Locked down: Pitt wrestling falls at Lock Haven

Pitt may need to rethink their resolution, because the new year hasn’t treated them too… Pitt may need to rethink their resolution, because the new year hasn’t treated them too well.

After a loss to Lock Haven on Friday, Pitt fell to 3-4 since the calendar change after finishing the 2006 half of its schedule at 4-2.

“The other team is trying to win just like we are,” Pitt head coach Rande Stottlemeyer said. “They’re going to have their ups and downs, and we’ve had our ups and downs.”

In an Eastern Wrestling League dual meet, the Lock Haven Bald Eagles (7-4, 2-2 EWL) defeated the Panthers (7-6, 2-3) 22-13.

“We had our chances to win,” Stottlemyer said. “We just need more intensity and more consistency.”

Sophomore Brad Gentzle led off for Pitt in a tough match against last year’s EWL champion at 125 pounds, No. 11 Obenson Blanc.

Earlier in the season, at the Southern Scuffle, Blanc bested Gentzle with a 10-2 major decision.

This time, Gentzle would again score only two points, but Blanc upped his score to a 16, earning him a major decision and four points for Lock Haven to start off the night.

With one of Pitt’s top wrestlers – top-ranked junior Drew Headlee – out because of injury, freshman Jimmy Conroy stepped in, trying to fill the void in the 133-pound weight class.

Conroy won the Panthers three points when he beat Danny Lopes, 7-3. With the score tied 3-3 heading into the final period, Conroy won the match with an escape and a takedown.

It was Conroy’s second consecutive dual meet with a win.

“Jimmy’s done an excellent job these past few times out,” Stottlemyer said. “You need guys to step in.

“You’re not going to be able to have the same lineup all year, and Jimmy Conroy has definitely stepped up to the plate.”

With a win at 141 pounds, Pitt shot in front of Lock Haven 7-3.

Sophomore Joe Ciampoli earned a 10-2 major decision over Zach Kell to give Pitt the advantage.

“Ciampoli did a nice job [Friday] night, too,” Stottlemyer said. “We needed him to do what he did.”

The Bald Eagles would tie the Panthers during the 149-pound match.

Freshman Mark Generalovich lost to Donnie Ament via an 8-2 decision. As a result, both teams were tied at seven points overall.

In the biggest match of the night, No. 11 Matt Kocher of Pitt faced off against Lock Haven’s No. 8, Seth Martin.

It was a rematch of their bout at the West Virginia Open, where Kocher earned a pin fall for the win.

This time Martin would take the hard-fought match with a 5-3 decision. Martin’s pair of escapes in the third period made the difference after Kocher had tied the match 3-3 with a takedown.

“That was a great match,” Stottlemyer said. “Both of those guys are ranked and in the upper echelon of that weight class.

“You always feel that as though your guy is going to win. I really felt like Matt did a good job, but it just didn’t happen.”

With Martin’s victory, Lock Haven took a 10-7 lead and would stay in control for the rest of the night.

At 165 pounds, Pitt’s Sean Richmond faced Landis Wright.

With the third period winding down, Richmond trailed by two points. Roughly 20 seconds before the end of regulation time, Richmond tied it up at five with a takedown.

But a quick takedown by Wright at the start of the overtime period gave him the 7-5 decision.

Trailing 13-7, No. 2 Keith Gavin tried to engineer a Pitt comeback in his 174-pound match. The redshirt junior snagged three points for the Panthers, defeating Michael Metzger with a 9-4 decision.

The Panthers trailed by only three points, 13-10.

But the Bald Eagles would take the next two matches, clinching a victory over the Panthers.

At 184 pounds, Lock Haven’s Tom Kocher defeated sophomore Kyle Deliere with an 8-4 decision.

Then, in the 197-pound match, junior Eric Cassidy lost on a fall at the 4:08 mark to Lock Haven’s Jeremie Cook.

The Panthers ended their night on a somewhat positive note.

In the final match, sophomore Zach Sheaffer earned a 3-2 victory.

With the score tied at two, Sheaffer was awarded a point for riding time and in turn, won the match, 3-2.

“We had pretty good spots [Friday] night, but just getting everybody to perform well on the same night is something we have not done,” Stottlemyer said.

The Panthers last dual meet of the season is next Friday, when they travel to face EWL-foe Edinboro.

“We can certainly compete there,” Stottlemeyer said. “But again, we just all have to be on the same page.”