Match Day Central
No. 22 Bloomsburg (2-2, 0-0 EWL) at Lock Haven (2-3, 0-1 EWL)
8 p.m. | Thomas Fieldhouse | Lock Haven, Pa.
Live Audio | Live Video
*Community Night, Sponsored by Lock Haven Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Club 4298 
*LHU Season Ticket Holder Pre-Match Social

• Thursday's match marks Lock Haven's first home-EWL match this year.
• The match is the EWL opener for the Huskies.
• Lock Haven is 2-0 at home, Bloomsburg is 0-1 on the road.

Setting the stage:
The Bald Eagles host local-rival and 22^nd ranked Bloomsburg on Thursday (Dec. 19) at 8 p.m.
 
Lock Haven's Thomas Fieldhouse will play host to Community Night on Thursday. Thanks to the generosity of Community Night sponsor - the Lock Haven Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Club 4298, admission will be free for all starting at 7 p.m.
 
Lock Haven is also hosting the Central Mountain and Philipsburg-Osceola junior high and high school matches at 5 p.m. on Thursday evening. Both varsity head coaches are Lock Haven alums.
 
The match is the 2013 EWL opener for Bloomsburg. Lock Haven is 0-1 in conference action after a 23-12 loss to EWL-newcomer Rider back on November 22.
 
Lock Haven will be looking to beat Bloom for the first time since 2004.
 
LHU head coach Scott Moore and his Bald Eagles' will benefit from the return of Dan Neff and Fred Garcia, who have been out of the lineup over the last couple weeks. Garcia was last in action at the Mat Town Open (Dec. 1) where he took second overall, losing only to top-ranked Ed Ruth of Penn State in the finals.
 
Neff had been out of the lineup since a loss in the dual with No. 1 Penn State on November 24, but he returned to the lineup last weekend at the Cleveland State Open. After opening the day 1-1, Neff rattled off six straight wins to finish third.
 
Garcia (184) and Neff (141) were ranked No. 15 and 20, respectively this week by Amateur Wrestling News (AWN).
 
The Huskies probable lineup features a trio of nationally ranked wrestlers, who will be action on Thursday. Nick Wilcox (133), Richard Perry (197) and Justin Grant (285) are all nationally-ranked and are slated to compete. Ninth-ranked Bryce Busler (149) and 14^th ranked Josh Veltre (165) are currently out of the lineup.
 
Bloomsburg is ranked No. 22 in this week's USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll.
 
Match Notes & Bald Eagle storylines:

• Thursday night marks Lock Haven's fourth-straight dual match vs. a team ranked in the USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll.
• Lock Haven is coming off a strong showing at the Cleveland State Open. Despite a limited number of athletes in action, the Bald Eagles came away with a number of place-winners.
• Senior Mac Maldarelli led the way at the CSU Open. He went 5-0 on the way to the 149-pound title. Maldarelli was named the EWL Athlete of the Week on Monday for his efforts.
• Dan Neff & Bobby Rehm (UNA, 133) were both third at Cleveland State.
• Lock Haven was third at the 2013 PSAC Championship (Dec. 7). Jake Kemerer won the 157-pound title.
• Lock Haven has lost nine straight dual matches to Bloomsburg.
• Both teams feature first-year head coaches – Scott Moore for Lock Haven and Jason Mester for Bloomsburg.
• LHU is looking to knock off a nationally-ranked team for the first time since the 2004-05 season. On February 13, 2005, Lock Haven beat No. 22 West Virginia, 21-17.
• Dan Neff and Fred Garcia are both returning national qualifiers.

 
Probable Starters:
*tentative to change
 
Bald Eagles (2-3, 0-1 EWL)
125: Fr. Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) 13-9
133: R-So. Cody Wheeler (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) 9-5
141: #20 R-So. Dan Neff (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) 15-4
149: Sr. Mac Maldarelli (Merrick, N.Y./Nassau C.C.) 18-7
157: Sr. Billy Randt (York, Pa./West York) 12-8
165: Sr. Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) 12-5
174: R-Jr. Dylan Caprio (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) 10-8
184: #15 R-Jr. Fred Garcia (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) 13-3
197: R-So. Phil Sprenkle (Seven Valleys, Pa./Dallastown) 13-7
285: Sr. Cody Mason (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore) 10-6
 
#22 Bloomsburg (2-2, 0-0 EWL)
125: Sr. Sean Boylan (Seaville, N.J./St. Marks) 10-11
133: Sr. Nick Wilcox (Greene, N.Y./Green Central) 11-5
141: R-So. Matt Rappo (Holland, Pa./Council Rock South) 15-12
149: R-Jr. Kurtis Becker (Sweedsboro, N.J./Kingsway) 9-4
157: R-Jr. Kevin Hartnett (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignro Farrell) 12-9
- OR So. Mark Granahan (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) 7-5
165: R-Jr. Kevin Hartnett (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignro Farrell) 12-9
- OR So. Mark Granahan (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) 7-5
174: R-Sr. Mike Dessino (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) 13-4
184: R-Sr. Sam Shirey (Beaver Springs, Pa./Midd-West) 7-10
197: #8 Richard Perry (Meriden, Conn./Middletown) 13-1
285: #19 R-Sr. Justin Grant (Easton, Pa./Easton) 14-3
 
*Rankings = AWN
 
The series:
Despite a streak of nine straight Bloomsburg wins, Lock Haven controls the all-time series, 41-28. The Huskies have won nine straight over LHU dating back to 2004 when the Bald Eagles won 20-16.
 
Last season (Feb. 15, 2013), Bloomsburg beat Lock Haven 30-7. Both Bobby Rehm (125) and Fred Garcia (184) were winners for LHU a year ago, but the Huskies benefitted from a pair of pins on the way to the win.
 
Listen Live:
Fans can catch all the action live and locally on ESPN 1600 and online at www.ESPNWilliamsport.com (Stream 6). Fans can also catch the Edinboro (1/18/14) and Cleveland State (2/1/14) matches live on the Bald Eagles Sports Network. Join Jonathan Schwab, the voice the Bald Eagles as he brings you the play-by-play. He'll be joined by Carl Poff (analyst). Poff, the former LHU head coach is the winningest coach in the program's history.
 
What to watch for:
At 141, a pair of familiar faces will square off. Lock Haven's Dan Neff and Bloomsburg's Matt Rappo split matches last weekend at the Cleveland State Open. After opening the tournament with a pin, Neff's only loss, a 7-3 decision to Rappo came in his second bout of the day. Neff went on to win six straight including a 3-2 decision over Rappo on the third-place bout.
 
Rappo pinned Neff (2:18) in the dual last year after Neff beat him 10-4 at the 2012 PSAC Championship.
 
Cody Wheeler (133) and Phil Sprenkle (197) will both get a crack at nationally-ranked opponents – opponents they wrestled tough last season in the dual. Wheeler will take on Nick Wilcox, ranked No. 16 by InterMat. Wilcox won 6-5 (tiebreaker 1) last season in the dual match.
 
Sprenkle lost 12-7 last year to No. 8 Rich Perry.
 
Neff & Garcia in the national rankings:
Once again, Dan Neff and Fred Garcia, the Bald Eagles returning national qualifiers were ranked in this week's various national polls.
 
Wrestler, Wt. Class            AWN              InterMat         WrestlingReport
Neff, 141                                20                    NR                  24
Garcia, 184                           15                    16                   15
 
Up next:
Lock Haven is set to close out the 2013 calendar year by hosting the Cradle Gear Invitational (formerly the Brute Invite) on Sunday, Dec. 29 (9a.m.).