University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Reno Tournament of Champions
Scotton, Bennett Place Fourth in Reno
December 20, 2010 | Wrestling
Dec. 19, 2010
- Complete Reno Tournament of Champions Brackets
- Complete Reno Tournament of Champions Team Scores
RENO, Nev.- Thomas Scotton and Zac Bennett earned fourth-place finishes at 165 and 197 pounds, respectively, to lead the North Carolina wrestling team to an 11th-place finish at Sunday's Reno Tournament of Champions. The result marked the second consecutive year Scotton has placed in the event while Bennett has now finished in the top four of all three tournaments Carolina has competed in this season.
As a team, the Tar Heel squad concluded the day with 53.5 points. Wyoming, who is rated 21st nationally by InterMat, captured the title with 106 points, narrowly outlasting No. 5 Boise State (104.5).
Scotton dropped his first match of the day by a 9-7 score to eventual champion Shane Onufer of Wyoming, who is ranked ninth nationally at 157 pounds. Following that defeat, the senior from Willingboro, N.J. reeled off six consecutive victories to reach the third-place match. Included in that streak was a 7-4 victory over No. 18 Trevor Hall of Cal State Bakersfield. In the bout for third place, Scotton fell 5-2 to Kyle Blevins of Appalachian State and finished the day 6-2.
Bennett opened his days with two wins to reach the quarterfinals of the 197-pound bracket, where he fell to 18th-ranked Riley Orozco of Cal State Bakersfield. Bennett fought back through the wrestleback bracket with three wins, including two first-period pins, to earn a rematch with Orozco in the third-place bout, where the redshirt freshman was pinned late in the third period. Bennett concluded the day with five victories and now stands at 14-7 on the season.
174-pound freshman Andre Petroski was the other Tar Heel to reach the quarterfinal round by beginning the day with two straight victories. Pat Owens (133 pounds), Danny Lopes (141) and Thomas Ferguson (174) all posted solid performances in the wrestleback bracket, but all three came up one match short of placing in the top six.
Carolina will be back in action on December 29-30 when they head to Greensboro, N.C. for the Southern Scuffle.
Players Mentioned
