LHU grapplers to host Michigan State, Mat-Town Open
LOCK HAVEN – The Bald Eagles will make their long anticipated 2016-17 home debut on Saturday, November 26 at 5 p.m. when they host Michigan State. They will be looking for their second straight win over Michigan State after defeating the Spartans last season.
LHU is coming off a strong showing at the Cavalier duals and enters the dual with Michigan State at 1-1 overall. Lock Haven rallied for a win over Maryland, but was edged by Virginia to open the dual-portion of the schedule.
Michigan State has yet to compete in a dual as of press time, but the Spartans are slated to take on Bloomsburg Saturday (Nov. 26) at 12:30 p.m. at Bloom prior to the LHU-match. The Spartans crowned a pair of champions at Sunday’s (Nov. 20) Michigan State Open.
Saturday’s match with Michigan State is the fifth all-time between the two schools. The Spartans are 1-3 all-time vs. Lock Haven and last year’s LHU-win marked the first meeting between the two schools since 2011.
LHU 141-pounder Ronnie Perry will get another strong early-season test on Saturday evening. The redshirt-junior who returned the lineup this season after a scheduled redshirt season last year will tangle with his second straight top-15 opponent in dual action. Michigan State’s Javier Gasca is ranked No. 15 at 141 by InterMat.
Thomas Haines (285) is coming off a strong weekend and is nationally-ranked by several media outlets this week. He, along with Perry and Corey Hazel (184) will look to lead the way this week. Hazel is a perfect 10-0 on the season.
On Sunday, November 27, LHU will host the 11th annual Mat-Town Open Tournament. As of early this week student-athletes were registered, both attached and unattached from No. 3 Penn State, No. 16 Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Maryland, Old Dominion, Clarion, Franklin & Marshall, Bloomsburg and Kutztown. The Bald Eagles are sending 26 to the mats. Action gets underway at 9:30 a.m.
Lock Haven’s probable lineup:
125: R-Jr. Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) 1-0
-or- Fr. Brandon Loperfido (Columbia, Pa./Hempfield) 2-6
133: Jr. Joe Ghione (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) 3-4
-or- So. Lewis Williams (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) 3-7
141: R-Jr. Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) 7-3
149: R-Fr. Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) 4-5
-or- R-Fr. Patrick Duggan (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) 4-3
157: R-Jr. Kyle Hammond (Nottingham, Pa./Solanco) 4-4
165: Fr. Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) 5-5
174: R-Sr. Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) 5-5
184: R-Fr. Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) 10-0
-or- Sr. Adam Mackie (Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights) 9-2
197: R-So. Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) 3-2
285: R-So. Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Ohio State) 3-1
-or- Sr. Brad Emerick (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin) 3-1
Michigan State’s probable lineup:
125: R-Fr. Logan Griffin (Erie Township, Mich./Erie Mason) 4-2
-or- R-Jr. Mitch Rogaliner (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) 0-2
133: R-So. Austin Eicher (Fenton, Mich./Northern Illinois) 3-2
141: R-Jr. #15 Javier Gasca (Kingsburg, Calif./Kingsburg) 5-0
149: R-Sr. Nick Trimble (Sparta, Mich./Sparta) 0-0
157: R-So. Austin Thompson (Marysville, Mich./Marysville) 5-1
165: R-Fr. Logan Ritchie (New Boston, Mich./Huron) 0-0
-or- Fr. Drew Hughes (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) 4-1
174: R-So. Shane Shadaia (Rochester Hills, Mich/Rochester) 3-2
-or- R-So. Shawn Shadaia (Rochester Hills, Mich/Rochester) 0-0
184: R-So. Wesley Maskill (Oxford, Mich./Oxford) 1-2
-or- R-So. Shawn Shadaia (Rochester Hills, Mich/Rochester) 0-0
197: R-So. Matt Okaiye (Oxford, Mich./Oxford) 0-0
285: So. Jacob Cooper (Albion, Mich./Springport) 2-2
*lineups subject to change
Free Community Youth Clinic:
The Bald Eagles are scheduled to make their 2016-17 home debut on Saturday, November 26 at 5 p.m. when the Bald Eagles host Michigan State in Thomas Fieldhouse. As part of the match, the Bald Eagles will host a Free Community Youth Clinic from 2-4 p.m. in Thomas Fieldhouse. The clinic is open to youth wrestlers, aged 5-13.There is no pre-registration, but there is required paperwork.
Last time out:
On Sunday, November 20, LHU split a pair of matches. Lock Haven rallied for a thrilling 20-18 win over Maryland in the day’s opener and LHU looked poised for another comeback-win vs. host-Virginia, but the Cavaliers held on a for a 24-16 victory. In the thrilling win over Maryland, the Bald Eagles won 6 of 10 bouts, including the final four as they rallied past the Terps. In the loss to UVA, the Bald Eagles picked up four wins including the last three of the match.
Jake Field, Ronnie Perry, Tyler Wood, Corey Hazel, Tristan Sponseller and Thomas Haines accounted for Lock Haven’s wins in the thrilling comeback-victory over Maryland. Hazel and Haines capped perfect 2-0 days after recording wins vs. Virginia. Jared Siegrist and Adam Mackie also recorded victories vs. UVA.
Last time vs. Michigan State:
Last season (February 12, 2016), the Bald Eagles outlasted Michigan State and picked up a historic 18-15 win over the Spartans. With the match tied at 15-15 after nine bouts, Brad Emerick picked up a huge win at 285 pounds to give Lock Haven the win. The two teams each won bouts on the night. It marked Lock Haven’s first-ever win over Michigan State and at the time was LHU’s first win over a Big Ten opponent since 2002.
2 & a row vs. the Big Ten:
The win over Maryland on Sunday, November 20 marked Lock Haven’s second over a Big Ten opponent in as many tries. Last season (February 12, 2016), LHU beat Michigan State marking Lock Haven’s first win over a Big Ten program since Lock Haven beat Penn State in 2002. The Bald Eagles beat Rutgers back in 2007, but at the time, the Scarlet Knights were still a member of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA).
