Wrestling

Wrestlers Set for Knox, MacMurray
         Southern Illinois University Edwardsville wrestling coach Booker Benford has reason to be a little more optimistic these days.
         SIUE ran its dual meet record to 2-1 over the weekend with a 36-9 loss to Indiana and a 19-16 win over Manchester. The Cougars' next match is Tuesday in Jacksonville against Knox and MacMurray. Benford said Illinois College and Missouri Baptist also should be in attendance at the event, which begins at 5 p.m.
         Benford said most of his Cougars wrestled hard for seven minutes.
         Joe Rujawitz (Belleville) improved his record to 13-2 with a 6-1 victory over Matt McIntire from Indiana, a wrestler who came into the match ranked in the top 10 nationally. Rujawitz, however, lost in overtime 6-4 to Rocky Burkett of Manchester.
         "Maybe that will be his wake-up call," said Benford.
         Benford also focused his overall lineup. SIUE had a wrestler in every weight class after 141-pounder Alec Lininger (Bloomington) returned from an ankle injury.
         "For us to beat Manchester, everything had to go right," said Benford.
                  -siue cougars-