LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Championships are coming back to Mat Town U.S.A., as the Lock Haven University wrestling team is set to host the 2009 League Championships.
The Championship:
The 34th EWL Championships are set for Saturday, March 7 in Thomas Fieldhouse. Action kicks off at 10 a.m. in Clinton County and the Bald Eagles will be looking for big things as they return three NCAA Division I National Qualifiers from a year ago.
EWL Schedule:
10:00 a.m. Session I Begins
Round 1 - 30 Bouts (2 mats)
Round 2 - 30 Bouts (2 mats)
Championship Bracket Semi-Finals
Consolation Bracket Round 1
5:00 p.m. Session II Begins
Round 3 - 20 Bouts (2 mats)
Consolation Bracket Semi-Finals
6:45 p.m. Parade of Champions - EWL Hall of Fame Inductees and Finalists
7:00 p.m. Session III Begins
Round 4 - 30 Bouts (3 mats)
Championship Finals - Mat 2
Consolation Finals (3rd and 4th place) - Mat 1
Consolation Finals (5th and 6th place) - Mat 3
8:15 p.m. presentation of Awards: 125, 133, 141, 149, and 157
Round 4 continues immediately upon completion
9:30 pm. presentation of Awards: 165, 174, 184, 197, 285, Team Awards and Outstanding Wrestler
Ticket Information:
All Sessions:
$25 for general admission
$20 for under 18 or college students with ID
Session 2, including finals:
$20 for adult reserved
$16 for general admission
$12 for under 18 or college students with ID
Finals
$12 for adult reserved
$10 for general admission
$7 for under 18 or college students with ID
Probable lineups:
LHU -
125: Nick Hyatt, R-So. (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown)
133: Billy Ashnault So. (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield)
141: Zach Kell, R-So. (Ickesburg, Pa./West Perry)
149: Matt Fittery, Sr. (Denver, Pa./Cocalico)
157: Ollie Cooperwood, Sr. (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights)
165: Aaron Ernest, Fr. (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove)
174: Travis Stem, Jr. (Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle)
184: Tom Kocher, Sr. (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township)
197: Ben Hepburn, Sr. (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock)
HWT: Gabe Murtorff, R-Fr. (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs)
Three National Qualifiers return:
Lock Haven returns three National Qualifiers from a year ago including Billy Ashnault, Matt Fittery and Ben Hepburn.
Last time out:
Wrestling pins Clarion 27-13 in regular season finale
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University wrestling team (7-9-1, 2-4 EWL) picked up a huge win tonight at home in Thomas Fieldhouse as the Bald Eagles downed rival Clarion University (8-13, 1-5 EWL) 27-13 in Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) action.
The match was the regular season finale for both teams.
The Bald Eagles won six of the 10 bouts.
Lock Haven started off their final home meet strong with back-to-back pins to take the early 12-0 lead.
Nick Hyatt (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) scored the pin over Clarion’s Jay Ivcanco in a thrilling overtime 125-pound bout. The pin came at 7:30 minute mark of the match.
Billy Ashanult (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) scored the second victory of the night in the second period. Ashnault scored the pin over Cameron Moran at 4:07 of 133-pound bout.
The two teams would exchange the next seven matchups throughout the evening.
Lock Haven grapplers had their hands raised in the 149,165 and 184 pound matches.
Senior Matt Fittery (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) picked up the win over Greg Lewis in the 149 pound match by a score of 12-6. Fittery sealed the victory with two third period takedowns.
Aaron Ernest (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) won his 165 pound match with Dominic Ross, 6-5, after escaping at 1:08 in the third period. The escape helped Ernest take the one point lead and victory.
Tom Kocher (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) was able to hold off Clint Podish at 184 pounds and secured the 7-3 victory.
Kocher and Podish fought back and forth throughout the match and it was a takedown with 49 seconds left in the match that gave Kocher a 6-3 lead and the riding time advantage gave Kocher the four point win.
The last match of the night ended the same as the first two.
Heavyweight Gabe Murtorff (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) slammed Quintas McCorkle to the mat in the first period and secured the fall just 2:21 into bout.
The Bald Eagles return to action when they host the EWL Championships at Thomas Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 7.
LHU Wrestling:
Saturday, Feb. 21 2009
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Thomas Fieldhouse
Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Dual
Clarion at Lock Haven
Clarion 8-12 overall & 1-4 EWL
LHU 6-9-1 overall & 1-4 EWL
Individual Match-by-Match
125: Nick Hyatt (LHU) pin Jay Ivanco (Clarion) – 7:30 (OT)
133: Billy Ashnault (LHU) pin Cameron Moran (Clarion) 4:07
141: Sal Lascari (Clarion) dec. Zach Kell (LHU) 8-3
149: Matt Fittery (LHU) dec. Grew Lewis (Clarion) 12-6
157: Hadley Harrison (Clarion) maj. dec. Ollie Cooperwood (LHU) 11-2
165: Aaron Ernest (LHU) dec. Dominic Ross (Clarion) 6-5
174: Scott Joseph (Clarion) maj. dec. Travis Stem 17-6
184: Tom Kocher (LHU) dec. Clint Podish (Clarion) 7-3
197: Jamie Luckett (Clarion) dec. Ben Hepburn (LHU) 3-1
HWT: Gabe Murtorff pin Quintas McCorkle 2:21
Televsion:
WHVL-State College will broadcast the EWL finals live, but fans will have plenty of chances to see the action again. The schedule can be found at http://www.ewlwrestling.com/
Fittery looking to make it a league of this own:
Senior Matt Fittery could certainly be a top a very elite class if the 149-pounder is able to pick up one more major decision is his already remarkable Bald Eagle career. He currently owns 23 career major decision, which puts him in a seven-way tie for the school record with an illustrious cast of grapplers. Seth Martin (2002-07), Mike Maney (2000-04), JaMarr Billman (1998-2002), Brian Leitzel (1993-97) and current Bald Eagle assistant coach Mike Rodgers (1993-97) all recorded 23 major decisions in their crimson and white careers. Fittery is 71-38 (.651) lifetime the mats for The Haven.
2008-09 LHU records:
Hyatt, 13-12
Ashnault, 19-12
Kell, 4-18
Fittery, 26-7
Cooperwood, 4-9
Ernest, 9-13
Stem, 1-7
Kocher, 23-9
Hepburn, 21-89
Murtorff, 6-20
Haven Season Leaders:
Wins:
Fittery, 26
Kocher 23
Hepburn 21
Ashnault, 20
Hyatt, 13
Winning Percentage:
Fittery, .788
Hepburn, .700
Ashnault, .613
Hyatt, .520
Falls:
Fittery, 5
Ashnault, 5
Hyatt, 5
Ernest, 4
Tech. Falls:
Fittery, 4
Wilkinson, 2
Ashnault, 2
Major Decisions:
Kocher, 7
Fittery, 6
Ashnault, 6
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