Feb. 6, 2006
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Setting the Scene: The Vikings return home to Woodling Gym on Thursday (Feb. 9) to host Edinboro beginning at 7:00 p.m. CSU then returns to the road on Feb. 12 to battle Clarion beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Previewing the Vikings: The Vikings (5-6, 1-2 EWL) had a tough go last weekend against conference rivals Lock Haven (2/4) and Bloomsburg (2/5), falling to the Bald Eagles, 25-15, before dropping a 27-9 decision to the Huskies. Prior to that weekend, however, the Vikings had won four of six. The team is benefiting greatly from the leadership of senior co-captain Ron Howard, who leads the team with a 22-7 record, including wins in seven of his last eight bouts. Freshmen Jayrl Hunt (125), Victer Crenshaw (157) and Rashard Goff have provided a boost in their first collegiate season, with Hunt touting an 11-8 mark with three pins, Crenshaw going 18-11 with three pins and two tech falls and Goff recording an 18-15 mark with five pins. Sophomore David Armstrong has been a steady competitor at 133, posting a 15-9 record, while sophomore transfer Tim Scarl has stepped in for injured NCAA qualifier Marcus Effner, recording a 4-3 mark with two major decisions.
Last Week's Results:
Feb. 4, 2006 - Thomas Fieldhouse - Lock Haven, Pa.
Lock Haven 25, Cleveland State 15
Lock Haven put the Vikings in a 9-0 hole after the first three bouts and did not relinquish the lead in topping CSU, 25-15. Ron Howard (184) scored his 21st win of the season, while freshman Rashard Goff (285) recorded his fifth pin of the year. The Vikings were unable to convert early leads into wins in three bouts, with Victer Crenshaw (157), David Gilkey (174) and Ishmal Williams (197) jumping to fast starts but fading down the stretch.
Feb. 5, 2006 - Nelson Field House - Bloomsburg, Pa.
Bloomsburg 27, Cleveland State 9
The Vikings trailed throughout the match against Bloomsburg, as the Huskies jumped to a 12-0 advantage and cruised to a 27-9 win. Sophomore Mike Hurley got the Vikings on the board with a 5-2 decision at 141 and freshman Victer Crenshaw closed the gap to 12-6 with a 7-3 win, but it was as close as CSU would get all night. Ron Howard (184) claimed his team-leading 22nd win with a 3-1 decision.
Coach Effner's Thoughts: "I think we have good kids and a good team, but I'm disappointed in our performance this past weekend. We're not getting it done. I think we're very capable. We've had some distractions, but I'm optimistic that we will pop out of it at some point. We haven't had much consistency lately and it has been tough trying to anticipate what to expect at times. Our guys are trying hard. They just need to be able to put it all together when it counts."
Last Year Against Edinboro: The Vikings garnered perhaps their most exciting win in recent memory last season at Edinboro, as Cleveland State rallied from a 20-7 deficit with three bouts remaining to claim a 22-20 victory over the 25th-ranked Fighting Scots. Ron Howard got the comeback started with a pin of Jim Gibson at 184 to bring the team score to 20-13. A 9-5 decision over Paul Berger by Joe Phillips at 197 brought CSU closer at 20-16 and set up a do-or-die bout for Joe Dennis at heavyweight. Dennis responded in dramatic fashion, pinning Joe Hennis in the final seconds to give the Vikings the win.
Last Year Against Clarion: Not much happened on the mat, with three of the 10 bouts forfeited, but the Vikings got strong wins from seniors Matt Klinger (174) and Joe Phillips (197) in their final bouts at Woodling Gym to lead CSU to a 25-18 win. Twelve of the Vikings' points came via forfeit, while Ryan Hurley (149) and Joe Dennis (285) worked decisions to aid the cause.
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 46 of the starter's 115 wins, with Hunt posting a 11-8 mark at 125, Crenshaw touting a 18-11 mark at 157 and Goff going 18-15 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 has been ranked as high as 18th nationally this season. A team co-captain, he owns a 69-58 career record, including a 22-7 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 seven of his last eight bouts.
Smolyakov Joins Vikings: The Vikings will have added depth for the remainder of this season and for the next two years with the addition of Russian transfer Dmitry Smolyakov. A 23-year-old sophomore from Kaliningrad, Russia, Smolyakov joins Cleveland State after spending a year and a half at Russian State University of Sport. A member of the Russian Junior Team, he won titles at the Zone Championships of Russia and the Championship of Poland wrestling at 96 kg (211 lbs.). He is currently working to fit into the Viking lineup at the 197 pound weight class and may see action in the lineup before the season ends.
From Director Ron Howard: While he may not be making blockbuster films quite yet, senior Ron Howard is well on his way to finding himself in the film industry. A digital media and film major at Cleveland State, Howard has been getting hands-on experience this season at CSU men's and women's basketball home games. He has served as the director in charge of coordinating four arena cameras for the internet television broadcasts for each of the Vikings' Horizon League contests this season. Howard hopes to someday have a career in video production.
The Cardiac Kids: Cleveland State's wins in the last month have been nothing short of entertaining, if not nerve-wracking. Three of the Vikings' last four wins have come the hard way, with CSU needing to rally from early deficits to come out on top. Ohio State put Cleveland State in a 10-0 hole to start the match on Jan. 7 before the Viking surged to claim a 25-18 win over the Buckeyes. At the Wendy's Duals on Jan. 22, CSU and Davidson battled through four lead changes before the Vikings took control in the final three bouts to win, 27-15. Against Pittsburgh on Jan. 26, the Vikings rallied from an eight-point deficit in the last three bouts to claim a 16-15 win.
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 4-3 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 56-73-3 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 returns home for the final dual meet of the regular season on Feb. 19 when the Vikings host West Virginia at Woodling Gymnasium beginning at 3:00 p.m.
