Clarion fifth year head coach Teague Moore, who was brought in to restore the Golden Eagles NCAA Div. I wrestling tradition, was excited with the team title. Clarion had not won a PSAC team championship since 1994.
“I have so much respect for the Clarion tradition and what this means to our team, pin club, alumni and fans that I’m overwhelmed,” said Moore. “We really wrestled as a total team today. Three champions, two seconds, three thirds and a fourth showed our team balance. I couldn’t be happier.”
Clarion won the team title with 135.5 points, Bloomsburg was second with 110.5, Edinboro third at 109, Lock Haven fourth with 93 and Gannon fifth with 54.5 Rounding out the ten team field were Millersville at 53.5, Mercyhurst seventh with 52.5, E. Stroudsburg eighth at 48, Shippensburg ninth with 41 and Kutztown tenth with 35.
Thomas rolled through the PSAC field at 197-pounds pinning all four opponents. In the finals he pinned Edinboro’s Shawn Fendone at 0:51 with a power half nelson. He pinned Fendone in the PSAC finals a year ago. Thomas pinned Travis Stem (LH) in the opening round at 1:57, then pinned Dan Cox (Mill) at 1:32, before pinning Mercyhurst’s Michael Pollard at 5:56 in the semi’s. Thomas raised his season record to 7-3.
“I was really happy with my wrestling today, and winning the “OW” is really an honor,” said Thomas. “I was looking for the half nelson against Fendone and was able to use it to win the match”.
Fleming also looked masterful in winning at 157. He defeated Edinboro’s John Greisheimer 10-2 in the finals. Fleming used a five-point move in the second period to take a 5-0 lead. After escaping to start the third, he again took Greisheimer to his back for a four-point move and a 10-2 major decision. Fleming opened the PSAC’s with a pin over Dakota Kuhn (Mill) at 2:30, then pinned Bloom’s Frank Hickman at 5:58 in the semi’s. Fleming, ranked #13 in the country, is now 14-1 on the season.
Abdurakhmonov posted a hard-earned 2-1 win in the finals over Bloomsburg’s Josh Veltre. The first period showed no scoring, but a one-minute flurry toward the end of the period had the Nelson Fieldhouse fans on their feet. The Golden Eagle appeared to have a takedown several times, but great counter wrestling kept the period scoreless. Bekzod rode Velte the entire second period, escaped to start the third, gave up a stall point in the final seconds, but won the match with over 1:30 in riding time. He opened the PSAC’s with a pin at 2:19 over Jesse Dunn of E. Stroudsburg and then majored Zack McKendree (Gannon) 8-0. Bekzod’s season record is now 12-2 and his is ranked 18th in the latest poll.
Also taking second place were Joe Waltko (So. Allison Park) at 133 and Cameron Moran (Jr. James City/Kane) at 141, while Anthony White (Fr. Phila) at 149, Steven Cressley (So. Punxsutawney) at 184 and Quintas McCorkle (Jr. Alexandria, Va.) at hwt were third and Scott Joseph (Sr. Export) at 174 ended fourth.
Waltko lost 10-6 in the finals at 133 to Bloomsburg’s Nick Wilcox. Waltko led 4-3 entering the second period, but Wilcox had a takedown and three near fall points to put the match out of reach. Waltko pinned Jordan Toledo (E.S.) at 6:40 and defeated Evan Kolb (LH) 5-3 to get to the finals. He is 14-3 this season.
Moran lost in the finals at 141 to Bloom’s Derek Shingara 9-6. Moran was leading 3-0 late in the second and gave up a takedown on the edge to make it 3-2. Shingara countered a Moran third period single leg with a Peterson roll that put Moran to his back for a five-point move and fell behind 7-3. Moran reversed to make it 7-5, but couldn’t get any closer. Moran pinned Arthur Scott (Gannon) at 4:04, then decisioned Justin Loudon (LH) 8-3 to get to the finals. Moran is now 7-4 this year.
White, only a freshman, was 3-1 in taking third place. He defeated Shane Foster (Mercyhurst) 9-3 for third place. White opened with an 8-4 win over Tyler Wilton (ES), lost 3-2 to Ethan Swope (Gannon) and wrestled back with a 7-5 win over Ken Stank (Shipp). White is now 12-6.
Cressley was 3-1 overall in placing third at 184-pounds. He defeated Jacob Bachman (LH) 8-5 for third place. Steven opened with a 15-9 win over Brendan McKeown (ES), then lost to Chris Honeycutt (ED) 11-2, and wrestled back to defeat Jason Foor (Mill) 18-3 to get to third. He is now 7-5.
McCorkle was also 3-1 in finishing third at heavyweight. McCorkle won his third place match 5-1 over Bloom’s Zach Walsh. McCorkle opened with a 7-3 win over Will Weaver (ES), then lost a 3-2 tb match to Edinboro’s Ernest James, but rebounded for a 4-1 win over Stefan Tighe (Gannon).
Joseph was 3-2 in finishing fourth at 174-pounds. He opened with a 9-5 win over Chris Hrunka (ED), and 2-1 tb win over Jeff Jacobs (ES), before losing to Shane Smith (Mill) by fall, then wrestled back and defeated Hrunka 7-5 before losing 8-6 to Mike Khoury (LH). Joseph is 8-8 this year.
Also wrestling for the Golden Eagles was Thomas Gowing at 125. He was 0-2 in the tournament.
CLARION NOTES: The last Clarion PSAC title was in 1994 under then coach Jack Davis… Before that Clarion posted 11 team titles under legendary coach Bob Bubb, and the first came in 1965 under then coach Frank Lignelli… Clarion’s 3 individual titles is the most since 1997 when Sheldon Thomas, Chris Marshall and Bryan Stout won titles… The 3 titles gives Clarion 111 individual champions in its history.
Team Scores:
1. CLARION 135.5
2. Bloomsburg 110.5
3. Edinboro 109.0
4. Lock Haven 93.0
5. Gannon 54.5
6. Millersville 53.5
7. Mercyhurst 52.5
8. E. Stroudsburg 48.0
9. Shippensburg 41.0
10. Kutztown 35.0
“OW” – 197 Alex Thomas - Clarion
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