Bloom Falls to Edinboro in Valiant Effort

By: Justin Lockowitz/”The Voice” sports editor

The Bloomsburg University wrestling team lost an EWL match to the Edinboro Fighting Scots on Thursday, February 5 by a score of 25-12. The Huskies (7-7, 2-3) competed with Edinboro (10-4, 4-0), who are ranked 13th in the latest USA Today/Intermat/NWCA polls.

The match began at the 125-pound weight class, where BU’s Ian Moser met #1 Paul Donahoe. There was no scoring in the first period, but Moser got in on a low double before Donahoe was tied him up. In the second, Donahoe was able to quickly escape and then pick up a takedown with less than a minute to go to lead 3-0 into the final period. In the third period, Donahoe picked up another takedown and two back points in the process of collecting an 8-2 decision.

The next match featured Jason Guffey and Edinboro’s #19 Ricky Deubel. A scoreless first led to Deubel picking up a crucial three back points with a nice tilt. Guffey picked up an escape later in the period, but Deubel was able to earn one of his own in the third, winning 4-1.

In the 141-pound bout, Bloom’s Darren Kern filled in for Rick Donald, who was out with the flu. Kern met EU’s Steve Waite, who used a takedown and two back points to take an early 4-0 lead. Waite used another takedown and pair of back points in the second, as well as a takedown in the third to earn the major decision by a score of 11-1, and put the team up 10-0.

Bloomsburg’s George Hickman made sure to stop the skid as he faced off against Torsten Gillespie in the ensuing match. The two went back and forth in the first period as Gillespie scored a takedown, followed by a Hickman reversal that Gillespie escaped, sending the competitors into the second with a 3-2 score. In the second, Gillespie almost earned an escape multiple times, but with Coach Stutzman directing Hickman to “keep him down,” he was able to do just that, while earning two minutes of riding time. Before the third period began Gillespie was hit with his third caution, resulting in a penalty point for Hickman and a tied match. An escape by Hickman caused Gillespie to shoot, which ended up being countered, earning Hickman the 7-3 decision. Stutzman felt that this was a key match for Hickman because Gillespie had beaten him earlier in the year.

In the most anticipated contest of the night, #9 Matt Moley met the Fighting Scot’s #1 Gregor Gillespie. Both wrestlers played keep-away in the first, due to the fact that both of these athletes are very familiar with each other. Gillespie chose the top position to start the second period, and Moley knew what he needed to try to do. Moley later said, “I was working in practice on ways to get out on bottom against him, because I know if I can get out, I can beat him.” Moley attempted to escape throughout the period, but Gillespie locked up his right leg and used a double tight waist to keep him down. The referee used this time to hit Moley for stalling twice, giving Gillespie a penalty point. He then called stalling on Gillespie, although he appeared to be doing the same exact thing he had been the whole period, and then calling Moley for stalling with five seconds remaining in the period. Down 2-0, Moley chose neutral, and Gillespie turned a takedown into a 6-0 victory.

The next match featured BU’s #19 Ricky Schmelyun and Chris Hrunka. Schmelyun was able to pick up a beautiful workman-like takedown on the edge of the mat with 1:41 remaining in the first period. After getting a hold of one of Hrunka’s legs, Schmelyun worked for a while to grab the second and earn the two points. Once back in the middle of the mat, the Bloom wrestler made sure to finish the job, as he turned a tilt into six points for the team and picked up the pin.

In the ensuing match, Bloom’s Nate Graham was able to pick up a reversal in the second period and hang on for the 2-0 decision. The win cut Edinboro’s lead to the slimmest of margins, as the score stood at 13-12.

At 184 pounds, it was Edinboro’s #17 Chris Honeycutt facing off against Brian Shaw. Honeycutt used a takedown and escape through the first two periods for a 3-0 lead, before picking up another takedown in the final session to earn the 6-1 victory.

In the next match, BU’s Jesse Hasseman encountered Pat Bradshaw who was able to score some early points and lock up the 3-0 win. The final bout of the night presented spectators with Zac Walsh versus The Fighting Scot’s #12 Joe Fendone. Fendone mounted an early lead, using a takedown and two back points in the first. He continued picking up points in the second, on his way to a win by fall in 4:37.

Stutzman felt that the team “fought real hard,” and “had Edinboro on the ropes in a few matches.”

He was happy with the team’s effort and told them, “Those are the guys we need to beat to compete for EWL Championships,” emphasizing that the gaps had to be closed. Stutzman added, “We need to be positive and have success in practice everyday.”

Hickman felt his coach had been emphasizing for the team to be “working better in certain positions and capitalizing on our attacks.”