LHU, PSU Do Well at LHU Open Tourney
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University wresting team crowned four individual champions and Penn State three as the Bald Eagles hosted their own Mat-Town Open Tournament on Sunday.
Five Bald Eagles finished second at their respective weight class as the home fans saw Lock Haven headline the early-season tournament field.
Leading the way for Lock Haven was champions Luke Werner (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty), Cole Manley (Altoona, Pa./Altoona), Jonathan Ross (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) and Austin Bell (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon).
Werner was an impressive 5-0 with a tech fall, two majors and two pins on the way to a title at 125 pounds.
Manley was 3-0 with one tech fall on the way to the championship at 133. Ross continued to impress, and went 5-0 with two techs on the way to the individual title at 157.
Bell went 3-0 with two pins and won the 165-pound bracket.
Imran Heard (Pittsburgh/St. Paul’s (Md.), Brock Port (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte), Chase Stephens (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville), Caleb Clymer (Germansville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) and Parker McClellan (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) all finished second at their respective weight class, running Lock Haven’s total to nine wrestlers who finished among the top-two.
The Bald Eagles will return to action on Friday, Dec. 6 as they host their first dual of the 2019-20 season. It will be Lock Haven’s annual “White Out” match as LHU entertains Central Michigan in a Mid-American Conference (MAC) East-West Crossover. The dual is set for a 7 p.m. start.
Seven members of the Penn State took part, all seven wrestling unattached and three true freshmen won individual titles at their respective weight classes.
True freshman Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Pa.) went 3-0 at 184 to win Penn State’s first title of the day. Brooks had one pin along the way to the 184-pound crown. True freshman Michael Beard (Pottsville, Pa.) went 3-0 at 197 to win his title. Beard had two tech falls and a major decision. True freshman Seth Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) went 3-0 at 285 to win the heavyweight crown. Nevills had two pins in his three victories.
True freshman Baylor Shunk (Centre Hall, Pa.) went 2-3 at 125, netting a fall during his tournament run. Sophomore Scott Obendorfer (Germantown, Md.) picked up a victory at 149, with the win coming by fall. True freshman Joe Kurtz (Easton, Pa.) also had a win at 197, getting a major decision. True freshman Eddie Smith (Scotch Plains, N.J.) also competed at 197 for Penn State.
Penn State, 1-1 overall and 0-0 in the Big Ten, returns to action next weekend. The Nittany Lions are at Lehigh on Friday, Dec. 6, in a 7 p.m. dual that airs live on SE2 and the Patriot League Network. Two days later, Penn State hosts Penn in Rec Hall. The Lions and Quakers battle on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m.
