March 1, 2005
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Setting the Scene: Cleveland State heads to Clarion, Pa. this weekend for the Eastern Wrestling League Championships, beginning Saturday and Sunday (March 5-6) at 11:00 a.m.
The Championship Format: The Eastern Wrestling League enjoys automatic qualifying for the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo. The top three wrestlers from each weight class advance to the national championships at the Saavis Center on March 17-19, while an additional six wild cards are voted in by the coaches following the conference tournament.
Previewing the Vikings: Cleveland State has come to life at the end of the season, rallying for a 22-20 win at 25th-ranked Edinboro on Feb. 11 and posting a 25-18 decision over Clarion on Feb. 13 before falling in a 27-13 match to No. 21 West Virginia on Feb. 18. CSU had been strong in its first three EWL matches, but failed to score a win. The Vikings won five bouts against Pittsburgh on Jan. 27, but dropped a tough-fought 24-17 match. CSU also came up just short to Bloomsburg on Feb. 5 (25-18) and Lock Haven on Feb. 6 (25-20). Despite having 15 losses to their credit, seven of the defeats have come at the hands of nationally-ranked teams (Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Ashland, Cornell, Oklahoma and West Virginia) while four others (Kent State, Drexel, UNC-Greensboro and Ohio State) were decided by several close bouts in which the Vikings ended up on the short end. Freshman Joe Dennis (285) is a perfect 6-0 in EWL matches this season, while junior Ron Howard (184) and sophomore Ryan Hurley (149) both hold 5-1 marks.
Dennis Recognized By EWL, TheMat.com: After providing the Vikings a lift in its wins over Edinboro and Clarion, freshman heavyweight Joe Dennis was named the EWL Wrestler of the week as well as the National Wrestler of the Week by TheMat.com. The selection committee chooses the top wrestler in the nation at any level, from youth programs to the senior level. Dennis scored the match-deciding win at No. 25 Edinboro on Feb. 11, throwing down and pinning Joe Hennis with 10 seconds left in the bout to give CSU a 22-20 win. He notched an insurance decision against Clarion on Feb. 13 as the Vikings came away with a 25-18 victory.
Vikings Fall To West Virginia: CSU closed out the regular season on Feb. 18 in Morgantown, W. Va., falling in a 27-13 match to West Virginia. Freshman heavyweight Joe Dennis continued his dominance of EWL opponents, recording a 9-3 decision over Matt Holsopple to finish 6-0 in league matches. Sophomore Ryan Hurley put up a strong showing at 149, scoring a 15-5 major decision for his fifth league win, while senior Matt Klinger (174) and freshman David Armstrong (133) posted decisions for the Vikings. Junior Ron Howard lost his first bout at 184 after five straight wins, but it took two-time national champion and No. 1-ranked Greg Jones to top Howard for the first time.
Duals Puts Vikings on Right Track: The Vikings performed well against some tough competition in No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 11 Cornell and wrestled one of their best overall matches in defeating The Citadel at the National Duals on Jan. 22. After trailing 12-6, David Gilkey (165) pinned Braxton Harrison to tie the score, while Matt Klinger (174), Ron Howard (184) and Joe Phillips (197) put the match out of reach with consecutive decisions. "I was thrilled to host a national event of this caliber," head coach Jack Effner said. "The wrestling was outstanding, with some of the best wrestlers in the nation coming to Cleveland. Competing in this will help our team to develop and reach our potential. Having this opportunity to mix it up with the best will help our team to develop and reach our potential, because our wrestlers now have a better idea of what it takes and what they need to do to be the best."
...While the Stunner in Edinboro Gets the Team Believing: With CSU trailing 20-16 to Edinboro heading into the final bout, heavyweight Joe Dennis needed a strong win to give the Vikings the match, and freshman provided just that, pinning Joe Hennis with 10 seconds remaining in the final period to give the Vikings a 22-20 victory. Dennis and Hennis battled through a relatively eventless first five minutes, with both wrestlers exchanging escapes, as well as stall warnings. With 15 seconds remaining in the third, however, Dennis picked up the Edinboro heavyweight, held him in the air momentarily and emphatically threw him to the mat squarely on his shoulders. Dennis then fell on him for the pin and the match's deciding points. Cleveland State trailed 20-7 with three bouts remaining when junior Ron Howard got the ball rolling for the Vikings at 184, scoring a pin over Jim Gibson with a second remaining in the first period. Howard trailed 2-1 with five seconds remaining before reversing and recording the fall. Senior Joe Phillips brought CSU closer with a strong performance at 197, recording three takedowns over Paul Berger for a 9-5 win. The victory put the Vikings within four points at 20-16 and set up Dennis' heroics.
All About a Bout: Since the Vikings opended the Eastern Wrestling League portion of the season on Jan. 27, three of the four losses have been decided by seven or fewer points. One or two bouts swaying in the Viking's favor against Pittsburgh (24-17), Bloomsburg (25-18) and Lock Haven (25-20), and Cleveland State's EWL record could very well be 5-1. Additionally, with the absence of Mike Hurley at 141 due to surgery, CSU usually has to wrestle it's way out of a hole from the get go.
...But Better to Keep Looking Ahead: Head coach Jack Effner will be the first to tell you that you can't dwell on what could have been but only worry about the task at hand. "We have definitly gained experience through these losses," Effner said. It appears the Vikings have used that experience to their advantage since then, recording wins against Edinboro and Clarion before dropping their final match to West Virginia.
Speaking of Being Close: Senior Matt Klinger has been having some tough luck throughout this season. Despite having 11 wins to his credit, the 174-pounder has lost five bouts that have gone to sudden victory overtime.
NCAA Qualifiers Wrestling for Return: After finishing third in their respective weight classes at last season's Eastern Wrestling League Championships to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament, senior Joe Phillips (197) and junior Ron Howard (184) have their eyes set on a return trip to St. Louis and a chance to compete for a national championship. The pair has helped to provide the youthful Vikings with veteran experience on the mat, totalling 28 wins between them. Phillips tallied the team's only win on the mat against a tough Michigan team (Dec. 10), earning a 9-5 decision over Steve Heleniak, and finished second at the Kent State Open (Dec. 4). Howard scored a pair of pins en route to the 184 championship at the Kent State Open, defeating Casey Daget of West Virginia by a 7-5 count.
Dennis Lives Up to the Hype: Joe Dennis has been superb for the Vikings at heavyweight, leading the team with 25 wins, including four pins, a tech fall and two major decisions. The Urbana, Ohio native wrestled his way to the heavyweight championship at the Kent State Open on Dec. 4 and a third-place finish at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic on Nov. 13. His 25 wins are the most for a CSU freshman since Gerald Harris tallied 26 in 1998. The 2004 high school national champion at 215 put together a perfect 44-0 record as a senior at St. Paris Graham High School and was one of the most highly-regarded recruits last season.
Here's to Four More Years of Effner: The Effner name has been found in the CSU starting lineup for the last five seasons, and that is not likely to change anytime soon. Freshman Marcus Effner has picked up right where his older brother, Jason, left off, opening his first collegiate campaign with 17 wins, including four pins at 157. The Garfield Heights, Ohio native picked up the championship at the Kent State Open on Dec. 4 and tallied a pair of wins at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic on Nov. 13, earning a pin over Brandon Benson of Army to advance to the semi-finals. He also tallied three wins at the Wendy's Duals (Jan. 16). For the previous four years, Jason Effner saw time as the starter at 157 and 165, compiling 64 wins over his Viking career before graduating last spring.
