Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail), who registered his 100th career victory earlier in the tournament, became Pitt's first Midlands champion since two-time NCAA champion Pat Santoro claimed back-to-back tournament titles in 1987 and 1988. Gavin now owns a perfect 17-0 record on the season, including an 11-0 mark in tournament competition.
Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) also made his way to the championship finals and picked up a second-place finish to help the Panthers in the team standings. The returning All-American gave No. 1-ranked Mike Poeta of Illinois all he could ask for in the championship bout of the 157-pound bracket. Kocher, the No. 3 seed, battled Poeta throughout the match, mustering two escapes in a very low scoring affair. The Illini grappler coupled a takedown with an escape of his own, however, and held on in the third period to secure the title by a count of 3-2.
Along with his runner-up finish, Kocher grabbed his 100th career-tournament victory in yesterday's preliminary rounds, making him the first wrestler in Pitt history to accomplish the feat.
Zach Sheaffer (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley), who entered the tournament as the No. 7-seeded heavyweight, met up with Central Michigan's Bubba Gritter in a showdown for fifth-place. Pitt's redshirt junior battled Gritter to a 2-2 deadlock after two periods before the Chippewa heavyweight used an escape and two takedowns to pull away in the final frame. For his efforts, Sheaffer garnered a sixth-place honor and continues to lead the team in victories this season with 23.
Ryan Bosso (Pequea, Pa./Penn Manor) was the Panthers' fourth placewinner, taking seventh in the 125-pound bracket. He bested Tyler Mumbulo of the Peacock Wrestling Club by a count of 9-2 in the first session of today's action. It marked Bosso's best tournament finish as a collegian and raised his win total for the year to 15, which is fourth best on the team.
The Panthers next match will come when they return home to Fitzgerald Field House on Friday, Jan. 6, to take on Duquesne and Franklin and Marshall in a three-team affair at noon.
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