2009 NCAA Division II Softball Tournament

January 28, 2004
Haven Grapplers Compete For PSAC Tournament Title This Weekend

Listen to LHU Wrestling at the PSAC Tournament live updates on WBPZ (1230 AM) on Sat., Jan. 31.

**InterMat rankings.

Tournament Host Website: Edinboro University

Conference Website: PSAC website

Below is the LHU weight-by-weight preview:

125: Sophomore Jim Collins (Jonestown/Northern Lebanon) entered last year’s PSAC tournament as the fifth seed and finished in third place, defeating East Stroudsburg’s Mark Koszyk, 7-4, in the consolation championship bout. Collins is 12-6 overall and has won nine of his most recent 11 match-ups including the last two by fall. Koszyk and Collins both return to the lineup of competing wrestlers.

133: Making his first PSAC tournament appearance will be senior Dave Predko (Ridgway/Ridgway). Predko is 5-6 on the season but is 5-4 in tournament wrestling, including a win at the Wilkes Open. Edinboro’s Jacob Gray, the 125-pound champion last season, has moved up to 133 pounds and along with last season’s fifth-place finisher Dave Roberts of Millersville, will also challenge for the top finish.

141: Freshman Ian McGoldrick (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley) is also making his first appearance at the PSAC tournament. McGoldrick is 3-5 this season and will be looking to break out of a four-match slump after most recently dropping a 5-2 decision to Edinboro’s Ron Doppleheuer. Of his three wins, however, the Haven first-year wrestler has two by major decision and the third by fall. The 141-pound title grab is going to be highly contested, with Clarion’s No. 20-ranked Frank Edgar emerging as an early favorite. Edinboro’s Ron Doppleheuer, Bloomsburg’s Scott Heckman and Millersville’s Derek Sola could each make a title run as well.

149: No. 7-ranked Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) could add to his name to the short list of four-time PSAC champions with a first-place finish this weekend. Maney won the title the last three seasons at 141 pounds, collecting last year’s crown by pinning Edinboro’s Corey Ace in the last second of the third period in the championship bout. A total of 12 wrestlers have won the conference title all four seasons. Maney is currently 23-3 overall, claiming 13 bonus-point wins including six by fall, four by major decision and another three by technical fall. Bloomsburg’s Brad Forbes, last year’s runner-up, along with Edinboro’s Deonte Penn are potential challengers.

157: Charlie Brenneman (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) went 2-2 at last year’s PSAC Championships, finishing in fifth place with a 9-2 win over East Stroudsburg’s Keith Smith. This season Brenneman brings a 23-4 overall ledger into conference competition and has won six by major decision alone after recording only one major decision in his first three seasons of action. Brenneman could meet up with last year’s 149-pound champion Brad Cieleski of Slippery Rock, Clarion’s Chris Horning, along with Millersville’s Craig Pequignot, the fourth-place finisher in 2003.

165: The Haven’s Jason Gilligan (Brookville/Brookville) was the PSAC runner-up last season in a 7-2 loss to Matt King of Edinboro. Gilligan has wrestled top-20 ranked wrestlers in each of his last four matches, losing all but one by two or less points including one sudden victory loss. The senior Bald Eagle is currently 7-6 on the season. This weekend he could meet up with King of Edinboro, ranked third in the nation, along with Shippensburg’s Mark Murphy, ranked seventh in Division II. Clarion’s Jeremy Reitz, the runner-up at 157 pounds last season, is also now wrestling at 165 pounds.

174: Dan Riggs (Hanover/Delone Catholic) will wrestle for the Haven at 174 pounds, making his first appearance at the PSAC tournament. Riggs is 5-7 overall, last stepping out onto the mat against No. 7-ranked Nate Yetzer of Edinboro and giving the Fighting Scot a battle, losing in a high-scoring 19-13 tussle. Another possible title contender, Bloomsburg’s No. 18-ranked Justin Johnson, will be out due to injury, but Millersville’s Curtis Yeager, a sixth-place finisher last season, is back to compete. 

184: Senior Mike Greenberg (Canton/Canton) is back to challenge for the title in his final PSAC Championships after placing fifth last season with a 13-2 major decision against Bloomsburg’s Chad Hoare. Greenberg is 10-10 on the season after suffering a loss in dual meet action versus Edinboro’s No. 17-ranked Alex Clemsen. Clemsen will return to the PSAC tourney to defend his title, and Shippensburg’s Corey Jacoby, the third-place finisher last season, will also be on hand to challenge for the crown.

197: Another PSAC Tournament newcomer makes a run for hardware at 197 pounds, red-shirt freshman Carlos Ponce (Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah Miami Lakes). Ponce, now 5-10 on the season, will be looking to get back on track after suffering five straight losses and aid the Bald Eagles with a few points in the team scoring. This season the 197-pound weight class will be wide open, as not one of the top six placewinners from 2003 return.

HWT: Steve Itterly (Bethlehem/Nazareth) is the highest finishing returner to the heavyweight class at the conference tournament after placing second to four-time champion John Testa of Clarion last season. Itterly is 8-9 on the season. He will have to contend with returning competitors No. 20-ranked Joe Hennis of Edinboro, the fifth-place finisher last season, along with Millersville’s Mike Davidowich. 

UP NEXT: Lock Haven will next host Cleveland State University in EWL action on Sat., Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m. The Lock Haven wrestling program will honor its 2004 Wrestling Hall of Fame inductees prior to the start of that match-up. 

###LHU###