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SPORTS
[ Monday, Feb. 16, 2004 ]

Moore says goodbye to Rec Hall with win

Collegian Staff Writer

Josh Moore kept his warm-ups on until there was 15 seconds left in the second period of Adam Smith's match.

After adjusting the blue and black braces on his knees, Moore walked over to the water cooler, grabbed a cup and took a sip. With 45 seconds left in Smith's match, Moore finally put his headgear on, removed the rest of his warm-ups and splashed water on his face and hair.

One more stretch, a few words from his coaches, and it was time to go.

Time to go for one last time in Rec Hall, the place where he had notched so many of his 50 career falls and 137 victories. It was the Nittany Lions' last home meet of the season and Senior Day for Moore and six other seniors.

With his brother Scott in attendance, Moore defeated Matt Eveleth of Penn 10-3 to improve his record to 37-5 on the season. Moore said it was special to wrestle in front of his brother, who transferred from Penn State to Virginia for this, his final year of eligibility.

"It meant a lot because he just wrestled yesterday, got back to UVA around midnight and drove up just to see the match," Moore said.

However, Moore wasn't completely satisfied with his performance. With a pin against Eveleth, he would have broken the single season record for most falls by a Lions wrestler. He is currently tied with his brother with 21 falls this season. Moore is already the career leader in falls and matches wrestled. He said that Eveleth was difficult to pin, and the idea of yesterday being his last match at Rec Hall was definitely in the back of his head.

"Maybe I was thinking about it too much before the match," he said. "I was thinking about what to do to pin him and what to do to celebrate instead of just going after him."

Moore said he was dazed after Eveleth scored an early takedown, but he rebounded to get the win and simply gave a wave to the crowd as he ran off the mat at Rec Hall one last time.

Marat Tomaev, one of three seniors in the lineup, scored an upset victory over No. 14 Doug McGraw of Penn. Wrestling with a cut on his forehead, and a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, Tomaev defeated McGraw 5-3. Tomaev said he is far from 100 percent, but he is learning to wrestle with the injured knee.

"I can't score at will at this point," Tomaev said. "I have to put myself in a position where my knee feels comfortable."

Tomaev defeated DeWitt Driscoll in a wrestle-off last week, but Driscoll beat Tomaev earlier this season. Sunderland said he doesn't know what will happen at 141 pounds, but it is likely that the two will face off one more time before the Lions' Big Ten finale Friday at Minnesota. Other seniors who were honored before the match were Pat Cummins, Curt Thompson, Adrian Rivera, Jason Woodall and Cliff Wonsettler.


PHOTO: Jeremy Drey
PHOTO: Jeremy Drey
Penn State's Josh Moore takes down a Michigan State wrestler at Rec Hall.
 



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