CLEVELAND - The Michigan wrestling team advanced three wrestlers into Friday's quarterfinal round, winning seven out of eight matches in the first day of the NCAA Championships.
Seniors Bill Lacure, Jeff Catrabone and Airron Richardson each won both of their matches in today's session. Sophomore Joe Warren won his first match of the day before succumbing to Oregon State's Issac Bruce in a close 7-5 decision.
All four wrestlers remain in the tournament.
At 150 pounds, fourth-seeded Lacure gained a 7-1 decision over Virginia's Jim Harshaw in the first round and defeated Heath Eslinger of Chattanooga, 4-3, in the second round.
Catrabone, the fifth seed at 167 pounds, defeated Todd Palmisano of Rider before narrowly decisioning Ben Perkins of Iowa State, 5-4.
Despite the victories, Michigan coach Dale Bahr was not completely satisfied with his team's wrestling.
"Both Lacure and Catrabone just shut down at the end of their matches," Bahr said. "They got an early lead and sat on it, and you can't do that at this level.
"They know that. If they wrestle like that in the tomorrow they're not going to win."
Lacure will face the fifth seed, West Virginia's Mike Mason, while Catrabone squares off against fourth-seeded Casey Strand of Arizona State.
"Both are tough matches so they better get in gear because they are going to be challenged," Bahr said.
At heavyweight, second-seeded Richardson recieved a win by default over Rider's Marc DeFrancesco, five minutes into his match. He went on to defeat Ricker Krieger of Lock Haven, 10-2, to advance. Richardson will wrestle Illinois' seventh-seed Karl Roesler later today.
Warren will try to defeat Purdue's 126-pound wrestler Josh Hutchens. The eighth-seeded Warren must win to remain in the tournament.
"I'm very pleased with the way Joe is wrestling," Bahr said. "They key for him now is to stay in the tournament. He has to continue to win to gain All-America status."
In order to be named an All-American, a wrestler must place in the top eight of his weight class.
The tournament continues through tomorrow.
03-20-98
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