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	February 19, 2002 #15 Haven Grapplers To Host Bucknell, Bloomsburg

	(Lock Haven, Pa.) - The #15 Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania wrestling team (14-4, 5-1 EWL) will host a double-header of wrestling action on Thursday evening, Feb. 21, taking on Bucknell University (2-7, 0-2 EIWA) and Bloomsburg University (1-12, 0-6 EWL). The dual meet against Bucknell is slated for a 6 p.m. start, while the action against Eastern Wrestling League opponent Bloomsburg is scheduled for 8 p.m. The Bald Eagles are coming off almost two weeks’ rest following a trip westward where they lost a 19-12 contest to West Virginia University before defeating the University of Pittsburgh, 27-6. This is the last week of regular season action for LHU, capping off its 2001-02 dual meet schedule with a highly touted match-up versus Penn State on Saturday (2/23).	LHU's JaMarr Billman
	The Bucknell Bison are 2-7 overall following a come-from-behind 25-23 victory over Binghamton University on Feb. 10. The Bald Eagles’ 8 p.m. match-up will mark the end of the dual meet season for Bloomsburg, who brings in a 1-12 mark and an 0-6 EWL record on the season. Most recently, the Huskies suffered a 31-10 loss to Rider University. Their only victory of the season came against Slippery Rock University, a 27-18 win. Bloomsburg had two PSAC Championship place winners, including 184-pound runner-up Justin Johnson. The Series: Over the years, The Haven has established a 38-19 advantage over Bloomsburg. LHU has not lost a match against Bloomsburg during Head Coach Carl Poff’s tenure -- the Huskies last defeated the Bald Eagles one year before Poff assumed the reigns, a 25-10 score in 1990. Last season Lock Haven came away with the 31-10 victory. Lock Haven has never lost a dual meet against local opponent Bucknell University, holding a 13-0 edge over the Bison. Last season’s contest ended in a 37-7 victory for the Bald Eagles. Below is a weight-by-weight preview: 125: Trap McCormack (Loganton/Bald Eagle Nittany) is going for his third-straight 20-win season, sitting at 19-3 entering into this week’s action following wins over his West Virginia and Pittsburgh opponents a week and a half ago. Dave Predko (Ridgway/Ridgway) has a 4-5 overall mark. Bucknell has been thin in its lower weights this season, opting for the forfeit at 125 on most occasions. Bloomsburg will mat Brock Hite (16-5) here. McCormack handed Hite a 6-2 decision in last season’s dual meet. 133: Chris Spealler (Paoli/Great Valley) (10-6) and Blair Tugman (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) (4-3) will both handle duties for the Bald Eagles at 133 pounds. In his first matches back to the mat following an ankle injury, Spealler dropped his two bouts to WVU and Pittsburgh opponents. Bucknell’s Josh Perrin (7-6) is the likely choice here, as is Bloomsburg’s Mark Piermettei (7-19). 141: Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) and Justin Owens (Morrisdale/West Branch) will represent The Haven at 141 pounds. Maney is 19-4 after splitting a pair of matches during the West Virginia/Pittsburgh trip. Owens is 4-2 overall. The Bison list junior Brandn Green (1-1) as their headliner at 141 pounds, and Bloomsburg will utilize Adam Castner (6-13). Maney pinned Castner in 4:05 in the LHU-Bloom dual meet last season. 149: LHU keeps its pair of PSAC champions in the lineup at 149 pounds, JaMarr Billman (Easton/Easton Area) and James LaValle (East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park). Billman posted two victories out at West Virginia and Pittsburgh, improving to 26-2 overall. LaValle owns a 13-4 season mark. Bucknell’s Justin Hartrum (5-11) will wrestle for the Bison. Bloomsburg has indicated that it will most likely forfeit the 149-pound bout. 157: Jason Gilligan (Brookville/Brookville) and David Beard (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) are both probable starters for the Bald Eagles this Thursday. Gilligan is 9-10, falling in a 4-1 bout against WVU’s #10 Joe Carr before reversing the favor to Pittsburgh’s Zach Doll for his own 4-1 victory. Beard enters with a 2-6 overall mark after competing in several open tournaments. Wrestling for Bucknell will be Rocky Miller (4-11), while Bloomsburg will mat B.J. Mikeska (11-18). 165: Charlie Brenneman (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) and Chris Haines (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) are in line to wrestle for the Bald Eagles at 165 pounds. Brenneman is now 9-10 overall after an 8-6 win over Pittsburgh’s Carl Fronhofer. Haines is 16-9 for the season, putting up a good battle against WVU’s sixth-ranked Tom McMath before falling 5-3 to the Mountaineer. Bucknell will use Mike Saunders (0-6) while Bloomsburg’s Duane Bastress (16-12) will vie for the win for the Huskies. LHU’s Haines defeated Bastress, 6-5, to capture third place at this year’s PSAC Championships. 174: Lock Haven’s lineup at 174 pounds is filled by Ed Pawlak (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern) and Eric O’Connor (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown). Pawlak is now 9-12 overall after splitting his bouts on LHU’s last road trip, including an 11-5 win over Pittsburgh’s Matt Catullo. O’Connor is even at 5-5 on the season. Brock Hostetter (3-7) will step on the mat for Bucknell, while Bloomsburg will use Josh Hewes (8-7) in the attempt to score team points here. 184: Josh Millard (Mill Hall/Bald Eagle Area) and Mike Greenberg (Canton/Canton) are the two Bald Eagles in search of wins on Thursday evening. Millard improved his season total to 16-5 following victories over WVU’s Ryan Wilman (7-5) and Pittsburgh’s Rob Black (16-5). Greenberg is 5-6 overall. Bucknell’s Brian Neuman (16-9) leads the Bison in wins, and will be on hand to contest either of the pair of Bald Eagles here at 184 pounds. PSAC runner-up Justin Johnson (12-6) of Bloomsburg will challenge either wrestler for the EWL win. Millard defeated Johnson, 15-5, in the PSAC title match-up, and also met up with Neuman at the Mat-Town U.S.A. tournament where he pinned the Bison in 4:33. Greenberg also matched up against Neuman, defeating him 7-3 at Mat-Town. 197: Lock Haven’s Avery Zerkle (Urbana, Ohio/Graham) along with Jarred Dressler (Mifflin/Juniata) handle the Bald Eagle effort at 197 pounds. Zerkle is 11-6 after registering two wins in LHU’s last road trip including a 5-2 victory over #19 David Sandberg of Pittsburgh. Dressler enters the week with a 5-4 overall mark. Wrestling for Bucknell at 197 pounds is Andrew Herbert (3-8). Bloomsburg’s Andy Ludlow (7-12) will take over duties for the Huskies. Zerkle defeated Ludlow by technical fall, 19-3, in PSAC championships action earlier this season. HWT: Bald Eagles Tim Boetsch (Lincolnville, Maine/Camden Rockport) and Steve Itterly (Bethlehem/Nazareth) will both attempt the victory at heavyweight. Boetsch is 4-13 overall and teammate Itterly is 0-1 on the season. Bucknell’s Brian Falciglia (13-7) is the probable starter, while Bloomsburg will use Tony Milone (12-6). UP NEXT: Lock Haven will host Penn State in its final dual meet of the season on Sat., Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. in Thomas Field House.
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