March 21, 2003
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -
The University of Missouri got off to a fast start on day one of the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Two Tigers remained unbeaten in their pursuit of a national championship and four others remained alive in their consolation brackets. Sophomore Tyron Woodley (Ferguson, Mo./McCluer) and junior All-American Scott Barker (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) went 2-0 in their day one matches and advance to the quarterfinals tomorrow. The Tigers are tied with Nebraska for 18th place after the first day of action with 13 points.
Woodley defeated Nick Nemeth (Kent State) in his first round match, 7-2. The win marked Woodley's 50th career victory. In his second round match, Woodley easily defeated 12th seed Kevin Carr (Central Michigan), 12-5. Woodley will face 4th seed Jacob Volkmann of Minnesota in the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Barker breezed through the first day. He defeated North Carolina's Dusty Heist with a 13-2 major decision in the first round. Then shut out Dave Colabella (James Madison), 6-0 in the second round. Barker will face fifth seed Mark Becks (Penn State) in the quarterfinals.
Kenny Burleson (Neosho, Mo./Neosho) went 2-1 on day one. He recorded two major decision victories in his first two matches defeating both Craig Pequignot (Millersville) and Brian Cobb (Cal State Bakersfield) with scores of 14-3. In his second round match he took on fifth seed and two-time All-American Gray Maynard of Michigan State. Maynard scored on an escape and had riding time and held on for the 2-0 victory. Burleson will face Matt Gentry (Stanford) in the wrestleback round tomorrow.
J.P. Reese (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams) defeated Michigans' Clark Forward, 6-3 in the first round, setting up a second round match-up with 2002 NCAA Champion Aaron Holker of Iowa State. Holker avenged his loss to Reese in the Big 12 Championships, recording a 9-2 victory. Reese will face Doug McGraw (Penn) in the wrestleback round tomorrow.
Dante Stone (Calder, Id./North Idaho Junior College) upset 11th seed Matt Greenberg of Cornell, 7-6 in the first round to advance to face Minnesota's Damion Hahn. Hahn, the fourth seed, came from behind to defeat Stone, 4-2 with a takedown in the final minute. Stone will face K.C. Walsh (Boise State) in the wrestleback round.
Kevin Herron (Imperial, Mo./Fox) lost his first round match to fifth seed Boe Rushton (Boise State), 7-1. Herron will take on John Paxton (Army) in the wrestleback round.
Jeremy Spates (Norman, Okla./Norman) was eliminated from the NCAAs, losing his first two matches. Spates lost to Jody Giuricich (Penn) , 4-2 in the first round. Spates then dropped his consolation round match to Rob Becker (George Mason), 7-5.
Day two of the NCAAs starts tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri