vs. Carson-Newman (TN) College - 02/06/09

#7 Wrestlers Roll Over Carson-Newman, 42-6
     02/06/09...Head Coach Pat Pecora's Mountain Cat wrestlers showed why they are the #7-ranked team in NCAA Division II and #2 in the East Region with a 42-6 victory over East Region #9 Carson-Newman (TN) College, Friday night in the Sports Center.  Pitt-Johnstown got a fall from NCAA #3 Shane Valko (133 lbs.) (Windber, Pa.) and a technical fall from Adam Whetstone (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.) to help build a 42-0 lead and improve to 11-4.
     It didn't take long for the Mountain Cats to put this one away.   Scott Morgan (North Huntingdon, Pa.) was awarded a forfeit at 125 lbs.  Valko followed by pinning Leonard Drummond at 3:29 to put Pitt-Johnstown up 12-0.
     Whetstone (141 lbs.) scored an 18-2 technical fall over Zane Sary at 6:29, before Carson-Newman forfeited the 149-lb. bout to Ryan McIntyre (Claysburg, Pa.) to increase the lead to 23-0.
     The Mountain Cats, winners of seven of their last eight matches, continued to put the pressure on the Eagles.  After falling behind 5-2, Mazen Kholi (Allentown, Pa.) battled back with a take down and three back points as the second period ended to go up 7-5, before cruising to a 14-7 victory over Aymen Habiballah at 157 lbs.
     Zach Lundgren (Dubois, Pa.) increased Pitt Johnstown's advantage to 30-0 with an 11-3 major decision over Brett Shields at 165 lbs., before Steve Makin (Portage, Pa.), the East Region's top-ranked wrestler at 174 lbs., slipped by Will Campbell, 4-3.
     Jon Moore (Leechburg, Pa.) pushed Pitt-Johnstown's lead 36-0 with a late come-from-behind victory over Landon Hall at 184 lbs.  Moore's take down with :05 left in the match and riding time point erased a 4-3 deficit and gave him a 6-4 victory.
     Pitt-Johnstown built the lead to 42-0 when Patrick Walsh (Leesport, Pa.) pinned Josh Spreewell at 4:42.
     Carson-Newman got on the scoreboard and broke Pitt-Johnstown's shutout bid when East Region #5 Chuck Robinson pinned Chris Dempsey (Sewickley, Pa.) at 1:09.
     With the loss, the Eagles dropped to 7-7-1 on the season.
     The Mountain Cats will wrestle their final two matches at home.  Pitt-Johnstown will host Seton Hill on Wednesday  and #20 Shippensburg on Wed. Feb. 18 for Senior Night.  Atlantic Broadband will broadcast the Shippensburg match on a tape delay basis on channel 14 in the Johnstown market and channel 9 in the Altoona market.  Both home matches will start at 7:00 p.m. in the Sports Center.