University of North Carolina Athletics
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Ramirez Leads Strong Tar Heel Showing At Wolfpack Open
November 9, 2008 | Wrestling
Nov. 9, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. - Led by senior Vincent Ramirez's 141-pound title, the North Carolina wrestling team posted six top-three finishes in its season opener Saturday at NC State's Wolfpack Open at Reynolds Coliseum.
Joining Ramirez with top-three finishes were Daniel Llamas (2nd at 197), Justin Dobies (3rd at heavyweight), Ben Fiacco (3rd at 174), Robert McCarthy (3rd at 184) and Nick Stabile (3rd at 149).
Ramirez, who was 5-0 on the day, scored a 5-2 decision over UNC Greensboro's Chris Bencivenga in the final to take the lone individual title of the day for the Tar Heels. He opened with a pin of Campbell's Ethan Carmody in 3:56 and never looked back en route to the 141-pound championship.
Llamas, a teammate of Ramirez at Durham Riverside High School, was the only other Tar Heel to reach a final Saturday, placing second at 197. He opened with a 2-1 win over Ohio State's Jason Cook before posting back-to-back wins over Duke wrestlers to reach the final where he lost to the Buckeyes' Cody Gardner.
With a 6-1 record, Dobies led the quartet of third-place finishes for Carolina. After suffering a loss to Ohio State's Corey Morrison in his second bout, the No. 9-ranked Dobies won five straight in the consolation bracket, including two via pin, to take third. He beat unattached John Hiles in the third-place match.
Fiacco, who made a jump from 157 pounds, had a solid debut at 174, posting a 5-1 mark. He posted a 3-1 win over Byron Sigmon of UNC Greensboro in the consolation final.
Joining Fiacco and Dobies as third-place finishers were McCarthy, who was 4-1 at 184, and Stabile, who posted a 5-1 mark at 149. McCarthy beat UNCG's Mikal McKee, 4-3, in the consolation final, while Stabile bested Nick Murray, 9-2, in the third-place bout. Stabile's only loss was to NC State's fourth-ranked Darrion Caldwell.
The Tar Heels are back in action Saturday at the ACC/Big Ten Clash, which opens at noon at Carolina's Eddie Smith Field House.
Players Mentioned
