University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Carolina Open
Four Tar Heels Take First Place At Carolina Open
November 27, 1999 | Wrestling
Nov. 27, 1999
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Wrestlers from the University of North Carolina and Virginia Tech dominated action at the 1999 Carolina Open Saturday at Carmichael Auditorium. Four Tar Heels took first-place honors, while five UNC wrestlers came in second place at the annual open tournament. Meanwhile, four VPI wrestlers won their championship bout and one Hokie finished in second.
Skyler Holman (125 lbs.), Corey Bell (174 lbs.), Clint Osborn (197 lbs.) and Matt Kenny (Hwt.) each earned individual championships for Carolina at their respective weight classes. Brad Byers (133 lbs.), Jason LaMotta (141 lbs.), Jamie Groudle (165 lbs.) and Nick Richmond (184 lbs.) were runnerups for the Tar Heels. UNC senior Chuckie Connor, who competed as an unattached wrestler, also took second-place honors.
While the Tar Heels had a strong showing throughout the all-day event, the action heated up in the upper weight classes. Bell, a two-time ACC champion, scored the first win by fall of the finals when he pinned James Madison's Jeremy Rankin at 3:07 of their 174-pound championship match. Richmond followed that up with a hard-fought 184-pound championship match with VPI's Scott Justice. After pulling even at 6-6 late in the bout, Justice prevailed 9-6. At 197 lbs., Osborn won a close 5-4 decision after scoring a two-point takedown as time was expiring. Kenny finished the finals with a pin of Chad Scott at 1:44.
Other Tar Heels to place included Pat Cadwallader (fourth, 149), Matt Atkinson (sixth, 149), Jacques Stanislaus (fourth, 157), Steve Echeverri (sixth, 157) and Johnny Rich (6th, 184).
UNC next travels to State College, Pa., for the Penn State Open on Dec. 5. NC State comes to Chapel Hill on Jan. 11 for Carolina's first home dual meet of the season.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
125 lbs. -- Skyler Holman (UNC) med. forf. Chuckie Connor (unattached-UNC)
133 lbs. -- Mike Akers (Va. Tech) med. forf. Brad Byers (UNC)
141 lbs. -- Gray (Va. Tech) dec. Jason LaMotta (UNC), 6-5
149 lbs. -- Privitere (Bing) med. forf. Urban (Bing)
157 lbs. -- P.J. Boccia (App. State) dec. Mark Fee (App. State), 9-5
165 lbs. -- Chris Martin (Va. Tech) dec. Jamie Groudle (UNC), 9-2
174 lbs. -- Corey Bell (UNC) pins Jeremy Rankin (unattached-James Madison), 3:07
184 lbs. -- Scott Justice (Va. Tech) dec. Nick Richmond (UNC), 9-6
197 lbs. -- Clint Osborn (UNC) dec. Chris Basnight (Va. Tech), 5-4
Hwt. -- Matt Kenny (UNC) pins Chad Scott (Bing), 1:44
