SPORTS
Wisconsin wrestles season’s 1st big test
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Also by Cassie Paulsen:
- UW grapples NIU in Big Ten tune-up (December 7, 2007)
- Herbst learns from best, takes down competition (December 6, 2007)
- UW grapples in Las Vegas (November 29, 2007)
- Wisconsin wrestles season's 1st big test (November 16, 2007)
- Wrestling team heads to Green Bay (November 2, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Go east, young men (December 4, 2003)
- Wrestlers enter critical stretch early in season (January 30, 2004)
- Badger grapplers set for Tennessee (December 10, 2004)
- UW grapples in Las Vegas (November 29, 2007)
- UW faces early test in Big Ten (December 10, 2007)
by Cassie Paulsen
Friday, November 16, 2007
This weekend, the 11th-ranked Wisconsin wrestling team gets its
first test of the season as they head off to Ithaca, N.Y., to take on the 8th-ranked
Cornell Big Red Friday night. Following that match the Badgers will partake in
the annual Body Bar Invitational Saturday morning, also at Cornell.
Despite only having three lackluster matches under their
belts, head coach Barry Davis thinks his squad is ready for an early-season
challenge.
"I told the guys to look forward to it," Davis said. "It's
an early test. I'm looking forward to it."
Cornell returns three All-Americans to its squad as well as
seven 2007 NCAA qualifiers. While the Badgers return nine of their starters
from last year's team, there are still some questions.
After losing All-American Tyler Turner to graduation at 149
pounds, Davis has used Mike Metzger to replace Turner. However, true freshmen Kendall
Vogel and Dan Rivers, along with Gabe Stoppelmoor, have been vying for the
spot. The 174-pound weight class is also an issue for the Badgers. Davis will
go with junior Justin Peterson this weekend, but it's been a tough battle with
senior and returning NCAA qualifier, Matt Maciag.
"Right now 174 is a struggle for us," Davis said. "Neither
guy is really stepping up there. Someone's got to take initiative in that
weight class, and if they don't then I may bring Ben Sarbacker out of [his]
redshirt in January.
"They've got time yet here before Christmas here to prove
themselves, and we'll see what happens in the next three to four competitions."
Sarbacker, a true freshman who grew up just outside of
Madison in Verona, competed unattached at last weekend's Pointer Open and took
first place honors, defeating Maciag along the way. He pinned his teammate in
1:59.
While those two weight classes are still up for grabs, one
that isn't is 125 pounds, where senior and three-time NCAA qualifier Collin
Cudd returns. The ninth-ranked Cudd faces off against second-ranked
All-American Troy Nickerson.
"Me and Barry have talked about it a little bit," Cudd said.
"I have to work on the little things, the little techniques that will help me
out. I just really need to slow the pace down and wrestle my style of the
match."
After Friday's tough dual, the Badgers turn right around to
join the 10-team field of the annual Body Bar Invitational. "Even though we
have Friday night, if we pull out the victory Friday night we can't be happy
with that because we have to turn around Saturday too," Davis said. "We'll go
in there and prepare for Friday and take Saturday when Saturday comes and go
from there. I think the guys are looking forward to it. We've got a chance to
open some eyes and I hope that happens.
In addition to Wisconsin, Army, Binghampton, Buffalo, Ithaca
College, Kent State, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Sacred Heart and the host Cornell
will be competing.
With the Big Ten portion of their schedule still months
away, this match should provide some early-season thrill for the Badgers,
according to junior Zach Tanelli.
"It's exciting going into Cornell," he said. "Those guys are
ranked ahead of us, so it's a big opportunity for this team and especially for
some of the other guys on the team facing ranked opponents higher than them to
see where they stand.
"It's early, but it will be a good sign to see where we're at so far this season."
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