LHU Grapplers Finish Third at PSAC
LOCK HAVEN– The Lock Haven University wrestling team returns to dual meet action Thursday, Dec. 19, a match-up at Thomas Field House with nationally-ranked (#24) Bloomsburg at 7 p.mThe Bald Eagles finished third at the 2013 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament held last Saturday at Edinboro.
LHU wrestled at the conference event without nationally-ranked Dan Neff and Fred Garcia but both are expected back for the Bloom dual. At the PSAC tourney eight of 10 wrestlers placed for Lock Haven (102 points), third overall. Edinboro (172.5 points) was first with Bloomsburg (135 points) coming in second. Jake Kemerer led the way individually for the Bald Eagles, finishing second overall. Phil Sprenkle was third for Lock Haven at 197. He was 4-1 on the day. Cody Wheeler, Mac Maldarelli, Adam Mackie and Joe Rimel all finished fourth. Wheeler (133) and Maldarelli (149) both went 3-2, while Mackie (174) and Rimel (184) finished 2-2. Elias Biddle and Brad Emerick each went 2-2 and finished fifth at 157 and 285, respectively. Kemerer went 3-0 to advance to the 165-pound finals. He opened the day by pinning James Shields (Millersville) in 4:08. In the quarterfinals, Kemerer won by tech fall (19-2, 6:58) over Gannon’s Casey Pace, before downing Pitt-Johnstown’s Gary Lantz, 12-6. In the finals vs. Edinboro’s Kasey Davis, Kemerer lost 9-4. The Bald Eagles put six of 10 wrestlers in the semifinals, including Kemerer, Maldarelli, Biddle, Mackie, Sprenkle and Emerick. Following losses in the semifinals, Maldarelli, Mackie and Sprenkle all bounced to back to win, which pushed them into the third-place bouts. Following a tournament-opening loss, Rimel rattled off three wins to get into the third-place match. Wheeler started with a loss, but three straight wins pushed him into the third-place match. Several members of the Lock Haven wrestling team will travel to Saturday’s Cleveland State Open (9 a.m.). Following the Dec. 19 match-up with Bloom, Lock Haven closes the 2013 calendar year by hosting the Cradle Gear Invitational (formerly the Brute Invite) on Sunday, Dec. 29.
