InterMat Staff

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Lock Haven University wrestling has a storied history at the Division I level. A key member of much of that story is LHU head coach Rocky Bonomo. Bonomo's a light-hearted guy that always takes a strong investment in his teams as a coach. Ten years removed from the best NCAA finish in school history--the Bald Eagles took fifth in 1996-97--Bonomo looks at this year's squad with some pride. "Normally I'm guardedly optimistic, but this year I'm more optimistic than guarded," said Bonomo. "We've got four guys with national experience, so I have good leadership. I also have some redshirt guys and guys maturing into making an impact. The young guys are coming in and pushing right away. We have a huge team, but most weights are anyone's game." The teamwork of his squad also is promising. "I'm pleased with intensity of the preseason workouts," he said. "It's amazing how ‘into it' they are as a team. Usually we lose five-to-10 guys during preseason because we're working them so hard, but this year we're adding to the roster." The Bald Eagles boast four National Qualifiers on this year's list. Add in a nationally-ranked recruiting class and you've got a mix for success. 125- Junior Obenson Blanc (Naples, Fla./Lely) is one of the team's two-time National Qualifiers, and teams up for a captain role. Blanc grabbed his first career EWL Title in 2005-06, downing Bloomsburg's Mike Sees in somewhat of an upset. Blanc was 26-10 last season, second on the team in victories, and leads returners with seven major decisions a year ago. The junior went one round deep in the NCAA Tournament last season and has definite All-America potential, according to Bonomo. "He's a fantastic athlete, one of the best I've ever seen," he said. "If he was a 200-pounder, he could be in the NFL." Freshman Nick Hyatt (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) is also proving to be a force. The two-time PIAA place-winner should help shore up the lower weights for years to come. Sophomore James Bodkin (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) is "one of those guys that gets there early and stays late, you can't help but love the kid." Freshman Erik Smith (Villas, N.J./Pittman) is a walk-on student-athlete who has impressed Bonomo "by sticking with it even though he knew it would be tough." 133- Veteran Casey Moore (Beech Creek, Pa./Central Mountain) makes his return after starting all duals for the Bald Eagles last season, running a 10-23 mark. The junior is a local product and strong worker. Freshman standout Danny Lopes (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) has a strong shot at cracking the lineup in his rookie year. Lopes brings "real aggressiveness" and three-time district champ and two-time state placer credentials with him from New Jersey, a regular recruiting pipeline for Bald Eagle wrestling. Classmate Anwar Goeres (Holley, N.Y./Phoenix) adds to Bonomo's confusion in picking a starter at this weight, as the rookie posted a 233-18 career record in New York. Coached by the legendary Gene Mills, Goeres was a five-time state placer, winning the title in his junior season. "The 133 weight class will be hotly contested," according to Bonomo. " I'm looking forward to the battle." Mark Armstrong (Sugar, Pa./Wyalusing) returns to the squad after a year away from the Bald Eagles. He's a hard-nosed guy that will help the team. Rookie Zach Kell (Ikesburg, Pa./West Perry) is a hard worker that would "go through a wall" for the team. Classmate Matthew Maris (Mooresville, N.C./USMMA) brings great work ethic and technique to the table. 141- At the 141-pound class, sophomore Ollie Cooperwood (Hartselle, Ala./Maple Heights), has the inside track. Literally battle-tested, Cooperwood spent time in the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and Iraq before joining the Bald Eagles a year ago. He was 5-1 in limited action. "Ollie's maturity gives us value as a wrestler/coach type of competitor," said Bonomo. "He knows exactly what we're looking for and can help those around him." Last year's starter at the class, junior Brian Ellis (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) went 4-13 after joining the Bald Eagles in the second semester. He improved throughout the year and has some of the strongest hands on the squad, giving him the ability to control tie-ups. Junior Will O'Donnell (Cherry Hill, N.J./Gloucester C.C.) and sophomore Nathan Owens (Morrisdale, Pa./West Branch) add to the depth. 149- Sophomore Matt Fittery (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) returns after a redshirt season. The true freshman National Qualifier at 141 will look to do some damage up one weight. He was 10-5 in unattached action last season. Added to the action at 149 is freshman Donnie Ament (Acme, Pa./Mt. Pleasant) a former state champion. Ament snapped the career wins record for Pennsylvania, totaling 179 over his career. Sophomore Bradley Marquart (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) is a brother of former Bald Eagle Matt Marquart. 157- Senior Seth Martin (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) is staring down the barrel of joining LHU's 100-win club. The two-time National Qualifier will look to tap into his All-America potential this season. Martin won a team-high 34 games last season, also pacing the team with 11 pins. He stands 23 wins from the 100-victory plateau. "Seth's a hard worker that gets better every time he steps on the mat," said Bonomo. "He's got high goals for himself, but I have even higher ones." Freshman Derrick Caldwell (Curwensville, Pa./Curwensville) will provide hard working depth that will "be used more down the road". Sophomore Daniel Lewis (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) returns for his second season with LHU. He provides depth and an academic boost for the squad. 165- The highlight of the weight-class battles this season comes at 165 pounds. Sophomore Jake Lauffenburger (Warren, Pa./Warren) split time with junior Rory McCoy (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) for the starting spot a year ago. McCoy won out come Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Championship time, but Lauffenburger's 8-9 record bested McCoy's 5-12 overall. Add to the mix a third-year Bald Eagle in sophomore Andrew Martin (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring). One of the top LHU wrestlers in the classroom, Martin will look to crack the lineup here. A quartet of newcomers also figures into this mix, including transfer Decota Cotten (Lebanon, Pa./Noble), and freshmen Landis Wright (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle), Steve Loomis (Oxford, N.Y./Oxford Academy) and Alex Dalrymple (Branchville, N.J./High Point). Dubbed "Mr. Excitement" by Bonomo, Wright is a local product, and one of the best in Bald Eagle Area's storied history. Loomis is a 200-plus winner from New York with two-time Greco Roman All-America honors under his belt. Dalrymple set the New Jersey record for season victories with his senior year at 44-5. Corey Blake (East Fallowfield, Pa./Coatesville) provides depth and hard-work mentality to both here and 174. Junior Jameik Matthews (Laurel, Del./Laurel) is extremely athletic and looks to make the lineup. 174- Moving down to 174 pounds is senior Derrick Morgan (Media, Pa./Athens). A National Qualifier wrestling a weight up at 184 in 2005-06, the team captain was 24-14. Classmate Mike Metzger (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin) provides excellent depth an maturity both here and at 184. He's a work-horse type that can contribute if needed. 184- Also wrestling a more comfortable weight down are the two competitors at 184 pounds, Tom Kocher (Lancaster, Pa./Manhiem Township) and Ben Hepburn (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock). Both are solid performers who are mat-tested. Kocher was 18-17, narrowly missing a trip to nationals as a true freshman last season, while Hepburn spent his redshirt season going 7-4 in unattached action. He was the starter at 197 two season ago, getting a pin in his first college start. Rookie Travis Stem (Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle) is another local product and three-time state qualifier that could jump into the lineup here. Sophomore Donnie Reinhart (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) was 2-4 in tournament action last season. 197- One of the most highly-touted recruits, Jeremie Cook (Venice, Fla./Venice) joins the Bald Eagles, thanks in large part to assistant coach Mike Rogers' roots in the state of Florida. A two-time state champion, Cook took third at nationals in his senior season. Joining Cook is rookie Dustin Pine(Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan) a "big, solid, strong, farm boy" according to Bonomo. Hwt- At heavyweight, rookies Brandon Bowden (Duncannon, Pa./Central Dauphin East) and Mike Cook (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle) will do battle with sophomore Chris Grablutz (Newton, N.J./Kittatinny) for the starting role. Grablutz missed last year because he had to work academically, but "he's proven he's serious about school. He's a big stony kid that will get the job done." The marquee guy here comes in the form of two-time New York State Champion Jim Almy, a "335-pound monster" according to Bonomo. Almy will have his work cut out for him to make the 285 maximum for heavyweights in the NCAA. Smith- walk on, tough challenging welcoming the challenge Lots of supppert wrestling is big here, "Competition's your best teacher," reveals Bonomo. "So the better competition you can get the better you'll get. These guys are driving each other and wrestling hard to learn the most they can." Competition from outside this season will come in the form of four nationally ranked squads, No. 8 Penn State University, No. 13 Edinboro University, No. 24 West Virginia University and No. 25 University of Pittsburgh. The Bald Eagles kick off the season Sunday, Nov. 19 in the Pennsylvania Duals Tournament at the Thomas Fieldhouse. They will wrestle York College at 10 a.m., Clarion University at noon and Lehigh University at 2 p.m.

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma Wrestling single match tickets, including the Dec. 3 match against Oklahoma State, will go on sale Friday at the OU Athletics Ticket Office. Tickets may be purchased online at www.SoonerSports.com or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at 405-325-2424 or 800-456-GoOU. Tickets for the Bedlam Match are $15 for reserved seats and $10 for general admission. All other matches are $10 reserved and $7 GA ($5 Youth GA). Oklahoma returns home on Saturday, Nov. 25, when it hosts the Oklahoma Open. The Sooners wrestle their next home dual on Wednesday, Nov. 29, when the University of Central Oklahoma travels to the Howard McCasland Field House.

The Cardinal wrestling team heads south to Fullerton, Calif. this weekend for a pair of competitions Friday and Saturday. On Friday afternoon, Stanford meets Cal State Fullerton in its first conference dual of the season. On Saturday, the team will get a preview of more conference foes at the Fullerton Open, which is also hosted by the Titans. Stanford (1-2, 0-0 Pac-10) begins the weekend with is first Pac-10 dual and fourth overall dual of the season. The Cardinal will square off with the Cal State Fullerton Titans on Friday at 2:30 p.m at Titan Gym in Fullerton. Junior captain Tanner Gardner, who remains undefeated this season and claimed the Bison Open Championship at 125 pounds last weekend, will lead Stanford into action. The Cardinal is coming off of a successful weekend, after posting a combined 17 pins in competition on Saturday. The dual will open the season for the Titans, who finished ninth at the conference championships last season and posted a 6-12 overall record. Cal State Fullerton returns two Pac-10 place-winners, including junior Morgan Atkinson, who qualified for the NCAA Championships at 149 pounds in 2006 and is currently ranked 15th nationally. Last season, Stanford claimed a 26-11 victory over the Titans at Burnham Pavilion. "This dual is important because it is the first conference competition of the season," said Head Coach Kerry McCoy. "We're going to have to face these guys later in the year to go to Nationals so we need to have a good showing and get back to our winning ways. Fullerton has a great team and a great coach so it will be a battle in every weight class. We can't take anything for granted." On Saturday, the Cardinal will compete in the Fullerton Open, which features wrestlers from six of the ten Pac-10 schools. Two ranked teams, No. 4 Iowa State and No. 17 Cal Poly, highlight the 16-team field, which also includes Cal State Fullerton
, Arizona State, 
Cal State Bakersfield, 
UC Davis, Embry-Riddle, 
Pima Community College, 
Utah Valley State, 
Bakersfield College, 
Cerritos College, 
Santa Ana College, 
East Los Angeles College, Palomar Community College and 
Cuesta College.
 "The Fullerton open will be an important competition because we get to see some opponents from our conference," said McCoy. "We have some momentum from last week's competition, so we plan to use that to continue to build and get better."

Please Note: RevWrestling.com is dedicated to covering and promoting amateur wrestling on all levels. However, on occasion, RevWrestling.com will look at mixed martial arts (MMA) as it relates to amateur wrestling. UFC 65: Bad Intentions Date: November 18, 2006 Venue: ARCO Arena (Sacramento, Calif.) In one of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history, Georges ST. PIERRE (12-1) tries to win the welterweight championship Saturday night against the legendary Matt HUGHES (41-4). St. Pierre has focused on this fight since losing to Hughes a little over two years ago. A St. Pierre groin injury delayed this fight, and gave Hughes a chance for a successful redemption against BJ Penn. Now these two warriors are finally ready to square off. Jeff MonsonIn the co-main event, the heavyweight title is on the line with defending champ Tim SILVIA (24-2, and all of 6'8" tall and 265 pounds) facing Jeff "The Snowman" MONSON (24-5, with 16 straights wins), who stands just 5'9" tall and weighs 240 pounds. These are interesting match-ups indeed. Let's first look at the heavyweight title fight. The size of these fighters also defines their styles. Monson, short, muscular, and compact relies on takedowns and submissions. His awesome record, going back three years without defeat, winning 16 straight fights, is laced with submission after submission, after submission victory. Silvia is just the opposite. His lanky frame keeps opponents away, while he waits for that magic moment to send you into la-la land. Silvia's knockout power has left many athletes seeing stars in the sky with their backs on the mat. He has also kicked his opponents into oblivion, as well. Going to the mat with Monson isn't on his agenda. That's why this fight is so exciting. Plus, Monson is an outspoken Iraq War critic, while Silvia thinks that he is being dishonorable to our troops! There is hell to pay here. But, whose will is going to prevail? Monson, the juicy underdog at +240, gets my nod. It's the year of successful anti-war movement. Why not back the Snowman? I see the Monson darting inside and under the powerful punches of Silvia, and by the second round, getting the champ to the mat. From there it will be a leg lock that forces the champ to choose between a broken ankle and giving up his crown. Unfortunately, those who know that Silvia sleeps with his belt also know that the broken ankle will be his choice. Tim also had his arm snapped by Frank Mir while defending (and losing) his precious belt. This will be no different. This fight is not for the faint of heart. I see MONSON +240 in an upset by submission in Round 2. With Christmas around the corner, it's the Snowman's time to shine. In the featured match I like the vastly improved ST. PIERRE, a mild underdog at +130, to use his motivation and focus to get the best of Hughes. Interestingly, almost 60% of hardcore UFC fans polled on the official UFC Web site (http://www.ufc.tv) voted that St. Pierre would beat Hughes, yet the oddsmakers have him as the underdog! I believe that St. Pierre has the better stand-up fighting skills, and he will be able to resist the powerful takedown moves of Hughes. Midway through the second round, St. Pierre will stun a frustrated Hughes with a kick to the temple, which soon ends the fight with St. Pierre pounding mercilessly on the champ, and then quickly submitting him with a rear-naked choke!……and we will have a new welterweight champion, Canadian Georges St. Pierre. And, a popular champ he will be. I think Matt is ready to retire. Frank MirWhen betting underdogs, you need just one winner out of two to profit. I think we will follow both of these 'dogs to the winner's window. And, both should be entertaining match-ups for sure! Staying with the big 'dogs, we find Frank MIR (9-2, and former UFC heavyweight champion) in a battle to keep his career going, taking on the favored and still undefeated Brandon "the Truth" VERA (7-0). Mir, a rare heavyweight who relies on submissions to win his fights, has never been the same after a brutal motorcycle accident that broke his legs. His two-year recovery has been a slow and painful process. And, his return record of 1-1 in the octagon has left much to be desired. Frank has looked slow, weak, and winded. Not a good combo! His cardio has failed him miserably. He looks finished. Vera, on the other hand, has looked like a monster, destroying his last two opponents in the first round! But, he once idolized Mir and may be somewhat awestruck by Frank's earlier reign. There is nothing more dangerous than a rabid 'dog fighting for his UFC life. And, that's where Mir is today. He claims to be in the best shape of his life and is bigger and stronger than his opponent. And, at these odds, +275 (opened at +150), I'm gonna give Frank one last look. The public is betting against him. But, the UFC Monster will be betting on him! There is nothing in currant form that would mandate such a play, so I will base this on a hungry 'dog going back to the history books. I like Mir in the second round with triangle choke. And, at these prices, one-out-of-three will still make you a winner! Alessio SAKARA (14-4) is an overwhelming favorite at –550 to handle newcomer Drew MCFEDRIES (4-1) in a light heavyweight fight. Sakara is coming off a tough loss to Dean Lister, one of the world's best jui jitsu fighters. He has knockout power and loves to kick. McFedries fights out of Bettendorf, Iowa and is a relative unknown. If betting on big favorites is your game, Sakara is your play. I'll bridge jump with him. Joe "Daddy" STEVENSON (30-7) is coming off an impressive big upset win over Yves Edwards. As the young father of three kids, who provide his motivation to fight, Big Daddy has good takedown and submission skills. He likes to mix it up and then take you to the mat for some ground-and-pound. MISHIMA (17-4-2) is making his UFC debut. I'll go with pa here. Stevenson at –220 wins by TKO in the second round. Nick DIAZ (14-6) is back in the octagon taking on another Brazilian jui jitsu fighter, Gleison TIBAU (23-2). The gangly Diaz recently beat tough Josh Neer, after losing three consecutive close decisions to Sean Sherk (the UFC lightweight champ), Joe "Diesel" Riggs, and undefeated Diego Sanchez. Diaz fought each to a close decision loss! Not much to go on with Tibau, despite his long record of wins. For a wirey guy, Diaz loves to stand and trade punches. His real strength is still on the ground. The oddsmakers have Diaz as a huge favorite at -550. I'll pass on the action, but root for Nicky with my heart. In other matches: Sherman PENDERGAST (8-3) +245 upsets Antonio HARDONK (4-2) by submission in second. Jake O'BRIEN (8-0) –240 beats Josh SHOCKMAN (7-0) with second round TKO. James IRWIN (11-3) +145 beats Hector Ramirez with first round KO. So, that's it for now: five underdogs, three favorites, and one "no play." Good luck and enjoy the fights. I'll meet you at the winner's window! More later. The UFC Monster

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University is set to host the 2006 Midlands Wrestling Championships, Dec. 29-30. This year marks the 44th installment of one of the most prestigious events in collegiate wrestling. The annual tournament attracts hundreds of the most talented wrestlers from around the country in a two-day, four-session double-elimination tournament. Founded by Northwestern's Ken Kraft, the Midlands Championships are held every December in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The tournament has historically brought together the very best in amateur wrestling, and has provided the springboard for 81 Olympic wrestlers. In the Midlands team race, Illinois enters as the three-time defending champion. In the 43-year history of the Midlands, only Iowa has won four-straight titles. Illinois will be hard pressed to reach that coveted fourth-straight championship. Many top-ranked teams including No. 5 Iowa, No. 6 Iowa State, No. 7 Michigan, No. 10 Northwestern and No. 12 Central Michigan appear to be especially strong challengers for the title. Last year's team race was the closest in 19 years. Illinois finished three points ahead of Central Michigan and in 1986 North Carolina edged the Sunkist Kids by 1.75 points. It is very possible the last match in this year's tournament could determine the title as several other ranked teams could make an impact in No. 19 Indiana, No. 22 Harvard and No. 24 West Virginia. The Midlands continues to feature many wrestlers who will compete for national titles at the end of the season. The 2006 Championships could also produce new members in the "20 in four club", where admission is accomplished by consistent performance starting at an early age and continuing through the wrester's first four Midlands. A competitor must win at least 20 matches in his four years to become a "20 in Four" man. This year could produce the 20th member in the 44-year history of the Midlands. Eighteen have made it with the latest being Cliff Moore who reached it in 2005. Those to watch include No. 3 Nick Simmons of Michigan State at 125 lbs. and Matt Lebe of West Virginia at 157 lbs. Each year, two or three weight classes can be described as "Glamour Weights" at the Midlands. With six of the top eight wrestlers expected to enter, 141 lbs. certainly fits this category. No. 1 Ryan Lang (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward) wrestles for host Northwestern and right behind him are Michigan State's No. 2 Andy Simmons, No. 3 Brandon Rader of West Virginia and fourth-ranked Alex Tsirtsis of Iowa. The other two in the top-eight are seventh-ranked Don Fisch of Rutgers and Northern Iowa's eighth-ranked C.J. Ettelson. With four out of the top-eight looking to capture this year's title, 157 and 165 lbs. will be weights to watch in 2006. Iowa State's Trent Paulson, ranked second in the nation and Indiana's Brandon Becker, ranked third, highlight the field at 157 lbs. while Michigan's Eric Tannenbaum and Iowa's Mark Perry, the 2004 champion, will test Nick Balma of Northern Iowa, defending Midlands champion. All weights will be highly competitive, but only ten individuals will be crowned "Midlands Champion", a noted accomplishment. "Midlands is one of the best events in college wrestling," Northwestern head wrestling coach Tim Cysewski said. "A Midlands championship, a Big Ten championship and an NCAA championship, that's the triple crown of college wrestling."

Columbus, Ohio -- The third-ranked Missouri wrestling team opened its season with a win against No. 10 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, 29-9, with seven Tigers earning victories, senior Matt Pell (Luxembrug, Wis.) earning his 100th win and senior defending national champion Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) extending the nation's longest winning streak to 46 consecutive matches. "Our team came out and wrestled very aggressively tonight in a challenging environment," Head Coach Brian Smith said. "Overall I was really pleased with the way we competed. Even our losses were close and I was happy to see our guys come out and fight for every point. It was an emotional night for Ohio State with their new coaching staff and I was happy with the way our team responded to the challenge." Co-captain and three-time All-American Askren opened the night's dual in St. John Arena with a 23-8 technical fall win over No. 12 Blake Mauer at 174 pounds. Askren tallied 10 takedowns, earning two points after Mauer was called for stalling and one point for 3:01 of riding time. After suffering a hard-fought 3-2 loss at 184-pounds, redshirt freshman Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) came through with an upset over All-American and No. 2 ranked J.D. Bergman, 8-4, at 197 pounds. Making his first collegiate start in the Tiger lineup, Askren scored first with a takedown at 1:28 allowing Bergman an escape with 56 seconds on the clock. Askren came through with his second and final takedown of the match with 48 seconds left in the first period. With both grapplers scoring back-to-back reversals, Askren was hit with a one point stall call at 51 seconds but still closed out the period with the 6-4 advantage. An escape by Askren at 1:20 was the sole point scored in the third period and with 2:21 of riding time tacked on, Askren came out the victor. The Tigers scored a major win at heavyweight as redshirt freshman Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.) pinned the Buckeye's Corey Morrison in 3:22. Ellis led the bout, 2-1, entering the second period and managed to stick Morrison with 1:37 left for the first collegiate win of his career. Returning to the top of the lineup, Missouri's third and final redshirt freshman, John Olanowski (Virginia Beach, Va.), made his first collegiate start and was credited with his first win, 5-2, at 125 pounds. Olanowski became the fourth of seven Tigers to score first in their respective matches, taking down Livingston 41 seconds into the match. Olanowski followed his takedown with a three-point nearfall at the one minute mark but was held scoreless through the final four minutes of action. With riding time not a factor and Livingston unable to score more than two escapes, Olanowski won the bout. "I was really impressed with the way our freshmen wrestled tonight," Smith said. "Max came out and took a win from one of the best wrestlers in the nation, Ellis did a good job against a wrestler who placedl in last week's Michigan State Open, and Olanowski stayed strong for all seven minutes." Winning the 133 pound match by default, the Tigers improved their team lead to 22-3 but lost at 141 and 149 pounds giving up six team points (22-9). Wrestling in black, sophomore 2006 NCAA qualifier Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) shutout his Ohio State opponent, 4-0, earning 3:13 of riding time over 14th-ranked Jason Johnstone. In the final match of the night, senior All-American Pell joined Missouri's 100-win club with a 15-5 major decision victory over Chris Vondruska. Pell became the 14th wrestler and sixth in five seasons to hit the century mark. With the win. Missouri improved to 32-29 in season openers and claimed its fourth consecutive season opening victory, the second longest streak in the 62-year history of the Tiger wrestling program. The Tigers will return home to Columbia and prepare for the sixth annual Missouri Open beginning at 9 a.m. (CT) Sunday, Nov. 19 in the Hearnes Fieldhouse. Over 400 wrestlers from 10 schools across the Midwest will compete in the all-day event, with top-ranked programs No. 3 Missouri, No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 14 Ohio State and No. 20 Indiana headlining the tournament.

STILLWATER, Okla. –- Nathan Morgan got Oklahoma State (2-0) started with an upset over second-ranked Andy Simmons to lead the second-ranked Cowboys to a 22-8 victory over Michigan State (0-1) in front of 2,647 fans inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Thursday night. OSU was trailing the dual 6-0 after the Spartans got victories from fifth-ranked Franklin Gomez at 125 and top-ranked Nick Simmons at 133. Simmons defeated OSU's third-ranked Coleman Scott. Morgan put the Cowboys on the board with his victory over Andy Simmons. Morgan got a first period takedown and then rode out the second period to take a commanding lead in the match. Morgan went to win by a score of 5-1. The Cowboys went on to win the next four matches following Morgans's victory, including a win by Ryan Freeman in his first career varsity match. Freeman gave OSU the lead for good in the dual with a 10-4 decision over Eddie Skowneski, which put the Cowboys up 6-5. Newly McSpadden added a decision before Johny Hendricks put the dual out of reach for the Spartans. Hendricks cruised to a dominating 16-3 major decision over Rocky Cozart that made the dual 13-5. Joe Williams ended OSU's string of victories with a decision over Jack Jensen. Jensen had four of the five takedowns in the match, but he gave up five points on his back and lost 10-9. Jared Shelton followed at 197 and clinched the dual for the Cowboys. Shelton got a first period takedown and went on to defeat MSU's Nick Palmieri, 4-0, to put the Cowboys up 19-8 with one match remaining. Jared Rosholt closed out the dual with a 4-1 victory over Alan O'Donnell. The Cowboys travel to Omaha, Neb., for the UNO Open all day on Saturday. Several nationally ranked teams will be competing, including rivals Iowa and Minnesota.

Des Moines, Iowa -- Wrestling fans this Monday Night listen to a night of live Collegiate Wrestling! Takedownradio.com, "America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show", presents a free broadcast of the 41st NWCA All-Star Classic, Monday, November 20th, from the Dallas Convention Center Arena on Behalf of the NWCA and Intermatwrestle.com The Broadcast will begin at 5pm CST and start with scheduled Exhibition matches at 6pm, then Featured Event bouts at 7pm CST. Takedownradio.com, is and will be providing over 500 hours of LIVE broadcasts this year. Casber and company just spent over a week in Pennsylvania and New Jersey visiting many of the legendary programs in those states. Prior to the All Star TDR will have already provided free broadcasts from the UNO Open on Saturday the 18th and coverage of the Missouri open in Columbia Sunday from 9 to 6 PM. Join Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski, Insidetexaswrestling.com's John Rizzutti and Intermatwrestle.com's BIG Dog Jason Bryant for all the color and commentary. This broadcast is brought to you by: The National Wrestling Coaches Association and Intermatwrestle.com

IOWA CITY, IA -- The University of Iowa wrestling program has signed two student-athletes to national letters of intent in the early signing period. Jordan Johnson of Bettendorf, IA and Brodie Ambrose of Eldridge, IA, are Tom Brands' first signings as Iowa's head coach. Johnson won the 2006 Class AA Illinois state heavyweight state title Naperville North High School. He moved to Bettendorf, IA, and will be competing for Bettendorf High School this season. Ambrose placed third at 171 pounds at the 2006 Class 3A state tournament for North Scott Eldridge High School. He will compete at 189 pounds this season and is a projected 197-pounder for the Hawkeyes. Ambrose also is a 189-pound Fargo freestyle all-American. "These two signees fit our weight class needs," said Brands. "They are excited to contribute to our wrestling program next year." The Hawkeyes will open the 2006-07 season Saturday at the Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, NE.

Stanford, Calif. -- The Stanford wrestling program has signed four talented high school seniors announced Head Coach Kerry McCoy today. Nick Amuchastegui (Talent, Ore.), Kyle Barrett (Las Vegas, Nev.), Matt Winterbourne (Cornelius, Ore.) and Christine Cunningham (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) will join the Cardinal in 2007-08. "I am very excited with our early admits," said McCoy. "They truly represent some of the best and brightest student-athletes in the nation. They all will bring something special to our program." Amuchastegui is a standout from Phoenix High School in Phoenix Ore., who won the Oregon State Championship last year as a junior. Amuchastegui also placed at the State Championships as a freshman and sophomore, taking third both seasons. "Nick will be a big part of this program's rise to the top, not only because of his wrestling but also because of the type of person he is," says McCoy "He will bring out the best in everyone around him." Barrett is another defending State Champion from Palo-Verde High School in Las Vegas. He placed seventh in the state as a sophomore and has also placed in numerous national level tournaments. "Kyle has a very strong work ethic, which could have been learned from his ?father who played professional baseball for over 10 years," says McCoy. "He will be a great addition to our program and will really help our team rise to the top." Winterbourne is finishing a successful prep career at Forest Grove High School in Forest Grove, Ore. He placed sixth at 189 lbs. at the State Championships last year, and is poised to take the title this season as one of the top ranked wrestlers in the state. "Matt will add much needed depth to our upper weights," says McCoy. "He has the dedication and drive to become an All-American and challenge for a national title." Cunningham, hailing from Torrey Pines High School in Encinitas, Calif., is one of the best female high school wrestlers in the country. She has placed in every major tournament she has competed in and is in line to make the 2012 Olympic team. "Christine will be a great asset to the program," says McCoy. "Her commitment to excellence will raise the bar in our room. She was voted the captain of her club team (both boys and girls) the last 2 years. She has continually faced challenges in her wrestling career and she has always risen above and come out on top."

This week continues for us as I rejoin with my partner Steve Foster for this tremendous weekend of wrestling action. We'll be joined by a wide variety of folks including special hosts as listed below. Special note we will talk with Cowboy HD Coach John Smith from OK State for those who have requested this interview. Saturday- 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM -- Live from Omaha and the University Neb. Omaha Kaufman Brand Open- Courtesy of UNO Coach Mike Denny, Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski. 9:20 AM -- Special on line guest our TheMat.com / Takedownradio.com athlete of the week Jeff Zastrow, our new World Champion in Sombo. Jeff is an assistant coach at UW-Whitewater, and was a national place winner at US Nationals in Greco-Roman last year. TheMat.com/Takedownradio.com athlete of the week is brought to by Asics! 10:50 AM -- Deanna Gilbert will join us for a few minutes to discuss Saturday night big UFC PPV featuring former wrestlers now UFC Champions Matt Hughes and BIG Tim Sylvia Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM -- Live from Columbia MO for the U of Missouri Open. Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski. This broadcast is courtesy of the University of Missouri and Head Coach Brian Smith. Monday- 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM -- NWCA All Star Meet in Dallas Texas Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski,Insidetexaswrestling.com's John Rizzutti and Intermatwrestle.com's BIG Dog Jason Bryant. This broadcast is brought to you by: The National Wrestling Coaches Association and Intermatwrestle.com. Join us for these incredible events and please thank our sponsors for continuing to make these broadcasts free of charge!

Hello everyone! The last time I talked to you I had yet to wrestle a college match this season. Now, I am 8-0 with six of my matches won by fall, one by decision, and one by major decision. I am somewhat happy with my performance so far. It is my goal to have 20 falls by the time the season is over. I know that I have started strong, but there is room for improvement. I won the Eastern Michigan Open and had a tough competitor in the finals. Tyrel Todd of Michigan was up to the challenge. I won the match by a 6-3 margin, which proves to me that I need to work harder. I was not as dominant as I wanted to be. This past weekend, we hosted a seven-team dual meet tournament. I wrestled well and earned two falls and one major decision. Our match against Navy was close, but I did not worry about the outcome. I knew that our "big man" would come through. (Dustin) Fox wrestled very well and he came through with a decisive win in the final match. He is just one of four undefeated Northwestern wrestlers. Currently, my team and I are preparing for the ACC/Big Ten Clash (in Chapel Hill, NC). Our training is going very well and the intensity in the room is outstanding. It is hard to think back to my freshman year when I was redshirting … we had a decent team but we were not in our current wrestling room at that time. I hope that our freshmen and sophomores understand what perfect training conditions we now have. It is amazing! In less than one week I will wrestle Roger Kish of Minnesota! I want to be an undefeated NCAA champion and this will be my first big hurdle. This match means so much for me and I feel ready. Until next time, I plan on being ranked No. 1 from here on out. Stealing a quote from the movie Talladega Nights: "If you aren't first, you're last!" Talk to you soon, Jake Herbert Past Entries: Entry 2 (11/1/06) Entry 1 (10/17/06)

HEMPSTEAD, New York -- Senior Chris Weidman and graduate student Matt Pollock each recorded victories by falls, and four other Pride wrestlers posted major decisions as 11th-ranked Hofstra swept Army (0-1), 41-0, at the David S. Mack Sports Complex Wednesday night. The Pride, who posted their second straight shutout after a 56-0 victory at Wagner on Tuesday, improve to 2-0 on the season. Weidman, a returning All-American after a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships last March, pinned Connor Sanders in 4:30 at 197 pounds in the third match of the night to give the Pride a 13-0 lead. Heavyweight Matt Pollock, a transfer from Cornell University, then pinned Michael Sprigg (A) in 3:26 to boost the lead to 19-0. Returning senior All-American Mike Patrovich improved to 2-0 on the season with a 22-8 major decision over Army's John Drew at 165 pounds. Classmate James Strouse posted an 11-3 victory over Chris Grill at 157. Junior Charles Griffin, ranked 14th at 141, recorded an 11-0 victory over Lief Gilsdorf while Joe Rovelli, ranked fifth at 184 pounds, tallied a 14-5 major decision over Scott Ferguson. Junior Dave Tomasette, ranked 20th at 125 pounds, sophomore Alton Lucas at 174 pounds, and freshman Lou Ruggirello all posted decisions. Ruggirello's match was the closest of the night, as the newcomer posted a 2-1 victory over Matt Kyler on the riding time point. Hofstra will compete at the East Stroudsburg Open this Saturday, November 18 before returning to dual match competition on Saturday, November 25 at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Collegiate Duals in Guilderland Center, New York.

TEMPE, Ariz. –- Three successful high school wrestlers have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and athletic careers at Arizona State University, Head Coach Thom Ortiz announced Wednesday. Kyle DeBerry (Tucson, Ariz.), Jesse Robbins (Oviedo, Fla.) and Vincent Varela (Rio Rancho, N.M.) will join the program in time for the 2007-08 academic year with the Sun Devils. "I am very pleased with the level of talent, ambition and drive Vincent, Kyle and Jesse all will bring to our program," Ortiz said. "All three are hard workers and will play a big role in our attempt to win another national title. These three individuals bring a lot of success both with their high school teams and on the national level and I look forward to seeing what each can accomplish for the Sun Devils." All three student-athletes bring a wealth of experience and success to the program as they have combined to win six state titles and accumulate five high school All-America honors. Varela, who competes for Rio Rancho High School, is regarded as one of the top recruits this year with InterMat ranking him as the No. 18 recruit in the nation overall. Both Amateur Wrestling News and WIN Magazine have Varela ranked No. 2 in the national high school rankings at 135 pounds heading into his senior season. A three-time New Mexico state champion, Varela recently placed third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals after dominating his state meet with three wins by fall, including a fall in 4:27 in the finals. A native of Arizona, DeBerry continues to build on the tradition of Sunnyside High School, the same school that produced Sun Devil Coach Ortiz, a three-time All-American, and Assistant Coach Eric Larkin, a four-time All-American and 2003 NCAA Champion. DeBerry, coached by his father, Bobby DeBerry, is the No. 45 recruit in the nation according to InterMat and enters his senior season as the No. 3 (WIN Magazine)/No. 4 (AWN) ranked wrestler at 160 pounds after winning three state titles in a row, including the 152-pound crown last year. A high school All-American, DeBerry recently took runner-up honors at the Junior Greco-Roman and sixth place at the Junior Freestyle Nationals. In a program that has seen several brothers compete together, the signing of Robbins will add another to the list as Jesse will join his older brother, Jason Robbins, on the team next season. Ranked No. 101 by InterMat, Jesse enters his senior season as the No. 6 wrestler in the nation at 171 according to WIN and will look to help Oviedo High School to its ninth-consecutive Florida state title this season. A three-time third-place finisher in Florida, Robbins has excelled in Greco-Roman competitions, twice winning national titles.

Columbia, Mo. –- Missouri's third-ranked wrestling team will travel to No. 10 Ohio State for a season-opening dual, Thursday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. (CT) in St. John Arena of Columbus, Ohio. Eight members of Missouri's 10-man lineup stand ranked among the top-25 in the nation, while Ohio State boasts seven probable starters listed among the nation's elite. Opening the 62nd season of Missouri wrestling, senior 2006 National Champion and Dan Hodge Award Winner Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) leads the Tigers with the highest team ranking, a unanimous No. 1 pick in wrestling polls across the nation. Joined by fellow co-captains and All-Americans Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) and Matt Pell (Luxemburg, Wis.) at 133 and 165 pounds, respectively, the three are among five Tigers in the lineup with previous NCAA appearances. Sophomores Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) and Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C.) qualified and competed in the 2006 NCAA Championships at 157 and 184 pounds, respectively. With a third-place standing in three of the four nationally recognized preseason wrestling polls, this marks Missouri's highest preseason ranking in the history of the program and sixth straight year that the Tigers have been among the top-15 in the nation. Missouri holds a 7-4 lead over the Buckeyes with the last meeting between the two schools resulting in a 25-13 win by the Tigers at home in 2005. In season-openers, the Missouri wrestling team is 31-29, with three consecutive wins dating back to the 2003-04 season during which the Tigers knocked off No. 1 Oklahoma State in St. Louis. Immediately following the dual, the Tigers will return to Columbia to prepare for the sixth annual Missouri Open, Sunday, Nov. 19, beginning at 9 a.m. (CT). Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and children. Championship finals are expected to begin between 4 and 5 p.m. (CT).

The University of Minnesota wrestling program added another wrestler to their list of recruits today. Kaleb Young has signed a National Letter of Intent and will join the Golden Gophers in 2007-08. A native of Tentstrike, Minn., Young has earned all-state accolades twice during his career at Bemidji High School, including a third-place finish at 171 pounds as a junior last year. Young is a Junior National All-American and a former Cadet National Champion. He is projected to wrestle at 174 pounds for the Gophers. "We believe Kaleb is one of the top recruits in Minnesota," assistant coach Marty Morgan said. "He's a little unproven. He hasn't won a state title yet but has placed a couple of times, and sometimes those are your best guys because they're still willing to improve and try to produce when they get to the college level."

Defending national champion Dustin Schlatter (Massilon, Ohio) and 2006 NCAA runner-up Roger Kish (LaPeer, Mich.) will participate in the 41st annual NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps. The event, which attempts to pit the nation's top two ranked wrestlers at each weight class in a dual meet format, will take place on Monday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m., at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Schlatter is coming off the best freshman season in school history after he finished the 2005-06 campaign with a 42-1 overall record on his way to becoming the first Golden Gopher freshman to capture an individual national championship. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after claiming the conference title at 149 pounds. His 42 victories on the season rank as the fourth-most in school history. Schlatter will face Oklahoma senior Matt Storniolo in the All-Star Classic. Schlatter defeated Storniolo, 5-1, in the semifinals of last year's NCAA Championships. Storniolo ended up finishing fourth to earn All-America status for the second time in his career. A native of State College, Pa., Storniolo transferred to Oklahoma from Penn State prior to his sophomore season. He was the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year in 2004 after reaching the 149-pound final at the Big Ten Championships. The 2006 NCAA runner-up at 184 pounds, Kish emerged as one of the top wrestlers on the Golden Gopher roster last season. He claimed his first conference crown at the 2006 Big Ten Championships and then put together a remarkable run at the NCAA Tournament, winning each of his first four matches to advance to the finals. Kish will face Northwestern junior Jake Herbert. Last season, Herbert compiled a 36-1 overall record while competing at 174 pounds. He won the Big Ten title and earned his second All-America honor after finishing second at the NCAA Championships, with his only loss of the season coming in the finals. Kish and Herbert have never faced each other in collegiate competition. Two other Minnesota wrestlers, defending national champion Cole Konrad (Hwt.) and two-time All-American Mack Reiter (133), were also invited to participate in the All-Star Classic but had to decline due to injury. Minnesota will take part in the Kaufman-Brand Open this weekend on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha before heading to Albany, N.Y., for the Northeast Duals on Nov. 25. The Golden Gophers will open their dual meet season at Northern Colorado on Friday, Dec. 1.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina heavyweight Spencer Nadolsky has been invited to join the nation's top collegiate wrestlers at 41st annual NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps set for Monday, Nov. 20 at the Dallas Convention Center Arena. The annual event splits 20 of the nation's top wrestlers into two teams that will compete in a dual format. Nadolsky will square off against Harvard's Bode Ogunwole, who is ranked second nationally, in the final bout of the night. Nadolsky is currently rated as the No. 4 heavyweight by InterMat and picked up ACC Wrestler of the Week honors Monday after winning his weight class at the Michigan State Open. A year ago, Nadolsky went 42-7 and finished one win shy of All-America honors. Nadolsky is the first Atlantic Coast Conference wrestler to compete in the NWCA All-Star Classic since 2004 and is the first Tar Heel to wrestle in the prestigious event since 125-pounder Chris Rodrigues in 2003. Carolina is back in action as a team this weekend at the first annual ACC/Big Ten Clash Saturday at Carmichael Auditorium.

GOLDEN, Colo. -- The Colorado School of Mines wrestling team will host the inaugural Jack Hancock Dual Invitational on Saturday in Steinhauer Fieldhouse. Action is slated to begin at 9:30 am with the championship match scheduled for 5:00 pm. The invitational will be divided into four pools with CSM in Pool #3 along with Mesa State and Carson Newman. Chadron State, Central Missouri and Newman University comprise Pool #1, while Western State, Montana State-Northern and San Francisco State are in Pool #3. Division I schools James Madison, Oregon State, Eastern Michigan and Utah Valley State will wrestle in Pool #4. The winners of each pool will advance to the championship bracket and wrestle the semifinals at 1:00 pm with the championship and consolation match slated for 5:00 pm. The nine teams that do not advance to the Championship bracket will be drawn into three pools of three teams and wrestle their final two matches. COMPLETE SCHEDULE Pool 1 (Mat #1): Chadron State, Central Missouri, Newman Round 1 (9:30 am) - Chadron State vs. Central Missouri Round 2 (11:00 am) - Central Missouri vs. Newman Round 3 (12:30 pm) - Chadron State vs. Newman Pool 2 (Mat #2): Western State, Montanta State, S.F. State Round 1 (9:30 am) - Western State vs. Montana State-Northern Round 2 (11:00 am) - San Francisco State vs. Montana State-Northern Round 3 (12:30 pm) - Western State vs. San Francisco State Pool 3 (Mat #3): Colorado Mines, Mesa State, Carson Newman Round 1 (9:30 am) - Colorado School of Mines vs. Mesa State Round 2 (11:00 am) - Carson Newman vs. Mesa State Round 3 (12:30 pm) - Colorado School of Mines vs. Carson Newman Pool 4: James Madison, Oregon St., Eastern Mich., Utah Valley St. Mat #4 (9:30 am) Utah Valley State vs. Oregon State Mat #5 (9:30 am) James Madison vs. Eastern Michigan Mat #4 (12:30 am) Pool 4 Championship (Semifinal Winners) Mat #5 (12:30 am Pool 4 3rd place match (Semifinal Losers) CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE Semifinals (1:00 pm) Winner of Pool 1 vs. Winner of Pool 4 Semifinals (1:00 pm) Winner of Pool 2 vs. Winner of Pool 3 Championship (5:00 pm) Semifinal Winners Consolation Finals (5:00 pm) Semifinal Losers CONSOLATION POOL SCHEDULE Matches will take place at 1:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 5:00 pm The nine teams not in the Championship bracket will be drawn into three pools of three teams each to wrestle their final two matches.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. –- The Pitt wrestling team traveled to Rider University for its season opener this evening. The Panthers (1-0) won six of ten bouts tonight against the Broncs (1-1) to earn their first dual win of the year, 21-13. The Panthers started off strong as true freshman Jimmy Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) won a 10-3 decision over Rider's Thomas Lorenzo to give Pitt a three-point lead. Next, redshirt junior Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) returned to the mat after a redshirt season to win by a fall. He pinned Rider's Matt Bradley at the 6:24 mark to put the Panthers up, 9-0. Rider then went on to win the next two bouts as Don Fisch won a 4-2 decision over Pitt's Joe Ciampoli (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) and Mike Kessler defeated Pitt freshman Mark Generalovich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson). The Panthers were ahead, 9-6, going into the 157-pound bout. Redshirt junior Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) won an 8-2 decision over Rider's Dave Miller to put Pitt ahead by six. Redshirt sophomore Sean Richmond (Emmaus, Pa./Easton) kept Pitt's momentum going, winning a 6-3 decision over Rider's Rob Morrison, and redshirt junior Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) won an 8-6 decision over Rider's Doug Umbehauer to put the Panthers up, 18-6. The Broncs won the next two matches as Rider's Mike Miller won a 6-3 decision over Pitt senior Mike Heist (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) and T.J. Morrison won a 10-2 major decision over Eric Cassidy (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny). The Panthers will still in the lead, 18-13, going into the final bout. Redshirt sophomore Zach Sheaffer (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) won a 7-2 decision over Rider's Nick Ciufo to give Pitt the 21-13 win. The Panthers will head to the Cornell Body Bar this weekend and return to Pittsburgh next week for their home opener. They'll face EWL opponent Bloomsburg on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -– Oregon State got pins from 125-pounder Jake Gonzales, 141-pounder Kyle Larson, 165-pounder Brett Arand, 184-pounder Kyle Bressler and heavyweight Ty Watterson as the Beavers beat Portland State 48-3 in Pacific-10 wrestling Tuesday night at Gill Coliseum. OSU also got a technical fall from 174-pounder Jeremy Larson as it wrestled its first meet under new head coach Jim Zalesky. "We got a lot of back points and a lot of falls, and we had guys working for falls," Zalesky said. "We were aggressive in most situations … that first time out, you're working some bugs out and I thought that overall it was a good job." Tuesday night was the first time Oregon State managed at least five pins in a meet since Dec. 14, 1998, when the Beavers recorded six in a 42-9 win over Cal Poly at Gill Coliseum. The win was OSU's eighth straight over two seasons, the Beavers' longest streak since they won 13 in a row over the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Gonzales and Watterson – who had been high school teammates at Enumclaw, Wash. – bookended the meet with their pins, Gonzales stopping PSU's Westley Moniz in 2 minutes, 49 seconds, and Watterson finishing Steve Fittinger in 2:46. "I had to match him," Watterson grinned after the match. "In high school, he was always the small guy and we had a competitive team, we'd try to outdo everybody else. Now that I think back, that's how I'd have to look at our matches." Watterson, a senior ranked seventh in the nation by the National Wrestling Coaches Association and eighth in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News in the preseason, got the 17th pin of his career to move into a tie for 35th place on OSU's list of all-time leaders. "These coaches are telling us what to do, they're pointing us in the right direction," Watterson said of Zalesky and his staff. "We know the expectations, and I think everybody is trying to step up their match a little bit. Guys are buying into it, and they know it will pay off at the end." OSU 174-pounder Jeremy Larson, ranked No. 20 by the NWCA and No. 12 by AWN, started his season with a technical fall over Tony Contreras in 6:44 by a 26-11 score. Larson reeled off 10 takedowns and a reversal in the match. After Gonzales started the night with his pin, the Beavers got a major decision from Bobby Pfennigs at 133 pounds and then Kyle Larson – ranked No. 20 by AWN – earned the fastest fall of the night, taking 53 seconds to beat C.J. Grandjean. Derek Kipperberg tacked on a decision to put the Beavers in front 19-3, then the Vikings (0-3 overall, 0-2 Pacific-10) got their only win of the night as 157-pounder Brady Garner outlasted OSU's Andy Hall 13-11. Brett Arand started the second half of the evening in dramatic fashion, as he trailed PSU's Dale Seley 5-4 late in the first period before scoring a takedown and then the pin in 2:46. Jeremy Larson scored his technical fall, then teammate Kyle Bressler beat the clock to score his pin of Keena Washington in 6:54. At 197, the Beavers' Travis Gardner earned a forfeit before Watterson wrapped things up with his first-period pin. "This was really big," Gonzales said of OSU's dual win. "It shows Coach Zalesky is doing the right things and his staff is doing the right things. The things the coaches are doing are preparing us." It was OSU's widest margin of victory and highest score since a 49-0 win over PSU in 2004. OSU now goes to the Jack Hancock Dual Invitational at Colorado School of Mines on Saturday.

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Elizabethtown College won its home opener and first dual match of the 2006-07 season 26-12 over Johns Hopkins University Tuesday night. It is the first time Elizabethtown, which used a lineup of one junior and nine first-year students, has begun a season 1-0 in dual matches since 1999-00. Johns Hopkins dropped to 0-1 in dual matches with the loss. Junior 125-pounder Peter Achilles (Geneva, NY/Geneva) began the match with a victory on a pin for Elizabethtown in 6:28. At 133 pounds, Eric Rhoads (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) followed with a pin in 2:04 to give Elizabethtown a 12-0 lead. Johns Hopkins won a 9-2 decision at 141 pounds to cut the gap to 12-3. Elizabethtown's Bud Croswell (Newark, DE/Sanford) won a technical fall in 2:31 at 149 pounds to boost the lead to 17-3. Hopkins followed with a 10-3 win at 157 pounds, and Keith Staulters (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) won a 5-4 decision at 165 pounds for Elizabethtown to make the score 20-6. Hopkins began to mount a comeback, winning a 2-1 decision at 174 pounds and a 4-2 decision at 184 pounds to cut Elizabethtown's lead down to 20-12. Elizabethtown clinched the match victory when Deron Sharp (Millville, NJ/Millville) won an 8-4 decision at 197 pounds to put the host Blue Jays up 23-12. At heavyweight, Tim Katzaman (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing Area) won 7-2 for Elizabethtown to complete the team scoring. Elizabethtown will return to action at the Ursinus College Fall Brawl Saturday, November 18 at 9:30 a.m.

STATEN ISLAND, New York -- Five Hofstra wrestlers recorded falls, and two others tallied tech falls to make new Coach Tom Shifflet's debut a successful one with a 56-0 Colonial Athletic Association victory at Wagner College (0-5, 0-1) at the Spiro Sports Center Tuesday night. The 11th-ranked Pride (1-0, 1-0) extended their conference dual match undefeated streak to 48 (47-0-1) matches including 45 consecutive victories. In a match that lasted just 42 minutes with two Wagner forfeits, only two bouts went past the first period as the Pride rolled by the Seahawks. Freshman Lou Ruggirello posted the quickest of the five falls, pinning Wagner freshman Joe Cipriano in 41 seconds at 133 pounds. Junior Charles Griffin, ranked 14th at 141 pounds, pinned junior Joe Eurell in 1:02. Senior James Strouse, ranked 12th at 157 pounds, pinned freshman Chris Parish in 1:24. Senior Matt Pollock, a transfer from Cornell University, pinned junior John Graeffe in 2:06 at heavyweight. Returning All-American, senior Chris Weidman, ranked sixth in the country, recorded a fall at 197 pounds over Robert Rivera in 2:07 seconds. Senior Mike Patrovich, ranked third at 165 pounds, posted a tech fall over sophomore Sean Quinn in 2:41 by a score of 15-0. Junior Dave Tomasette, ranked 20th at 125 pounds, cruised to a tech fall win over Nick Keshecki in 5:00 by a 17-2 count. Senior Mike Parziale tallied the only decision that went the distance with a 14-5 major decision over senior Justin Ensign. Sophomore Alton Lucas, at 174 pounds, and junior Joe Rovelli, at 184 pounds, posted victories by forfeit. Shifflet and the Pride will make their home debut at the David S. Mack Sports Complex (formerly Hofstra Arena) Wednesday night (Nov. 15) when they host the Black Knights of Army. Match time is 7 p.m.

Austin Scarset of Augustana has been named the North Central Conference Co-Wrestler of the Week for his performance at the Dakota Wesleyan Open on Saturday. He shared the award with J.D. Naig of Nebraska-Omaha. Scarset, a senior from Westbrook, Minn., won the 157-pound class at the Dakota Wesleyan Open by dominating his competition. He received a first-round bye before pinning Spencer Novotny of Dakota Wesleyan in 1:34. In the third round he racked up a major decision with a 22-8 win over unattached Russel Lumley before having a techical fall (18-3) over Frankie Schoonover of Dickinson State in the semifinals. He continued to roll as he got a major decision over Morningside's Matt Gustafson, 20-8, to win the tournament.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Big Red wrestling team will open its season Saturday when it will host the Body Bar Invitational in Newman Arena in Bartels Hall. Cornell returns two-time All-American Jerry Rinaldi and returning national runner-up Troy Nickerson. Ranked eighth by W.I.N. magazine's pre-season poll, the Big Red also returns NCAA qualifiers Keith Dickey, Jordan Leen, Steve Anceravage, and Joey Hooker. 125: At the 125 weight class, the Big Red returns 2006 NCAA Runner-Up Nickerson. Last season, Nickerson had a tremendous rookie campaign earning the Ivy League Wrestler of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors. Winning the first 18 matches of his collegiate career, he took titles at the Body Bar Invitational, Las Vegas Invitational, Southern Scuffle, and EIWA Championships. He concluded his freshman season going an impressive 36-2. Nickerson will wrestle at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 20 in Dallas, Texas. Backing up Nickerson at 125, will be Mike Rodriguez who took fifth at the New York State Championships last season. His sophomore campaign, Rodriguez went 8-6 for the year. The Kammakian, Wash. Native was a two-time high school state champion and Junior Greco-Roman National Champion adding outstanding depth at 125. 133: The Body Bar Invitational results could determine who will start at 133. In contention for the spot will be Nick Bridge, Adam Frey, and Corey Hamabata. As a sophomore, Bridge saw action at both 133 and 141 pounds. Going 7-7 for the season, he took sixth at the New York State Championships. Also competing at 133, will be Blair Academy standout, Adam Frey. He won three national prep championships as well as a high school national championships. In Fargo, N.D., he won a double Junior National title. With his talent on the mat, Frey could become Cornells next freshman All-American. Another contender for the starting spot will be Walnut, Calif. native Corey Hamabata. The junior college transfer won a California Junior College title and will work to continue his success at the Division I level. 141: In order to add more depth to the Big Red lineup, NCAA qualifier Dickey has dropped a weight class for his capstone year wearing the Cornell singlet. His junior season, he wrestled in 11 of Cornell's 14 dual matches going 10-9 overall. Dickey went 3-0 at the Southern Scuffle, and as the No. 7 seed at the EIWA Championships, he finished in fourth place. At the NCAA Championships, Dickey picked up two wins. Also returning at 141, will be senior Matt Easter. He will be returning after a season ending injury that he suffered late last season. Easter competed in nine dual meets for the Big Red last season picking up wins over opponents from Lock Haven, Columbia, and Brown. Other competitors at 141 will be junior Evan Schiedel and freshmen Corey Manson and Brian Alves. Manson won two Tennessee state championships, and Alves is a two-time California state place winner. 149: At 149, Leen will be looking to once again wrestle in the starting spot for the Big Red. The 2005 NCAA qualifier will wrestle up a weight class after making the All-Ivy First Team and Ivy League Rookie of the Year during his freshman campaign. He posted a 25-16 overall record and also placed third at the EIWA tournament. Against Ancient Eight wrestlers, Leen went undefeated. Sophomore Tim Ironman and freshmen, Josh Basting and Josh Knecht, will be competing with Leen for the start in the Cornell lineup. Basting was a North Dakota state champion and three time finalist. Knect placed fourth and seventh at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Championships. 157: Four time All-American Dustin Manottis vacancy at the 157 spot will create an opportunity for a battle for the starting spot in the lineup. Possibly the deepest weight class in the Big Red wrestling room which includes contenders, senior David Post, junior Charlie Agozzino, and sophomores Drake Hovis and Curtis Roddy. Post has seen starting time in each of his seasons at Cornell and will drop a weight class for his final year. The Big Red will hope to use his veteran experience throughout the year. For his junior campaign, Post went 7-4 for the year at 165. At last years Body Bar, Post took fifth place and also finished third at the New York State Championships. Agozzino will look to earn a place in the starting lineup after being out last season due to injuries. His sophomore season he went 4-1 at the Southern Scuffle to take second place. Agozzino also competed in three dual matches for the Big Red. After taking a year off of school, Hovis will look to make a run at the 157 position. Hovis won three Missouri state titles and achieved All-American status in the freestyle Junior National Tournament. 165: After finishing last season an impressive 25-8, NCAA qualifier Steve Anceravage will work keep the starting spot at 165. His sophomore campaign saw him take second at the Body Bar Invitational, third at the Las Vegas Invitational, and second at the Southern Scuffle and EIWA Championships. Anceravage will look to earn his first All-American honor this season. Junior Mike Mackie will challenge Anceravage for the starting spot after dropping two weight classes. At 184 last season, Mackie finished fifth at the New York State Championships. At 174, Mackie went 3-3 which included a win for the Big Red in a dual meet against Princeton. Freshman Justin Kerber will also look to battle his way into the 165 weight class. A high school All-American, Kerber was a two-time Iowa state champion. He will look to grow into a powerful upper-weight for the Big Red. 174: There should be an intense battle for the starting spot at 174 between junior Joey Hooker and senior Luke Hogle. Last season, then senior, Dan Miracola went to the NCAAs at this weight and Hooker and Hogle will hope to follow in his footsteps. Hooker took third in the 165 weight class at the Body Bar Invitational last season and will move up a weight class for his junior campaign. In 2005, Hooker took fourth at the EIWA Championships to earn his way to the NCAAs. Going 24-14 for his sophomore campaign, Hooker earned a spot on the All-Ivy Second Team. Hogle will look to return to the Big Red lineup after suffering a season ending injury last season. He expects to be back 100 percent by the Body Bar Invitational. Very dangerous from all positions, Hogle went 19-6 during his sophomore campaign. He took third at the Body Bar Invitational and won the crown at the New York State Championships. 184: The contenders for the 184 position in the lineup will look to continue the Big Reds past success in this weight class. In 2005, now coach, Tyler Baier was the runner-up at the NCAA Championships earning All-American status. Last season, then senior, Joe Mazzurco took sixth place at the NCAAs. After taking third place at the Body Bar Invitational last season, Josh Arnone's freshman career was cut short due to injury. Largely untested at the collegiate level, Arnone will look to earn a chance to compete at the national level. Freshmen Nate Holley and Matt Panasevich will look to challenge Arnone for the 184 spot. Holley is a two-time state place winner from Illinois, and Panasevich placed twice at the Pennsylvania State Championships as well as placing fifth at the high school national championships. 197: The Big Red will return senior All-American Jerry Rinaldi at the 197 weight class. During his junior campaign, Rinaldi took first place at the Body Bar Invitational and Southern Scuffle. He also took second at the EIWA Championships and fourth place at the NCAAs to go 28-3 for the season. Rinaldi will join Nickerson and wrestle at the NWCA All-Star Classic next week. Freshman Carl Landers will back up Rinaldi at 197. Landers placed third at the Virginia State Championships in 2006 and will join the Big red at the conclusion of the Cornell Football season. 285: Three Cornell upper classmen will contend for the starting spot at 285. The Big Red returns last years starter Zach Hammond. Despite missing most of the season due to injuries, Hammond placed fifth at the EIWA tournament and went 8-8 for the year. Senior Jason Manross will hope to challenge Hammond for the starting role. Manross wrestled at the Body Bar Invitational and Southern Scuffle for the Big Red last season. Also looking to stake his claim on the 285 spot is junior Doug Weidner. Weidner, a 2003 state runner-up in Pennsylvania, will use his strength and agility to contend for the starting role as he moves up from the 197 weight class. The Big Red will open its season Saturday as it hosts the Body Bar Invitational held in Newman Arena in Bartels Hall.