Wrestlers from the University of North Carolina took first-place honors in six weight classes at the VerticalNet Open Saturday at Carmichael Auditorium. Carolina also had two wrestlers earn second-place finishes.

Chuckie Connor (125 lbs.), Brad Byers (133 lbs.), JohnMark Bentley (149 lbs.), Corey Bell (174 lbs.), Matt Kenny (Hwt.) as well as Chris DiGuiseppe (157 lbs.), who wrestled unattached, each won individual titles in their respective weight classes. Jake Reynolds (165 lbs.) and Clint Osborn (197 lbs.) were both runners-up for the Tar Heels.

Connor won his first three matches by fall, the quickest being in 0:39 seconds, before defeating Chris Rodrigues 1-0 in the final of the 125 lbs. division.

Byers won his first three matches 18-4, 16-3 and 19-7 before winning the final of the 133 lbs. class by a score of 12-8 over Nate Thoresen of Pensacola Christian College.

Bentley had two wins by fall on his way to the 149 lbs. final before defeating The Citadel's Wayne Watts 12-6. DiGuiseppe followed that up with a 3-1 decision over Mike Cox of Campbell in the 157 lbs. final. DiGuiseppe reached the final by winning his first three matches by scores of 17-2, 3-2 and 5-2.

Corey Bell was strong for Carolina at 174 lbs., defeating Princeton's Greg Parker 4-2 in the final. Bell defeated three opponents by scores of 16-0, 9-0 and 10-6 on the way to the championship match. Kenny wrapped things up for the Tar Heels, defeating Binghamton-SUNY's Dmitry Lisenenkov by fall in 1:44. The pin was Kenny's second of the day, the first coming in the quarterfinals against Jamie Cummings in 3:20.

Reynolds lost to lost a hard-fought match to Princeton's Ryan Bonfigilo 4-1 in the 165 lbs. final, while Osborn fell to UNC Greensboro's Dax Pacaro 14-9 in the 197 lbs. final.

Other Tar Heels to place included Chris Collins (third, 125), John Paul Igoe (fifth, 133), Mike Booth (third, 141), James Barnwell (fourth, 149), Mark Canty (fifth, 174), Nick Richmond (third, 184), Pat Fox (sixth, 184) and Ryan Adams (third, Hwt.)

The Tar Heels next travel to Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 1-2. Carolina's first dual meet of the season will be on Jan. 7 when Lehigh comes to Chapel Hill.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

125 lbs.-- Chuckie Connor (UNC) dec. Chris Rodrigues (unattached-Mich.), 1-0

125 lbs Results in PDF Format

133 lbs.-- Brad Byers (UNC) dec. Nate Thoreson (Pensacola Christian College), 12-8

133lbs Results in PDF Format

141 lbs.-- Joe Clark (Princeton) dec. Corey Williams (UNC Greensboro), 12-4

141lbs Results PDF Format

149 lbs.-- JohnMark Bentley (UNC) dec. Wayne Watts (The Citadel), 12-6

149lbs Results in PDF Format

157 lbs.-- Chris DiGuiseppe (unattached) dec. Mike Cox (Campbell), 3-1

157lbs Results in PDF Format

165 lbs.-- Ryan Bonfigilo (Princeton) dec. Jake Reynolds (UNC), 4-1

165lbs Results in PDF Format

174 lbs.-- Corey Bell (UNC) dec. Greg Parker (Princeton), 4-2

174 lbs Results in PDF Format

184 lbs.-- Tom Cass (unattached) dec. Austin Palmer (unattached), 2-1

184lbs Results in PDF Format

197 lbs.-- Dax Pacaro (UNC Greensboro) dec. Clint Osborn (UNC), 14-9

197lbs Results in PDF Format

Hwt. -- Matt Kenny (UNC) pins Dmitry Lisenenkov (Binghamton-SUNY), 1:44

Hwt. Results in PDF Format