Feb. 15, 2006
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Setting the Scene: Cleveland State concludes the regular season this weekend with an Eastern Wrestling League match against West Virginia on Sunday (Feb. 19) beginning at 3:00 p.m. in Woodling Gymnasium. The match will also serve as senior day, with Ron Howard, Anthony Mestek and Ishmal Williams being recognized prior to the meet.
Previewing the Vikings: The Vikings head into their final regular season match with a 6-7 mark in dual meets and a 2-3 record in the Eastern Wrestling League. Last weekend's matches featured two extremes, as CSU dropped a 29-6 decision to No. 17 Edinboro on Feb. 9 before coming back to trounce Clarion, 35-0, on Feb. 12. The team is benefiting greatly from the leadership of senior co-captain Ron Howard, who leads the team with a 24-7 record, including wins in nine of his last 10 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 19-12 with three pins and three tech falls and Goff recording a 20-15 mark with five pins. Sophomore David Armstrong has been a steady competitor at 133, posting a 16-10 record, while sophomore transfer Tim Scarl has stepped in for injured NCAA qualifier Marcus Effner, recording a 9-5 mark with three major decisions.
Previewing the Mountaineers: The Mountaineers are 4-5 overall this season but are 4-0 in conference matches, incluing wins over Bloomsburg (22-14), Clarion (37-6), Pittsburgh (20-13) and Lock Haven (25-16). The team is led by senior Matt Lebe, who is ranked 2nd in the nation with a 29-2 record at 157 pounds. West Virginia faces undefeated Edinboro on Friday (Feb. 17) night before heading to Cleveland on Sunday.
Last Week's Results:
Feb. 9, 2006 - Woodling Gymnasium - Cleveland, Ohio
Edinboro 29, Cleveland State 6
The Vikings registered two wins in the first three bouts, but No. 17 Edinboro took over from there with wins in the final seven bouts to secure a 29-6 victory at Woodling Gym. Ron Howard notched a 10-7 decision over Alex Clemson at 184, and Rashard Goff scored a 4-0 shut out of Jeremy Mosley at heavyweight. The win kept the Fighting Scots undefeated on the year at 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the EWL.
Feb. 12, 2006 - Waldo S. Tippin Gym - Clarion, Pa.
Cleveland State 35, Clarion 0
Winning was certainly contagious for Cleveland State against Clarion, as the Vikings rolled to a 35-0 win. CSU notched wins in all nine bouts to post its first dual meet shut-out since 1996. Ron Howard continued his dominance of EWL foes, claiming a 9-3 decision for his fifth conference win in as many bouts, while Rashard Goff picked up his fourth conference victory at 285.
Coach Effner's Thoughts: "I think we learned a good lesson about how we affect each other. When some of us start doing well, it has a direct effect on other guys. Unfortunatly, we have had other matches where some guys didn't do well at the start, and it affected us in a bad way. I'm always disappointed with any loss, but we looked strong against Clarion. We performed to our capabilities and wrestled the way we know how. We are definitely improving, and we are working towards the EWL Tournament."
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 49 of the starter's 123 wins, with Hunt posting a 11-8 mark at 125, Crenshaw touting a 19-12 mark at 157 and Goff going 20-15 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 71-58 career record, including a 24-7 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 nine of his last 10 bouts.
Ras-Hard To Beat: Freshman Rashard Goff has been one of the most dominant newcomers in the Eastern Wrestling League this season. The 6-foot-3, 240 pound Goff is second on the Vikings with a 20-15 record and a 4-1 mark in EWL contests, including wins in eight of his last nine bouts. A native of Brandon, Fla, he leads the team with five pins, including a fall in 54 seconds to clinch a Viking win against Eastern Michigan (Jan. 14).
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 1-2 in open competition at 197 pounds 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 five victories 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.
...But Clarion Was Much Different: The 35-0 rout of Clarion last weekend was one of the most dominant performances for the Vikings in recent memory. The last time a Cleveland State team held an opponent scoreless in a dual meet was just over a decade ago when the Vikings trounced Ohio Northern, 54-0, on Jan. 14, 1996. Before this season, Clarion - which has been shut out three times this year - had only been held scoreless in dual meets three times ever since 1959.
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. Since joining the Vikings, he is 9-5 with a pin and three 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 57-74-3 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: The Vikings will have nearly two weeks off before heading to Edinboro, Pa. for the Eastern Wrestling League Championships on March 4-5.
