Wrestling | 11/14/2014 4:36:00 PM

 
            The 2014-15 Clarion University wrestling team is ready to roll out the mats for another season of NCAA Division I wrestling, as the Golden Eagles travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan to participate in the Eastern Michigan Duals on Saturday, November 15.
 
            The Golden Eagles begin the dual meet season with four duals on Saturday including an opening matchup at 9am against Southern Illinois Edwardsville, then a 10:30am encounter with Northwestern, plus a 12:00pm match against Central Michigan and finally a 1:30pm dual against Northern Illinois.
 
            Clarion will be led into battle by first year interim head coach Keith Ferraro. An assistant coach at Clarion for the last two seasons, Ferraro helped lead Clarion to a 9-15 dual meet record last year, a 4^th place finish at PSAC's and a 6^th place showing at EWL's. The Golden Eagles went on to place 40^th at the NCAA Division I Nationals in Oklahoma City. In 2013 Clarion was 5-10 in dual meets, second at the PSAC championships, fourth at EWL's and 33rd at the NCAA Division I Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.
 
            "We are anxious to get out on the mats and start wrestling our dual meet schedule," said Ferraro. "The EMU Duals signal the start of a really strong dual meet schedule for us this year," stated the first year coach. "This is likely the toughest schedule our fans have seen in a long time, but we are committed to wrestling the best and building a program our fans can be proud of. Our lineup will be really young in spots, with a number of first year starters teaming with our veteran returnees. We are also going to red-shirt a few wrestlers this year – so we expect to be competitive in 2015, but our eyes are on building for the future."
 
                The Golden Eagles host defending NCAA National Champion Penn State next Saturday at 7pm. About 1,000 tickets remain available and can be purchased online at www.clarionuniversitytickets.com . Any tickets remaining on Nov. 22^nd will be sold at Tippin Gym on a first come, first serve basis. Other home matches include Bloomsburg (Dec. 19), Ohio University (Jan. 8), Eastern Michigan (Jan. 10), George Mason (Jan. 18), and West Virginia (Feb. 6).
 
                A visit to Oklahoma State (Feb. 13) tops the road schedule which also includes Rider (Nov. 30), Edinboro (Dec. 13), Lock Haven (Feb. 1) and Pitt (Feb. 8).
 
Returning starters looking to lead the way include Sam Sherlock (Sr. West Mifflin) at 149,  Michael Pavasko (Jr. Munhall – Steel Valley) at 174, Daniel Sutherland (Sr. North Bellmore, N.Y. – Mepham) at 184, Ryan Darch (Sr. Batavia, N.Y.) at 197 and Evan Daley (So. Erie – Fort LeBoeuf) at 285.
 
Sherlock, who is moving up to 149 pounds, wrestled at 133-pounds for the Golden Eagles last year and put together a record of 18-14 overall, finished 6^th at EWL's and was 2^nd at the PSAC's and the Clarion Open. He was 13-11 at 141 in 2013 finishing 3^rd at EWL's and 2^nd at PSAC's and has a Clarion career record of 31-25.
 
Pavasko, meanwhile is moving up to 174 from 165 a year ago. In 2014 he put together a record of 14-22 at 165 and placed 4^th at PSAC's. Ferraro believes moving up a weight will help Pavasko have an improved season. He placed 4^th at the Clarion Open two weeks ago.
 
Sutherland wrestled at 197 a year ago, but is dropping down to 184 for the 2015 campaign. Although he finished 4-17 at 197 last year, Ferrraro believes the drop to 184, his more normal weight class, will produce plenty of wins.  Sutherland was third at the Clarion Open two weeks ago with a 6-1 record.
 
Darch, who has wrestled most of his career at 174, is moving up to 197 in 2015. Last season Ryan was 16-22 overall and placed 4^th at EWL's with a 2-2 tournament record. He also placed 5^th at PSAC's. In 2013 he was 12-16 overall at 174, 3^rd at EWL's and 2^nd at PSAC's … He was 8-12 as a red-shirt freshman in 2012 at 174 and placed 4^th at PSAC's. He has a career record of 36-50. Ryan opened the year 4-2 at the Clarion Open.
 
Daley, the Eagles starting heavyweight a year ago, had a strong freshman campaign. He was 19-15 overall and was in consideration for an at-large berth to the NCAA's. He finished 4^th at EWL's and 4^th at PSAC's. He was 4-2 at the Clarion Open to start the season.
 
Newcomers to the starting lineup this weekend will be Seth Carr (R-Fr. McDonald – south Fayette) at 125, Matt Liggett (Fr. Chardon, Oh.) at 133, John Pezze (Jr. North Huntingdon – Norwin) at 141, Evan DeLong (Fr. Kane) at 157 and Slade Horner (Jr. Ridgway) at 165.
 
Carr, a red-shirt freshman, will start at 125. He was a PIAA runner-up in 2013 at 113 pounds representing South Fayette and had a 40-5 record. He was a 2012 PIAA Qualifier and Section Champ (34-9) and was 32-11 as a sophomore.
 
Liggett, a true freshman, is from Chardon High School. An All-conference performer, he was originally going to red-shirt the 2015 season but has jumped into the starting lineup.
 
Pezze, meanwhile, has wrestled at 133-pounds in 2013 and competed at 141 a year ago. Last year he was 2-6 overall in limited action, while as a red-shirt freshman in 2013 he was 11-9.
 
DeLong a true freshman from nearby Kane, was a big recruit for the Golden Eagles last Spring. He was a PIAA State champion in the Spring of 2014 with a record of 36-0 – defeating Nico Pecora of Richland 12-3 in the finals at 170-pounds. He was the PIAA runner-up as a junior with a record of 27-1. Evan opened the year with a 6-2 record at the Clarion open taking 4^th place at 157.
 
Horner, a junior, transferred to the Golden Eagles from Pitt and will be the starter at 165. He was 1-4 in 2012-13 with the Panthers. He is from nearby Ridgway. Horner had a good start to his season with a 4-2 mark at the Clarion Open two weeks ago.
 
CLARION NOTES: Brock Zacherl, a PIAA State Champion at 138-pounds in 2014 from nearby Brookville High, will red-shirt this season … The talented freshman will wrestle unattached in tournaments throughout the season… he was 41-2 last year, and also 35-6 as a junior placing 4^th and 27-4 as a sophomore when he placed 7^th at PIAA's … Brother Brodie Zacherl will also red-shirt … he placed 5^th at 152 at the PIAA's and had a record last year of 39-5 … Also expected to sit out the season will be Dustin Conti – another red-shirt - who was 8-21 at 184-pounds but is looking to move up next year to 197… He was 4^th at EWL's … Sophomore Hunter Jones, who is sitting out the first semester, could be back in December … the 125-pound starter from last year was 8-10 a year ago and finished 5^th at EWL's. … Team Captain this year will be Kyle Braddock – senior from Beaver Falls, Pa. and Blackhawk high … He will provide quality backup at 165-pounds and was 3-2 at the Mercyhurst Open last weekend…. "Kyle provides great leadership on and off the mat," said Ferraro … "He was chosen as captain by his teammates – which shows you the respect he commands on this team." … Codey Combs, a transfer from Arizona state, is not 100% healthy but could challenge for lineup time around the new year … Combs is from Sussex Central High in Delaware and was a 4-time State Champion … he would wrestle at 165 .. Joshua Davis, who backed up Daley at heavyweight a year ago, returns in 2015 … he was 3-10 a year ago … Blake Morder – a 149-pounder – a junior from Mount union – will be a backup at 149 --- he was 7-8 a year ago … other candidate to try and start at 133-pounds could be Joel Rosko (Fr. Campbell N.Y.) … he was 48-4 last year and had a high school record of 192-34… Dominic Rigous, a red-shirt freshman, will provide backup at 174 --- he was 7^th at PIAA's as a senior in 2013 with record of 44-2 at CB South  … Career record of 116-13 …
    
            CLARION NOTES: Since 1959-60 Clarion has a dual meet record of 530-348-17 and had wrestlers win 113 PSAC and 55 EWL individual titles... Clarion also has had 8 individual NCAA Division I Champions and 46 D-I All-Americans… 157- James Fleming was the latest A-A – placing 8^th In 2013 at 157-pounds… Fleming was a 2-time All-American, having placed 5th at the NCAA's in 2012 …  Fleming had the 4th best record ever at Clarion with a mark of 126-21 --- tied with Mark Angle (126-11; 1996-2000)… The leader of course is Wade Schalles with a mark of 153-3-1 (1970-74), Mike Cole (150-31-2 1984-89) and John Testa 134-29 (2000-2003)….
 
CLARION WRESTLING HISTORY:  Clarion finished 40^th at NCAA D-I Nationals in 2014 in Oklahoma City … 33rd at NCAA D-I Nationals in 2013 and 18th at the Nationals in 2012 …. Ferraro is the 8^th head coach at Clarion since 1959-60 … Frank Lignelli re-started the wrestling program in the Fall of 1959 and coached through 1966. Bob Bubb elevated the program to elite NCAA Division I status as head coach from 1967- 92, while Jack Davis mentored from 1993-97, Ken Nellis from 1998-2006. Teague Moore from 2007 – 2011, Dernlan in 2012, Letters in 2013 and 2014 and now Ferraro. The program was re-started in the 1959-60 season under head coach Frank Lignelli ... Lignelli was the coach from 1960-66 with a record of 61-12... He passed the torch to Bob Bubb, who from 1966-92, put Clarion wrestling on the national stage... Bubb had a career record of 322-121-4 ... Bubb led Clarion to a 4th place team finish at D-I nationals in 1973, sixth in 1972 and 87 and eighth in 1992, his final season... Bubb coached 7 D-I champions, 3 college division champs, 27 All-Americans, 29 EWL winners and 68 PSAC champs ... Bubb will be remembered for two special athletes, namely Wade Schalles and Kurt Angle... Both were named to the NCAA/NWCA 75th Anniversary Team in March of 2005... Schalles had an amazing career record of 153-5-1, won 2 NCAA titles and posted an NCAA record 106 pins ... Angle also was a 2-time NCAA D-I Champion, posted a record of 116-10-2 and also won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 ... On June 4, 2005, Bubb was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma .... Jack Davis was Clarion's head coach from 1993-97 with a record of 43-34-5, Nellis (47-89-3; 1998-2006), Moore (37-60-1; 2007-11), Dernlan (6-7; 2012) and Letters 5-10 (2013) ... Clarion has 8 D-I National Champions, 46 All-Americans, 54 EWL winners and 113 PSAC Champions... That also includes 14 PSAC and 3 EWL team titles…. In 2012 when Clarion was 18th at nationals 157-lb James Fleming (West Mifflin) earned A-A honors finishing 5th and 165-lb Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) was 3rd.
… Interestingly, Frank Lignelli (Monongahela), Ken Nellis (Shaler), Troy Letters (Shaler) and Teague Moore (North Allegheny), and Ferraro (Brookville) are all Western Pa. products… Letters and Nellis both from Shaler High School … Coach Bubb was a native of Lock Haven, but a Pitt grad and All-American… Jack Davis, from Lake Lehman, also was a Clarion grad and long-time Clarion assistant coach.