LEHIGH WRESTLES PENN STATE TOUGH

[ngineer]

Mountain Hawks went into Penn State's Rec Hall tonight and gave the #7 team a good tussle. I had posted earlier that I'd be 'satisfied' if we could walk away with 4 wins out of 10, and that we did, with a couple excrutiatingly close losses. Helfrich continues to run into the gauntlet of elite buzz saws at 174, losing to #2 Youshonis by a 7-6 score. Chinn also lost a tough one at 149, 3-1; and Cassidy had to default due to injury at 197--six big points instead of 3 or four. Wasn't expected to beat #1 Davis, and sounded like a shoulder issue. Don't know if he'll be able to 'go' tomorrow at PITT.
On the bright side, frosh Seth Ciasulli gave #7 Strayer at 133 a good bout before losing 6-3. Big brother Matt at 141 hammered Hummel, 11-4 and Dave Nakasone 'upset' Nate Galloway at 157, 6-5 on a tie-breaker with a reversal. Frosh Galante impressed with an 11-5 win over Friend and Frosh Craig had a solid 8-3 win at 184. Paul Weibel at '285' lost to #12 Anspach by a 6-3 score while giving away 50 pounds. The only mismatch was at 125 where McKnight thumped Berger, 21-6 for a TF. There is some hope that Matt Fisk may make a return to the lineup and not redshirt this year and return to the line up next semester. Back seems to be healed up with his recent showings in open tournaments. Final score was 23-12, but team wrestled well with a lot of promise down the road.

[BlueHen86]

Thanks for the update.

Sorry to hear they lost. I expect big things from Craig. I would not be shocked if he did not lose again this year.
He's also a very nice young man. I met him after the match against Drexel, he signed autographs for all the kids we had with us (there were 3 dads and 4 kids), and then brought the kids over to meet some of the other wrestlers.

[ngineer]

Penn State just has a better team balance...right now. By the end of the season, I could see us challenging for a top 10 position, barring injury and the return of Fisk at 125.
Craig is a super wrestler and person. I shook hands with him at the Drexel match,too. Very polite. Seems well-grounded. Some of these 'hot-shot' wrestlers you see also come with an arrogance. Craig certainly appears to be the 'real deal', though expecting an NCAA championship is a little much thiis year, I would not be surprised to see him achieve a top 5.

[BlueHen86]

Penn State just has a better team balance...right now. By the end of the season, I could see us challenging for a top 10 position, barring injury and the return of Fisk at 125.
Craig is a super wrestler and person. I shook hands with him at the Drexel match,too. Very polite. Seems well-grounded. Some of these 'hot-shot' wrestlers you see also come with an arrogance. Craig certainly appears to be the 'real deal', though expecting an NCAA championship is a little much thiis year, I would not be surprised to see him achieve a top 5.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting an NCAA championship this year. I just wouldn't be shocked if it happened.
I will be following him this year and hope to be at the Lehigh - Nebraska match later this season.