LHU’s Sprenkle, PSU’s Brill win at Mat Town

LOCK HAVEN – Phil Sprenkle (Seven Valleys, Pa./Dallastown) went 3-0 at 197 pounds on the way to the individual title, leading the way today for the Bald Eagles, as the Lock Haven University wrestling team hosted the 10^th annual Mat Town Open Tournament. Penn State meanwhile sent eight wrestlers to the tourney and crowned four champs, including Central Mountain grad Brian Brill.

In all, LHU head coach Scott Moore sent 21 participants to the mats today.

Sprenkle’s title led the way as seven Bald Eagles finished among the top-three at their respective weight class.

Sprenkle used a quick pin (2:08) and 6-0 decision to move into the finals. In the title bout he took down Edinboro’s (UNA) Warren Bosch three seconds in and cruised to a 5-0 victory. Penn State’s Brill (Lock Haven, Pa.), a transfer from Lehigh, was equally impressive, going 4-0 with two pins and two tech falls to win the 174 pound crown.

Bobby Rehm (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor), Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco), Aaron McKinney(McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) and Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) all finished second for Lock Haven.

Matt Moore (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) and Brad Emerick (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin) finished third for LHU.

Rehm finished the day at 2-1 at 133, while Perry went 3-1 with a pair of tech fall at 141. McKinney was 3-1 at 157 and Wood went 2-1 at 174.

Moore finished the day at 3-1 at 197 and Emerick was 2-1 at 285.

David Sheesley (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg), Joe Ghione (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) and freshman Gavin Caprio (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) finished fourth for Lock Haven at 125, 141 and 174, respectively.

Other Penn State winners were: Jered Cortez (Carol Stream, Ill.) went 4-0 with a tech fall to win the title at 133; true freshman Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.) dominated 157, going 4-0 with four technical falls to win the title and true freshman Kellan Stout (Pittsburgh, Pa.) went 3-0 with two majors to win Penn State’s fourth individual title, at 184 pounds.

Red-shirt freshman Devon Van Cura (Washington, N.C.) went 4-1 at 184 to take third while Dominic Giannangeli went 3-2 at 141.  Caleb Livingston (Drexel Hill, Pa.) picked up a victory at 165 and Dylan Dailey (Danville, Pa.) competed at 184 to round out Penn State’s competitors at the event.

The Bald Eagles will return to the mats on Saturday, December 5 at the 2015 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships, hosted by Mercyhurst.