The Lock Haven University wrestling team returns home tomorrow (Thursday, December 17) night as the Bald Eagles host NCAA Division III power Messiah and open Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) action vs. rival Bloomsburg.
 
LHU will get things going vs. Messiah at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow. It marks the first-ever meeting in dual action between the two schools. Messiah is ranked No. 7 in Division III by InterMat.com.
 
Messiah enters the match at 5-1 and the Falcons are coming off a 28-10 win over Shippensburg.
 
At 7 p.m., Lock Haven and Bloomsburg will meet for the 72^nd time. With just over 60 miles seprating the two Central, Pennsylvania wrestling powers, the two teams have met almost every year since first competing against one another in 1939. LHU leads the all-time series 42-29-0.
 
Bloomsburg is 0-6 (0-2 EWL) on the season, but has controlled the series with the Bald Eagles as of late. Last season's win by Lock Haven snapped a streak of 10 straight Bloomsburg victories. Last season, LHU dominated Bloomsburg, winning nine of 10 bouts.
 
The Bald Eagles are 2-5 on the season and the match with Bloomsburg marks LHU's 2015-16 Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) opener.
 
News, notes & storylines:

• LHU is 2-5 on the season and is coming off a 30-3 loss last Saturday vs. No. 25 West Virginia. Bobby Rehm picked up a win for Lock Haven - his 91^st career win.
• No. 25 West Virginia marked Lock Haven's fourth nationally-ranked opponent of the season.
• Penn State (#1), Nebraska (#10) & Purdue (#19) are all ranked this week; LHU has competed against each this season.
• LHU was second at the PSAC Championships held December 5.
• Bobby Rehm won the 133 pound PSAC title, becoming a three-time PSAC Champ.
• LHU and Messiah will meet for the first time ever in dual action.
• Last season vs. Bloomsburg, LHU won 31-3, winning 9 of 10 bouts, including the first 6 of the match and 2 by bonus point.

 
Lock Haven's probable lineup:
125: R-So. Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) 10-10
- OR- R-Jr. David Sheesley (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) 9-4
133: R-Sr. Bobby Rehm (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor) 11-6
141: So. Joe Ghione (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) 10-6
149: R-Sr. Dan Neff (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) 7-8
 157: R-Sr. Aaron McKinney (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) 13-9
165: Fr. Cody Cordes (Edwardsville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) 10-10
174: R-Jr. Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) 9-8
- OR – Sr. Travis Moyer (Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain) 1-3
184: R-Fr. Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) 12-7
- OR- Jr. Adam Mackie (Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights) 6-4
197: Jr. Adam Mackie (Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights) 6-4
- OR – R-So. Matt Moore (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) 8-7
285: Jr. Brad Emerick (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin) 9-10
 
Messiah's probable lineup:
125: Jr. Lucas Malmberg (Marathon, N.Y./Marathon) 13-0
133: So. Hunter Harris (Juniata, Pa./Juniata) 10-5
141: So. Arty Walsh (Reading, Pa./Kutztown University) 2-1
149: Sr. Greg Kabakjian (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) 9-8
157: Jr. Larry Cannon (Mechanicsville, Md./Chopticon) 11-1
165: So. Jeff Hojnacki (Hudson, Ohio/CVCA) 15-4
174: So. Derek Beitz (Juniata, Pa/Juniata) 17-2
184: So. Ben Swarr (East Earl, Pa./Garden Spot) 12-2
197: So. Kyle Koser (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern) 17-3
285: Sr. Jason Wright (Frostburg, Md./Mountain Ridge) 14-2
 
Bloomsburg's probable lineup:
125: So. Jon Haas (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) 2-8
133: Jr. Andy Schutz (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) 10-6
141: Forfeit
149: Fr. Ryan Snow (Dexter, N.Y./General Brown) 1-6
157: R-Fr. Brendon Colbert (Hagerstown, Md./ North Hagerstown) 10-9
165: Fr. Mathew Carr (Dalton, Pa./Abington Heights) 3-9
174: Fr. Kyle Wojtaszek (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) 3-11
184: Fr. Casey Glunt (Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan) 0-7
197: So. Dom Carfagno (West Paterson, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) 14-9
285: Fr. Saul Wilkins (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./ G.A.R) 2-11
 
PSAC Championships:
LHU placed second at the PSAC Championships (Saturday, Dec. 5). Nine of 10 Bald Eagles placed, including champions Bobby Rehm (133) and Aaron McKinney (157).  Dan Neff (141), Tyler Wood (174) and Tristan Sponseller (184) all placed second for Lock Haven.
 
Lock Haven finished second for the second straight season. The Bald Eagles were looking to dethrone Edinboro and win their first PSAC title since 2000-01, but came up just short. The Fighting Scots won their fifth straight title with 136.5 points behind six champions. Lock Haven racked up 118 points and Mercyhurst was third (108.5).
 
The march toward 100:
Bobby Rehm picked up his 91^st career win vs. West Virginia, inching closer to the prestitougs 100-win club. Rehm has close company has Dan Neff sits on 90 career wins and Aaron McKinney has 84.
 
Moore & Fittery enter third year at helm:
LHU head coach Scott Moore enters his third year as the head coach of the Bald Eagles. In the previous two seasons, LHU has gone 10-22. Assistant coach Steve Fittery has been Moore's right-hand man every step of the way and also enters his third season. The two have helped take LHU back to the top. Last year the duo led one student-athlete (Dan Neff) to All-American status, marking LHU's first All-American since 2007.
 
A look at last year:
During the 2014-15 season, LHU went 3-3 in EWL action (7-12 overall). The three conference wins mark Lock Haven's most EWL wins since the Bald Eagles were 3-3 during the 2004-05 season. At the 2015 EWL Championships, Lock Haven finished third overall with 101.5 points, thanks to a strong all-around day that saw all 10 wrestlers place among the top-five and nine, who finished fourth or better. It marks the second straight season where LHU has finished third at the EWL Championships. In 2014, when the Bald Eagles took third, it marked their highest finish since 2007.
 
Up next:
LHU returns to action Tuesday, December 29 at 9:30 a.m. when the Bald Eagles host the 2015 Lock Haven Classic Tournament.