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Vikings Set to Face Off Against Bloomsburg

Vikings Set to Face Off Against Bloomsburg
Posted: Jan 30, 2009

Jan. 30, 2009

Contact: Ryan Mulford

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SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State (4-9) continues EWL competition on Saturday, January 31st, when the Vikings host Bloomsburg. Action is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. in Woodling Gymnasium.

PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: The Vikings have come together this season with a mix of seniors and underclassman. Rashard Goff and Antonio Nicholson have stepped up to become vocal leaders of the team and have racked up 41 combined wins. The freshman class has been led by Jordan Keller and Corey Carlo. Keller provides an exciting spark at the 125 pound weight class and has collected 22 victories and leads the team with 10 major decisions. Carlo has been just as good as 157 pounds with 12 wins and four major decisions.

RECAPPING PITTSBURGH: The final score once again showed no resemblance to the performance the Vikings showed against EWL opponent Pittsburgh. Corey Carlo provided the only win of the dual for CSU, in a 4-2 overtime thriller at 157 pounds. Antonio Nicholson also took his match into overtime before losing 3-1, while Jordan Keller lost 4-3 and Rashard Goff lost, 2-0.

VS. BLOOMSBURG: CSU is 9-18-3 overall against the Huskies, with their last win coming six years ago when the Vikings won 35-7. The rivalry between the two programs dates back to 1978 and after tying the initial meeting, the Vikings won four of the next five from Bloomsburg.

THE VIKING LINE-UP:

125 lbs - Jordan Keller (22-13, Fr.) Jordan Keller began his Viking career with a second place finish at the Eastern Michigan Open. In dual meet action, Keller has eight wins including three major decisions and one 16-1 technical fall victory over Ashland's Brandon Davis. At the Midland's Invitational Keller posted a 2-2 mark, including a 14-3 major decision over Lou Ruland of Maryland. Keller has a team high 10 major decisions and is currently ranked fifth in the EWL.

133 lbs - Josh Palivoda (9-16, So.) Josh Palivoda began the season strong at the Michigan State Open with three wins with a 15-2 major decision over Zach Grove of Pittsburgh. He followed that up by winning two of his first three dual matches over Travis Sullivan of the Cumberlands as well as Kevin Nycz of John Carroll. Palivoda collected his ninth win of the season in an 8-2 decision against Adam Haas.

141 lbs - Lawrence Cavello (11-13, So.) After redshirting his freshman season, Lawrence Cavello has been a dominant dual meet wrestler collecting seven wins in dual meets. Cavello has been performing at his best in close matches, six of his seven wins have come by six points or fewer including a 6-4 overtime win against Adam Healy of Bucknell as well as a last second victory over Zach Kell of Lock Haven.

149 lbs - Antonio Nicholson (16-14, Sr.) A Viking co-captain, Antonio Nicholson started out his season by posting a 3-1 record at the Eastern Michigan Open. He followed that up with four wins at the Penn State Open. Nicholson has remained a consistent dual meet wrestler collecting five more victories and most recently a huge last second win over Matt Fittery of Lock Haven.

157 lbs - Corey Carlo (12-15, Fr.) Corey Carlo began his collegiate career with a 14-5 major decision over Jeremy Bloom of Michigan State. Carlo had early season tournament success earning a 5-3 record at the Eastern Michigan and Michigan State Opens. He has followed that up by winning six dual meets highlighted by an 18-3 technical fall over Nicholas Dalcero of Wagner. Carlo is currently ranked fourth in the EWL standings and is coming off a big 4-2 overtime win over Alex Munoz of Pittsburgh.

165 lbs - Rob Michaels (14-7, So.) After returning from an early season knee injury, Rob Michaels returned to action with a second place finish at the Penn State Open. Michaels posted a 5-1 mark at the open including a 17-1 technical fall as well as a 45 second pin over Mark Vuono of Lock Haven. He followed that up with a 3-0 performance at the Bucknell Duals, including two pin falls. Michaels has a team high five pins this season.

174 lbs - Derek Cummins (0-9, So.) Derek Cummins is making the switch down from competing at 184 pounds last season. This season, Cummins has been battling numerous injuries and adjusting at action at 174 pounds, but has been returning to form as of late with good showings against Chris Estep of Kent State and Travis Stem of Lock Haven.

184 lbs - JT Miller (10-14, Sr.) JT Miller started out the season competing at 174 pounds and has recently made the jump to the 184 pound weight class. JT has put together a solid senior season. He won four consecutive matches at the Penn State Open highlighted by a 15-0 technical fall over Nathan Reese of Shippensburg. In dual competition, Miller had a huge 8-5 upset over then 18th ranked Dave Rella of Ohio State on November 16, 2008.

HWT - Rashard Goff (25-7, Sr.) Rashard Goff has a team high 25 wins this season, and 97 for his career. This season, the senior heavyweight has been dominating in dual meet action posting an 11-2 record, with his lone losses against fourth ranked Jermail Porter of Kent State by a 6-3 score and third ranked Zach Sheaffer of Pittsburgh, 2-0. In open tournaments this season, Goff went 4-0 cruising to a first place title at the Michigan State Open, he also has a second place finish at the Eastern Michigan Open as well as Penn State Open. At the Midland's Invitational, Goff captured a sixth place finish becoming the first Viking in six years to place at the prestigious tournament. On day one took down then fourth ranked Kyle Massey of Wisconsin, 3-1 in overtime. On day two Goff took on third ranked Mark Ellis, taking him into overtime before coming out on the short end of a 3-1 score. In the final match, Goff squared off against then 18th ranked Dan Erekson of Iowa, after a ferocious seven-minute battle Erekson came out on top by a 7-3 decision. Goff is currently ranked 18th by Intermat Wrestling and will have battled five of the Top 10 wrestlers in the nation.

GOFF NAMED EWL WRESTLER OF WEEK: After hammering out a perfect 2-0 record at the Eastern Michigan Duals, Rashard Goff was rewarded with EWL Wrestler of the Week honors for the week of January 11, 2009. Goff became the first Viking wrestler to earn the honor since Ryan Hurley won the award in January 2007.

PARTNERSHIP WITH BECKY'S: Viking wrestling has teamed up with Becky's to provide fans an opportunity to meet the staff and talk Viking wrestling after each home dual meet. For just $10, each fan will receive a ticket to the home dual meet, as well as a wristband to be handed out at the conclusion of the meet, which is good for light appetizers and three beverage tickets immediately following the wrestling match. Becky's is located at 1762 E. 18th Street (across from Krenzler Field on the CSU Campus), for more information call 216-687-2094.

THE HEAD COACH: Ben Stehura (Lock Haven, 2000) Overall: 30-59-1

Former Viking graduate assistant coach Ben Stehura is in his first season as head coach. Stehura is only the third head coach for the Viking wrestling program after serving the last five years as the head coach at Division II Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C. The only head coach in Limestone history, Stehura quickly built the program and has already coached one NCAA National Champion, three NCAA All-Americans, five NCAA National qualifiers and eight NCAA All-Academic team members. A 2000 graduate of Lock Haven University with a Bachelor's of Science in Secondary Education, Stehura was a three-year starter, earning fourth and fifth place finishes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.

UP NEXT: The Vikings return to action on Friday, February 6 when they travel to Edinboro, Pennsylvania to battle the Fighting Scots. Action is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. in the McComb Fieldhouse on the campus of Edinboro University.