Jan. 23, 2006
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Setting the Scene: The Vikings open up the Eastern Wrestling League schedule this week when they welcome Pittsburgh to Woodling Gym on Thursday (Jan. 26) at 7:00 p.m. The match is the first of three EWL contests that will be held at Cleveland State this year.
Previewing the Vikings: Cleveland State enters the weekend with a 4-4 mark in dual meets after going 1-1 at the Wendy's Duals at Ashland University on Jan. 22. The team is benefiting greatly from the leadership of senior co-captain Ron Howard, who is ranked No. 19 at 184 pounds in the NWCA/Intermat Coaches Poll and leads the team with a 19-7 record. Freshmen Jayrl Hunt (125), Victer Crenshaw (157) and Rashard Goff have provided a boost in their first collegiate season, with Hunt touting a 10-8 mark with three pins, Crenshaw going 16-10 with three pins and two tech falls and Goff recording a 16-14 mark with four pins. The injury bug has bitten the Vikings in the worst way, however, hampering NCAA qualifiers Marcus Effner (165) and Joe Dennis (197) with knee injuries. CSU is 3-1 this season in matches held at Woodling Gym.
Last Week's Results:
17th Annual Wendy's Classic Duals
Jan. 22, 2006 - Kates Gymnasium - Ashland, Ohio
Ohio 21, Cleveland State 18
Cleveland State claimed wins in six of the 10 bouts, but Ohio tallied pins in three of its four wins to edge out the Vikings, 21-18 in the first round of the Wendy's Duals. After an opening-bout pin by OU to fall down 6-0, the Vikings rallied to take the lead at 9-6 thanks to consecutive decisions by sophomores David Armstrong (133), Mike Hurley (141) and Ryan Hurley (149). The Bobcats responded with a win at 157 to tie the score, but sophomore Tim Scarl put CSU back in front at 12-9 with a decision at 165. OU would reclaim the lead with a pin in the following bout before senior Ron Howard scored a decision at 184 to tie the score at 15-15. It would be as close as the Vikings would get, however, as the Bobcat's third pin at 197 sealed the match.
Cleveland State 27, Davidson 15
The Vikings registered a 27-15 win in a back-and-forth match against Davidson in the second match of the Wendy's Duals. The Wildcats claimed the early 3-0 lead with a decision at 125, but David Armstrong responded at 133 with a major decision. The theme continued in the next four bouts, as Davidson would claim a decision at 141 and 157 only to have the Vikings answer right back in the following bout with major decisions by Ryan Hurley at 149 and Tim Scarl at 165. The Wildcats jumped back in front with a pin at 174, but Ron Howard responded in kind with a pin of his own at 184 to reclaim the Viking advantage for good at 18-15.
Coach Effner's Thoughts: "It's the same old thing. We have good wrestlers on our team, but we need them to perform consistently. The margin of error is so small at this level. You don't have teammates out there to support you when you are on the mat. It's all on you. I'm excited to see what happens in the next few weeks, though. We tend to step it up at this part of the season. We get up for these matches against the EWL, especially with the NCAA Championships not too far off."
Wendy's Duals (Abbreviated): The Wendy's Duals had a little bit less action on the mat than originally anticipated. Northern Illinois, originally scheduled as the Viking's third competition, exited early from the tournament in order to accommodate their travel schedule back to campus. It is the second time that a dual meet has been scratched from the Vikings' schedule in the last two weeks after West Liberty State removed themselves from the CSU Duals due to an illness outbreak.
Howard Nationally Ranked: Senior Ron Howard enters the week ranked among the nation's best, according to the latest NWCA/Intermat Coaches Poll. Howard currently sits at No. 19 at 184 with a record of 19-7, including two pins and three major decisions.
Sophomore Success: The success of the Cleveland State wrestling team rests on the shoulders of its young starters, especially its sophomores. In fact, four of the 10 regular starters in the CSU lineup are sophomores, including David Armstrong (133), co-captain Mike Hurley (141), NCAA qualifier Ryan Hurley (149) and transfer Tim Scarl (165). Additionally, Joe Wornoff (125) and JT Miller (174) provide a strong presence in the lineup that is crucial to the success of the team.
...But Don't Forget the Freshmen: While a large portion of the the CSU lineup is composed of sophomores, the freshman trio of Jayrl Hunt, Victer Crenshaw and Rashard Goff have provided the biggest lift to the team's success so far this season. The first-year wrestlers have combined to register 40 of the starter's 99 wins, with Hunt posting a 10-8 mark at 125, Crenshaw touting a 16-10 mark at 157 and Goff going 16-14 at 285.
...And Senior Leadership: Senior Ron Howard has become one of the most reliable competitors in the Viking lineup during his four seasons on the squad. The Cincinnati native is a two-time NCAA qualifier at 184 pounds and is currently ranked 19th nationally. A team co-captain, he owns a 66-58 career record, including a 19-7 mark this season that includes the 184-pound title at the Ashland University Harris Auto Center Open on Nov. 19. He has been especially hot of late, winning four of his last five bouts.
Slippery Rocks May Cause Injury: You couldn't blame the Vikings if they were somewhat apprehensive about putting Slippery Rock on their schedule in the future. Injured sophomores Marcus Effner and Joe Dennis certainly can attest to the uneasiness, as both wrestlers suffered their ailments in matches involving the university. Effner spent two months away from the mat following a knee injury suffered at the Slippery Rock Open on Nov. 4, while Dennis sprained his knee against The Rock at the CSU Duals on Jan. 14.
A Long Time Coming: Cleveland State's win over Ohio State on Jan. 7 was a big win for the Vikings in a lot of ways, especially when you consider how long it has been since a CSU squad has topped the Buckeyes. It was the first victory for the Viking program since defeating the Buckeyes, 18-15, at Woodling Gym on Dec. 14, 1986. Since that time, CSU had gone 0-12 against the Big Ten foe.
Scarl Steps Right In: The loss of Marcus Effner leaves a big hole at the 165-pound weight class, but a new addition to the roster may provide an ample replacement. Tim Scarl, a sophomore transfer from Indiana, became eligible for competition on Jan. 7 and will be the top option at 165 for the spring. In his first four bouts with the Vikings, he holds a 3-1 record with a pair of major decisions. A graduate of St. Edward High School, Scarl went 13-9 with three tech falls in 2004-05 with the Hoosiers.
Head Coach Jack Effner: Head coach Jack Effner is in his eighth season at the helm of the Vikings and holds a 55-71-3 dual meet record. During his tenure, he has coached 27 NCAA qualifiers and four Eastern Wrestling League Champions. The Vikings sent five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships last season, the fourth-straight year that four or more CSU wrestlers have qualified for the national tournament. Additionally, Effner has instilled an emphasis on academic success in his teams. The Vikings have finished in the top 20 nationally in grade-point average in all seven of Effner's seasons, with the 2000 squad posting the highest ranking when it finished seventh out of nearly 100 teams.
Chittick Signs with CSU: High school senior Kyle Chittick, who won the Michigan state title at 171 pounds last season, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Cleveland State and wrestle beginning in the fall of 2006. A senior at Davison High School near Burton, Mich., he holds a 146-21 career record and enters his senior season ranked 12th or higher at 171 pounds in every high school ranking, including a No. 8 ranking in Wrestling USA Magazine. Chittick placed in the top eight at the state championships in his first three years, finishing sixth as a freshman, fourth as a sophomore and first last year. He was tabbed as a Freestyle Cadet All-American his sophomore season before being named to the Freestyle Junior National Team last year.
Next Up: Cleveland State continues the EWL schedule on the road, taking on Lock Haven at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 before heading to Bloomsburg for a 1:00 p.m. contest on Feb. 5.
