The Lock Haven University wrestling team will return to action on Saturday, January 16 at 3 p.m. when the Bald Eagles take on Rider University in Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) action.
LHU has won four straight dual matches and is 6-5 on the season. The Bald Eagles are 1-0 in EWL action, thanks to a dominating 39-3 win over Bloomsburg back on December 17.
The Bald Eagles are coming off a pair of dual wins last week in Phoenix, Arizona.
Rider is 4-6 overall and 0-1 in EWL action with a loss to Clarion (11/29/15). The Broncs are coming off a 1-3 showing at the Virginia Duals.
News, notes & storylines:- LHU is looking for its fifth straight dual win.
- Since returning to 149 pounds on December 17, Dan Neff has gone 9-0.
- Neff was an All-American last season at 149.
- Neff is just one win away from becoming the 17th member of LHU's 100-win club.
- Neff was ranked No. 25 this week by WrestlingReport.com.
- 133-pounder Bobby Rehm was ranked No. 31 this week by WrestlingReport.com
Lock Haven's probable lineup: 125: R-So.
Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) 11-13
- OR – R-Jr.
David Sheesley (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) 10-7
133: R-Sr.
Bobby Rehm (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor) 18-7
141: R-Sr.
Cody Wheeler (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) 4-6
- OR - So.
Joe Ghione (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) 15-8
149: R-Sr.
Dan Neff (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) 16-8
157: R-Sr.
Aaron McKinney (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) 20-11
165: Fr.
Cody Cordes (Edwardsville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) 15-3
174: R-Jr.
Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) 15-10
184: R-Fr.
Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) 18-9
197: R-Sr.
Phil Sprenkle (Seven Valleys, Pa./Dallastown) 10-4
- OR - Jr.
Adam Mackie (Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights) 10-7
285: Jr.
Brad Emerick (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin) 11-12
Rider's probable lineup:125: So. Zach Valcarce (Villas, N.J./Lower Cape May) 1-6
133: Sr. Rob Deutsch (Cherry Hill, N.J./Eastern Regional) 7-5
141: Jr. Paul Kirchner (Somerville, N.J./Somerville) 11-9
149: So. B.J. Clagon (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) 10-9
- OR - Sr. Jimmy Morris (Northport, NY/St. Anthony) 0-5
157: So. Chad Walsh (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) 14-5
- OR - So. Jesse Rodgers (Pittsburg, PA/North Alleghany) 0-3
165: Sr. Conor Brennan (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) 18-2
- OR - Sr. Andrew Reca (Robbinsville N.J./Robbinsville) 0-2
174: So. Wayne Stinson (Wrightstown, N.J./Northern Burlington) 8-10
184: Fr. Michale Fagg-Daves (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) 13-7
197: Jr. Ryan Wolfe (New Castle, DE/Caravel Academy) 15-8
285: So. Mauro Correnti (Delran, N.J./Holy Cross) 8-7
- OR - Sr. Greg Velasco (Union Beach, N.J./Camden Catholic) 1-5
Last time out:Competing last week (Tuesday, January 5) in Phoenix, Arizona, the Bald Eagles went 2-0. Lock Haven beat Embry-Riddle (Arizona), 40-9 and took down host Grand Canyon University, 16-15 in a thriller that came down to the final bout.
Bobby Rehm,
Dan Neff,
Aaron McKinney,
Tyler Wood and
Tristan Sponseller all went 2-0 on the night.
The Bald Eagles got off to a strong start, winning the first five bouts versus Embry-Riddle. In all, Lock Haven won eight of 10 matches vs. the ERU Eagles, including three pins. After five bouts, Lock Haven led 22-0 and The Haven rolled from there. LHU got pins from McKinney, Sponseller and
Adam Mackie, while Rehm and Neff both recorded tech falls.
Lock Haven won five bouts in the narrow 16-15 win over Grand Canyon. Sponseller's major decision at 184 and normal 174-pounder
Travis Moyer's gutsy performance at heavyweight were the difference in the match, and keys to Lock Haven's victory.
The march toward 100: For the Bald Eagle trio of
Dan Neff,
Bobby Rehm and
Aaron McKinney, the race to 100-career LHU wins is on. Neff leads the way with 99 and fellow Lancaster County, Pennsylvania native – Rehm is right on his heels with 98. McKinney has 91 career wins.
The series with Rider:Despite leading the all-time series 16-7 vs. Rider, Lock Haven is looking to snap a five-match losing skid against the Broncs. Last season, Rider won 18-16 and LHU's last win over Rider came in 2003.
What to watch for vs. Rider: Rider enters Saturday's match with three nationally-ranked wresters – B.J. Clagon (149), Chad Walsh (157) and Conor Brennan (165).
The 149-pound bout will feature two returning All-Americans in LHU's
Dan Neff and Rider's B.J. Clagon. Last year in the dual, Neff beat Clagon 7-4. Neff finished eighth at the NCAA Tournament last year and Clagon was fifth.
At 133 pounds,
Bobby Rehm will face off with a tough Rob Reutsch and at 157,
Aaron McKinney will look to knock off Conor Brenna for the second straight season.
Sponseller named EWL Athlete of the Week:On Tuesday (January 13), redshirt-freshman
Tristan Sponseller was named this week's EWL Athlete of the Week. Competing in Arizona last week, Sponseller picked up a pair of victories which helped the Bald Eagles go 2-0. In a 40-9 win over Embry-Riddle (Arizona), Sponseller pinned Kolby Mays just 1:23 into their bout at 184 pounds. Sponseller's major decision (11-3) over Grand Canyon's Austin Trugilo was the difference in Lock Haven's thrilling 16-15 win over GCU.
Neff named PSAC Athlete of the Week: Dan Neff was last week's (Monday, January 4) Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Athlete of the Week. Neff went 5-0 and won the 149-pound title at the Lock Haven Classic on December 29. Neff rattled off four straight wins to earn a spot in the finals. He dominated his opponents and his four wins came by way of a pin, tech fall and two major decisions. In the finals, Neff downed Bucknell's Victory Lopez (UNA), 9-6.
Up next: The Bald Eagles are scheduled for a pair of duals next week. LHU will head to local-rival Bucknell on Thursday, January 21 (7 p.m.) and Lock Haven is set for an EWL dual at George Mason on Friday, January 22 (7 p.m.).
