Pitt wrestles off to prepare for Michigan State Classic

A young, injury-plagued Pitt wrestling squad held its annual wrestle-offs on Saturday to… A young, injury-plagued Pitt wrestling squad held its annual wrestle-offs on Saturday to determine who would get the starting nods for the 2003-2004 season.

Pitt was unable to compete in its usual number of weight classes, thanks in part to recent knee surgeries performed on juniors Zachariah Doll and Tyshawn Scarlett. But despite having a banged-up roster and a team lacking in experience, head coach Rande Stottlemyer is excited about the upcoming season.

“We’re excited to get things underway,” Stottlemyer said. “We’re tired of practicing, and I’m looking forward to seeing the guys in real competitive situation.”

In the 141-pound weight class, sophomore Ronald Tarquinio swept sophomore Norm Lohman, 2-0. At 157 pounds, Justin Nestor swept freshman Tim Allen, and sophomore Frances Iorfido got a 2-0 win over Donald Rush in the 174-pound weight class.

The most tightly contested matchup of the day came at 184 pounds, where junior Mike Croyle was able to defeat freshman Joe Ammendola in a decisive third bout.

“We’re not going to get our best lineup in there for a while,” Stottlemyer said. “We’ve got some veterans coming off of injuries, and we’re looking at the potential of starting a lot of first and second year guys for the first half of the season.”

“The good thing about that is that our youth will gain us a lot of experience first semester,” Stottlemyer said. “It’s a really young group with not a lot of experience, but some very good talent.”

The young Panthers will be put to the test early, as they start off the season this weekend at the Michigan State Classic, which will feature many nationally ranked teams. The tournament is set to start at noon in East Lansing, Michigan.