 - Jeremy Colbert (6-17)
197 - Zach Garren (9-11)
Hwt - Jainor Palma (15-12)
Duke (9-4, 2-2)
125 - Kellan McKeon (7-7)
133 - Bryan Gibson (23-10)
141 - Wes Kuser (17-6)
149 - Antwone Floyd (12-10)
157 - Adam Lesser (6-7) or Zach Weisberg (8-7)
165 - Steve Smith (18-9)
174 - Levi Craig (22-9)
184 - Frank Cornely (21-10)
197 - Mark Thompson (24-8)
Hwt - Venroy July (3-3)
