Mason wrestlers qualify for NCAA Tournament
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By JUSTIN CREECH
For the News & Messenger
Published: March 12, 2008
The weekend was not a total loss though as senior Randy Oates and freshman Cayle Byers advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Oates qualified for the national tournament by finishing second in the 174-pound weight class after falling 8-4 to Hofstra’s Alton Lucas in the championship bout. Byers was selected as a wild card at the 197-pound weight class after advancing to the final match in the consolation bracket, where he fell 10-5 to Hofstra’s Joe Rovelli.
“For Randy, I’m very pleased and excited,” said Patriots Coach Mark Weader. “Being a senior, Randy has done everything that you could ask someone to do for a program. He’s been a four year starter and wasn’t highly recruited coming out of high school.”
Oates had arguably the toughest road to the NCAA Tournament having to wrestle two guys who are ranked in the top 20 of the Amateur Wrestling News this past weekend. Oates pinned Binghamton sopho-more Josh Patterson, ranked 18th by Amateur Wrestling News, 29 seconds into the third period of their semifinal match before falling to Lucas, ranked sixth by the Amateur Wrestling News, in the championship bout.
“He really wanted to get to the national tournament this year,” said Weader of Oates. “He did it in a very tough weight class and he had to beat a guy, who was ranked, for the second time this year, in the semifinals and really gave Alton Lucas all he could handle.”
Byers was seeded second in the 197-pound weight class coming into the tournament, but fell in the semi-finals to eventual champion T.J. Morrison of Rider.
“Byers is a freshman, so obviously to get into the national tournament is a big step,” said Weader. “He didn’t have his best tournament, but his weight class had three returning national qualifiers. So, to get out of that weight class, he’s really come a long way.”
Heavyweight Harry Zander was the other Patriot along with Oates to advance to the championship match of his weight class. Zander fell 3-1 in overtime to Rider’s Ed Bordas on a takedown. Zander then lost the second place match to Old Dominion’s Andy Totusek, 4-2, missing out on the automatic bid for the NCAA Tournament.
“[Bordas] really had Harry scouted well,” said Weader. “Harry’s a small heavyweight and [Bordas] is a big kid. I felt Harry outwrestled him and one more second he would’ve had a takedown at the end of regula-tion for the win. I really felt bad for him because he was the best wrestler in his weight class all season. He had an excellent season and an excellent career, but unfortunately that’s the way it works sometimes.”
The NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championships are March 20-22 in St. Louis, MO.
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