Wrestling Info:
2008-09 Wrestling Preview
Last season, the Elizabethtown College wrestling team finished with a 6-9 overall record and tied for seventh at the inaugural Metropolitan Conference championships.In 2008-09, sixth-year head coach Eric Walker welcomes back a veteran squad along with a very talented group of incoming freshmen, as the Blue Jays look to reach double figures in wins for the first time since 1999-2000.
125 pounds: First-year students Will Bentley (Elverson, PA/Owen J. Roberts) and Tyler Erdman (Herndon, PA/Line Mountain) will battle for the starting spot. Bentley was a PIAA qualifier at 112 pounds while Erdman went 44-1 and was the AA state champion iat 119 pounds.
133 pounds: Sophomore Marty Harnish (Marietta, PA/Donegal) moves up after going 14-14 with five pins at 125 last season. Sophomore Jarrod Cawley (Fleetwood, PA/Oley Valley), who went 8-9 last year, and first-year student Chad Frankhouser (McClure, PA/Indian Valley) will also see time.
141 pounds: Junior Eric Rhoads (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) also moves up a weight class following a 13-8 season in 2007-08. Junior Drew Winegar (Chatsworth, NJ/Seneca) will rejoin the team in the second semester after winning seven bouts last year, while first-year students Ronnie Cuff (Pittsgrove, NJ/Schalick), Brian Frantz (Mount Airy, MD/Loyola Blakefield) and Ken Nakagawa (Lititz, PA/Manheim Township) provide depth.
149 pounds: Junior Bud Croswell (Newark, DE/Sanford) went 20-8 with nine falls last season and finished fourth at the Metro championship. He posted a 12-3 mark in dual meets and is 41-19 in two seasons. Challenging Croswell will be junior Chris McCooey (Buffalo, NY/Canisius), sophomore J.R. Hewitt (Pottstown, PA/Hill School) and first-year student Tim Goldkamp (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge).
157 pounds: The lone senior on the team, Jereme Heisey (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) led the Blue Jays with 22 wins last season and has 43 career victories. Junior Mike Lussier (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) drops back down to 157 after competing at 165 last season, and he will be joined by junior Dave Foran (Dauphin, PA/Central Dauphin East) and first-year students Mike Evarista (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Twp.) and Kyle Deeds (Leesport, PA/Schuylkill Valley), the latter a PIAA qualifier.
165 pounds: Sophomore Josh Cook (Gardners, PA/Boiling Springs) drops down from 174 pounds, where he finished 6-12 last season. Sophomore Anthony DiMarco (Kennett Square, PA/Unionville) will challenge after going 3-6 in his first season.
174 pounds: Junior Paul Connor (Tabernacle, NJ/Shawnee) went 2-8 at 174 pounds last season and 6-13 overall, with first-year student Jordan Becker (Stevens, PA/Ephrata) also competing for action.
184 pounds: Sophomore Bill Meaney (Toms River, NJ/Manchester Township) is the frontrunner to start afater going 11-13 with three pins in his first year.
197 pounds: Battling for the spot are junior Deron Sharp (Millville, NJ/Millville), who was third at the Metro championships and finished 14-8 last season, along with junior Josh Herbert (Middletown, OH/Madison) who posted a 4-6 record with two pins.
285 pounds: Junior Tim Katzaman (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing) took fourth in the Metro championships and went 17-14 with four pins, while junior Mike Daub (Duncannon, PA/Susquenita) finished with a 12-4 mark. Also in the mix is sophomore Brian Keyser (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen).
The season begins Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Messiah Invitational and features tournament action at Ursinus, York and Wheaton (Ill.) along with a rigorous dual meet schedule. The Metropolitan Championships will be held at York College on Sunday, Feb. 22.
