NWCA
East VS/ West ALL-Star
Wrestling Match
Ruggirello and Griffin Both Win In 2006, the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s signature event, the All-Star Classic, was held in an area to help promote wrestling and kickstart more interest. In 2007, the All-Star Classic again had a vision in promoting wrestling, this time as an effort to showcase the sport at the University of Oregon and give support the movement to save the Oregon wrestling program which is set to be discontinued following the 2007-08 season. The verdict: 4,380 wrestling fans came to barn-like McArthur Court to see 20 of the nation’s elite wrestlers in one of the sport’s premier events. Leading the performances on Monday night at the 42nd annual event presented by the United States Marine Corps were 133 and 141-pound winners Lou Ruggirello and Charles Griffin of Hofstra, 197-pound winner Phil Davis of Penn State and heavyweight winner Tervel Dlagnev of Nebraska-Kearney. Ruggirello followed with the first of Hofstra’s two victories and gave the top-ranked Golden Gophers two losses in the first two bouts. A late replacement for top-ranked Coleman Scott of Oklahoma State, Ruggirello continued his torrid pace this season by picking up a 6-0 victory over two-time All-American Mack Reiter of Minnesota. Ruggirello scored with a passby in the first period and rode Reiter for much of the match, building over three minutes of riding time and adding a third-period takedown to take the 133-pound match 6-0. While the match is unofficial and won’t count for individual ranking purposes or NCAA seeding down the line, Ruggirello has now defeated two wrestlers ranked #2 this season. In the Pride’s opening dual, the New York native pinned Missouri’s Tyler McCormick on November 10 and on Monday, topped Reiter. “I’ve been practicing with the best guys in the nation every day,” said Ruggirello. “So it’s just like going out there and wrestling one of them.” Unlike last season, where Ruggirello, then a true freshman, dropped a few matches early in the season before he caught fire en route to the first of likely more Colonial Athletic Association titles. “It’s a lot more mental. I’m a lot more confident,” said Ruggirello. “I’m staying with my offense instead of trying to wrestle defensively. It helps me out. He’s a real tough kid and it helps me out a lot mentally.” Griffin defeated Oklahoma State’s Nathan Morgan 9-4 with five third-period points and an additional point for riding time. Morgan controlled the tempo for much of the match, getting in deep on Griffin several times and scoring on a pair of single-leg takedowns. Trailing 4-3 in the third, Griffin planted Morgan hard to the mat for the takedown and held Morgan on his back for a three-count and two nearfall points. Griffin then locked up a Mason tilt, rolled through and scored three more nearfall points to win going away. “It was kind of instinct,” said Griffin. “I didn’t expect what I did to happen. I knew I was down, so I had to do something. When I picked him up, I knew he was exposed, so I just tried to hold him down.” It gets Griffin back on track after his 6-1 loss to Penn State’s Jake Strayer this past Saturday. “I’m having a hard time making weight this year and I’m starting to get it under control and feeling good and wanting to wrestle,” said Griffin. “(This win) just gives me more confidence and more to want to come out here and wrestle.” 42nd NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps Eugene, Oregon 125: #1 Paul Donahoe (Nebraska) dec. #4 Jayson Ness (Minnesota) 5-2 133: #4 Lou Ruggirello (Hofstra) dec. #2 Mack Reiter (Minnesota) 6-0 141: #2 Charles Griffin (Hofstra) dec. #3 Nathan Morgan (Oklahoma State) 9-4 149: #1 Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) dec. #2 Josh Churella (Michigan) 3-2 157: #3 Mike Poeta (Illinois) pin #2 Craig Henning (Wisconsin) 2:22 165: #2 Eric Tannenbaum (Michigan) dec. #3 Patrick Pitsch (Arizona State) 4-0 174: #1 Keith Gavin (Pittsburgh) dec. #2 Matt Stolpinski (Navy) 8-4 184: #1 Jake Varner (Iowa State) dec. #2 Roger Kish (Minnesota) 2-0 197: #2 Phil Davis (Penn State) dec. #3 Mike Tamillow (Northwestern) 6-2 285: #1-D2 Tervel Dlagnev (Nebraska-Kearney) dec. #3 Wade Sauer (Cal State-Fullerton) 11-7. Exhibitions 125: Jake Gonzales (Oregon State) maj. dec. Trevor Lofstedt (Southern Oregon) 10-2 174: Ron Lee (Oregon) dec. Luke Feist (Stanford) 5-2.
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