West Point Invitational
November 8, 1998

West Point Invitational
Christl Arena
West Point, N.Y.
November 8, 1998

NOTE TO MEDIA: Complete brackets can be obtained via fax-on-demand. To
access the results, dial 201-461-5765 and use document number 7167.
			
	WEST POINT, N.Y. - Sophomore Maurice Worthy earned "Outstanding
Wrestler" honors for the second straight year and Scott Siegfried and
Eric Gust also won titles for the Army wrestling team in its season
debut at the West Point Invitational on Sunday in Christl Arena.
	Worthy, coming of an outstanding freshman campaign that
culminated in an NCAA Championships berth, breezed to the title in the
174-pound weight class. He opened with consecutive wins by fall over
David Thanos of Johnson & Wales and Mike Morellino of Syracuse, then won
his semifinal match by medical forfeit. 
	In the finals, Worthy broke open a close bout with a big third
period and defeated Seton Hall's Everett Bell 8-2. Leading 2-1 after two
periods, Worthy scored a quick reversal nine seconds into the third and
also picked up three back points to take a commanding 7-1 lead.
	Siegfried, a senior co-captain, earned his first career
tournament title with a 7-3 win over Bucknell's Adam Webb in the
133-pound championship match. Siegfried snapped a 2-2 tie in the final
minute of the bout with a takedown and two-point near-fall. 
	The heavyweight division featured an all-Army final. Freshman
Eric Gust, seeded sixth, knocked off each of the top three seeds to win
his first collegiate title. Gust picked up his first win with a 5-1
decision over third-seeded Sergey Fedyunin of Boston University, then he
topped Bucknell's Jeremiah Albright 5-2 in the semifinals. In the
championship bout, Gust scored the only takedown of the match 47 seconds
into the third period and held on for a 3-2 win over teammate Joe Kobes,
the No.1 seed.
	Army placed a total of eight wrestlers in the finals, including
two more freshmen at 125 and 141 pounds. At 125, T.J. Grider won three
straight two-point decisions, including a 2-0 win over top seed Todd
Boerner of Bucknell in his first career match, to reach the finals.
There, he dropped a 9-6 decision to Mike Snyder of Syracuse. Sophomore
Ben Garner finished third at 125, pinning Boerner in 3:18 in the
consolation final.
	At 141, plebe Charles Russ won a 3-1 sudden death decision over
No.1 seed Jerry Barry of Seton Hall in the semifinals, but lost by fall
to John Gregory of Boston University in the championship bout. Army's
Kyle Brennan also placed fourth at 141 pounds.
	At 165 pounds, Army junior Troy Yegge lost in the finals, 7-4 to
top seed Brian Pitzer of Bucknell. The match was tied at 4-4 late in
regulation, but Pitzer had the riding time point clinched, then he
scored a takedown with only 13 seconds left to earn the three-point win.
	Senior co-captain Dennis Lockhart placed second at 197 pounds,
falling 10-6 to Boston University's Jameel Abdullah in the finals.
Lockhart scored a 15-3 major decision over Jon Hartunian of Syracuse in
his first bout, then turned back Marc Bautis of Seton Hall 7-2 in the
semis.
	The 157-pound consolation final also featured an all-Army
matchup, where Ben Celver scored a 7-2 decision over Matt Ross. Other
Cadet placewinners were Joe Letko, third at 184 pounds, and Jeremy
Singleton, fourth at 149.
	The Cadets return to action next Saturday, Nov. 14, at the
Colonial Open in Binghamton, N.Y.

FINALS
125 -- Mike Snyder, Syr def. T.J. Grider, Army -- 9-6
133 -- Scott Siegfried, Army def. Adam Webb, Buc -- 7-3
141 -- John Gregory, BU pinned Charles Russ, Army -- 1:08
149 -- Chris Simmons, BU def. Dan Weaver, Buc -- 3-1, tb
157 -- Russell Read, BU def. Ryan Fasnacht, Buc -- 9-3
165 -- Brian Pitzer, Buc def. Troy Yegge, Army -- 7-4
174 -- Maurice Worthy, Army def. Everett Bell, SH -- 8-2
184 -- Jason Townsend, Hof maj. dec. Ali Abri, BU -- 14-5
197 -- Jameel Abdullah, BU dec. Dennis Lockhart, Army -- 10-6
HWT -- Eric Gust, Army def. Joe Kobes, Army -- 3-2

Jon Terry

Assistant Sports Information Director
United States Military Academy
(914) 938-3303