University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Headlee Stuns No. 4 Mark Jayne to Advance to Quarterfinals
3/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Headlee Stuns No. 4 Mark Jayne to Advance to Quarterfinals
3/17/2005
ST. LOUIS ? Pittsburgh sophomore Drew Headlee pulled one of the biggest upsets on day one of the NCAA Championships, defeating fourth-seed Mark Jayne of Illinois, 14-11, in the second round at 133 pounds.
Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) won for the second time on Thursday, using a second-period takedown and three near-fall points to open up a big lead over Jayne. The two wrestlers were tied at 3-3 after the first period but Headlee owned the second, getting an escape point and the five points off the takedown/near fall for a 9-3 lead going into the final frame. Jayne got very offensive in the third and final frame, but Headlee (19-8) was able to add another takedown and hold on for the 14-11 upset.
He will now face the No. 5 seed, Tom Clum of Wisconsin, in tomorrow morning's quarterfinals. The winner of the match will be guaranteed a top-eight finish and All-America honors.
In other action on Thursday evening, junior 141-pounder Ronald Tarquinio (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) fell victim to Clarion's Frank Edgar for the second time in three weeks, dropping a 4-2 decision in the second round. Edgar also edged Tarquinio for the EWL title on March 6 and sent Tarquinio to the consolations, where he will face Maryland's Charlie Pinto. Tarquinio (25-7) will have to win his next three matches to hold his No. 8 seed and earn All-America honors.
Another second-round participant, sophomore Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College), was defeated by No. 2-seed Ryan Bertin of Michigan at 157 pounds. Bertin attacked often and earned a major decision by the score of 15-5 to send Kocher to the second round of consolations. Next up for Kocher (30-11) will be Indiana's Brandon Becker.
Earning a win in the consolation round for Pittsburgh at 165 pounds was junior Justin Nestor (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds). Nestor (22-11) won for the second time in three matches on Thursday, dominating John DeCeault of Purdue by a 9-1 count to move on to the second round of the consolation bracket against Oregon's Joey Bracamonte, who pinned 11th-seed Nate Yetzer of Edinboro in the first round.
The Panthers' Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) and Zach Sheaffer (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) were eliminated with their second losses on Thursday night. Gavin dropped a 10-5 decision to Alex Camargo of Kent State to finish his season 15-9 at 184 pounds, while Sheaffer lost a rematch with Joe Dennis of Cleveland State by a 6-5 count. Sheaffer beat Dennis for the EWL Championship two weeks ago but couldn't make it two in a row and finished his freshman campaign with a 25-13 mark.
Pittsburgh is currently tied for 24th place after the first day with a total of nine team points. The Panthers are tied for second among EWL teams, a half of a point behind West Virginia. The four remaining Panther wrestlers will be back in action on Friday morning, beginning at 11:30 a.m. EST at the Savvis Center.
