Clarion wrestles its final dual match of the season Sunday, hosting Rider for a noon dual at Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium (Feb. 16). Senior Day will be celebrated prior to the wrestling action.

Clarion at a Glance
Clarion struggled in their penultimate match of the year, winning only one bout in a 43-4 loss to rival Lock Haven (Feb. 8). The loss dropped the Golden Eagles to 0-8 in Tippin this season.

Freshman Travis Clawson was the sole winner in that dual, earning his fifth victory in a row. He improved his season record to 10-10. During his winning streak, which dates to the Golden Eagles' dual with Cleveland State (Jan. 24), Clawson has earned four major decisions, outscoring opponents 54-12 over the course of his run. Gianni Silvestri (10-14), also a freshman, is 3-2 in his last five bouts.

In addition to Clawson, other possible starters with winning records are Kyle Schickel (17-13) and Austin Chapman (15-13). 

John Worthing is 16-5 this season but has not wrestled since the Jan. 19 dual against SIU-Edwardsville. He ranks 29th amongst 174-pounders in the initial NCAA RPI ranking of the season (Feb. 13). RPI is an index related to the performance and relative strength of opponents and is used for tournament seeding. Also in the RPI rankings was 133-pounder Scott Johnson (12-8), 30^th in his weight class. Johnson last wrestled at the Southern Scuffle during the first weekend of January.

Clarion is 3-11 overall and 2-3 in its last five outings. The Golden Eagles are 2-5 in the MAC. They last won on Jan. 26, downing Kent State and Long Island University during a Sunday afternoon doubleheader in New York.

Rider at a Glance
After Friday's 24-12 victory over Edinboro, Rider comes to Clarion sporting an overall record of 7-8, with a 4-2 away mark. MAC-East champions the past two seasons, Rider is currently 3-2 in conference competition.  Rider is 4-1 in its last five duals, which includes beating George Mason, 24-12 (Feb. 1); a win against Cambell, 22-17 (Feb. 2); shutting out Bloomsburg, 47-0 (Feb. 8); and a 24-13 loss to Lock Haven (Feb. 6). Earlier in the season, they beat then #24 Maryland, 18-17 (Dec. 20).

The Broncs have a quartet of wrestlers ranked in multiple polls:

• 149: Sammy Alvarez (#15 FloWrestling/#11 Intermat/#12 NCAA Coaches/#8 RPI)
• 157: Colton Washleski (#29 FloWrestling/#26 Intermat & NCAA Coaches/#13 RPI)
• 165: Enrique Munguia (#33 FloWrestling/#24 Intermat/#30 NCAA Coaches/#13 RPI)
• 184: Isaac Dean (#18 FloWrestling/#15 Intermat & NCAA Coaches/#9 RPI)

Alvarez (15-5) and Munguia (18-6) are on winning streaks, the former with six straight and the latter at seven in a row. Alvarez is 9-1 in his last 10 outings and Mungia 9-1. Washleski (12-6), an NCAA qualifier in 2024, has won seven of the last 10. Dean (17-6) has gone 7-3 in his most recent 10 outings. Broncs' 125-pounder Noah Michaels (8-3), #32 RPI, is 4-3 since cracking the starting line-up against Princeton (Jan. 24). Both 174-pounder Michael Wilson (12-11) and 197-pounder Brock Zurawski (11-10), #27 RPI, have compiled 5-4 records in their most recent 10 matches.

Rider will host the upcoming MAC Championships at the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton, N.J. (March 7-8).

Clarion vs. Rider
The Golden Eagles have a 4-21 record against the Broncs, the teams first squaring off during Jan. 1988, a match Rider won, 22-15. Clarion has lost six in a row to the N.J. squad.
Rider won last season at home, 27-9. Schickel, John Altieri, Ethan Wiant, and Chapman saw action.

Rider has a 7-4 record in Clarion, last visiting during Feb. 2023, coming away with a 25-12 win. Mason Prinkey, Schickel, Worthing, and Chapman were in the Golden Eagles line-up that day.
Clarion most recently beat Rider during Feb. 2018 in a dramatic home dual wrestled on the stage at Marwick-Boyd Auditorium. Trailing the Broncs – ranked 21st at the time – by five points going into the last match, the Golden Eagles received a first-period pin from Toby Cahill for an 18-17 victory. Current Clarion coach Brock Zacherl won a match during that dual.

Curiously enough, that result was a near-identical repeat of the dual in Clarion two years prior. On Nov. 29, 2015 the Golden Eagles led the Broncs 18-15  heading into the heavyweight bout when freshman Zach DeLuca pinned Mauro Correnti – the same wrestler pinned by Cahill two years later in Marwick-Boyd Auditorium – to clinch a 24-15 victory.

Seniors at a Glance

• Clayton Bashor: An Electrical Utilities Technology major, Clayton plans to become a power lineman after graduation. The Waterford, Calif. native is the son of Scott and Michelle Bashor.
• Austin Chapman: An Exercise Science major, "Chappy" plans to pursue an MBA and begin coaching. From Belle, W. Va., he is the son of Lisa Chapman.
• Lavinsky Collins: Lavinsky is studying S.T.E.M. Education at the graduate level, having earned a B.S. in Early Childhood Education during May 2024. He intends to become a teacher and coach. Hailing from Ewing, N.J., he is the son of Shelly and Lavinsky Collins, Sr.
• Kyle Schickel: Kyle is a Sports Management major, also minoring in Athletic Coaching. After graduation, he would like to work for a professional sports organization. From Lemont, Ill., he is the son of Dan and Stephanie Schickel.
• Brady Worthing: A Sports Management major, Brady is the son of Willie and Nicole Worthing. The Owego, N.Y. native is currently undecided about his future plans.
• John Worthing: An NCAAA qualifier last season, John graduated with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education this past December. He is currently pursuing an advanced degree in S.T.E.M. Education, planning to become a teacher. The son of Willie and Nicole Worthing, he is from Owego, N.Y.