North Carolina State University Athletics
Wrestling Hits The Home Stretch At UNCG, UVa, VT
2/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
RALEIGH, N.C. The 2008-09 wrestling season has four dual matches remaining for NC State, beginning Wednesday night at UNC Greensboro. The match is set for 7 p.m. at Fleming Gymnasium on the UNCG campus.
The Wolfpack (4-11-1 overall and 0-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) and head coach Carter Jordan will follow the trip to UNCG with a two-match swing through southwestern Virginia. The Pack will wrestle Virginia in Charlottesville on Saturday, February 14 at 5 p.m., then head to Blacksburg for a Sunday match at 5 p.m. match vs. the 13th-ranked Hokies. Sunday’s match will be webcast live on ACC Select.
Jordan hopes to welcome back 141-pounder Joe Caramanica (11-3) and 149-pounder Darrion Caldwell (28-1) for the bout against the Spartans. Both missed last weekend’s matches at North Carolina and against Ohio University, Caramanica with a knee problem and Caldwell with back spasms. Caldwell is ranked No. 3 in the nation, Caramanica No. 18.
“We just need to get healthy,” said Jordan, who had six backups in the lineup for NC State’s matches with the Tar Heels and Bobcats. “Certainly it will be big to get Joe and Darrion back out there, but with just four matches left, we need everyone healthy. These last four matches could go be a factor in seeding for the conference and national tournaments.”
Injuries have decimated the Wolfpack throughout the dual-match season. The team has won just one dual match since the NC State Duals on January 3, yet with a healthy lineup, the Pack easily could have turned five of its losses and its tie into victories.
“We could be 10-6 with a full, healthy lineup, and that’s a conservative estimate,” Jordan said. “But we don’t have a full lineup and we haven’t been healthy. That’s reality. The task at hand for us now is to get ready for the postseason. This team still has a chance to go a long way in the postseason, and that’s been our focus all along. With Joe and Darrion back, plus Kody Hamrah and Jake Burge, we have a group of guys with a chance to go deep into any tournament.”
This season has seen Hamrah (26-7 with seven falls) shatter his previous career highs of 20 wins and four pins. He has won seven of his last eight matches, snf 10 of his last 12. He is ranked No. 19 in the latest NWCA poll, his first appearance in the national rankings in 2008-09.
Burge (17-7) has had a strong freshman season and has gotten stronger as the year has progressed. He has won seven matches in a row, the longest current winning streak on the team, and 10 of his last 12.
Caldwell heads to UNCG needing just two more victories to become just the second wrestler in NC State history to win 30 or more matches in a season twice. He went 36-5 with 23 pins in earning All-America honors a year ago. Prior to defaulting his match at Oklahoma for his first loss of the season, Caldwell had won 29 matches in a row dating back to last season and was a perfect 28-0 for 2008-09. He has 15 pins. The only other wrestler in school history to win 30 matches or more twice was Sylvester Terkay, who did it three times in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Caldwell is 84-12 with 48 pins for his career. He is tied with Caramanica for 10th place in school history for career wins, is fourth in career winning percentage (.875) and third in pins. His 15 pins this season ranks fifth in school history for pins in a single season.
UNC Greensboro comes into the match at 4-10 overall, but on a two-match winning streak. The Spartans won 34-3 on January 29 at Davidson, then handed Liberty a 25-13 setback last Tuesday. The Spartans feature veteran Chris Biencivenga (25-9), a redshirt-seinor, at 141 and sophomore Mikal McKee (27-11) at 184.
Virginia will enter the match vs. the Wolfpack with a 9-10 overall mark, riding a two-match losing streak. The Cavaliers dropped a 21-12 decision to Virginia Tech on January 31, then fell 21-18 to Old Dominion on February 8. Chris Henrich, ranked No. 9 at 174, carries a 31-1 record and leads the Cavaliers. Brent Jones, ranked 19th nationally, is 24-5 at 197 pounds. Nick Nelson, No. 17 at 141, is 20-7, but has missed UVa’s last several bouts.
Virginia Tech won its first 14 dual matches of the season before taking a 26-11 thumping at No. 4 Nebraska on January 25. The Hokies recovered quickly enough, and have won their last four matches in a row, including a 19-12 win at then-No. 6 Central Michigan. The Hokies feature just three wrestlers in the NCWA rankings, but all 10 regular starters have won 20 or more matches. Jarrod Garnett (33-4) is No. 14 at 125 pounds. Chris Diaz (27-8) is No. 19 at 141. Pete Yates (27-7) is No. 20 at 149.
Following are the probable lineups for NC State's three matches this week:
NC State (4-11-1, 0-3)
125 - Mike Moreno (7-9)
133 - Darrius Little (13-13)
141 - #18 Joe Caramanica (11-3) or Ryan Tice (0-5)
149 - #3 Darrion Caldwell (28-1) or Sean Smith (1-4)
157 - #19 Kody Hamrah (26-7)
165 - Ray Ward (3-7) or Quinton Godley (10-16)
174 - Jake Burge (17-7)
184 - Mark Jahad (2-11)
197 - Joe Trotto (0-2)
Hwt - Austin Haigler (2-9)
UNC Greensboro (4-10)
125 - Mitchell Johnson (12-6)
133 - Casey Boyle (3-14)
141 - Chris Bencivenga (25-9)
149 - Ben Wilmore (5-9)
157 - Andrew Saunders (15-14)
165 - Victor Hojilla (12-11)
174 - Byron Sigmon (13-9) or Brett Miller (9-17)
184 - Mikal McKee (27-11)
197 - Ryan Sughrue (15-14) or Jeremy Cannon (4-5)
285 - Joe Sheffield (17-12)
Virginia (9-10, 0-2)
125 - Wyatt Anderson (0-8)
133 - Matt Bonson (14-5)
141 - #18 Nick Nelson (20-7) or Derek Valenti (24-10)
149 - Pete Ferrara (15-9)
157 - Jedd Moore (24-11)
165 - Mike Sewell (9-7)
174 - #9 Chris Henrich (31-1)
184 - Rocco Caponi (12-5)
197 - #19 Brent Jones (24-5)
285 - Jack Danilkowicz (7-7) or Calvin Cardillo (6-13)
#13 Virginia Tech (18-1, 3-0)
125 - #14 Jarrod Garnett (33-4)
133 - Brock LiVorio (21-8) or Will Livingston (11-8)
141 - #19 Chris Diaz (27-8) or Matt Rosen (18-4)
149 - #20 Pete Yates (27-7)
157 - Jesse Dong (24-8)
165 - Matt Epperly (21-11)
174 - Anthony Trongone (20-12)
184 - Tommy Spellman (20-8) or Will Snyder (4-4)
197 - D.J. Bruce (22-11)
Hwt - David Marone (23-12)
