LHU Men’s Wrestling powers way to MAC win on the road Sunday
BLOOMSBURG – The nationally-ranked Lock Haven men’s wrestling team won eight of 10 bouts and rolled to a 35-9 victory on the road at Bloomsburg (4-9, 0-3) this afternoon (Sunday, Jan. 21) in Mid-American Conference (MAC) Eastern Division action.
Gable Strickland (Benton, Pa./Benton), No. 12 Wyatt Henson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg), Nick Stonecheck (Alpharetta, Ga./Buford), Connor Eck (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem), Tyler Stoltzfus (Mifflinburg, Pa./Saint Joseph’s Academy), Colin Fegley (Mahanoy, Pa./Mahanoy), Brad Morrison (Landisburg, Pa./West Perry) and Ethan Miller (York, Pa./Central York) all won for the Bald Eagles.
With the win, Lock Haven moved to 4-7 overall, 1-1 in MAC duals and the Bald Eagles are 1-0 in MAC East action.
Strickland, Stonecheck and Fegley recorded tech falls, while both Stoltzfus and Morrison scored major decisions as bonus-points were an important note in the big win.
After Bloomsburg posted a pin at 125 in the day’s opening bout, Strickland – nationally-ranked in some polls – put the Bald Eagles on the board with a tech fall at 133 pounds. Strickland led 7-0 at the end of the first period and led 15-2 after two. The Bald Eagle sealed the tech and bonus-point win with a quick takedown in the third for the 18-2 (5:07) win.
Henson, ranked 12th by InterMat at 141 pounds, was credited with a win by forfeit today. The victory pushed Henson’s season record to a remarkable 26-1 and he’s now won 24 straight matches. The forfeit pushed the Lock Haven lead to 11-6.
At 149, Stonecheck needed just four minutes flat to earn at 17-1 tech fall over Cade Balestrini. Stonecheck scored a quick takedown and led 7-0 after one period. It was tough top ride which included seven near-fall points that powered the way to the tech and important five team points that stretched the Lock Haven team lead to 16-6.
Eck downed William Morrow, 5-1 at 157, and the four straight Haven wins pushed Lock Haven’s lead to 19-6. Eck scored a first-period takedown and it proved to be a difference-maker in the win.
After a Bloomsburg win at 165, Stoltzfus majored Nolen Zeigler (Bloomsburg), 12-3 and the Bald Eagles pulled further ahead at 23-9. Stoltzfus led 6-0 after two, thanks to a quick second-period reversal and four near-fall points. Again, he scored on a reversal and four near-fall points in the third as he cruised to victory.
At 184, Fegley put on a show as he powered his way to a tech fall, 20-4 (5:59), over Tanner Culver. Fegley led 7-1 after two periods, but the Bald Eagle exploded for four takedowns in the third. Fegley’s dominant win pushed The Haven lead to 28-9.
Morrison returned to the lineup and looked strong at 197 as he worked his way to a 9-0 major decision over David Tuttle. Morrison scored a takedown in the first and third, and his bonus-point victory stretched The Haven lead to 32-9.
In the final bout of the dual, Miller used a late takedown to earn a hard-fought 5-2 decision over Tyler McCatharn. The win sealed a 35-9 victory.
The Bald Eagles opened the weekend Friday (Jan. 19) at home with a 23-12 loss to Buffalo in what served as The Haven’s 2022-23 MAC opener.
As a team, Lock Haven entered the weekend ranked No. 21 nationally in the latest (Jan. 15) WIN Magazine rankings.
FINAL: No. 21 Lock Haven 35 – Bloomsburg 9
Bout-by-Bout Results
125: Bronson Garber (Bloomsburg) pinned Logan Sallot (Lock Haven), 5:38 / Bloomsburg, 6-0
133: Gable Strickland (Lock Haven) tech fall Major Lewis (Bloomsburg), 18-2 (5:07) / Bloomsburg, 6-5
141: #12 Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven) won by forfeit / Lock Haven, 11-6
149: Nick Stonecheck (Lock Haven) tech fall Cade Balestrini (Bloomsburg), 17-1 (4:00) / Lock Haven, 16-6
157: Connor Eck (Lock Haven) dec. William Morrow (Bloomsburg), 5-1 / Lock Haven, 19-6
165: Caden Dobbins (Bloomsburg) dec. Eric Alderfer (Lock Haven), 3-0 / Lock Haven, 19-9
174: Tyler Stoltzfus (Lock Haven) major dec. Nolen Zeigler (Bloomsburg), 12-3 / Lock Haven, 23-9
184: Colin Fegley (Lock Haven) tech fall Tanner Culver (Bloomsburg), 20-4 (5:59) / Lock Haven 28-9
197: Brad Morrison (Lock Haven) major dec. David Tuttle (Bloomsburg), 9-0 / Lock Haven, 32-9
285: Ethan Miller (Lock Haven) dec. Tyler McCatharn (Bloomsburg), 5-2 / FINAL, Lock Haven, 35-9
Attendance: 449
Up Next:
Next week will prove to be another busy stretch for The Haven. Lock Haven will open the week on Thursday, Jan. 25 by hosting George Mason in MAC action. The match is set for a 7 p.m. start in Thomas Fieldhouse. On Friday, Jan. 26, the Bald Eagles will travel to Rider for a MAC dual, before hosting the Mat-Town Open II tournament on Sunday, Jan. 28.
Thursday’s (Jan. 25) home match with George Mason marks Community Night in honor of Mike Millward ’84. A number of special events are planned. The full 2023-24 Lock Haven men’s wrestling schedule is available at GoLHU.com and it includes a full list and more information on all match day promotions.
