LHU Dropped by #10 Penn State, 33-7

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Battling one of the hottest teams in the nation, the Lock Haven University wrestling squad (3-7) came out with a pair of victories in a 33-7 loss to No. 10 Penn State University (8-2) tonight (Jan. 11) at Thomas Fieldhouse. Freshmen Clint Shirk (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle Area) and Tom Kocher (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) pulled off victories in front of the largest crowd of the season, 1,220 strong.

Shirk, who hadn’t competed for the Bald Eagles since Nov. 19, showed little rust in his 10-2 drubbing of Jason Lapham. Lapham got things started with a first minute takedown, but Shirk eventually escaped and took down the Nittany Lion. Shirk then rattled off seven more points before Lapham knew what happened, getting Shirk his team-leading sixth major decision. Shirk improves to 5-3.

“I just needed to get out there and right myself,” Shirk said of shaking off the rust. “(Not facing their regular starter) makes it tougher for preparation, but I need to focus more on what I need to do in order to be successful.”

Kocher also pulled off a come-from-behind win, after giving up an early takedown to A.J. Cummins. Kocher escaped with nearly two minutes left in the first, but it wasn’t until the second period when he took the lead. A Kocher takedown with 1:16 left in the second put him up 4-2, but he wouldn’t look back, getting another takedown in the third and the riding time for the 7-2 finish. Kocher improves to 7-9.

The day started with the big fellas, with senior Tim Meyers (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) losing by tech fall to Joel Edwards, 17-2. PSU 125-pounder Brad Pataky followed with the biggest upset of the day, a 16-0 tech fall of No. 17 Obenson Blanc (Naples, Fla./Lely), his first tech fall loss of the season.

Sophomore Casey Moore (Beech Creek, Pa./Central Mountain) gave No. 10 Jake Strayer more of a fight than he expected, a 10-5 battle. Moore stuck with the higher-ranked man, down just one at each of the first two periods, at 4-3 and then 6-5. Strayer took control of the final frame for the decision.

At 141, sophomore Brian Ellis (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) found himself in the unfortunate situation of a second-minute loss by fall, after No.12 DeWitt Driscoll’s first takedown resulted in the eventual cradle pin.

Shirk stopped the run with his major win, setting up for the most exciting bout of the night. Junior No. 20 Seth Martin (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) met No. 14 Nathan Galloway for the first time since Martin’s upset win at last year’s dual.

Galloway surprised Martin with a takedown in the first ten seconds, using a double-leg shot. Martin wasted little time getting an escape and the men battled until the end of the first. Martin ended the second down 4-3 after a takedown in the final 40 seconds. Martin worked a takedown with 48 seconds left to tie the bout at 5-5 before Galloway escaped with 26 seconds left for the 6-5 win.

No. 10 David Erwin continued the roll of tech falls for PSU, topping sophomore Rory McCoy (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) 18-1 in the second period. Junior 174-pounder Carlos Ponce (Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah Miami Lakes) then lost to No. 11 James Yonushonis 10-6.

Junior Derrick Morgan (Media, Pa./Athens) gave No. 1 Eric Bradley a fight, eventually falling 10-3. Kocher then finished the day for the Bald Eagles on a good note with his 7-2 win.

Shirk, Kocher, Meyers, Blanc, Moore, Ellis, Martin, McCoy, Ponce, Morgan and the rest of the Bald Eagles are back in action Sunday, Jan. 22 at the Ashland Duals, hosted by Ashland University.

Wt. Match Result
HWT Joel Edwards (P) TF Tim Meyers, 17-2 (6:29) PSU 5-0
125 Brad Pataky (P) TF #17 Obenson Blanc, 15-0 (7:00) PSU 10-0
133 #10 Jake Strayer (P) dec. Casey Moore, 10-5 PSU 13-0
141 #12 DeWitt Driscoll (P) wbf Brian Ellis (1:03) PSU 19-0
149 Clint Shirk (L) md Jason Lapham, 10-2 PSU 19-4
157 #14 Nathan Galloway dec. #20 Seth Martin, 6-5 PSU 22-4
165 #10 David Erwin (P) TF Rory McCoy, 18-1 (4:39) PSU 27-4
174 #11 James Yonushonis (P) dec. Carlos Ponce 10-6  PSU 30-4
184 #1 Eric Bradley (P) dec. Derrick Morgan, 10-3 PSU 33-4
197 Tom Kocher (L) dec. A.J. Cummins, 7-2 PSU 33-7