In The News

January 30, 2003

Young NU wrestling team strives for excellence

By Daryl Buttrick
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

The Norwich Wrestling team started the season placing second at both the Roger Williams Invitational and the Doug Parker Invitational held at Springfield College.

Freshman Nolan Cispers from Lenexa, Kan., won the 141 pound weight class, leading the Norwich wrestling team to a second-place finish at the Roger Williams Invitational.

Freshman Brian Zane from Frankinville, NJ., took second place in the 125 pound class, he was leading Bridgewater's Kyle Hunsicker, 5-0, when Hunsicker pinned Zane with 30 seconds left in the match.

Freshman heavyweight Damon Lattimore from Newark, NJ., went 4-2 in his matches with four pins en route to taking fourth place in the heavyweight division.

Freshman Niko Filippakis from Bridgeport, CT., took sixth place at 133 for the Cadets and posted an impressive 10-3 decision over defending New England Champ Shawn Fentras from WPI in his first-round match.

The Cadets also placed a strong sixth at the Ithaca Invitational, only behind one New England Conference team, Springfield, which is currently ranked tenth in the country, according to the NWCA Division III Brute/Adidas Team Rankings.

The Cadets also started the new year with a 2-0 dual meet record, defeating Plymouth State at home and defeating Worcester Polytech Institute (WPI) away.

The last home meet of the season was January 5 when the Cadets wrestled Rhode Island College and Williams College. The Cadets won over both teams that day. Both meets came down to the last match, where Jon Capen, at 165 pounds, pinned his opponents on both teams to win the meets for the team. Against Rhode Island College the score was tied 21-21, but due to tie breaking rules the Cadets overtook RIC, and the score to the Williams match was 23-20.

January 10 and 11 the team traveled to Lycoming, Pa. to a dual meet tournament. The team went 1-3 for the weekend, bringing their record to 5-3.

Head coach Rich Hasenfus thought the team wrestled well despite the record, and the weekend helped the team.

"We went 1-3 but got a lot of valuable experience, and I think it was good for the young guys to see a high level of competition," said Hasenfus.

According to the updated New England Conference Coaches Poll, the Cadets are currently ranked third in New England, behind Springfield College (1st) and Trinity College (2nd).

Hasenfus believes that the team has a great work ethic, which has much to due with its success. "There's a lot of competition in the room so people are constantly battling to make a spot, and that makes everyone else better," said Hasenfus.

This year's team is very young, with half the starting line-up being freshmen. That does not lower any goals for the team. The team is looking for a top three place finish in the New England tournament in mid-February and, according to Hasenfus, a New England championship for the Cadets this season is very attainable if the hard work continues.

Dustin Buttrick, 22, a senior psychology major of Eliot, Maine, who wrestles at 184 lbs would like to see all ten starters place at the New England Tournament and possibly even some people go onto Nationals. To qualify for nationals you must place first in the conference or get a wild card, which is voted by the coaches.

The line-up consists of five wrestlers who are ranked in the top sixth in New England, four of them freshmen. At 125 pounds is freshman Brian Zane, ranked second; at 133 pounds is freshman Niko Fillapakis, ranked sixth; at 141 pounds is freshman Nolan Cisper, ranked second; at 149 pounds is freshman Jake Rivers, also ranked second; and at 197 pounds is senior captain Sean Ryburn, ranked sixth. Cisper was ranked eighth in the country before the first semester ended, and Ryburn just returned to competition last week due to injury.

On Saturday, February 1, the Cadets will be traveling to Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. for All Military Championships.

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