Snowy trip was gripping

BY TIM PEARRELL
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
March 03, 2001

Steve Sica and two other Collegiate teammates made their way through snowy weather
last Thursday to participate in the prep national tournament at Lehigh University
in Bethlehem, Pa.

Nobody else from Collegiate or St. Christopher's, though, was able to make the trip
as previously reported.

A van from Collegiate, carrying nine wrestlers, and a van from St. Christopher's,
carrying 10, were following each other to the tournament. Both became stuck within
100 yards of a 20-car pileup in the northbound lanes on I-95 near Ashland.

Collegiate Athletic Director Charlie McFall and St. Christopher's Athletic Director
Dick Kemper decided to have the wrestlers return home after they were stranded for
almost 5 1/2 hours.

Collegiate coach Frank Kiefer said Sica and teammate Seth Lotts later flew to
Pennsylvania in a rented plane. Kiefer drove up with Mac Friddell that night,
arriving around 4 a.m. The tournament began at 8:30 a.m.

Sica, a 119-pounder, won six of eight matches and finished fifth. Lotts went 2-1 at
275 pounds, and Friddell was 0-1 at 130.

© 2001, Richmond Newspapers Inc.