THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 24, 1994 TAG: 9411250195
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Old Dominion earned a spot on the national wrestling map last season, finishing 21st at the NCAA tournament and advancing one wrestler, Jody Staylor, to the brink of a national championship.
The challenge this year is staying on the map. Staylor returns, and is ranked first in the nation at 126 pounds. Also back is heavyweight Nick Hall, who is ranked 10th.
But the team's two other NCAA qualifiers, Greg Satchell and Tom Sinacore, have graduated. Both were four-year starters, and Satchell was named outstanding wrestler at last year's Colonial Association tournament.
``We lost two really key guys,'' ODU coach Gray Simons said. ``They're going to be hard to replace.''
Simons will try to do it by shuffling some people and relying on freshmen. A pair of freshmen, Jun Blancaflor and Carlos Castelar, will vie to replace Sinacore at 118 pounds.
Chris Todd, who was third in the conference at 158 pounds last year, will move to 167 to replace Satchell. Chad McPhatter, a transfer from Liberty, will step in at 158. McPhatter was third in the conference at 150 pounds last year.
Simons thinks Todd has the potential to qualify for the NCAAs. So does junior Erick Shaw, who is back after redshirting last season. Shaw is a two-time NCAA qualifier, at both 118 and 126 pounds. With Staylor at 126, Shaw may have to move to 134 pounds, but Simons says it could be Staylor who moves.
Staylor, a Great Bridge graduate who transferred from North Carolina, will be a force at either weight. A two-time All-American, Staylor lost, 2-1, to Cornell's David Hirsch in the 126-pound final last year.
``His goal this year is to win the national championship,'' Simons said.
He'll have to wait a while to get started. Staylor didn't wrestle in last weekend's Old Dominion Invitational and won't wrestle until Dec. 28, at the Wilkes Open in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
``He had a couple of academic problems, so we're going to hold him out of the first two meets,'' Simons said.
Staylor will ensure that Old Dominion is heard from on the national scene. Whether the team is strong enough top to bottom to repeat as Colonial champions is uncertain.
``It's going to be a tough job,'' Simons said. ``A lot depends on the end of the year, and who you have healthy.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
LAWRENCE JACKSON/Staff
ODU wrestling coach Gray Simons will shuffle his talent in his bid
for national recognition this season.
Graphic
OLD DOMINION
Coach: Jackson Gerst, 28-49 in six years at Norfolk State
Last season: 5-10, second at Virginia Division II/III
championships; 17th at NCAA Division II championships
Impact wrestlers: Charles Daniels, sr., 167 lbs; Corey Williams,
jr., 134 lbs, Marcus Johnson, so., 190/Hwt; Felton Woodson, jr., 158
lbs
Newcomers to watch: Raymond Clark, fr, 118 lbs.; Troy Howard,
fr., 142 lbs
Prospectus: The Spartans have the potential to win the state
Division II/III championship and improve on last year's NCAA finish.
Daniels is third in the nation at 167, and Williams is sixth at 134.
Woodson is coming off a knee injury but could be an NCAA qualifier.
Schedule: Nov. 28, Delaware State; Dec. 3, NSU Quads; 10, at
George Mason Quads; Jan. 7, at ODU Quads; 14, at South Regional
Duals; 28, at Longwood Duals; Feb. 2-4, at Newport News Apprentice
Tournament; 12, Virginia State Division II/III championships, at
Lexington; 18-19, NCAA South Regional at Farmville, Va.; March 3-4,
at NCAA championships, Kearney, Neb.
by CNB