The Match Stories
 
} Edinboro returns to the home mats for the first time in over a month, hosting Eastern Wrestling League foe Lock Haven.  The Fighting Scots come off a fourth place finish at the Virginia Duals, defeating Army (25-10) and 25th-ranked Old Dominion (21-12) before losing to tenth-ranked Virginia Tech (23-10) and ninth-ranked Central Michigan (25-10).  The loss to Virginia Tech snapped a six-match winning streak.  Edinboro is 6-3 overall, including a 28-12 win over Clarion in its lone EWL dual.
} The Fighting Scots are ranked 18th in InterMat's Tournament-Strength Rankings and are 16th in the USA?Today/NWCA/AWN Coaches Poll, which reflects dual matches.
} Lock Haven has a 4-2 record.  The Bald Eagles compete in their first Eastern Wrestling League match at Cleveland State on Friday night before heading to Edinboro.  Coach Robbie Waller's team has won three straight duals, including a pair of wins last weekend in the Pitt Duals.  The Bald Eagles defeated Davidson, 31-6, and Eastern Michigan, 21-14.  Prior to that they posted a 19-15 win over former EWL?rival West Virginia when Mac Maldarelli won by major decision in the final match at 149 lbs.  The Lock Haven lineup features a pair of PSAC?champions in Bobby Rehm, who defended his title at 125 lbs., and Fred Garcia at 184 lbs.
} Edinboro owns an 18-8 advantage in the all-time Division I series with Lock Haven, and has won the last ten meetings with the Bald Eagles.  That includes a 28-6 decision at Lock Haven last year.   
} Edinboro ended 2012 with an 11th place showing at the Midlands Championships, which featured 14 teams that finished in the top 25 at last year's NCAA?Division I National Championships.  A pair of Fighting Scots placed fifth, with A.J. Schopp picking up a fifth place finish for the second straight year at 133 lbs. and Mitchell Port also picking up a fifth place.  Three other wrestlers fell a win shy of earning medals -- Dave Habat and Michael DePalma at 149 lbs. and Ernest James at heavyweight. 
} Edinboro made it back-to-back Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships in December, plus six in the last seven years.  All ten Fighting Scots placed as Edinboro won its 15th overall PSAC?title.  The Fighting Scots finished with 160.5 points to outdistance Clarion, who came in second with 140 points.   Three wrestlers won their second straight individual titles -- A.J. Schopp (133 lbs.), Mitchell Port (141 lbs.), and Dave Habat (149 lbs.).  Lock Haven finished fourth.    
}The Fighting Scots showcase an extremely young lineup, with one true freshmen and three redshirt freshmen starting, plus four sophomores.  Edinboro's lineup features four ranked wrestlers.  Leading the way are A.J. Schopp (133 lbs.) and Mitchell Port (141 lbs.).  Schopp is ranked fourth by InterMat and Amateur Wrestling News and has a 21-2 record with 12 falls.  Port is 21-3 and ranked fifth in both polls.  Both reached the round of 12 at last year's NCAA?Division I?National Championships.  Dave Habat (18-7) is ranked 16th in the Amateur Wrestling News poll and 18th in the InterMat rankings.  Ernest James (17-7) is ranked 18th by Amateur Wrestling News and 20th by InterMat. 
}Following the Lock Haven match, Edinboro has a pair of EWL duals the following weekend.  The Fighting Scots travel to 20th-ranked Bloomsburg on Friday, January 25, then the next day host Cleveland State.

Edinboro Probable Lineup
2012-13 Record -- 6-3, 1-0 EWL  
 
125         Kory Mines (So., 12-12 – Maple Heights, OH))
133         #4/#4 A.J. Schopp (So., 21-2 – Tyrone, PA))
141         #5/#5 Mitchell Port (So., 21-3 -- Bellefonte, PA
149         #18/#16 Dave Habat (So., 18-7 -- Cleveland, OH
157         Michael DePalma (Fr.-r, 18-9 -- Jeannette, PA    
165         Johnny Greisheimer (Jr.,              13-8 -- Wantagh, NY
174         Patrick Jennings                (Fr.-r, 10-17 -- Ridge, NY                               
184         Vince Pickett (Fr., 17-10 -- Galloway, OH
197         Warren Bosch (Fr.-r, 10-12 -- Kings Park, NY)      
Hwt.      #20/#18 Ernest James (Jr., 17-7 -- Medford, NY
 
HEAD?COACH:  Tim Flynn (Penn State '87, 169-62-5, 16th year)
Rankings:  InterMat/Amateur Wrestling News
 
Lock Haven Probable Lineup 
Record -- 4-2, 0-0 EWL 
 
125         Bobby Rehm (So., 17-7 -- Lancaster, PA)
133         Matt Bryer (Fr., 18-17 -- Cochranton, PA)
141         Dan Neff (Fr.-r, 19-6 -- Quarryville, PA)
149         Mac Maldarelli (Jr., 13-7 -- Merrick, NY)
157         Aaron Fry (So., 10-14 -- Muncy, PA)
165         Aaron McKinney (So., 23-16 -- Imperial, PA)
174         Tyler Wood (Fr., 8-11 -- West Chester, PA)
184         Fred Garcia (Jr., 18-8 -- Donora, PA)
197         Phil Sprenkle (Fr.-r, 12-12 -- Seven Valleys, PA)
Hwt.      Harry Turner (Sr., 18-9 -- Howell, NJ)      
 
HEAD?COACH:  Robbie Waller (Oklahoma '03, 16-34, 4th year)
Rankings:  InterMat/Amateur Wrestling News