CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Senior
Zach Pizarro (Easton, Pa./Easton) has had a career this year and capped off his final collegiate season by achieving All-American Status after winning a pair of matches in the wrestlebacks at the NCAA Championships. His teammate
Frank Heffernan (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh), however, came up short in his quest to be an All-American for the second- straight year.
Pizarro, who is competing at 197, drew top-seeded Jared Massey of Augsburg and was seconds away from reversing him before Massey escaped with a 3-1 win. Pizarro made the most of the situation as he bounced back with an 11-2 win over Connor McNamara of Ursinus before beating seventh seeded Rob Kramer of Coe College.
Pizarro will continue tomorrow in the wrestlebacks where he will take on the winner of t he Adam Latella of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Bill Schindel of Mount Union match.
Heffernan, competing at 174, entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed and received an opening-round bye before beating Christopher Karl of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 4-1. In his second match of the day he took fourth seed Kyle Kwiat of Ohio Northern to overtime, but eventually fell 6-4. In the wrestlebacks he fell to Dylan Azinger of Wartburg for his second loss, eliminating him from the competition.
More coverage on Pizarro and his All-American run will continue tomorrow.