NCAA D-I QUALIFIER
CLARION HOSTS 30TH EWL CHAMPIONSHIPS MARCH 5 & 6
Clarion's NCAA Division I Wrestling
team is ready for its “second season” as the Golden Eagles prepare to compete in
the 30th annual EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) Championships, which also serves
as the NCAA Division I Qualifying Tournament for its seven league members.
EWL CHAMPIONSHIPS HAVE 4 SESSIONS
The 2005 EWL's will be hosted at
Clarion’s Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium. Session 1 is set for 11am Saturday March
5th and will feature quarterfinal action. Session 2 starts at 6pm on Saturday
and features semifinal matches and round 1 of consolations. Session 3 starts
Sunday March 6th at 10am and will have the consolation semi's, followed
immediately by the consolation finals. Session 4 will feature the championship
final matches starting at 2pm. The championship matches can also be heard on the
internet at Redzonemedia.com. A total of 36 wrestlers will qualify for the NCAA
Tournament from the EWL's including the top three finishers at each weight class
and six wild card selections.
Tickets will be available at the door. All-Session passes will be $30 at the
door for adults and $20 for students. Individual session tickets will also be
available at the door.
“We’re really looking forward to the
challenges the EWL tournament brings,” said Clarion eighth year head coach Ken
Nellis. “I believe we’re ready mentally and physically to have a good tournament
performance. The competition will be very strong, but our goal is to qualify as
many wrestlers as we can to NCAA Division I National Tournament.”
Clarion enters the EWL’s with a 3-13-1 overall record and an 0-6 mark in the EWL.
Clarion’s three wins came against Mercyhurst (27-13), Slippery Rock (29-9) and
Drexel (23-16), with a tie against Ohio University (16-16). Injuries however
plagued the Golden Eagle lineup since early January.
PREVIOUS EWL TOURNAMENT RESULTS
The 2004 EWL Tournament, hosted at
Bloomsburg, was the most closely contended in league history and 2005 could be a
repeat of that title race. The 2004 Tournament finished with West Virginia and
Edinboro tied for first place with 99.5 points, while Pittsburgh was third with
97 points, Cleveland State fourth with 80.5, Bloomsburg fifth with 79, Clarion
sixth with 70, Lock Haven seventh with 57.5 and Virginia Tech eighth with 44.5.
The 2003 EWL Tournament, hosted by
West Virginia, saw Edinboro win the team title with 129.5 points and West
Virginia second with 123.5. Cleveland State finished a distant third with 80.5,
Lock Haven fourth with 75.5, Pitt fifth with 75, Clarion sixth with 63.5,
Virginia Tech seventh with 44.5 and Bloomsburg eighth with 44.
The 2002 EWL Tournament was won by
West Virginia with 114.5 points, Edinboro second with 104.5, Lock Haven third
with 104, Pitt fourth with 87.5, Cleveland State fifth with 67, Clarion sixth at
66, Virginia Tech seventh with 48.5 and Bloomsburg eighth with 41 points. The
2002 EWL’s were hosted by Lock Haven.
The 2001 EWL tournament was won by
Edinboro with 123.5 points, with Lock Haven finishing second at 95, Pitt third
with 94.5 and Clarion fourth with 87 points.
Edinboro has won or tied for first in six of the last seven EWL Tournaments
including titles the tie in 2004, a win in 2003, and a string of four straight
from 1998-2001. West Virginia, who is the pre-tournament favorite, tied last
year and won the title in 2002, while Lock Haven won in 1997, West Virginia in
1996 and Clarion won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 95.
LOOK AT THE 2005 EWL TEAMS
This year’s favorite to win the team
title? Four teams seem destined to battle for the team championship. West
Virginia won the dual meet title with a 4-1-1 record, while Bloomsburg and
Pittsburgh were 4-2 in the league and Edinboro was 3-2-1.
Edinboro, under eighth year coach Tim Flynn, put together an overall record of
9-5-1 to go with their 3-2-1 EWL slate. Slowed with injuries also, the Fighting
Scots tied West Virginia (20-20) and defeated Pitt (19-17) in their last two
duals. He has a career dual record of 82-31-3 with the Scots.
West Virginia, under 27th year head
coach Craig Turnbull, won the EWL dual meet title with a 4-1-1 record while
posting a 5-6-1 overall mark. The Mountaineers, whoalso had several injuries
this season, won the EWL regular season title in 2002 and 2003. Turnbull has a
career record with WVU of 226-154-7
Pittsburgh tied for second in the EWL
regular season with a 4-2 league record and an overall slate of 8-7. The
Panthers won two of their final three duals including wins over Clarion (31-6)
and Lock Haven (20-16), while losing to Edinboro (19-17). Coach Rande
Stottlemyer, in his 26th season, has a career dual meet record of 223-188-10.
The Panthers were third in 2004 and 2001 and a team high second in 1997 and
1989.
Bloomsburg, under third year head
coach Dan Wirnsberger, has been surging this season. The Huskies also tied for
second in the league with a 4-2 mark and posted a solid overall record of 10-6.
Bloom’s 21-14 victory over Edinboro in February, and a PSAC team title in
January showed they have a chance to bring home the EWL team title in March.
Lock Haven, under third year head coach Rocky Bonomo, posted a 3-3 EWL league
record and a 6-8 dual meet mark, while Cleveland State, under eighth year head
coach Jack Effner, was 2-4 in the league and 4-15 overall.
Clarion’s 2005 EWL lineup will likely
have Chris Lape (So. 14-14; Coraopolis) at 133, #9 Frank Edgar (Sr. 36-7; Toms
River, N.J.) At 141, Nathan Geesaman (So. 3-8; Waynesboro) at 149, #9 Chris
Horning (Jr. 25-4, Syracuse, N.Y.) At 157, Marcus Surin (Sr. 24-12; Spring
Valley, N.Y.) At 165, Chris Goings (Fr. 7-23; Centerville, Va.) At 174, Dave
Gardner (So. 8-13; N. Huntingdon) at 184; Charlie Cilinski (Jr. 2-19;
Gainseville, Va.) At 197 and John Fager (Jr. 13-18; West Jordan, Utah) at
heavyweight.
Edgar, a senior, is ranked #9 by
Amateur Wrestling News and has put together a quality 36-7 record at 141. He was
5th at EWL’s in 2004 2003 and went as a wild card, while also earning an NCAA
wild card berth in 2001 when he placed 4th at EWL’s. This season Edgar won the
PSAC’s and at East Stroudsburg Tournaments, placed third at Mat Town and sixth
at Las Vegas. He has a career record of 116-53.
Horning, a junior, enters the EWL’s with a 25-4 overall record. He was won the
PSAC’s, placed 4th at Las Vegas and was third at East Stroudsburg. The defending
EWL Champion at 157, Chris has a career record of 67-33..
WEIGHT CLASS PREVIEW: Ranking in parenthesis is the highest rating by
either Amateur Wrestling News or by Intermat.
125: The first weight class at EWL’s appears likely to be a battle
between Bloomsburg’s Mike Sees (19-1) and Lock Haven’s Obenson Blanc (29-13).
The duo have met twice. In the dual Sees pinned Blanc, while in the finals at
PSAC’s Blanc posted an 8-7 decision. Also battling to get to nationals will be
WVU freshman Shawn Cordell (11-7), Cleveland St. Sophomore Joe Wornoff (14-18),
Pitt freshman Zach Bowman (8-13) and Edinboro freshman Greg Sill (4-19).
Clarion’s Toby Seger is injured and out for the season.
133: The prohibitive favorite to win here will be #1 ranked Shawn Bunch
(33-1) of Edinboro. Bunch won the 2003 EWL title at 133 and the 2002 title at
125. Also looking to get to the finals will be Bloomsburg’s Tony Curto (19-8),
WVU’s Seth Lisa (13-5) and Pitt’s Drew Headlee (15-8). Lisa was fourth here last
year and third at 125 in 2003, and Headlee was sixth at 125. Clarion’s Chris
Lape (14-14) also hopes to place high.
141: A talented weight class, 141-pounds appears to be a battle between
Pitt’s #7 rated Ron Tarquinio (23-5) and Clarion’s #9 ranked Frank Edgar (36-7).
Tarquinio is the defending champion, while Edgar is a three time placewinner.
Tarquinio defeated Edgar in their dual matchup 8-3. Also looking for high places
will be Bloomsburg’s Brad Forbes (15-7), Edinboro’s Rick McLaughlin (12-8),
WVU’s Vince Gioella (11-8) and Lock Haven’s Matt Fittery (13-16). Forbes was 5th
at 149 last year.
149: Lock Haven junior Josh Medina (23-4) and Edinboro senior Ron
Doppleheuer (24-9) appear to be headed to the finals. Medina was 6-0 in league
action, while Doppleheuer started the season at 141 and moved up to 149. He was
6th at EWL’s at 141 last year and 4th at 149 in 2003. There’s plenty of balance
in the remainder of the entries including Cleveland State’s Ryan Hurley (16-17),
Pitt’s Mike Ciotti (6-8), Bloomsburg’s George Hickman (13-18), Nathan Geesaman
(3-8) of Clarion and WVU’s Teddy Adams (2-11). Ciotti was fifth at 133 last
year.
157: Clarion’s #9 Chris Horning (25-4) is the defending champion, while
last year’s runner-up, #7 Matt Lebe (29-6) is looking to claim the top spot.
Lebe defeated Horning in the dual 3-2. Horning defeated Lebe in the finals last
year 7-4. Lebe was also second at 157 in 2003. Pitt’s Matt Kocher (28-7), ranked
#19, could also mount a challenge. He was second at 149 a year ago. Also looking
to place high are Edinboro’s Matt Hill (27-10), Cleveland State’s Marcus Effner
(17-15), Lock Haven’s Seth Martin (26-15) and Bloomsburg’s Chris Tate (13-21).
It is very possible two wild cards could come from this weight class.
165: #11 Nate Yetzer (33-4) of Edinboro was 6-0 in the EWL dual season
and is the heavy favorite to win at 165. He won at 174 last year defeating
Pitt’s Francis Iorfido 7-4 in the finals. Expected to try and challenge Yetzer
is a bevy of talented wrestlers including Bloomsburg’s Jim Bertulis (31-6),
WVU’s Zac Fryling (17-7), Clarion’s Marcus Surin (24-12), LHU’s Rory McCoy
(17-15) Pitt’s Justin Nestor (18-8) and Bloomsburg’s B.J. Mikeska (12-13).
Cleveland State will wrestle David Gilkey (8-21). Nestor was third at 157 the
last two years, while Fryling was sixth at 165 last year. Bertulis was 5th at
174 last year.
174: With Yezter’s move down to 165, the weight class seems to be between
#14 rated Bryce Hasseman (33-4) of Bloomsburg, #19 rated Eric Ring (24-15) of
Edinboro and Pitt’s Zach Doll (21-9). Hasseman won the PSAC title and was 6-0 in
EWL duals. He defeated Ring 9-4 and Doll 15-3 in dual meet action. Ring defeated
Doll 13-4. Doll was third at 165 last year and Ring was fourth at 157 in 2003.
Also looking to place will be WVU’s Ryan Wilman (7-6), Cleveland State’s Matt
Klinger (11-20), Lock Haven’s Carlos Ponce (11-20) and Clarion’s Chris Goings
(7-23).
184: West Virginia’s #1 rated Greg Jones (17-0) is looking to become a
four-time EWL Champion with a win at 184 this season. Jones is the defending
NCAA Champion. He won at 174 his first two seasons, and won at 184 last year.
Hoping to place high are Edinboro’s Jim Gibson (19-13), Pitt’s Keith Gavin
(14-6), Cleveland State’s Ron Howard (14-15), Lock Haven’s Mike Metzger (15-14),
Clarion’s Dave Gardner (8-13) and Bloomsburg’s Jesse Hasseman (8-23).
197: Bloomsburg’s Chad Hoare (29-7) will be the #1 seed with a 6-0 league
record. Looking to get to the finals will be WVU’s Jared Villers (10-8), Lock
Haven’s Morgan Horner (5-3), Cleveland State’s Joe Phillips (14-15) and Pitt’s
Lou Thomas (8-15). Phillips was third last year and Hoare was fifth at 197.
Horner was second at this weight class in 2003. Also competing will be Clarion’s
Charlie Cilinski (2-21) and Edinboro’s Paul Burger (1-5).
Nothing stands out as a favorite at 197. West Virginia’s Matt Daddino (17-6),
Bloomsburg’s Chad Hoare (18-13), Edinboro’s Mike LaBella (15-13), Pitt’s Josh
Birt (19-8) and Cleveland State’s Joe Phillips (18-7) and VT’s Canaan Prater
(13-9) could all win here. Hoare was 6th at 184 last year, Prater was 6th in
2002 and Phillips 4th at 184 in 2002. LaBella defeated Daddino 6-2 in the dual
last week, Birt and Hoare have defeated LaBella, and Daddino decisioned Birt.
Got that? Clarion’s Charlie Cilinski (2-17) will try and score here.
HWT: The final weight class will likely come down to four wrestlers,
three of them freshmen in the EWL. Cleveland State freshman Joe Dennis (25-10)
has defeated Edinboro’s Joe Hennis (25-9), Pitt’s Zach Sheaffer (22-11) and
Bloomsburg’s Mike Spaid (14-18) in dual action. Hennis was second last year at
heavyweight, 4th in 2003. Also looking to place will be Clarion’s John Fager
(13-18), Lock Haven’s Jamie Nagel (5-17 ) and WVU’s Matt Holsopple (2-8).
CLARION NOTES: Clarion has crowned 50 EWL champions since the league
started in 1976... The Golden Eagles have crowned at least one individual
champion in every year except 1983, 1989 and 2000 ... Clarion has three team
titles including 1980, 94 and 95 ... Kurt Angle won 4 titles (1988. 1990-92) ...
Charlie Heller (1980-82), Sheldon Thomas (1994, 96, 97) and John Testa
(2001-2003) are the only other Clarion wrestlers to win three EWL individual
titles since the league began in 1976... The NCAA=s are in St. Louis, Missouri
from March 17-19.