Clarion’s NCAA Division I Wrestling team will close its 2003 dual meet campaign this weekend. The Golden Eagles travel to Lock Haven on Friday, February 21^st for a 7:30pm match at Thomas Field House, then continue to Virginia Tech for a 1pm match on Sunday at Cassell Coliseum to end the regular season.

Clarion enters the trip with an 8-7 dual meet record and a 1-4 mark in the Eastern Wrestling League. Sixth year head coach Ken Nellis saw his team bolt to an 8-2 record with wins over Drexel (24-15), Findlay (32-13), Eastern Illinois (28-9), Duke (34-11), Tennessee-Chattanooga (26-14), Buffalo (20-17), Bloomsburg (18-18 criteria) and Rider (21-15) with losses only to Kent State (22-12) and Indiana (26-12). Clarion has dropped its last five duals to Edinboro (32-3), West Virginia (22-14), Pitt (23-16), Cleveland State (21-12) and Central Michigan (23-14). Nellis has a career record at Clarion of 39-50-2.

Clarion’s lineup will feature #9 rated John Testa (35-2) at heavyweight, with #12 Eric Mausser (30-5) at 197 and #14 Rad Martinez (33-6) at 133-pounds. Also wrestling will be Peter Derstine (19-9) at 125, Frank Edgar (23-13) at 141, Jim Perry (13-21) at 149, Jeremy Reitz (24-14) at 157, Chris Horning (14-16) at 165, Dave Gardner (10-21) at 174 and Eric Spence (1-16) at 184. Testa has 126 career wins and is tied for third on the all-time win list with former wrestler Mark Angle (126-11; 1996-00).

Lock Haven, led by first year head coach Rocky Bonomo, enters the match with an 11-10 overall record this season and a 2-4 mark in the EWL. Wednesday night the Bald Eagles lost to Penn State 41-3 in a non-league match. LH has defeated Virginia Tech (29-15) and Bloomsburg (29-12) while losing to Cleveland State (30-6), Edinboro (43-0), West Virginia (31-8) and Pitt (22-18) in league action. LH is led by #7 rated Mike Maney (24-2) at 141, along with Justin Owens (18-11) at 133, Jason Gilligan (15-10) at 165, Morgan Horner (16-8) at 197 and Steve Itterly (16-13) at heavyweight.

Virginia Tech is coached by seventh year mentor Keith Mourlam. The "Hokies"are 0-11 in dual meet action and 0-4 in the EWL this season. The Hokies will be hosting Cleveland State on Saturday at 7pm, prior to hosting the Eagles on Sunday. In EWL action this far Virginia Tech has lost to Lock Haven (29-15), Bloomsburg (25-14), Pitt (31-9) and West Virginia (36-12). The Hokies top grappler is senior Scott Justus who is ranked 14^th in the nation with a 16-3 record. Other top wrestlers include Reed Carpenter (9-8) at 149 and Chris Stith (12-5) at 157.

CLARION NOTES: Clarion will be off after Sunday until March 8-9 when the Eagles will travel to West Virginia for the Eastern Wrestling League Championships. The NCAA’s this year are in Kansas City, Missouri and will be held from March 20-22nd... Friday’s match can be heard on WWCH-AM (1300) and Sunday’s will be on WCCR-FM (92.7) in Clarion... Both can be heard on the internet at www.redzonemedia.com