Altman, DeCamp Lead Wildcats At UNC Pembroke Open

Saturday, November 14

Pembroke, N.C.

All day

Davidson College

Pembroke Open

Ben Altman

Altman, DeCamp Lead Wildcats At UNC Pembroke Open

11/14/2009 10:34:36 PM | Wrestling

By: Mark Brumbaugh

PEMBROKE, N.C. – Senior Ben Altman (125 pounds) and sophomore David DeCamp (149) led the Davidson wrestling team with third-place finishes in their respective weight classes at the 29th annual Pembroke Classic on Saturday in the English E. Jones Center.

The Pembroke Open included just more than 300 student-athletes across 10 weight-classes in a double elimination tournament. There was no team scoring.

With competition at 125 not starting until the second round, Altman drew a bye in the second round and won a 14-9 decision over Newberry's Jonathan Cronin to advance to the quarterfinals. Altman just lost a 9-7 decision to Campbell's Wes Heavner to fall to the Wrestleback bracket, but Altman rallied with a 13-0 major decision over Belmont Abbey's Ryan Devita. In the Wrestleback quarterfinals, Altman earned his biggest win of the day, an 18-2 technical fall in 4 minutes, 59 seconds against Darton's Luis Ponce. In the semi-finals, Altman earned an 8-2 decision over Campbell's C.J. Gittens. The win placed Altman in contention for third-place, which he won in 1:26, pinning UNC Greensboro's Eric Chandler.

DeCamp's day began by pinning Limestone's Shaun Cadoret in 2:03 and UNC Greensboro's Aaron Smith in 1:02, but he ran into trouble in the Championship third round, losing an 8-3 decision to Joe Mavins.

DeCamp was undeterred, winning his next six matches. The preseason All-SoCon selection pinned UNC Pembroke's Noel Mueller in 53 seconds, won a 7-0 decision over Newberry's Nick Pare, and then won a 14-2 major decision over Newburry's Davis Bagwell to advance to the Wrestleback quarterfinals. DeCamp took a pair of 4-0 decisions over Campbell's Nick Rex and Virginia's Dave Ebbot to advance to the third-place match, where he pinned Brandon Bradley of UNC Pembroke in 1:57.

Freshmen Scott Ray and Brent Mowry both advanced to the Wrestleback sixth round. At 133, Ray picked up three major decisions. Mowry's wins came via an opening match pin and a pair of decisions at 157.

Freshmen Matt Zarth and Ike Crews also won by falls during the tournament. At 125, Zarth pinned Newberry's Michael Payne in the Wrestleback third round in 48 seconds. At 184, Crews pinned Darton's Andrew Boley in 1:51.

Davidson will next head north for the Sprawl & Brawl in Binghamton, N.Y. on Nov. 22.