EDINBORO, Pa. (Dec. 16, 2012) – A youthful Edinboro wrestling team rode the strong performances of some young wrestlers who continue to improve to a pair of wins at McComb Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon.  In a first-ever meeting against Northwestern, the 20^th-ranked Fighting Scots handed the Wildcats, ranked tenth in the latest USA Today/NWCA/AWN Division I poll, a 22-15 defeat.  Edinboro followed that with a 28-12 triumph over Clarion in the first Eastern Wrestling League match for both teams. 
           
The two wins boosted Edinboro to 3-1, while Northwestern is 4-2 after starting the day with a 26-9 victory over Clarion.  The Golden Eagles are 1-3.
           
Here's a recap of the two matches:
 
Edinboro 22, Northwestern 15
           
The back-and-forth match with the Wildcats saw Edinboro jump out to a 10-3 lead with three wins in the first four matches.  With wins at 157, 165 and 174 lbs., Northwestern grabbed a 12-10 lead.  With two freshmen in the next two spots in the lineup, the veteran Northwestern squad looked to be taking control of the match.
           
Freshman Vince Picket gave the lead back to Edinboro with a pin over Marcus Shrewsbury at 2:42, and when redshirt freshman Warren Bosch rallied for fall over Alex Polizzi at 6:46, the Fighting Scots had clinched the win.
           
The match got underway with 16^th-ranked Dominick Malone claiming a 3-0 decision over Kory Mines at 125 lbs. for a 3-0 Northwestern lead. 
           
The Fighting Scots came back with three straight wins from their trio of sophomore standouts.  Fourth-ranked A.J Schopp was impressive in a 10-2 major decision over Levi Mele, ranked ninth by Amateur Wrestling News and 16^th by InterMat.  Schopp recorded a pair of takedowns and three near fall points, grabbing a 5-0 lead after one period and never looking back in the 133 lb. bout. 
           
Mitchell Port, ranked fifth at 141 lbs., followed with a 10-4 decision over Jameson Oster, using a reversal and five near fall points for a big second period.  Dave Habat, ranked 16^th, added a 9-5 decision against Dylan Marriott at 149 lbs. after trailing 4-2 entering the third period.  Habat used a takedown and three near fall points in the final minute-and-a-half to rally for the win.
           
At 157 lbs., Casey Fuller, filling in for starter Michael DePalma, pushed second ranked Jason Welch before dropping a 9-4 decision.  A match earlier Welch had won a 10-1 major decision over third-ranked James Fleming of Clarion.
           
Northwestern's tenth-ranked Pierce Harger edged 18^th-ranked Johnny Greishimer, 5-3, at 165 lbs.  Greisheimer tied the match at 3-3 with a minute left but had to cut Harger loose with the Wildcat holding riding time.  He came close to taking down Harger at the edge of the mat in the closing seconds.
           
Lee Munster, ranked ninth, won a 6-2 decision over redshirt freshman Patrick Jennings at 174 lbs. to give Northwestern the 12-10 lead.  However, it was another bout where a young Boro grappler battled and did not give up bonus points.
           
Pickett followed with the fall over Shrewsbury at 184 lbs. following a takedown just 12 seconds into the match.  The end came at 2:42.
           
Bosch trailed 5-3 early in second period at 197 lbs.  He knotted the score with a takedown, and took the lead with two near fall points.  A Polizzi escape made it 7-6 after two periods.  Bosch went up 8-6 with an escape to start the third, with Polizzi tying it with a takedown with 1:15 to go.  A reversal with 25 seconds left made it 10-8 in favor of Bosch, and he picked up the fall moments later.
           
In the third matchup of nationally-ranked foes, eighth-ranked Mike McMullan won a narrow 3-2 decision over 20^th-ranked Ernest James.  Tied at 2-2 after two periods, James was down to start the third.  When he took injury time late in the period, McMullan chose bottom and escaped for the winning point.
 
Edinboro 28, Clarion 12
           
The Fighting Scots jumped out to a 16-0 lead in winning their EWL opener.  They won seven bouts, with a pair of falls and a major decision.

Mines got things underway with a 10-6 decision over Tyler Fraley at 125 lbs., pulling away with an escape and takedown in the final 30 seconds.   Schopp followed with a fall at 1:11 over Tyler Waltko.  While improving to 11-0, he picked up his sixth fall of the season and 25^th of his career, moving into a tie for 12^th place in career falls.
           
Port was impressive in an 11-2 major decision against John Matacic, finishing with three takedowns, a reversal, and two near fall points.  He is now 12-1.
           
Habat capped Edinboro's string of four straight wins to open the match as he won a 6-1 decision over Tyler Bedelyon.  While boosting his record to 13-3, Habat need an escape just over 30 seconds into the third period, plus a takedown with ten seconds remaining to clinch the victory.
           
Fleming atoned somewhat for his loss to Welch earlier in the afternoon with a fall over Fuller (5-6) with 1:22 left in the first period.        
           
Greisheimer used four takedowns to dispose if Nick Milano at 165 lbs.  The junior is now 10-5.  Jennings (10-10) would go down 2-0 to Ryan Darch at 174 lbs. on a second period escape and riding time, giving Clarion hope at 19-9.
           
Pickett clinched the victory with his second fall of the afternoon at 184 lbs.  The freshman not only improved to 12-6, but came up with his sixth fall and fourth straight.  Just eight days ago Pickett pinned Steven Cressley at 2:40 in the PSAC Championships.  This time accomplished it in 2:13.
           
Bosch was unable to come up with a second upset, dropping a 4-1 decision to Justin Ortega at 197 lbs., falling to 9-6. 
           
Finally, James came up with one of his trademark finishes.  Tied at 1-1, he would spin around Phil Matrucco at the edge of the mat with 14 seconds left for the winning takedown.  He added a penalty point in the final seconds to boost his record to 10-4.
           
The Fighting Scots will break for Christmas before taking the mat again in the prestigious Midlands Invitational, hosted by Northwestern on December 29-30.     
                                                                                                                               
#10 NORTHWESTERN 26, CLARION 9
Sunday, December 16, 2012
McComb Fieldhouse
Edinboro, PA
                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                              NW-CU
125 lbs.                        #16 Dominick Malone (NW) dec. Tyler Fraley (CU), 4-3 tb2                     3-0                    
133 lbs.                        #16 Levi Mele (NW) dec. Joe Waltko (CU), 10-3                                        6-0
141 lbs.                        Sam Sherlock (CU) dec. Jameson Oster (NW), 9-7                                  6-3
149 lbs.                        Tyler Bedelyon (CU) dec. Pat Greco(NW), 5-2                                             6-6
157 lbs.                        #2 Jason Welch (NW) maj. dec. #3 James Fleming (CU), 10-1           10-6   
165 lbs.                        #10 Pierce Harger (NW) maj. dec. Nick Milano (CU), 13-3                     14-6
174 lbs.                        #9 Lee Munster (MW) tech. fall Ryan Darch (CU), 16-0 (3:28)                19-6
184 lbs.                        Steven Cressley (CU) dec. Marcus Shrewsbury (NW), 5-3                      19-9
197 lbs.                        Alex Polizzi (NW) dec. Justin Ortega (CU), 9-7                                           22-9
Hwt                               #8 Mike McMullan (NW) maj. dec. Phil Catrucco (CU), 12-0                    26-9
 
RECORDS:              Northwestern             4-1
                                  Clarion                        1-2
 
 
#20 EDINBORO 22, #10 NORTHWESTERN 15
Sunday, December 16, 2012
McComb Fieldhouse
Edinboro, PA
                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                               EU-NW
125 lbs.                        #16 Dominick Malone (NW) dec. Kory Mines (EU), 3-0                             0-3 
133 lbs.                        #4 A.J. Schopp (EU) maj. dec. #16 Levi Mele (NW), 10-2                         4-3    
141 lbs.                        #5 Mitchell Port (EU) dec. Jameson Oster (NW), 10-4                              7-3
149 lbs.                        #16 Dave Habat (EU) dec. Dylan Marriott (NW), 9-5                                10-3
157 lbs.                        #2 Jason Welch (NW) dec. Casey Fuller (EU), 9-4                                  10-6
165 lbs.                        #10 Pierce Harger (NW) dec. #18 Johnny Greisheimer (EU), 5-3        10-9
174 lbs.                        #9 Lee Munster (NW) dec. Patrick Jennings (EU), 6-2                            10-12
184 lbs.                        Vince Pickett (EU) fall over Marcus Shrewsbury (NW), 2:42                   16-12
197 lbs.                        Warren Bosch (EU) fall over Alex Polizzi (NW), 6:46                                 22-12  
Hwt                                #8 Mike McMullan (NW) dec. #20 Ernest James (EU), 3-2                     22-15
 
RECORDS:               Edinboro                     2-1
                                   Northwestern             4-2
 
#20 EDINBORO 28, CLARION 12
Sunday, December 16, 2012
McComb Fieldhouse
Edinboro, PA
                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                                EU-CU
125 lbs.                        Kory Mines (EU) dec. Tyler Fraley (CU), 10-6                                             3-0 
133 lbs.                        #4 A.J. Schopp (EU) fall over Joe Waltko (CU), 1:11                                 9-0
141 lbs.                        #5 Mitchell Port (EU) maj. dec. John Matacic (CU), 11-2                       13-0
149 lbs.                        #16 Dave Habat (EU) dec. Tyler Bedelyon (CU), 6-1                              16-0
157 lbs.                        #3 James Fleming (CU) fall over Casey Fuller (EU), 1:22                    16-6
165 lbs.                        #18 Johnny Greisheimer (EU) dec. Nick Milano (CU), 12-6                  19-6
174 lbs.                        Ryan Darch (CU) dec. Patrick Jennings (EU), 2-0                                  19-9
184 lbs.                        Vince Pickett (EU) fall over Steven Cressley (CU), 2:13                         25-9
197 lbs.                        Justin Ortega (CU) dec. Warren Bosch (EU), 4-1                                    25-12
Hwt                               #20 Ernest James (EU) dec. Phil Catrucco (CU), 4-1                             28-12
 
RECORDS:             Edinboro         3-1, 1-0 EWL
                                 Clarion            1-3, 0-1 EWL