Edinboro 34 Lock Haven 6

EDINBORO, Pa. (Jan. 17, 2009) – With Gregor Gillespie (left) and Joey Fendone (below) picking up pins, Edinboro won eight of ten matches to post a 34-6 win over Lock Haven at McComb Fieldhouse on Saturday night. The 16th-ranked Fighting Scots picked up their 21st straight EWL win while improving to 9-4 and 2-0 in Eastern Wrestling League action. Lock Haven fell to 5-7-1 and 0-2, respectively.

Gillespie, ranked number one at 157 lbs., has dominated the competition this season, but his fall over Justin Loudon at 2:56 was still his first of the season, to go with 12 technical falls and six major decisions. He needed just eight seconds to take down Loudon, then turned him three times for a total of seven back points and a 9-0 lead, before pinning him. The victory boosted his record to 29-0, and more importantly, gave him a career record of 140-10. That moves him into sole possession of second place in career wins, just five behind Jason Robison’s record of 145.

Fendone recorded his second straight fall in two nights, 13th of the season, and 39th of his career to move into fifth place in career falls. Like Gillespie, he quickly took control of the match and led 8-3 thanks to four takedowns before finishing Gabe Murtorff at 2:40 to end the night. Fendone picked up his 95th career win.

After Paul Donahoe, ranked number one at 125 lbs., picked up a forfeit win to improve to23-0, Ricky Deubel won his 94th career match with a 3-2 decision over Billy Ashnault at 133 lbs. Deubel, ranked 18th, has now 20-or-more matches all four years, with a 20-9 ledger this year. Following a scoreless first period, Deubel took a 1-0 lead with a quick escape to start the second period. Ashnault would do the same to begin the third, knotting the match at one apiece. Deubel registered the lone takedown with a minute remaining. Ashnault would escape at the 24-second mark, but he could not record the winning takedown.

Steve Waite, filling in for starter Joel Webster at 141 lbs., made it 12-0 with a 6-2 decision over Zach Kell. The sophomore, a recent transfer from West Virginia, fell behind 2-0 when Kell recorded a reversal 45 seconds into the second period. Waite answered with a reversal of his own at the 35-second mark, and was awarded a penalty point for a 3-2 lead after two periods. Waite would register a second reversal midway through the third period and add a point for riding time for a 6-2 decision. He is now 5-2.

Lock Haven got on board with an upset win at 149 lbs., as Matt Fittery handed 19th-ranked Torsten Gillespie a 9-5 defeat. In moving to 24-5 and dropping Gillespie to 22-12, Fittery jumped out to a 6-0 lead thanks to a takedown and four near-fall points. A Gillespie escape at the buzzer made it 6-1 after three minutes. The lone scoring in the second period was a Gillespie escape. However, the sophomore’s comeback hopes were dashed when Fittery recorded a reversal twenty seconds into the third session. He would finish with an escape and takedown, with Fittery owning over two minutes in riding time.

Following Gregor Gillespie’s win at 157 lbs., Chris Hrunka suffered a 7-6 defeat to Aaron Ernest at 165 lbs. The redshirt freshman, filling in for injured starter Jarrod King, is now 4-8. He fell behind 4-1 after one period following a pair of Ernest takedowns, then opened the second period with an escape and takedown to tie the match at 4-4. Ernest answered with a reversal for a 6-4 lead after two periods. Hrunka tied the match with a reversal of his own with 55 seconds remaining, but Ernest picked up the winning escape with 27 seconds left.

Paul Paddock picked up an 11-0 major decision over Travis Stem at 174 lbs. The redshirt freshman went up 4-0 with a takedown and two near-fall points in the first, then added four more points, including his second takedown, for an 8-0 lead after two periods. He finished the win off with two more back points in the third, plus a riding time advantage of 4:49. Paddock is now 9-13.

Possibly the best two matches of the evening took place at 184 and 197 lbs. Chris Honeycutt, ranked 18th at 184 lbs., picked up a 7-4 decision over Tom Kocher. The first period ended with Honeycutt leading 3-2 after he had a takedown, Kocher answered with a reversal, and Honeycutt came back with an escape. Honeycutt added an escape and takedown for a 6-2 lead after two periods. Kocher would close to 6-4 on the strength of an escape and a stalling points, but Honeycutt had a 1:51 advantage in riding time. He improved to 21-6.

Pat Bradshaw followed with a 3-2 decision over Ben Hepburn at 197 lbs. in a rematch of the PSAC title match. The junior improved to 19-5 with the hard-earned victory. After a scoreless first period, Bradshaw scored the first points of the match with an escape. Hepburn did the same to start the third, and it appeared the match might be headed to overtime before Bradshaw shot in on a leg and took Hepburn down with 21 seconds left. Hepburn would escape to conclude the scoring.

The Fighting Scots no get a well-deserved break, not returning to action until February 5 at Bloomsburg.

#16 EDINBORO 34, LOCK HAVEN 6
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Edinboro, PA

125 lbs. #1 Paul Donahoe (EU) won by forfeit 6-0
133 lbs. #17 Ricky Deubel (EU) dec. Billy Ashnault (LHU), 3-2 9-0
141 lbs. Steve Waite (EU) dec. Zach Kell (LHU), 6-2 12-0
149 lbs. Matt Fittery (LHU) dec. #19 Torsten Gillespie (EU), 9-5 12-3
157 lbs. #1 Gregor Gillespie (EU) fall over Justin Loudon (LHU), 2:56 18-3
165 lbs. Aaron Ernest (LHU) dec. Chris Hrunka (EU), 7-6 18-6
174 lbs. Paul Paddock (EU) maj. dec. Travis Stem (LHU), 11-0 22-6
184 lbs. #18 Chris Honeycutt (EU) dec. Tom Kocher (LHU), 7-4 25-6
197 lbs. Pat Bradshaw (EU) dec. Ben Hepburn (LHU), 3-2 28-6
Hwt. #14 Joey Fendone (EU) fall over Gabe Murtorff (LHU), 2:40 34-6

RECORDS: Edinboro 9-4, 2-0 EWL