Terps Kick Off Season with Red & Black
10/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland wrestling team will begin its 2014-15 campaign with the annual Red & Black Wrestle-Offs on Sunday at the XFINITY Pavilion. Action is scheduled to being at noon.
The Wrestle-Offs will serve as the final litmus test for head coach Kerry McCoy's squad before next week's Terrapin Duals. The competition pits Terps against Terps with matches that will help determine Maryland's starting lineup.
Admission is free to the public. The event will be followed by the Terps' season kickoff banquet in Heritage Hall.
Full matchups are below.
125 Pounds
Tyler Goodwin (Red) vs. Josh Polacek (Black)
Goodwin burst onto the scene as a true freshman last season going 15-10 at 133 pounds an qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Goodwin also placed second at the ACC Championships, earning All-ACC honors. Polacek gained the first dual victory of his career in 2013, a 6-3 decision over Ray Yagloski of Johns Hopkins.
133 Pounds
Geoffrey Alexander (Red) vs. Billy Rappo (Black)
A two-time NCAA qualifier, Alexander went 25-2 during his redshirt campaign last season and captured four open tournament titles. Rappo was the main starter at 125 pounds and went 13-10 overall including five dual victories.
141 Pounds
Alfred Bannister (Red) vs. Frank Goodwin (Black)
An NCAA qualifier in 2013, Goodwin returns to 141 pounds after a foray at 149 last season. The Maryland native went 12-9 at the weight and claimed six dual victories for the Terps. Bannister comes to College Park after a spectacular high school career at Bishop McNamara. Known as “Baby J”, Bannister finished as the winningest prep wrestler in Maryland history with 272 victories. He also captured four straight Maryland Independent School state titles and was a two-time National Prep and NHSCA national champion.
149 Pounds
Shane Arechiga (Red) vs. Ben Dorsay (Black)
Dorsay moves back down to his sophomore weight after spending two seasons at 157 pounds. Dorsay went 10-11 as a redshirt junior. Arechiga redshirted last season and compiled seven wins.
157 Pounds
Lou Mascola (Red) vs. Justin Alexander (Black)
Mascola redshirted last season, moving from 149 to 157 pounds, and notched a 14-6 record. The New Jersey native started at 149 during his sophomore campaign. Alexander racked up 22 wins in his first season in College Park.
165 Pounds
Tyler Manion (Red) vs. TJ Guidice
Manion rotated with Josh Snook as the starter at 165 pounds and went 15-8 last season. He also captured the Messiah Open title. Guidice competed just six times last season, but won 11 matches in the 2012-13 season.
174 Pounds
Josh Snook (Red) vs. Arashdeep Gill
Snook jumps up in weight after starting at 165 pounds for the previous two seasons. He notched five wins last year. Gill earned his first career win at the Bearcat Open last year. He is the Terps' only competitor from the state of California.
184 Pounds
Tony Gardner (Red) vs. Chanse Menendez (Black)
Gardner won five times at 174 pounds last season, but will move back to 184 this season. Gardner claimed nine victories at the weight during his junior campaign. Menendez comes to College Park from Nassau Community College where he was a NJCAA National runner up in 2013. He started his career at Cortland State.
197 Pounds
Rob Fitzgerald (Red) vs. Garrett Wesneski (Black)
Fitzgerald has 15 career wins in College Park, including eight during his freshman season. Wesneski was a two-time state medalist as a prep, finishing eighth as a junior and third as a senior.
285 Pounds
Ryan Kail (Red) vs. Sean Twigg (Black)
Kail racked up seven wins during his freshman season with five coming by way of pin. Twigg won 23 times as a freshman, with eight pins. He finished third at the Shorty Hitchcock Open.
Exhibition Bouts
125 Pounds
Jhared Simmons (Red) vs. Michael Beck (Black)
133 Pounds
Christopher Reilly (Red) vs. Adam Whitesell (Black)
141 Pounds
Daniel Sanchez (Red) vs. Matt Pente (Black)
157 Pounds
Anthony Duncan (Red) vs. Toby Hague (Black)
