Clarion University heavyweight John Testa (Sr. Newark, De.) won his third consecutive EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) title on Sunday, March 9^th and the Golden Eagles finished sixth as a team at the 28^th Eastern Wrestling League Championships which were hosted at West Virginia University.

The Golden Eagles also qualified four wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Nationals March 20-22 at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. Set to go are Testa, third place finishers Eric Mausser (197 - Sr. Sharon) and Rad Martinez (133 - Sr. West Jordan, Utah) and wild card selection Frank Edgar (141 - So. Toms River, N.J.). A total of 38 wrestlers will represent the EWL at nationals, including the top three finishers at each weight class and eight wild cards. Clarion’s Peter Derstine (Jr. Coral Springs, Fla.) is on the "waiting list" so to speak. A second alternate wild card selection, Derstine could go to nationals if two of the original 38 cannot attend for any reason.

Held March 8-9 at WVU’s Coliseum, Edinboro won the team title with 129.5 points, with West Virginia second at 123.5 and Cleveland State third with 80.5. Rounding out the eight team field were fourth place Lock Haven at 75.5, Pitt was fifth with 75 points, Clarion sixth at 63.5, Virginia Tech seventh with 44.5 and Bloomsburg eighth with 44.

Testa won his third straight EWL title and upped his season record to 40-2. He won in the finals by a 3-1 margin over WVU’s Brent Miller. His other wins came by injury default at 1:23 over Bloomsburg’s Tony Milone and a 7-3 decision over Edinboro’s Joe Hennis. In winning his third title, Testa joined elite company at Clarion. Former heavyweight Kurt Angle won 4 titles (1988, 90-92), and Charlie Heller (1980-82) won three at 177 pounds, while Sheldon Thomas won three (1994, 96, 97) at 118 pounds. Earlier this season Testa became only the 12^th wrestler in PSAC history to win four titles. His 40 wins this season ties him for fourth in single season wins with Wade Schalles (40-0-1, 1974), Bill Simpson (40-4-2, 1974), Jim Beichner (40-4, 1985) and Mark Angle (40-1, 1999). Clarion’s single season record is 48 held by Mike Cole (1989). Testa has a career record of 131-26 at Clarion and will be making his fourth trip to the NCAA’s.

Mausser, who was the defending EWL champion but seeded fourth, posted a 3-1 record at EWL’s in finishing third. Mausser opened EWL’s with an 11-2 major decision over WVU’s Adrian Thompson, then lost a heartbreaking match by fall to Edinboro’s Dave Shunamon at 6:58. Mausser had a 2-1 lead over #5 ranked Shunamon entering the final five seconds when Shunamon was awarded a pin over Mausser on a backward roll. Mausser bounced back and scored a 10-1 major decision over Shaun Guttridge (V. Tech) and a 5-2 decision over Cleveland State’s Stipe Miocic. Mausser upped his season record to 34-7 and will be making his fourth trip to nationals. He has a Clarion career record of 122-43.

Martinez also posted a 3-1 record at EWL’s and raised his season record to 37-8. Rad opened with a 15-4 major decision over Mike Cioffi (Pitt), then lost his semifinal match 7-3 to Shawn Bunch (Edinboro). In the wrestle backs Martinez won a 7-3 decision over Lock Haven’s Justin Owens and defeated WVU’s Brandon Lauer 7-4 for third place. Rad was second a year ago at EWL’s and will be making his third trip to nationals for the Eagles. He has a 3-year record of 94-25.

Edgar, a sophomore, was 2-2 at EWL’s and raise his record to 26-16. Frank opened with a tough 7-6 loss to Pitt’s Ron Tarquinio in the final seconds. He rebounded for an 11-5 win over Paul Theodore (Cleveland State) and lost a narrow 3-2 decision to WVU’s Shane Cunanan. He won his fifth palce match with a 19-6 major decision over Bloomsburg’s Mark Permattei. Edgar was fourth at EWL’s in 2001 and was also awarded a wild card. He has a career record of 44-35.

Derstine, a junior, wrestled an outstanding tournament to finish fourth at 125 pounds. Peter lost an opening round 7-4 decision to eventual champ Rocco Mansueto (Cleveland State). He roared through the wrestled back with a 3-2 win over Mike Collins (Bloomsburg) and a 6-3 win over #17 ranked Jordan Sianni (Pitt), before losing 5-3 in the final seconds to WVU’s #15 Seth Lisa. Derstine finished his season with a 23-11 record and now has a Clarion record of 55-39.

Also registering place finishes for Clarion were Jeremy Reitz (Jr. Brookville) and Jim Perry (Sr. DuBois). Reitz was sixth at 157-pounds and Perry was sixth at 149.

Reitz had a tough weight class and was 1-3 at 157-pounds to close out his season with a 27-17 record. Jeremy lost a 3-1 overtime decision to Va. Tech’s Chris Stith, defeated Lock Haven’s Charlie Brenneman 7-2, then lost a 5-3 decision to Pitt’s Justin Nestor and a 3-1 decision again to Stith. In two years at Clarion Jeremy is 46-31.

Perry also was 1-3 at 149-pounds and finished his season with a 14-26 record. At EWL’s Jim lost a 7-2 opening decision to Pitt’ Justin Giovinco, then come back for a 4-2 decision over Bloomsburg’s Brad Forbes. After a 5-1 loss to Anthony Coleman (Cleve. State), he lost a 3-1 decision to Virginia Tech’s Reed Carpenter.

Also participating at EWL’s for the Eagles were Chris Horning (Fr. Syracuse) at 165, Dave Gardner (Fr. N. Huntingdon - Norwin) at 174 and Eric Spence (Fr. Columbus, Oh - Upper Arlington) at 184.

Horning was 0-2 at EWL’s including an opening 4-1 decision to Pitt’s Francis Iorfido and a 5-3 decision to Bloomsburg’s Ryan Gardner. Horning finished his first season with a solid 16-19 overall record.

Gardner also was 0-2 at EWL’s. He opened with a technical fall loss to #1 ranked Greg jones of WVU (18-2), then lost a 13-6 decision to VT’s Steve Borja. Dave finished his first season with a 10-25 3 record.

Spence, also a freshman, was 0-2 this weekend losing a 21-7 major decision to Scott Justus (V. Tech) and then lost a 16-0 tech fall to WVU’s Ryan Wilman. Spence finished his season with a 1-20 overall record.

CLARION NOTES: Clarion now has 48 individual champions in EWL history since the league was started back in 1976... Those 48 champs are the most of any active team in the EWL... Clarion has had at least one individual champion in every year except 1983, 89 and 2000... The EWL’s 38 NCAA qualifiers breaks down this way - WVU 9, Edinboro 7, Cleveland State 6, Pitt 5, Clarion and Lock Haven 4, Bloomsburg 2 and Virginia Tech 1... Clarion has dominated the heavyweight weight class for a number of years... the Eagles have won 10 hwt. crowns dating back to 1988... Former great Kurt Angle won 4 titles from 1988, 90-92, Rob Sintobin in 1994, Dan Payne in 1995, Bryan Stout in 1997 and Testa in 2001, 2002 and 2003... The NCAA Tournament is scheduled for March 20-22 in Kansas City, Missouri.