Bonus Points Carry LHU Past Clarion, 27-12

LOCK HAVEN – The Lock Haven University wrestling team won six of 10 bouts including pins from Adam Mackie (Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights) and Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco (Ohio State)), and the Bald Eagles cruised past Clarion (4-8, 1-3EWL) 27-12 in Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Thursday night action.

With the win, Lock Haven (7-8) finished its 2016-17 EWL slate at 4-2, marking the most EWL wins in 15 years. It’s the most wins for the Bald Eagles in league duals since LHU finished 6-1 in what, at the time, was an eight-team EWL in 2001-02.

Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) picked up a tech fall and Jonathan Ross (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) won by major decision, while both Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) and DJ Fehlman (Warren, Pa./Warren) won by decision as Lock Haven proved too strong for the Golden Eagles tonight at home.

Mackie quickly brought the packed Thomas Fieldhouse crowd to its feet in the night’s opening bout at 174 pounds as he pinned Dominic Rigous at the 5:33 mark. A first-period takedown had Mackie up 2-1 after one period and he led 6-3 after two. Mackie started the third in the down position and Rigous notched a pair of near falls points before Mackie earned a reversal and quick pin. Mackie led 8-5 when he earned the fall, putting Lock Haven up 6-0.

No. 28 Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) and Scott Marmoll remained scoreless after one period at 184 despite a late first-period furry of offense from Hazel. Marmoll led 1-0 after two thanks to late escape, but not before Hazel racked up 1:29 of riding time in the second. A third-period takedown from Marmoll proved to be the difference as he knocked off Hazel, 3-2. For Hazel, his return to the lineup helped the Bald Eagles get back to full strength however, as he hadn’t wrestled for LHU since January 14 at the Virginia Duals.

For two periods at 197 Sponseller pushed the offense and took shot after shot, but he only led 1-0, thanks to a second-period escape. Dustin Conti took the lead with a reversal in the third, but Sponseller tied it late on an escape as the two were deadlocked 2-2 after three periods. With just four seconds left in overtime, Sponseller recorded the takedown and win. Sponseller’s 4-2 decision put Lock Haven up 9-3 in the team score.

Haines dug himself out of an early hole and stretched the Lock Haven lead to 15-3 after four bouts, thanks to a pin (4:42) at 285. Clarion’s Evan Daley was game early and led 2-1 after one and stretched it to a 3-1 lead late in the second, before Haines struck with a big throw that put Daley on his back and allowed for Haines to stick him for the fall.

As the seconds ticked down to end the first period at 125, No. 30 Jake Gromacki earned a takedown to lead Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) after the opening three minutes. A Gromacki escape and late second-period takedown stretched the lead for the Golden Eagle to 5-0 after two. Gromacki rode out the third period for a total of 1:43 in riding time advantage which pushed him to the 6-0 win over Field.

After five bouts, Lock Haven led Clarion, 15-6.

At 133, Fehlman dominated Roshaun Cooley for a 5-0 victory. Fehlman led 2-0 after one period on a takedown and 3-0 after two. In third Fehlman went to work on top, erasing the hint of riding time in Cooley’s favor. In the end, Fehlamn rode out the third, racked up 1:31 of riding time of his own and won 5-0.

For the first time since January 7 at the Franklin & Marshall Open, No. 21 Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) found himself in the Lock Haven lineup and he quickly locked up with No. 16 Brock Zacherl in the night’s premier bout. The two were tied 2-2 after two periods and a Zacherl escape in the third proved to the difference in his 3-2 win.

Shoop was dominant at 149 pounds and broke open the match in the second period. After a scoreless first, Shoop went to work on Jake Keller in the second, earning a takedown, before eight near-fall points on the way to a 10-0 lead. Shoop’s hardwork paid off as he pushed the offense and earned the 15-0 tech fall with 20 seconds left in the third.

Shoop’s tech fall stretched the Lock Haven lead to 23-9 and sealed the Bald Eagles victory.

Ross followed up Shoop’s dominance with some of his own as he majored Taylor Cahill, 16-4. The two were tied 4-4 after two periods and Ross started the third down, but after a quick escape-takedown combo, the offense exploded, and he used tilt after tilt to power his way to the big win.

Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) looked poised for an upset of his own, but Evan Delong, the 2016 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship’s Outstanding Wrestler, held on for a 4-3 victory.

Today’s dual with Clarion was the first of three events for Lock Haven this week. Tomorrow (Friday, Feb. 3), LHU will host Sacred Heart at 7 p.m. and the Bald Eagles will host the Mat-Town Open II Tournament on Sunday (Feb. 5) at 9:30 a.m.

Lock Haven 27 – Clarion 12
*match started at 174 pounds
174: Adam Mackie (LHU) pinned Dominic Rigous (CU) 5:33; LHU leads 6-0
184: Scott Marmoll (CU) dec. #28 Corey Hazel (LHU) 3-2; LHU leads 6-3
197: #30 Tristan Sponseller (LHU) dec. Dustin Conti (CU) 4-2 SV; LHU leads 9-3
285: #15 Thomas Haines (LHU) pinned Evan Daley (CU) 4:42; LHU leads 15-3
125: #30 Jake Gromacki (CU) dec. Jake Field (LHU) 6-0; LHU leads 15-6
133: DJ Fehlman (LHU) dec. Roshaun Cooley (CU) 5-0; LHU leads 18-6
141: #16 Brock Zacherl (CU) dec. #21 Ronnie Perry (LHU) 3-2; LHU leads 18-9
149: Kyle Shoop (LHU) tech fall Jake Keller (CU) 15-0 (6:40); LHU leads 23-9
157: Jonathan Ross (LHU) major dec. Taylor Cahill (CU) 16-4; LHU leads 27-9
165: Evan Delong (CU) dec. Jared Siegrist (LHU) 4-3; LHU wins 27-12

*rankings = NCAA Coaches’ Panel Rankings (1/20/17)