Brockport, N.Y. was the location of the Oklahoma Gold Classic where the UB wrestling team kicked off its 2001-2002 campaign. Why it's called the Oklahoma Gold Classic when it's played in Brockport is a good question. Regardless, the Oklahoma Sooners took first place in the competition, followed by Cleveland State and then the Bulls in third place. The Bulls scored 99.5 points, only three points behind Cleveland State.
Senior David Guarino led the charge for the Bulls, taking the 165-pound bracket. After his first-round bye, he ousted Jeff Polk of Cleveland State in the second round. Army's Ron Schroeder was Guarino's next victim in the third-round match-up preceding the finals. In the finals, Guarino soundly defeated Cleveland State's Jason Effner with an 8-3 victory.
Guarino, who won the MAC championship last year in the 165-pound division, appears to be mentally and physically stronger than last season and is primed to lead his championship team to new levels this year.
UB sophomore Garrett Bontempo nearly took the 184-pound weight class but was defeated in a highly contested final by Oklahoma's Josh Lambrecht.
Bulls junior Gary Cooper and senior Bill Jacoutot each took third-place finishes in the 157- and 149-pound weight classes respectively.
Although taking third place may seem like a strong start for the team, the Bulls wrestling squad thought differently.
"The main thing about the weekend is that no one was satisfied with third place," said Cooper. "We felt that we should have performed better at times and that we need to address our mistakes and move on to the Bloomsburg Invitational this weekend."
UB junior Ryan Bentley, who took a fourth-place finish in the 141-pound weight class, shared the same opinion.
"This weekend was a good start to the season; the competition was some of the best in the country," he said. "Things didn't go as well as they could have. The team, as well as myself, is training for the NCAA Tournament. We need to pick up the intensity in the wrestling room, as well as on the mat."
The Bulls will wage war to win their second consecutive Bloomsburg Invitational, beginning Nov. 17 and lasting all weekend.
"People don't remember where you started, they remember where you finished, and we don't expect our accomplishments to get anything but better," said Bentley.
