EASTERN WRESTLING LEAGUE WRESTLER OF THE WEEK

   The Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Week for the week ended January 4, 2009, is Ricky Deubel.  Deubel is a senior at Edinboro University and competes at 133 pounds.  He is from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and is majoring in Sports Administration and Recreation.

  On December 29-30, 2008, Edinboro competed at the powerful Southern Scuffle Tournament in Greensboro, NC, and finished a very strong second in the team race (behind Cornell University), and took three individual crowns.  Paul Donahoe won the title at 125 pounds, Gregor Gillespie grabbed the gold at 157, and Mr. Deubel was victorious at 133 pounds.

  In taking the title, Deubel posted five wins.  In the opening round he won 8-2, and then shut-out his next opponent 2-0.  In the quarter-finals Rick beat nationally ranked Thomas Kimbrell of California-Bakersfield by a score of 3-2, then in the semi-finals decisioned top-seed, returning NCAA All-American, Mike Grey of Cornell, 6-4.  That ain't all folks -- in the championship finals Deubel scored a third-period take-down to defeat second-seeded and nationally ranked, Lou Ruggirello of Hofstra, 2-1.

  Congratulations to Ricky Deubel, our Eastern Wrestling League's Wrestler of the Week.  Also, a tip of the EWL headgear to the Edinboro wrestling team for its outstanding performance at the Southern Scuffle.  Well done, guys!