2F - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 3, 1997 SPORTS Wrestlrs season crippled by injuries By Tracy Sandier Daily Sports Writer It started in August and never really stopped. The injuries kept piling up for the Michigan wrestling team (6-3 Big Ten, 10-5 overall), and by the end of the season, the athletes were exhausted. At the NCAA championships in March, where they placed 25th, the Wolverines had four competitors. Of those four, only No. 3 seed Jeff Catrabone (167 pounds) placed in the top eight, earning All-America honors for the second consecutive year.Unseeded Chris Viola (118 pounds), No. 3 seed Bill Lacure (150 pounds) and No.6 seed Airron Richardson (heavyweight) each lost in the third round of their consolation matches. Although he wrestled well throughout the tourna- ment, Viola was competing with an injured shoulder, which required surgery after the season. Viola lost his first match of the tournament to No. 2 seed Teague Moore of Oklahoma State in sudden-death overtime. "If anybody on our team stepped it up and wrestled to the best of his ability, it was Chris," Michigan coach Dale Bahr said at nationals. Lacure was sick during the NCAA champi- onship, but both he and Richardson, who were All- Americans going into nationals, did not wrestle to their abilities, partly due to a long season. The Wolverines started seven true freshmen, putting pressure on junior captains Lacure, Catrabone and Richardson. Lacure's regular season record was 25- 6, while Catrabone was 27-3. Richardson compiled a 24-4 record during the season. "All year (was) a struggle to keep our head above water," Bahr said. "Most of the year, they did. The kids hung in there and hung in there, but I think it takes its toll. I think mentally it wears on you." The first sign of trouble came in late August, when the team found it would be without All-American Brandon Howe (126 pounds) who underwent season- ending shoulder surgery. After Howe's injury came the news that 134 pounder Brian Aparo could be lost to an elbow injury, also requiring surgery. Then, freshman Damion Logan. who was filling in nicely for Howe with a 15-4 record, separated his shoulder at the Las Vegas Classic in December. Howe said the team's older members need to step up as much as, if not more, this season. "I'm fired up" Howe said. "We came in with a good class. We're the old men on the team, and we have to pick up the slack for the younger guys. As far as the team's lone All American, Catrabone looks to his last season to be his best. "We've got two superstars coming back in Brandon and Logan' Catrabone said. "I want the team to be in the top two, and I want to be a national champ:" I TSSO TPR 200 GYMNASTICS Continued from Page IF beat the Tide by 1.45 points. And a dismal performance by Georgia - easily the best team of 1997 - at the Southeast regional the same evening left the door open for any team to come in and snatch away the NCAA title. Michigan was now in the hunt for its first-ever NCAA title, and entered the season's final showdown as the No. 1 seed. The Georgia Bulldogs faltered again at the NCAA championship - but no Wolverines stood atop the awards podi- um in Gainesville, Fla. Michigan peaked two weeks too early to claim the crown. Despite falling to UCLA, which was also seeking its first national champi- onship, the Wolverines made a close run. Michigan was running neck and neck with the Bruins going into the last event, when the Wolverines fin- ished with a subpar 48.875 on the floor exercise, winding up fourth overall. Still, the lower finish did lit- tle to diminish Michigan's accom- plishments last year. "Our team did an absolutely out- standing job and I'm very pleased with their performance," Plocki said. "I'm just proud to say that we were on the podium, and we've been on the podium three out of the last four years. And I think that's quite an accomplishment." 142-pound sophomore Oybandl zHill competes in a Jan. 29, 1997 match. The wrestling team was plagued with Injuries last season. Men's gy-mnastics faces uphillclMb w a t c h t h e w o r l d " stainless steel case with screwed back and protected crown " tough stainless steel bracelet " scratch-resistant sapphire crystal " water-resistant to 200 meters DD TISSOT' Swiss 1853 * APPAREL MOUNT * PARTS & ACCESSORIES * TOURIN * SERVICE & REPAIR - FREESTY 4 0 STADIUM CHECK IT OUT AT THE AIN G LE By Jacob Wheeler Daily Sports Writer Luckily for first-year Michigan men's gymnastics coach Kurt Golder, the sport he coaches highlights individ- ual achievement. As a result, he found a silver lining in the dark cloud that the 1997 season became. Freshmen sensations Tim DeGraw and Jose "LaLo" Haro represented that bright spot. With Michigan still reeling from years of stagnation at the bottom of the Big Ten, Golder saw only his two prized freshmen qualify for the NCAA prelimi- naries in 1997. The rest of the Wolverines struggled throughout the season and Michigan went winless in dual meets. But DeGraw and Haro buddied up, as the only Wolverines competing in the post-season. Haro's scoresawere among the nation's best all year and DeGraw did what no other male Michigan gym- nast has done in five years - he became an All American. By placing fourth in the floor exercise with a score of 9.75, DeGraw beat Olympian Blaine Wilson in the NCAA finals in Iowa City. "He was so close to being the nation- al champion," Golder said. "But the field was very tight." DeGraw put up his best routine of the season at the NCAA championships, landing his difficult tumbles. He was W aided by having the last draw in his event. "The All-American title will give (Tim) more confidence, and make him more well known next year," Golder said. "That should improve his_.sCores greatly with the judges next yeah'2: Though he didn't fare as wel'as DeGraw in the post-season, Haro'fow has a successful season under his-belt. The 22-year-old freshman led Michigan during the regular season and attaine-a No. 7 ranking in the all-around entef the NCAA preliminaries. Haro came from Mexico to attend Michigan this year. Previously, Haro was virtually unknown among national judges. But Golder said Haro will gain more respect in coming years. 3 "The Big Tens have accomplish~ed some of that," Golder said. "We gained a lot of recognition with (the Big Ten championship). Next year, when e raises his hand, instead of the jus asking, who this is, they'll be saying, 'This guy is great."' The road ahead for the team is still an uphill climb. Next, Golder faces the task of further polishing the team's talent. 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