Edinboro won the team race with 120.5 points, followed by West Virginia Universty (110.5), the University of Pittsburgh (97), Bloomsburg University (94.5), Cleveland State University (82), Lock Haven (70.5), and Clarion University (29.5).
Sophomore No. 16 Obenson Blanc (Naples, Fla./Lely) won the title at 125, and he will be joined at the NCAA Division I Championship by runners-up No. 18 Joshua Medina (Las Vegas/Pima C.C.) at 149 and junior No. 17 Seth Martin (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) at 157 as well as the third-place finisher at 184, Derrick Morgan (Milan, Pa./Athens).
Other finishers for LHU were fifth places from junior Carlos Ponce (Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah Miami Lakes), and freshman Tom Kocher (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) sixth place from sophomore Rory McCoy (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) at 165.
"I'm happy with our guys' effort over this whole tournament," said LHU head coach Rocky Bonomo. "We got beat by higher-seeded guys and even managed to upset a few. With all of the turnabout and personnel changes this season, it was excellent to see them give their best effort. I'm excited about our chances to win some matches at nationals."
After a bye and a 13-6 win over Brad Gentzle yesterday, 125-pounder Blanc took on No. 14 Mike Sees (Bloomsburg).
Sees the defending champion at 125, had taken both meetings this season, but the most recent went into overtime. Blanc grabbed the first two points with 40 seconds left in the first by powering Sees to his back. Sees spun out for a point just as the buzzer hit. A second-period Sees escape tied the bout. Blanc went back out in front with a takedown half-way thru the second, adding a pair of back points, but Sees was out seconds later. The third period featured a flurry of fruitless attacks out of Sees, as Blanc added a riding-time point for a 7-3 decision.
With the win Blanc became the first titlist at 125 for LHU since Trap McCormack in 2000.
With wins over Derrick Smith (Clarion) 12-3 and David Jauregui (West Virginia) 13-6 yesterday, Medina drew 149 pound top-seed No. 7 Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) in the championship bout.
Gillespie had won both meetings this season, but it was Medina countering Gillespie's first shot into a takedown. He would work an escape for a 2-1 tally 27 seconds later. A Gillespie shot sent Medina sprawling late in the first, and he worked his way to the buzzer with no points given up. Gillespie did get his first takedown in the second period, driving Medina to his back off a single for a pair of backpoints as well and a 5-2 lead. Gillespie had some stifling defensive work on top for the entire third period, getting the 7-3 win.
Medina is the first two-time qualifier for LHU at 149 since JaMarr Billman (2001-02).
Martin beat Sean Richmond (Pittsburgh) 17-3 and Matt Hill (Edinboro) 6-0 yesterday, earning the right to face defending champion No. 5 Matt Lebe (West Virginia) for the title at 157. Martin dropped a hard-fought 10-9 decision to Lebe during the dual season.
An All-American a year ago, Lebe grabbed a single for the first two points, but Martin was able to get loose on his first attempt. He worked another escape for the tie early in the second, 2-2. No more scoring in the second showed that this would be a much lower-scoring affair than their first bout. Martin found himself in the same situation as their dual, tied with control going into the third period. Just like that bout, Lebe escaped early in the third, and Martin's efforts for a takedown later in the period fell short, a 3-2 loss by decision.
He is the highest EWL placewinner ever at 157 for Lock Haven, the closest match being runner up Brian Leitzel at 158 in 1997.
Sophomore 165-pounder McCoy went 1-1 yesterday, beating Tim Scarl (Cleveland State) 8-4 in the opening round before dropping to Justin Nestor (West Virginia) 10-0 in the semifinals.
McCoy started with Frank Beasley (Bloomsburg) today, losing 12-2. Beasley took the first four points of the bout and the final six, moving McCoy to the fifth-place match.
McCoy squared off with Scarl again for fifth place, surrendering a 6-2 deficit after the first period. Scarl controlled the final two periods as well, finishing with an 11-2 victory.
At 174, junior Ponce topped Dave Gardner (Clarion) 9-3 before losing to Eric Ring (Edinboro) 6-1 in the semifinals.
Ponce drew Nick Padezan (Pitt) today, losing 2-0. Padezan took the first point of the bout on a second-period escape, and held Ponce down the entire third period for the win.
Having already beat him once in the tournament, Ponce saw Gardner in the fifth-place bout. Ponce was in a 3-0 hole early in the second period, hustling to score a takedown with 1:25 left in the second stanza. Ponce let him loose and then powered Gardner down for another two points just seconds later. He once again set him free and scurried around from a front facelock grabbing a 6-5 lead after two. A national qualifier a year ago, Ponce worked Gardner over in the final period 7-0 for the 13-5 win and a fifth-place finish. The win was Ponce's 20th this season. Ponce was chosen as the second alternate to the National Qualifier list for the league.
Morgan had a first-round bye at 184, following that up with a 6-2 loss to No. 17 Alex Clemsen (Edinboro) yesterday.
Nate Shirk (Bloomsburg) was Morgan's first opponent today, with Morgan holding a dual victory over him already this season. Shirk and Morgan worked to a 0-0 tie at the end of two, with Morgan earning an early escape for the first point in the third. The two men worked a collar and elbow for the remainder of the third period and Morgan won 2-0.
Morgan drew Chance Litton (WVU) in the third place bout, a trip to Oklahoma City, Okla. on the line. Morgan pinned Litton in their dual match, and grabbed the first pair of points off a double leg with 29 seconds left in the first. Morgan scored three more in the second, including reeling in a single-leg on the edge of the circle. Litton picked up all of his five points in the final period but it wasn't enough, as Morgan won 10-5 for his first national championships appearance.
Kocher dominated Logan Downes (Clarion) 8-1 before losing to Jared Villers 9-0 in the semifinal yesterday.
Pittsburgh's 197-pounder Mike Heist awaited Kocher in the consolation semifinal today. Kocher had a 7-4 win over Heist in the dual season, but it was Heist with the first points, a second-period escape. Kocher took down in the third to try and work for an escape, getting the tie with 1:42 left. Heist turned Kocher's single shot into the first takedown of the bout on the edge of the circle. Kocher escaped seconds later. He got a tie on a Heist stall point, but didn't hear the official call the point and had a frantic try at a late takedown backfire as Heist rolled over on another Kocher shot at the edge to get the win, 4-3.
Kocher hit a first minute takedown in his fifth-place bout with Downes, and was never in real danger in a 9-0 victory.
Martin, Blanc, Medina, Morgan and Bonomo are back in action Thursday, March 16 at the NCAA Division I Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla.
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