2009 NCAA Division II Softball Tournament

January 9, 2003
Lock Haven Wrestling To Vie For Virginia Duals Title
Bald Eagles Return After Winning Crown in 2001

For more information on the Virginia Duals, go to the tournament website at www.vaduals.org .

2001 VIRGINIA DUALS RECAP: Lock Haven won its first Virginia Duals team title in its last appearance in 2001, going 4-0 to capture the tourney hardware. The Bald Eagles opened up with a 40-9 win over Old Dominion, then defeated Rider University (23-12) and Indiana University (26-18) to advance to the finals. A 24-6 victory over Central Michigan University gave LHU the team championship.

THE SERIES: The Bald Eagles are 2-1 against Army. Lock Haven’s last meeting with the Black Knights occurred back in 1996, a 25-6 victory for the Crimson and White. Army took the 1990 dual, 28-15, while LHU won a 29-6 in the 1975 episode.

ON ARMY: The Black Knights are 6-2 overall and enter with two ranked grapplers headlining their lineup. Army won its first six dual meets this season, but dropped its last two in a 21-16 loss to East Stroudsburg University and a 29-12 loss versus No. 18-ranked Hofstra University. Posing a formidable threat to opponents is No. 7-ranked Phillip Simpson at 149 pounds and No. 17-ranked John Paxton at heavyweight.

 
Dan Riggs (184 lbs.)

Below is the LHU weight-by-weight preview:

125: The Haven’s Leslie Morrow (Canton, Ga./Sequoyah) and Jim Collins (Jonestown/Northern Lebanon) will both travel to Virginia ready for potential action on the mats. Morrow (5-6) earned the starting nod at the Sun Devil Duals, going 1-2 on the day with his only win coming in a forfeit versus Embry-Riddle. Also looking at competition this weekend is Collins, who is presently 7-8 overall.
       There are five ranked potential opponents for Morrow and Collins at 125 pounds, including two in the top ten, #4 Jason Powell of Nebraska and #9 Chris Rodrigues of North Carolina. #17 Efren Ceballos of Cal State Bakersfield and #18 Jared Opfer of Kent State will also be in action.

133: Senior Justin Owens (Morrisdale/West Branch) (8-6) had a solid outing in Arizona, posting a 2-1 ledger including a commanding 6-0 win over No. 19-ranked Mike Simpson of Arizona State. He was pinned by No. 3-ranked Ryan Lewis of Minnesota before bouncing back to register his own fall over Embry-Riddle’s Bryan Love in 6:46. Blair Tugman (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) could also factor in this weekend. Tugman is 7-6 on the season.
      One of the most stacked weight classes this weekend, wrestlers at 133 pounds include #8 Josh Moore (Penn State), #9 Cory Cooperman (Lehigh), #13 Mark Jayne (Illinois), #14 Ricky LaForge (Hofstra), #17 Evan Sola (North Carolina), #18 Matt Sanchez (Cal State Bakersfield) and #19 Joey Malia (Nebraska). 

141: Junior Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) slid down from third to fifth in the national rankings despite a 3-0 performance at the Sun Devil Duals which included a 4-3 decision over then-fourth ranked Dana Holland of Arizona State. Maney also received a forfeit from Embry-Riddle and defeated Minnesota’s Trent Hatlevig by major decision, 12-4. Now 16-1, he is LHU’s leader with six wins by major decision.
      Maney could face up to four other ranked grapplers, beginning with Army’s #7 Phillip Simpson. Brown’s Clinton Frease is ranked tenth, and he could also match up against #14 Scott Moore of Penn State and #19 Cal Ferry of Illinois.

149: James LaValle (East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park) has been hampered with an elbow injury but is still expected to make the trip to Virginia. LaValle is 7-5 on the season after going 1-1 at the Sun Devil Duals, falling to top-ranked Eric Larkin of Arizona State before pinning Embry-Riddle’s Danny Cadwallader in 5:52. 
       There are four wrestlers currently listed among the nation’s elite at 149 pounds including #9 Jon Masa (Hofstra), #14 Anthony Pedrosa (Illinois), #15 Nathan Galloway (Penn State) and #18 Travis Shufelt (Nebraska). 

157: Junior Charlie Brenneman’s (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) only win last weekend came in the Embry-Riddle dual, a 3:27 fall against Richard Corrigan to boost his team-leading falls total to six on the year. Two losses against Arizona State and Minnesota opponents set Brenneman’s overall ledger to 10-6 this season.
      Brenneman will have to be in top shape should he match up against any of six ranked opponents in #7 Derek Jenkins (Rider), #8 Derek Zinck (Lehigh), #9 Alex Tirapelle (Illinois), #17 Adam Britt (VMI), #18 Mike Patrovch (Hofstra) and #20 Mike Tolar (Kent State)

165: Jason Gilligan (Brookville/Brookville) and Chris Haines (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) will again both weigh in at 165 pounds, however Haines may be called on to fill in at 174 pounds as he did in Arizona. Haines (7-4) boasted a 2-1 mark at 174 pounds, defeating Arizona State’s Patrick Williams, 10-6 in overtime, and Embry-Riddle’s Adam Neesby by fall in just 1:05. Gilligan (9-5) faced two ranked grapplers in his three matches at the Sun Devil Duals, losing to No. 3-ranked Jacob Volkmann of Minnesota, 7-2, and No. 14-ranked Nick Frost of Arizona State, 7-5. His one win was a fall in 6:03 over Embry-Riddle’s David Rivera. 
       One of two weight classes that will have seven ranked wrestlers in competition and one of two which contains the nation’s top-ranked grappler is 165 pounds. Illinois’ #1 Matt Lackey will be in action as will #4 Troy Letters (Lehigh), #7 Noel Thompson (Hofstra), #14 Nick Nemeth (Kent State), #17 Matt R. King (Edinboro), #18 Nick Harrington (Rider) and #20 Jacob Klein (Nebraska).

174: Mike Greenberg (Canton/Canton) and Eric O’Connor (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) will both fill the Bald Eagles’ roster at 174 pounds. Greenberg (6-7), however, moved up to 184 pounds last weekend and recorded a 1-2 mark. His only win came over  Arizona State’s Ron Renzi by an 11-0 major decision. O’Connor did not wrestle in Arizona, maintaining his 11-6 season record.
       The field at 174 pounds could include #5 Brian Glynn (Illinois), #12 Bradley Dillon (Lehigh), #13 Travis Pascoe (Nebraska), #16 Matt Erwin (VMI) and #18 Ralph Everett (Hofstra).

184: Red-shirt freshman Morgan Horner (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) and sophomore Dan Riggs (Hanover/Delone Catholic) are listed for the Bald Eagles at 184 pounds. Horner filled in at 197 pounds last Sunday and produced a 2-0 mark, defeating ASU’s Ryan Bader, 8-3, and Embry-Riddle’s Robert Charlton by fall in 2:17. Riggs is currently 9-8 overall.
        Ranked wrestlers that could come the way of Horner and Riggs include #5 Mark Becks of Penn State along with #13 B.J. Padden (Nebraska), #14 Scott Justus (Virginia Tech), #15 Travis Frick (Lehigh) and #18 Jason Potter (Illinois).

197: Junior Tim Boetsch (Lincolnville, Maine/Camden Rockport) took the mat for the Minnesota dual, losing a 4-1 decision to Eli Ross to move his overall tally to 4-7 on the season. Waiting in the wings if needed is freshman Tim Meyers (Mill Hall/Central Mountain) (2-6).
         The nation’s top wrestler Jon Trenge of Lehigh is among the field along with #2 Justin Ruiz (Nebraska), #5 David Shunamon (Edinboro) and #19 Tyrone Byrd (illinois).

HWT: Bald Eagle junior Steve Itterly (Bethlehem/Nazareth) won two and lost one to No. 5-ranked Kellan Fluckiger of Arizona State by fall to break even on the season at 8-8 overall. Itterly’s wins came against Minnesota’s Chad Mentel, 2-1, and a forfeit in the Embry-Riddle dual meet.
       Itterly could meet up with Army’s No. 17-ranked John Paxton in the first round and just one other ranked grappler in No. 7-ranked Pat Cummins of Penn State. 


UP NEXT: After almost two straight months on the road the Bald Eagle wrestling team will return to Thomas Fieldhouse on Friday, Jan. 17, to open up the Eastern Wrestling League season with a 7:30 p.m. dual meet against Virginia Tech.

###LHU###