Strickland crowned champion; LH Men’s Wrestling opens season at Princeton Open
PRINCETON, N.J. – The Lock Haven men’s wrestling team opened the 2022-23 season on Sunday at the Princeton Open, and six Bald Eagles placed, including one champion.
Gable Strickland (Benton, Pa./Benton) topped the field at 133-pounds, behind a 4-0 day and a major decision victory over Hofstra’s Joe Sparracio, 11-2, in the championship bout.
Connor Eck (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) and Ty Linsenbigler (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) both gathered second-place finishes at 149 and 141 pounds, respectively.
Eck grabbed three straight wins on the way to the championship bout by decision, but was upended by Rider’s Quinn Kinner in the title match
Linsenbigler, capped a 3-1 day, which included one major decision, in the first-place bout but was just edged out in a decision victory.
Tyler Stoltzfus (Mifflinburg, Pa./Saint Joseph’s Academy) wrestled his way to a third-place finish at 174 pounds. The sophomore capped a 3-1 day in the third-place match with a tech fall victory over Michael Wilson of Rider.
At 125-pounds, Matt Maloney (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Liberty) earned a fourth-place finish for The Haven. Ashton Eyler (Millersburg, Ohio/ Claymont High (Iowa Central CC)) and Nick Stonecheck (Alpharetta, Ga./Buford High School) both fought through the wrestle-backs to notch fifth-place finishes for the Bald Eagles. Eyler, who had competed at 165 pounds last season, posted the finish at 157 pounds and Stonecheck’s place win came at 149 pounds.
The Bald Eagles open the dual slate with a match at No. 1 Penn State on Friday (Nov. 11). That dual is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start in historic Rec Hall.
