Lehigh to host annual wrestle-offs Thursday night

10/25/2011 11:34:00 PM | Men's Wrestling

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Fans will get their first look at the 2011-12 Lehigh wrestling team Thursday night with the annual wrestle-offs held inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. After nearly three weeks of hard work in the wrestling room the Mountain Hawks will take to the mat in front of the home fans with nine bouts scheduled as Lehigh works towards its season opener November 6.
 
“We would have liked to have 12-13 matches but some guys are a little dinged up,” explained Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro. “We have some guys who are back on the mat but are not ready to wrestle Thursday night, so we don't want to put them in that situation.
 
Santoro continued, “We have an opportunity for some freshmen to wrestle. We put the guys in Grace Hall, which is a great place to wrestle. Making weight and wrestling is always a challenge the first time but hopefully the guys will go out and try to score points.”
 
The Mountain Hawks return three All-Americans from the team that placed eighth at last year's NCAA Championships, plus two other starters who finished one win short of All-American status. Returning starters Robert Hamlin, Brandon Hatchett and Sean Bilodeau, along with true freshman Mason Beckman, who is expected to man 125 this season, will all sit out Thursday night as they work their way back from minor injuries.
 
Junior Zach Rey, who captured Lehigh's 27th individual national championship last March, will compete against true freshman Jack Delia in Thursday's final bout. Rey's bout is the last of six matches that will not be considered exhibitions.
 
Thursday's opening bout will be at 133 pounds pitting true freshman Chris Dinnien against junior Alex Abreu. Steve Dutton fell one win short of an All-American medal as a true freshman last March and will wrestle off against freshman Jimmy Carucci at 141. The wrestle-off at 149 matches junior Shane Welsh against senior Kyle Rosser. That match will be followed by an exhibition bout between sophomore Cal Stack and deferred freshman Anthony Salupo.
 
At 157, senior Brian Tanen meets freshman Eric Hess in what should be an interesting about, which will be followed by an exhibition between junior Joey Napoli and sophomore Dillon Smith. Napoli, a NCAA qualifier a year ago, is expected to defer his eligibility while he moves up a weight class.
 
There will be no bout at 165 with Hatchett dinged up. A pair of true freshman will go toe-to-toe in an exhibition bout as 174-pounder Nate Brown will add on a few pounds to face John Bolich, who will weigh in below his projected 184.
 
One of the more interesting bouts of the night pits fifth-year senior Kadeem Samuels against true senior Joe Kennedy at 197. Samuels had a strong year at 184, winning several open tournaments and placing at the Midlands, while Kennedy reached the All-America round of 12 at last year's NCAA Championships.
 
“We're looking for intensity,” said Santoro, who enters his fourth season. “Wrestle-offs are very difficult emotionally because they're wrestling their friends. We want to see them try to put that aside for seven minutes and try to showcase their talents.”
The wrestle-offs get underway at 7 p.m. Thursday from Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME, by visiting the Lehigh ticket office, located in Grace Hall or by visiting Lehighsports.com. For those unable to make it to Grace Hall on Thursday, the wrestle-offs can be seen live at Lehighsports.com, with Steve Lomangino and Gary Brownell handling the commentary.
 
Thursday's probable matchups:
 
Weight
Brown
vs.
White
133
vs.
141
Steve Dutton
vs.
149
vs.
EX
Cal Stack (157)
vs.
157
vs.
EX
vs.
EX
Nate Brown (174)
vs.
197
vs.
285
vs.
EX – Exhibition bout
 
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