Wrestling

#10 Wrestlers Open Dual Meet Schedule With 27-12 Win Over #16 West Liberty
     11/20/09...Ryan Link's (Cresson, Pa.) technical fall to start the match helped the No-10-ranked Mountain Cat wrestlers build a 12-0 lead after three matches en route to a 27-12 season-opening victory over No. 16 West Liberty University, Friday night in the Sports Center.  Pitt-Johnstown is now 1-0.
     Mountain Cat red-shirt freshman Link made a great impression in his first career home match with a 23-7 technical fall over Justin Fisher at 6:10 at 125 lbs.
     Shane Valko (Windber, Pa.), the 2009 National Runner-up and the nation's No 1-ranked wrestler at 133 lbs., followed with a 17-8 major decision over No. 8 Nick Wycoff, before All-American and top-ranked Adam Whetstone (Claysburg, Pa.) increased Pitt-Johnstown's lead to 12-0 with a 5-3 decision over 2009 National Qualifier Kayne Melko in the 141-lb. bout.
     West Liberty got back into the match with victories at 149 lbs. and 157 lbs.  The Hilltoppers quickly cut the Mountain Cat lead in half when No. 3 Mitch Smith pinned Ryan McIntyre (Claysburg, Pa.) at 4:21.  Then, Brian Leggett scored a 5-1 decision over Myers Miller (Bolivar, Pa.) to pull West Liberty to within three points, at 12-9.
     However, Pitt-Johnstown responded with four consecutive wins to seal the match.  All-American and No. 4-ranked Kyle Keane (Bradford, Pa.) built a 4-2 lead after two periods and held off Jarrod Shaw for a 4-3 win to push the Mountain Cats' lead out to 15-9.  Steve Makin (Portage, Pa.) earned a 7-1 decision over Matt Littleton, before two-time National Qualifier and No. 6-ranked Patrick Walsh (Leesport, Pa.) sealed the victory and gave Pitt-Johnstown a 24-9 advantage when he pinned Shawn Fullerton with :02 remaining in the first period.
     The Mountain Cats added three more points after A.J. Brentzel (Irwin, Pa.) broke a 2-2 tie with an escape early in the third period and held on for a 3-2 win to upset No.-3 Mitch Knapp at 197 lbs.
     The Hilltoppers won their third bout of the night and set the final at 27-12 on Mike Carpenter's 3-2 upset decision over two-time National Qualifier Chris Dempsey (Sewickley, Pa.) at heavyweight.
     West Liberty is now 0-1 on the season.
     The Mountain Cats travel to East Stroudsburg University on Dec. 2 and to the Penn State Open on December 6.  Pitt-Johnstown’s next home match will take place on Wednesday, January 6, at 7:30 p.m. when East Region rival Kutztown University visits the Sports Center. 

#10 PITT-JOHNSTOWN  VS.  #16 WEST LIBERTY (WV) UNIVERSITY
FINAL SCORE:   Pitt-Johnstown  27   West Liberty  12
125 lbs.-Ryan Link (UPJ) Tech. Fall Justin Fisher (WLU) 23-7 (6:10) 5-0 UPJ
133 lbs.-#1 Shane Valko (UPJ) Maj. Dec. #8 Nick Wycoff (WLU) 17-8 9-0 UPJ
141 lbs.-#1 Adam Whetstone (UPJ) Decision Kayne Melko (WLU) 5-3 12-0 UPJ
149 lbs. -  #3 Mitch Smith (WLU)  Fall  Ryan McIntyre (UPJ)  4:21  12-6 UPJ
157 lbs. -   Brian Leggett (WLU)  Decision  Myers Miller (UPJ)  5-1  12-9 UPJ
165 lbs. - #4 Kyle Keane (UPJ)  Decision  Jarrod Shaw (WLU)  4-3  15-9 UPJ
174 lbs. - Steve Makin (UPJ)  Decision  Matt Littleton (WLU)  7-1  18-9 UPJ
184 lbs. -#6 Patrick Walsh (UPJ)  Fall  Shawn Fullerton (WLU)  2:58  24-9 UPJ
197 lbs. -A.J. Brentzel (UPJ)  Decision  #7 Mitch Knapp (WLU)  3-2  27-9 UPJ
HWT.-Mike Carpenter (WLU) Decision #6 Chris Dempsey (UPJ) 3-2  27-12 UPJ

Ryan Link Wins Title at W&J Open;
Nine Other Wrestlers Place in Top-Four
     11/15/09... (Full Results)   Pitt-Johnstown red-shirt freshman Ryan Link (Cresson, Pa.) won the championship at 125 lbs. to lead a group of nine Mountain Cat wrestlers who placed in the top-four at Saturday's season-opening Washington & Jeffersoson Collegiate Open.
     Link defeated West Virginia University's Shane Young, a former three-time PIAA AAA State Champion, 3-2, in the title bout at 125 lbs. to win the crown.
     In addition to Link, 2009 All-American Adam Whetstone (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.), 2008 All-American Kyle Keane (165 lbs.) (Bradford, Pa.) and two-time National Qualifier Patrick Walsh (184 lbs.) (Leesport, Pa.) were all runner-ups in their respective weight classes.
     Freshman David Fogle (125 lbs.) (Summerhill, Pa.), junior Steve Makin (174 lbs.) (Portage, Pa.) and freshman Josh Krupa (HWT.) (Bedford, Pa.) all finished third, while freshmen David Cawley (141 lbs.) (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and two-time National Qualifier Chris Dempsey (HWT.) (Sewickley, Pa.) earned fourth-place finishes.
     Sophomore A.J. Brentzel (197 lbs.) (Irwin, Pa.) placed fifth and Gary Lantz (165 lbs.) (Delta, Pa.) finished sixth.