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	Feb. 22, 2002 Haven Grapplers To Close Out 2002 With Local Rivalry Against PSU

	(Lock Haven, Pa.) - The #15 Bald Eagle wrestling team will close out its regular dual meet season with the highly anticipated match-up against Penn State on Saturday evening, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. in Thomas Field House. Lock Haven (16-4, 6-1 EWL) enters on a three-meet win streak after scoring victories over Bucknell University, 37-11, and Bloomsburg University, 39-3, on Thursday evening. Penn State is 6-10 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten after most recently surprising #20 Michigan State, 17-16, for their first victory over a ranked team this season. Two Nittany Lions enter with a top-20 national ranking, #14 Scott Moore (141 lbs.) and #19 Doc Vecchio (165 lbs.). The last time the Nittany Lions where in Thomas Field House, they captured the Mat-Town Invitational team crown. A total of seven Penn State wrestlers advanced to the Mat-Town finals in five different weight classes, where three went on to capture the title. Only one of the three is in the current lineup, Scott Moore at 141 pounds, after season-ending injuries to both Josh Moore (133 lbs.) and Mark Becks (184 lbs.). Lock Haven sports a season best of five ranked grapplers in #3 JaMarr Billman (149 lbs.), #13 Mike Maney (141 lbs.), #13 Josh Millard (184 lbs.), #16 Avery Zerkle (197 lbs.), and #19 Trap McCormack (125 lbs.). With several wrestlers earning wins on Thursday evening, LHU now boasts three with 20-wins or more on its lineup sheet. The Series: The Nittany Lions have built a 23-3 advantage in the series. All three of Lock Haven’s wins have come since the 1995 season, when the Bald Eagles constructed a two-year run with a 20-14 victory in ‘95 and a 22-9 win in 1996. Penn State strung together four wins from 1997-2000, but LHU dominated the mats last season for a 24-9 victory.	Avery Zerkle and Co. will take on Penn State on Saturday evening in their last dual meet of the season.
	*Below is a weight-by-weight preview:* 125: Trap McCormack (Loganton/Bald Eagle Nittany) recorded his third-straight season with 20 wins or more, adding two on Thursday evening to improve to 21-3. After accepting the forfeit win against Bucknell, McCormack defeated Bloomsburg’s Brock Hite, 8-4. Penn State rookie Adam Smith (15-9) most recently lost an 11-6 bout against Michigan State’s #15 Chris Williams. 133: Chris Spealler (Paoli/Great Valley) also won two bouts on Thursday evening, improving to 10-6 on the season. Spealler accepted a forfeit victory in the Bucknell match before handing Bloomsburg’s Mark Piermattei a 19-7 major decision. The Nittany Lions will threaten for the win at 133 pounds with Marat Tomaev, who defeated MSU’s Scott Pushman by technical fall, 25-9, in 4:22 last weekend. Tomaev, 17-7, finished as the 5-4 runner-up to teammate Josh Moore at the Mat-Town Invite in the fall. 141: Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) will be looking to add to his win list on Saturday after posting a 20-4 technical fall over Bloomsburg’s Adam Castner in 4:30 on Thursday evening. Maney, #13 in the nation, is now 20-4 on the season, his second-straight 20-wins effort. #14 Scott Moore (27-9) of Penn State will take the mats looking to get his first shot of the season against Maney. The two were scheduled to meet up in the Mat-Town finals, but injury forced Maney to use the medical forfeit. Last season Maney also drew a touch match-up -- Maney, ranked #15, scored a 4-3 sudden victory decision over PSU’s #17 Nate Parker. 149: The Haven continues to go with its pair of strong contenders at 149 pounds, third-ranked JaMarr Billman (Easton/Easton Area) and James LaValle (East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park). Billman improved to 28-2 overall with a forfeit win against Bloomsburg and a 20-4 technical fall (2:31) in the first period over Justin Hartrum of Bucknell. LaValle is 13-4 on the season. Nate Wachter (19-10) challenges here for the Nittany Lions. Wachter lost in the tiebreaker, 2-2, against Ohio State’s #9 Keaton Anderson before scoring the 9-4 victory over Michigan State’s Matt McCarty last weekend. 157: Jason Gilligan (Brookville/Brookville) will hold down the duties at 157 pounds. Gilligan is now 10-10, scoring an 8-3 decision over Bloomsburg’s B.J. Mikeska on Thursday. Freshman Nittany Lion James Woodall (6-8) is the probable starter here. Woodall upset seventh-ranked Josh Janson of Ohio State, 24-13, before giving up an 8-5 decision against MSU’s #14 Karl Nadolsky. 165: Charlie Brenneman (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) improved to 10-10 after Thursday’s action, scoring a 9-4 decision over Bloomsburg’s Duane Bastress. Penn State’s #19 Doc Vecchio (26-10) offers stiff competition for Brenneman. Vecchio defeated Brenneman, 10-3, in the consolation bracket at Mat-Town earlier this season. 174: Working for LHU at 174 pounds will be sophomore Ed Pawlak (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern). Pawlak improved to 9-12 after Bloomsburg’s Josh Hewes was forced to take a medical default. The Bald Eagle was winning, 8-5, at the time. The Nittany Lions will utilize Todd Brennan (12-20) to attempt for the team points at 174 pounds. Pawlak defeated Brennan at Mat-Town by a score of 3-1. 184: Josh Millard (Mill Hall/Bald Eagle Area) and Mike Greenberg (Canton/Canton) have both done their share to build up the strength of The Haven upperweight unit. Millard, ranked #13 in the nation, is now 17-5 overall following an 11-3 major decision over Bloomsburg’s Justin Johnson. Greenberg (6-6) also posted a win on Thursday, defeating Brian Neuman of Bucknell with a 1-1 rideout victory in the tiebreaker period. Taking the mat for PSU will be sophomore Curt Thompson (6-11). 197: Lock Haven’s Avery Zerkle (Urbana, Ohio/Graham) will vie for the win at 197 pounds. Zerkle upped his season total to 12-6 after a 23-6 technical fall (5:52) over Bloomsburg’s Andy Ludlow. Penn State will choose between senior Pete Mielnik (16-9) and junior Ryan Cummins (9-8) for the 197-pound bout. HWT: Tim Boetsch (Lincolnville, Maine/Camden Rockport) will represent the Bald Eagles at heavyweight. On Thursday, he lost a 7-4 decision to Tony Milone of Bloomsburg. The Nittany Lions will mat Pat Cummins (8-7), who most recently defeated Michigan State’s Michael Keenan, 4-2. UP NEXT: Lock Haven is off until the EWL Championships, being hosted by the Bald Eagles from March 9-10.
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