Kevin Mulcahy

Staff writer

Easterns’ basketball team is not the only Panther team to come into the national spotlight this season as Panther wrestler Louis Taylor battled his way to victory at the NCAA West Regional Sunday to secure a spot at the NCAA national tournament.

With a season full of heart-felt defeat Eastern wrestlers went to regionals to obtain some national exposure, but did not get what they were looking for as they finished fifth as a team at the tournament.

Despite a sub-par showing for the team, junior Louis Taylor turned it on and came through to win a place at nationals at 174-pounds.

“This was a gauntlet for him,” head wrestling coach Ralph McCausland said.

Taylor won his first match of the regional tournament and also won a close second match of the tournament in the third period.

“His second match was a big come behind win,” McCausland said. “He was down a few points going into the third period, but he took his opponent down eight times in the last period for the win.”

Louis then went on to be defeated by Wyomings 174-pounder and former teammate 5-4.

Taylor moved on to defend his second place seed against the No.17 nationally ranked Eric Brown from Iowa and win to ensure a spot for him at the NCAA national tournament next Thursday.

Sophomore Frank DeFilippis was one win away from qualifying also but fell short after losing a tie breaker in overtime at 157-pounds against an Air Forces’ wrestler.

DeFilippis lost his first match 3 -0 against Fresno States’ nationally ranked wrestler.

“It was a heartbreaker for him,” McCausland said. “He had some opportunities. As a coach with Frank being a sophomore you want to get him to the tournament and get him that exposure.”

McCausland credits the teams losses to the intense competition that they faced at the regionals.

“There was some tough competition,” McCausland said. “We had some tough matches but we didn’t capitalize. We had a lot of tight missed opportunities.”

McCausland plans to work extensively with Taylor in preparation for the task that faces him next week.

“We’re going to plan workouts around Louis,” McCausland said. “He is our main focus now.”

McCausland is confident in the ability of Taylor to focus in on his strengths, use them to his advantage and focus on the unbelievable high level of competition that Taylor may face.

“He knows his strengths,” McCausland said. “He is great wrestling on his feet. He will need to focus, though. The competition will be fierce. It is the elite of the elite.”

The team will continue workouts and will participate in the training of Taylor for the national tournament next Thursday.