Wrestling team clinches 23rd SoCon title
Bill Puckett
Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: Sports
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With the 43-3 win over the Keydets, the Mocs clinched their fifth straight Southern Conference regular season title.
The Mocs started the off the night with a 34 second pin by sophomore Ethan Winel, Brookfield, Ill., at the 197 pound weight class. The Keydets put up their only points of the night at heavyweight with a 7-2 victory by VMI's Josh Wine.
That would be the end of the night for the Keydets as they were swept in the rest of the duel.
Sophomore Demetrius Johnson, Memphis, took the next match in a 12-2 major decision followed by a 6-3 win at 133 by sophomore Josh Statum, Homewood, Ala.
Mocs' All-American Cody Cleveland, a junior from Tullahoma, Tenn., stepped back for the night to let senior T.J. Hannah, Arlington, Tenn., take the spotlight at 141.
Hannah won his only duel bout of the season 9-7. Head Coach Chris Bono said Hannah stepped up to the plate in his match.
"When you get your chance, you have to take it and run," Bono said. "He certainly did tonight and I couldn't be happier for him."
The next match went the distance but was a decisive 15-5 major decision win by sophomore Dan Waddell, Chattanooga.
The next three matches would not reach the second period or the second minute mark as the Mocs recorded three pin fall victories in a row.
One was by sophomore Jason McCroskey, Chattanooga, who is undefeated in the SoCon, and another by senior Seth Garvin, Hoover, Ala. Bono said it was good performance by Garvin and it helps build momentum going into the conference tournament.
Chattanooga is 5-0 on the season against conference opponents and has won the regular season conference title nine out of the last 12 years.
The Mocs hope to continue their 2009 success at the Southern Conference tournament, scheduled to start March 7 at The Citadel.
