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(Lock
Haven, Pa.) - The #16 Bald Eagle wrestling team of Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania takes to the mats to kick-off the 2001-02 season with a home dual meet versus #8 Lehigh University on Sunday, November 18, at 7 p.m. in Thomas Field House.
The dual marks the 10th in the series between the Bald Eagles and Mountain Hawks with Lehigh owning a 6-3 advantage. Lock Haven has won three out of the last four contests (1995, ‘96, ‘97), but Lehigh captured last year’s match-up, a 20-16 victory at Grace Hall.
Below is a weight-by-weight preview:
125: Lock Haven’s Trap McCormack (Loganton/Bald Eagle Nittany), ranked 18th, straps on the headgear for his final season at The Haven sporting a 67-14 career mark. He went 30-5 last season and earned a PSAC title along with his third-straight trip to the NCAA tournament. No. 12-ranked Lehigh sophomore Mario Stuart returns to action after sitting out last season’s LHU-LU dual due to a knee injury. Stuart rejoined the starting lineup later in the season, going 12-12 and earning All-America honors with a fifth-place finish.
Last Season: Trap McCormack (LHU) dec. Terrance Clendenin (L), 8-2
133: Stepping in at 133 pounds will be senior Chris Spealler (Paoli/Great Valley), who has made his first appearance in the national rankings at No. 20. Spealler has worked spot duty at both 141 and 133 pounds before, posting a 9-5 record last season. Lehigh will utilize Dan Hyman, an Arizona State transfer, at this weight. Hyman posted an 8-7 mark last season while at
ASU.
Last Season: Scott Bair (LHU) wbf Tristan Boyd (L), 4:46
141: Returning PSAC and EWL champion Mike Maney (Clarence/Bald Eagle Area) takes the mat again this season for the Bald Eagles after accumulating a 28-6 mark in the previous campaign. Maney, the 2001 PSAC and EWL Rookie of the Year, is ranked eighth in the nation. His opponent will most likely be Lehigh freshman Tommy Rohn. Rohn placed at both the Junior World Trials and the University Nationals last season.
Last Season: Mike Maney (LHU) dec. Matt Goldstein (L), 5-2
149: Two-time All-American and No. 3-ranked JaMarr Billman (Easton/Easton Area) will challenge for the points at 149 pounds after opening up his season with an individual title at the West Virginia University Open. Billman went 25-3 last season, capturing a fifth-place finish at the NCAA tourney along with EWL and PSAC titles. He faces Lehigh’s Troy Minarovic, a senior Mountain Hawk who went 7-4 last season.
Last Season: Dave Esposito (L) maj. dec. James LaValle (LHU), 16-5
157: Sophomore Jason Gilligan (Brookville/Brookville) retains his starting role at 157 pounds after going 14-9 last season. Gilligan made the trip to nationals last season and finished third at the PSAC tournament and fifth at the EWL championships. He will meet up with Lehigh sophomore Nate Cote.
Last Season: Ryan Bernholz (L) dec. Jason Gilligan (LHU), 6-1
165: Lock Haven’s Charlie Brenneman (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) is back after using a red-shirt season and will start at 165 pounds. Brenneman was 13-8 as a true freshman in 1999-2000. Lehigh’s No. 4-ranked tri-captain Chris Vitale will look to open his season with the same momentum that brought him All-America honors last season after finishing seventh at nationals and posting an overall mark of 35-10.
Last Season: Chris Vitale (L) dec. Brian Olenek (LHU), 10-5
174: The dual at 174 pounds will feature Lock Haven sophomore Ed Pawlak (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern). Pawlak posted a 21-12 record last season, including a third-place finish at PSAC’s and a fourth-place finish at the EWL Championships. His opponent will be Brad Dillon of Lehigh, whose 2000-01 ledger was 19-11.
Last Season: Ed Pawlak (LHU) maj. dec. Bill Brine (L), 17-9
184: Josh Millard (Mill Hall/Bald Eagle Area) will get a rematch of last year’s 8-2 loss to Lehigh’s Rob Rohn in the battle at 184 pounds. Millard, ranked 19th in the nation, wrapped up his 2000-01 season at 20-13 with an EWL title and his first trip to the national tournament. Rohn, a returning All-American and a tri-captain for the Mountain Hawks, was 24-13 last season. He is currently ranked 10th in the nation.
Last Season: Rob Rohn (L) dec. Josh Millard (LHU), 8-2
197: Reigning PSAC and EWL champion Avery Zerkle (Urbana, Ohio/Graham) returns for his senior season at The Haven. Zerkle earned a trip to the NCAA tourney last season, finishing up at 25-8 overall. He will face No. 3-ranked tri-captain Jon Trenge in one of two rematches from last season scheduled to take place. Trenge, a sophomore, went 35-3 last season finishing third at the Las Vegas Open and fifth at the Midlands before an injury prematurely ended his inaugural campaign.
Last Season: Jon Trenge (L) maj. dec. Avery Zerkle (LHU), 12-4
HWT: Stepping out to centermat for the Bald Eagles at heavyweight will be sophomore Tim Boetsch (Lincolnville, Maine/Camden Rockport). Boetsch went 3-6 last season as a red-shirt freshman wrestling at 174 pounds. His opponent will be Lehigh’s Joe
Sahl.
Last Season: Shawn Laughlin (L) dec. Craig Tefft (LHU), 5-3
UP NEXT: Team Lock Haven will host the annual Mat-Town USA Tournament on Saturday, November 24, with the wrestling slated to kick off at 9 a.m. This year’s field brings nine programs into competition, including Ohio University, Penn State University, Purdue University, and Pittsburgh University. Lock Haven’s seven-time national champion Gray Simons will also be in attendance, now in his 15th year as head coach at Old Dominion University.
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