March 18, 2011
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Senior team captain Bryce Saddoris (Spring Creek, Nev.) is the lone Navy wrestler who remains in contention at the 2011 NCAA Wrestling Championship held at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Junior 184-pound Luke Rebertus (Gloucester, Va.) won his opening bout of the morning, but exited the tournament following the third round of consolation matches.
Saddoris, a four-time NCAA qualifier, had his hopes dashed of becoming an NCAA Champion Friday morning, as he was pinned at 4:11 in his match against second-seeded Steve Fittery of American. It was the second time in the last two weeks the two wrestlers have met with Fittery, who is undefeated to date, earning wins over Saddoris in each.
Fittery opened the bout with a takedown at the 2:35 mark, but Saddoris fought his way free to trim Fittery's lead to 2-1. However, with 32 seconds left in the opening period, Fittery took a 4-1 advantage with his second takedown of the period. Saddoris opened the second period down and was hounded by Fittery, who was able to ride until turning Saddoris. Although he fought him for nearly 45 seconds on his back, Saddoris finally succumbed.
Saddoris will meet Robert Erisman of Oklahoma State on Friday evening for the chance to become an All-American. It will be the first meeting between the two wrestlers this season.
In typical Luke Rebertus fashion, he used extra minutes to capture his second-round consolation victory over Hofstra's Ben Clymer. After a scoreless opening period, Rebertus deferred and sent Clymer to the mat. Clymer escaped almost immediately, but the remaining of the bout rendered little action and no points. It took Rebertus 35 seconds to score the escape in the final frame and the two once again could get no offense going. Neither wrestler scored in the one-minute sudden victory period and two 30-second tie breaker periods were ordered up. Clymer was the first to go down and Rebertus did an admirable job of clipping his leg out from underneath of him time and time again to ride him out the entire period. Clymer in turn was strong on top in the second tie breaker period, but as time expired Rebertus freed himself for the match-winning point in a 2-1 TB decision.
Rebertus, however, bowed out of the 81st NCAA Wrestling Championship after he was shut out by eighth-seeded Kevin Steinhaus of Minnesota, 4-0. The two battled to a scoreless opening period, but Steinhaus broke Rebertus' grasp early in the second frame and with under a minute to go scored the takedown to take a 3-0 lead. Although Rebertus was able to break free, it was too late as Steinhaus rode Rebertus nearly the entire third period and with over two minutes of riding time, Steinhaus claimed a 4-1 win.
Friday's evening session is on tap to begin at 7:00 pm.
NAVY WRESTLERS AT THE 81st NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP
First-Round Matches
125 - (7) Ryan Mango, Stanford dec Aaron Kalil, Navy, 13-7
157 - (7) Bryce Saddoris, Navy major Jackson Morse, Illinois, 13-4
174 - (10) Nick Hefflin, Ohio State dec Matt DeMichiel, Navy, 6-0
184 - Luke Rebertus, Navy dec Jonathan Velazquez, Gardner Webb, 3-1
Second-Round Matches
157 - (7) Bryce Saddoris, Navy dec (10) Daryl Cocozzo, Rutgers, 3-2
184 - (1) Chris Honeycutt, Edinboro dec Luke Rebertus, Navy 9-2
Quarterfinal Matches
157 - (2) Steve Fittery, American fall (7) Bryce Saddoris, Navy, 4:11
First-Round Consolation Matches
125 - (10 Alan Waters, Missouri dec Aaron Kalil, Navy, 5-4
174 - Rob Morrison, Rider dec Matt DeMichiel, Navy, 4-2 SV
Second-Round Consolation Matches
184 - Luke Rebertus, Navy dec Ben Clymer, Hofstra, 2-1 TB
Third-Round Consolation Matches
184 - (8) Kevin Steinhaus, Minnesota dec Luke Rebertus, Navy, 4-1
Fourth-Round Consolation Matches
157 - (7) Bryce Saddoris, Navy / Robert Erisman, Oklahoma State
Updated Records
125 - Aaron Kalil; 29-11 Season, 68-41 Career
157 - Bryce Saddoris; 35-7 Season, 145-39 Career
174 - Matt DeMichiel; 24-9 Season, 84-47 Career
184 - Luke Rebertus; 31-11 Season, 73-24 Career
### Go Navy ###
