Michigan State at Lock Haven
Saturday, November 26 at 5 p.m. | Thomas Fieldhouse
LIVE AUDIO | LIVE VIDEO | in-match updates @HavenAthletics

• 2016-17 home-opener
• LHU to host Free Community Youth Clinic

 
Monday Mat-Town Wrap up:
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Setting the stage:
The Bald Eagles will make their long anticipated 2016-17 home debut on Saturday, November 26 at 5 p.m. when they host Michigan State. They will be looking for their second straight win over Michigan State after defeating the Spartans last season.
 
LHU is coming off a strong showing at the Cavalier duals and enters the dual with Michigan State at 1-1 overall. Lock Haven rallied for a win over Maryland, but was edged by Virginia to open the dual-portion of the schedule.
 
Michigan State has yet to compete in a dual as of press time, but the Spartans are slated to take on Bloomsburg Saturday (Nov. 26) at 12:30 p.m. at Bloom prior to the LHU-match. The Spartans crowned a pair of champions at Sunday's (Nov. 20) Michigan State Open.
 
Saturday's match with Michigan State is the fifth all-time between the two schools. The Spartans are 1-3 all-time vs. Lock Haven and last year's LHU-win marked the first meeting between the two schools since 2011.
 
LHU 141-pounder Ronnie Perry will get another strong early-season test on Saturday evening. The redshirt-junior who returned the lineup this season after a scheduled redshirt season last year will tangle with his second straight top-15 opponent in dual action. Michigan State's Javier Gasca is ranked No. 15 at 141 by InterMat.
 
Thomas Haines (285) is coming off a strong weekend and is nationally-ranked by several media outlets this week. He, along with Perry and Corey Hazel (184) will look to lead the way this week. Hazel is a perfect 10-0 on the season.
 
On Sunday, November 27, LHU will host the 11^th annual Mat-Town Open Tournament. As of Tuesday morning student-athletes were registered, both attached and unattached from No. 3 Penn State, No. 16 Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Maryland, Old Dominion, Clarion, Franklin & Marshall, Bloomsburg and Kutztown. The Bald Eagles are sending 26 to the mats. Action gets underway at 9:30 a.m.
 
Lock Haven's probable lineup:
125: R-Jr. Jake Field (South Elgin, Ill./Marmion Academy) 1-0
-or- Fr. Brandon Loperfido (Columbia, Pa./Hempfield) 2-6
133: Jr. Joe Ghione (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) 3-4
-or- So. Lewis Williams (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) 3-7
141: R-Jr. Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco) 7-3
149: R-Fr. Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) 4-5
-or- R-Fr. Patrick Duggan (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) 4-3
157: R-Jr. Kyle Hammond (Nottingham, Pa./Solanco) 4-4
165: Fr. Jared Siegrist (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) 5-5
174: R-Sr. Tyler Wood (West Chester, Pa./West Chester-Rustin) 5-5
184: R-Fr. Corey Hazel (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) 10-0
-or- Sr. Adam Mackie (Bechtelsville, Pa./Brandywine Heights) 9-2
197: R-So. Tristan Sponseller (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) 3-2
285: R-So. Thomas Haines (Quarryville, Pa./Ohio State) 3-1
-or- Sr. Brad Emerick (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin) 3-1
 
Michigan State's probable lineup:
125: R-Fr. Logan Griffin (Erie Township, Mich./Erie Mason) 4-2
-or- R-Jr. Mitch Rogaliner (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) 0-2
133: R-So. Austin Eicher (Fenton, Mich./Northern Illinois) 3-2
141: R-Jr. #15 Javier Gasca (Kingsburg, Calif./Kingsburg) 5-0
149: R-Sr. Nick Trimble (Sparta, Mich./Sparta) 0-0
157: R-So. Austin Thompson (Marysville, Mich./Marysville) 5-1
165: R-Fr. Logan Ritchie (New Boston, Mich./Huron) 0-0
-or- Fr. Drew Hughes (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) 4-1
174: R-So. Shane Shadaia (Rochester Hills, Mich/Rochester) 3-2
-or- R-So. Shawn Shadaia  (Rochester Hills, Mich/Rochester) 0-0
184: R-So. Wesley Maskill (Oxford, Mich./Oxford) 1-2
-or- R-So. Shawn Shadaia  (Rochester Hills, Mich/Rochester) 0-0
197: R-So. Matt Okaiye (Oxford, Mich./Oxford) 0-0
285: So. Jacob Cooper (Albion, Mich./Springport) 2-2
 
*lineups subject to change
 
Free Community Youth Clinic:
The Bald Eagles are scheduled to make their 2016-17 home debut on Saturday, November 26 at 5 p.m. when the Bald Eagles host Michigan State in Thomas Fieldhouse. As part of the much anticipated match, the Bald Eagles will host a Free Community Youth Clinic from 2-4 p.m. in Thomas Fieldhouse. The clinic is open to youth wrestlers, aged 5-13.There is no pre-registration, but there is required paperwork. Visit www.GoLHU.com for more information or click here.
 
Last time out:
On Sunday, November 20, LHU split a pair of matches. Lock Haven rallied for a thrilling 20-18 win over Maryland in the day's opener and LHU looked poised for another comeback-win vs. host-Virginia, but the Cavaliers held on a for a 24-16 victory. In the thrilling win over Maryland, the Bald Eagles won 6 of 10 bouts, including the final four as they rallied past the Terps. In the loss to UVA, the Bald Eagles picked up four wins including the last three of the match.
 
Jake Field, Ronnie Perry, Tyler Wood, Corey Hazel, Tristan Sponseller and Thomas Haines accounted for Lock Haven's wins in the thrilling comeback-victory over Maryland. Hazel and Haines capped perfect 2-0 days after recording wins vs. Virginia. Jared Siegrist and Adam Mackie also recorded victories vs. UVA.
 
Last time vs. Michigan State:
Last season (February 12, 2016), the Bald Eagles outlasted Michigan State and picked up a historic 18-15 win over the Spartans. With the match tied at 15-15 after nine bouts, Brad Emerick picked up a huge win at 285 pounds to give Lock Haven the win. The two teams each won bouts on the night. It marked Lock Haven's first-ever win over Michigan State and at the time was LHU's first win over a Big Ten opponent since 2002.
 
2 & a row vs. the Big Ten:
The win over Maryland on Sunday, November 20 marked Lock Haven's second over a Big Ten opponent in as many tries. Last season (February 12, 2016), LHU beat Michigan State marking Lock Haven's first win over a Big Ten program since Lock Haven beat Penn State in 2002. The Bald Eagles beat Rutgers back in 2007, but at the time, the Scarlet Knights were still a member of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA).
 
Hazel still perfect:
Redshirt Corey Hazel picked up two more wins at the Cavalier duals and improved to a perfect 10-0 on the season. The 184-pounder won the Clarion Open and the Journeymen Collegiate Classic.
 
Haines looks strong at 285:
Transfer Thomas Haines looked to be back in fine form after going 2-0 at the Cavalier duals. Haines was nothing short of dominant. His win sealed a come-from-behind victory for LHU over Maryland. With Lock Haven trailing 18-17 heading into the final bout of the match at 285, Haines stepped up and put things away with a dominating 8-1 victory over Maryland's Youssif Hemida. Haines' win gave the Bald Eagles a thrilling 20-18 victory over the Terps. Haines followed it up with a huge victory vs. Virginia. Facing a talented Tyler Love, Haines put on a clinic and picked up a 15-1 major decision.
 
Bald Eagles strong at Journeymen Collegiate Classic; Hazel the biggest story:
For the second weekend (Sunday, Nov. 13) in a row Corey Hazel led the way for the LHU as the Bald Eagles competed at the new-look Journeymen Collegiate Classic hosted by Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York.
 
Hazel looked quite comfortable under the new format and rattled off three wins to go 3-0 and win his 184-pound pool and bracket. Today's 3-0 mark helped Hazel improve to a perfect 8-0 on the season.
 
Ronnie Perry went 2-1 and finished second in his 141-pound bracket and Gavin Caprio finished second his 174-pound bracket after going 2-1. Adam Mackie was 2-1 and finished third in his bracket at 184. Thomas Haines made his LHU debut and finished 1-1 (fourth) at 285. DJ Fehlman was a perfect 3-0 and won his pool at 141.
 
Hazel named PSAC Athlete of the Week:
On Monday, November 14, Corey Hazel was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Athlete of the Week.
 
The redshirt-freshman picked up his second individual title (184 pounds) in as many weekends at Sunday's (Nov. 13) Journeymen Collegiate Classic. Hazel went 3-0 on the way to the title and improved to a perfect 8-0 on the season. Hazel was 5-0 at last week's Clarion Open (Nov. 6) as he cruised to the title there as well.
 
At Sunday's Journeymen Classic, Hazel defeated Jack Rozema (Ohio State) 14-8, Matthew Rundell (North Carolina) 5-4 and Brett Perry (Buffalo) 9-4. At Clarion, Hazel was 5-0 on the day. After starting 3-0 with three decisions, he picked up a tech fall in the semifinals and a pin in the finals.
 
LHU opens season; Hazel paces effort at Clarion Open:
LHU opened the 2016-17 season at the Clarion Open on Sunday, November 6 and redshirt-freshman Corey Hazel led the way for the Bald Eagles as he took home the individual title at 184-pounds. Hazel was one of three LHU wrestlers who advanced to the finals.
 
Both redshirt-junior Ronnie Perry and redshirt-freshman Kyle Shoop finished second at their respective weight classes. Perry was second at 141 and Shoop placed second at 149.
 
Hazel went 5-0 on the day. After starting 3-0 with three decisions, he picked up a tech fall in the semifinals and a pin in the finals. Perry went 4-1 with three tech falls, while Shoop was 3-1. It marked the second straight year where LHU officially opened its season at the Clarion Open.
 
Perry picks up win at All-Star Classic:
Redshirt-junior Ronnie Perry competed at the 51st All-Star Classic in Cleveland on Saturday, November 5. He picked up a win in all-Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) battle. Perry took down Cleveland State's Evan Cheek, 8-2 in a "showcase/prelim" bout.
 
A look back at last season:
The 2015-16 season proved to be another big year for the LHU wrestling program as the Bald Eagles dominated both on and off the mats. Last spring (2016), LHU sent two more wrestlers (Dan Neff & Phil Sprenkle) to the NCAA Division I Championships in New York City. For the NCAA Tournament bound LHU grapplers, it marked Dan Neff's fourth trip to the sport's biggest stage. Neff won the 2016 Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) title at 149 pounds, marking LHU's first individual EWL Champion since 2010. During the 2015-16 season, three LHU wrestlers hit the prestigious 100-win mark: Dan Neff, Bobby Rehm and Aaron McKinney. Last season, LHU was 9-9 overall and went 3-3 in the highly competitive EWL. Highlighting the regular season was LHU's win over Michigan State, which was Lock Haven's first win over a Big Ten program since 2002. The Bald Eagles finished second at the 2015 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships and were third at the 2016 EWL Championships with four EWL finalists.
 
Academic standard is high:
Last season, off the mat, senior Phil Sprenkle was named an Academic All-American and he earned a spot on the PSAC's Winter Top-10 List, which is one of the most prestigious academic honors one can achieve. As a team, Lock Haven was ranked No. 23 among all Division I programs with a cumulative team-GPA of 3.123. A total of 15 LHU wrestlers earned a spot on the EWL All-Academic Team.
 
Moore enters fourth season:
LHU head coach Scott Moore enters his fourth year as the head coach of the storied Bald Eagle wrestling program. He was hired in July 2013, and has quickly led a Lock Haven resurgence and positioned Mat-Town U.S.A. back on the national wrestling scence where it so rightfully belongs. In three seasons, Moore has led nine student-athletes to the NCAA Division I Tournament.
 
Top-notch coaching staff:
Head coach Scott Moore has established a top-notch staff. In July (2016), LHU hired Nate Carr, Jr. as the new assistant coach. Carr is a 2012 Iowa State graduate and former standout for the Division I power-Cyclones. Moore and Carr lead a talented and driven group of assistant coaches.
 
Team captains:
During the preseason, LHU head coach Scott Moore announced that redshirt-senior Tyler Wood and redshirt-junior Ronnie Perry were named the team's 2016-17 captains, which were voted on by the student-athletes. Perry, a 2015 NCAA national qualifier who redshirted last season, enters the 2016-17 season ranked nationally at 141 pounds.  Wood won 18 matches for the Bald Eagles last season at 174 pounds.
 
Perry returns:
Former national qualifier, Ronnie Perry returns to the LHU lineup in 2016-17 after a scheduled redshirt-season last season (2015-16). Perry, a 2015 NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds enters the season with 43-20 career record. Those 43 career wins don't include the 25 he ripped off competing unattached last season. Perry went a remarkable 25-4 competing unattached at several tournaments last season as the national wrestling scene quickly took notice after he knocked off a number of returning All-Americans and top-10 wrestlers. Highlighting the unattached season was Perry's sixth-place finish at the prestigious Midlands Tournament. It marked LHU's first Midlands placewinner since 2003.
 
Transfers set to make a difference:
Lock Haven will quickly look for transfers Patrick Duggan and Thomas Haines to bolster the Bald Eagles lineup. Duggan, a redshirt-freshman will compete at 149, while Haines, a redshirt-sophomore will look to lead the way at 285.
 
Duggan was a four-time Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) placewinner. Competing for Cumberland Valley High School, Duggan, finished his career with a remarkable 160-11 record. He was a two-time PIAA state finalist and ranked as high as fifth in the nation at 145 pounds during his scholastic career.
 
While competing at Solanco High School, Haines went 174-5 overall and won four PIAA state titles. He was 42-0 as a senior. Last season, while competing for Ohio State, Haines won the Penn State Open (285) and he helped seal a big dual-win over Illinois with a 3-2 victory over nationally-ranked Brooks Black.
 
Talented recruiting class:
The Bald Eagles 2016 recruiting class, made up of eight talented true-freshmen, was ranked No. 14 by InterMat. Leading the way is true-freshman Jared Siegrist, the projected starter at 165. Lock Haven will also benefit from the return of a number of redshirt-freshmen, including Corey Hazel, the projected starter at 184.
 
Returning starters:
Jake Field (R-Jr.; 125), Tyler Wood (R-Sr.; 174) and Tristan Sponseller (R-So.; 197 (184 last season)) are all projected returning starters, who return from action last season. Last year, the trio picked up a combined 54 wins.
 
Projected number 1's:
Jake Field (R-Jr.; 125), Joe Ghione (Jr.; 133), Kyle Hammond (R-Jr.; 157), Tyler Wood (R-Sr.; 174) and Tristan Sponseller (R-So.; 197) are all returners from last season, who are projected No. 1's at their respective weight class this year entering the season. The five combined for 83 wins last season.
 
Sponseller makes a move:
Redshirt-sophomore Tristian Sponseller, who won 22 matches last season at 184, will make the move to 197 this season. He entered the 2016 EWL Tournament as the No. 2 seed at 184 and will be a major force for the Bald Eagles this year.
 
Field to get things started:
Jake Field returns and should provide the Bald Eagles with plenty of energy at 125. The redshirt-junior won 14 matches last season and picked up four dual-match wins, including two in EWL action. Field has 34 career wins and finished second last March at the 2016 EWL Championships.
 
Senior leadership:
LHU will rely on seniors Brad Emerick, Adam Mackie and Tyler Wood for experience and leadership all season. The trio should provide a huge amount of confidence for the Bald Eagles.  
 
Up next:
Following the Mat-Town Open on Sunday, November 27, LHU will return to action the weekend of Saturday, December 3 (vs. Rider at home, 6:30 p.m.) and Sunday, December 4 (vs. George Mason, 12 p.m.) as the Bald Eagles open EWL action.