Lineups nearly complete for 2003 Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic

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John Fuller (TheMat.com)
01/16/2003


The National Wrestling Coaches Association has received confirmation on all but two of the competitors in the 2003 Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic in Newark, Del. on Feb. 3. The meet will take place at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the Univ. of Delaware.    The NWCA is waiting for comfirmations from athletes at 133 lbs. and 165 lbs. before the lineups are finalized.    The Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic pits two of the top wrestlers in the nation at each weight against each other. Defending NCAA champion Greg Jones of West Virginia (174 lbs.) and NCAA finalist Steve Mocco of Iowa (285 lbs.) have committed to competing in the event. Jones will face Oklahoma State star Chris Pendleton while Mocco will take on Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State, whom Mocco lost to in a tiebreaker in the NCAA finals last season. Mocco exacted revenge at the 40th Midlands Championships with a 4-1 victory over Rowlands.    Jessman Smith of Iowa will battle Clint Wattenberg of Cornell at 184 lbs. in a rematch of the 40th Midlands Championships finals this season. Smith won the previous meeting 6-5.    As many as six matches could decide who receives the top ranking in the nation in next week's TheMat.com Division I Coaches Individual Poll, including the matches at 174 lbs., 184 lbs. and 285 lbs.    At 125 lbs., All-Americans Chris Fleeger of Purdue and Travis Lee of Cornell will square off in a much-anticipated match that is sure to give the winner the top ranking in the nation.    Scott Owen of Northern Illinois and Keaton Anderson of Ohio State will face off at 157 lbs. Owen was an All-American last season and garnered four top votes in the latest TheMat.com Division I Coaches Individual Poll while Anderson, who moved up in weight this season, recorded two top votes.    At 197 lbs., NCAA finalist Jon Trenge of Lehigh match up with Muhammed Lawal of Oklahoma State, a transfer from Division II Central Oklahoma this season. Trenge defeated Lawal in an open tournament last season 3-2. The winner of this will be on the fast track to the No. 1 seed at the NCAA Tournament in March.    Freshmen Dustin Manotti of Cornell and Troy Letters of Lehigh have both been selected to compete as well. Manotti will face All-American Jake Percival of Ohio University at 141 lbs. Letters' opponent in the 165-pound match has not yet been determined.    In keeping with the tradition of the All-Star Classic, a hometown wrestler has also been selected to compete in the event. This year, that wrestler is John Testa of Clarion (285 lbs.), who grew up in Newark, Del. and wrestled at St. Mark's High School. He will compete against Matt Feast of Pennsylvania.    Others committed to competing in the 2003 Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic are All-American Witt Durden of Oklahoma (133 lbs.), All-American Mike Maney of Lock Haven (141 lbs.) and Dylan Long of Northern Iowa (141 lbs.)    Continue to log on to TheMat.com for more updates concerning the 2003 Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic.    2003 Cape Cod Potato Chips/NWCA All-Star Classic Lineup  Newark, Del.  Feb. 3, 2003  125 - Chris Fleeger (Purdue) vs. Travis Lee (Cornell)  133 - Witt Durden (Oklahoma) vs. TBA  141 - Mike Maney (Lock Haven) vs. Dylan Long (Northern Iowa)  149 - Jake Percival (Ohio) vs. Dustin Manotti (Cornell)  157 - Scott Owen (Northern Illinois) vs. Keaton Anderson (Ohio State)  165 - Troy Letters (Lehigh) vs. TBA  174 - Greg Jones (West Virginia) vs. Chris Pendleton (Oklahoma State)  184 - Jessman Smith (Iowa) vs. Clint Wattenberg (Cornell)  197 - Jon Trenge (Lehigh) vs. Muhammad Lawal (Oklahoma State)  285 - John Testa (Clarion) vs. Matt Feast (Pennsylvania)  285 - Steve Mocco (Iowa) vs. Tommy Rowlands (Ohio State)