Wrestling Closes Out 2008 At Southern Scuffle

DURHAM, N.C.?The Duke University wrestling team hits the mats for the final time in 2008 this week at the Southern Scuffle hosted by UNC Greensboro on Dec. 29-30. The event kicks off at 10 a.m., on Dec. 29 at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Tickets to the annual tournament are $12 for adults, $8 for students with valid identification, and children under the age of five are free. Fans also can watch the action online through Spartan All Access. A link will be available at www.GoDuke.com. Single day packages are available for $9.95 and a weekend package is $16.95. Live results also will be available free of charge at www.SouthernScuffle.com.

The field features 28 teams, including five top 25 teams and five squads from the ACC. Headlining the Duke squad are juniors Konrad Dudziak and John Barone, earning seeding in the prestigious event.

Dudziak heads into the two-day tournament as the No. 4 seed at heavyweight. He is ranked 11th in the most recent national poll after earning runner-up honors at the Reno Tournament of Champions. The native of Bayonne, N.J., is 18-1 overall with his one setback coming against top-ranked Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State.

Barone is the sixth seed at 184 pounds and is ranked 20th by WrestlingReport.com. He enters the Southern Scuffle after bringing home fourth-place honors at the Reno Tournament of Champions. Sporting a 92-26 career record, Barone is 22-2 overall this season with three tournament titles.

The Blue Devils also will look for more strong performances from senior Aaron Glover and junior Voris Tejada. Glover advanced to the wrestleback quarterfinal round at 165 pounds in Reno, while Tejada went 2-2 at the Tournament of Champions and is 15-9 overall at 174 pounds.

Duke kicks off 2009 at the N.C. State Duals on Jan. 3 in Raleigh.

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