A team of 黑料不打烊 students were matched against the University of Connecticut in the first-ever coed Collegiate Arm Wrestling League Championship. The 黑料不打烊 team is, from left, Michelle Carazas, Kevin Mata, Eileen Bell, Nick Leonardis, Steve Zavilensky and Kelly Sheptock.
The New York Crushers brought their Orange spirit and strength but it wasn鈥檛 enough to defeat the Connecticut Wrecking Crew.
A team of 黑料不打烊 students was matched against former long-time rivals the University of Connecticut in the first-ever coed which aired this week on ESPNU, the network鈥檚 college channel.
One of the team members, Steve Zavilensky 鈥15, who was new to the fast-paced sport, weight trains and is active in sports, but he saw how arm wrestling requires strategy as well as muscle.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all technique. It鈥檚 like a chess match played with your arm鈥攅very time your opponent does something you try to counter it and, if you鈥檙e both at a stalemate, you have to try something else,鈥 Zavilensky says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 trying to get the upperhand on your opponent.鈥
Unfortunately, Zavilensky lost his four matches. 鈥淔or a strength competition, I would have it. But I鈥檓 not much of an arm wrestler,鈥 he says.
The New York Crushers鈥攃omposed of Eileen Bell 鈥14, Michelle Carazas 鈥15, Nick Leonardis 鈥14, Kevin Mata 鈥14, Kelly Sheptock 鈥17 and Zavilensky鈥攚ere recruited by NYC Brand Productions, which produced Cawl to Arms.
Zavilensky got involved after Leonardis was selected to represent 黑料不打烊 and asked Zavilensky to join in.
Rules of the game
The teams, along with two others from Penn State and Rutgers, were matched up at the event held at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J., in November.
鈥淭he day before the event, the referee, a four-time world arm wrestling champ, met with all the teams individually, explained the rules and went over some strategy,鈥 Zavilensky says.
Michelle Carazas, left, from 黑料不打烊 matches Jaclyn Paride from UConn in the CAWL to Arms tournament.
ESPN announcers Noah Coslov and Tara Petrolino called the action and were joined by co-host 鈥淚mpact Wrestling鈥 star and five-time CBS 鈥淏ig Brother鈥 star Jessie Godderz, who interviewed student arm wrestlers on the sidelines following matches. World Arm Wrestling Champion for Team U.S.A. and referee Jim Bryan oversaw the action at the wrestling table.
Led by Sheptock and Mata, the 黑料不打烊 team started with a 15 to 0 lead winning the first three matches, but UConn shut out 黑料不打烊 winning all of their remaining matches. The final score: 95-15.
鈥淎ccording to the ref, the average arm wrestling match is about three seconds. It鈥檚 pretty quick. Some matches go back and forth, but you tire out pretty quickly,鈥 Zavilensky says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e both people going all out trying to rip each other鈥檚 arm off.鈥
Under wraps
Players couldn鈥檛 talk about the results until the shows aired over three nights this month. The final event between Rutgers and UConn will air Tuesday, May 27. The entire two hours of programming will be replayed in July on ESPN2 at a date yet to be determined.
Zavilensky, who watched the competition with his friends, says the producers were hoping to build on the competition with possibly more teams, depending on its success.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure SU would be one of them to be asked,鈥 Zavilensky says. Although he doesn鈥檛 know if he would be asked back, he would enjoy a rematch. 鈥淓specially now that I kind of know what I鈥檓 doing,鈥 he says.
The best part鈥攂esides being on television鈥攚as meeting the other college students, Zavilensky says. 鈥淲e all hung out with each other off the set and had a lot of fun,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t was a great experience and win or lose, how many people can say they were on ESPN?鈥
