CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Clarion sophomore Evan DeLong (Kane), pictured right, at 165-pounds and red-shirt freshman Brock Zacherl (Brookville), pictured left, at 141-pounds won individual titles, while teammates Jacob Keller (Jr. Curwensville) at 149 and Evan Daley (Jr. Erie, Fort. LeBoeuf) were fourth in leading the Golden Eagle wrestling team at the Clarion Open on Sunday at the Clarion Rec Center.
“We had a quality day of wrestling,” said Clarion’s second year head coach Keith Ferraro. “I thought we wrestled very well as a team and am really pleased with our effort. Now its on to the Esatern Michigan duals next Saturday.”
DeLong, who wrestled at Clarion a year ago as a true freshman at 157-pounds, has moved up to 165 and went 5-0 on Sunday to win his title in impressive fashion. He opened with a 4-2 win over Connor Flynn, then defeated Kenny Long (Navy) 14-3, decisioned Jared Swan (ODU) 7-3, Fritz Hoehn (EDinboro) 8-1 and then defeated #1 seed Garrett Peppelman of Virginia 6-3 in the finals. Peppelman, a red-shirt freshman, was 21-5 as an unattached wrestler last year. He wrestled at Central Dauphin and was a 2-time State Champion.
Zacherl, a red-shirt freshman at Clarion, also posted a 5-0 record in winning his title at 141-pounds. Brock opened with an 18-1 technical fall over Trenton Soto (Notre Dame), majored Nate Hagan (Edinboro) 10-2. Majored Chance Driscoll (Kent) 10-2, decisioned Sean Peacock (Buffalo) 9-3 and defeated Virginia’s Sam Krivus 6-1 in the finals. Krivus was a 2-time Class AAA PA. State Champion from Hempfield.
Clarion’s Jacob Keller at 149 and Evan Daley at 285 posted fourth place finishes for the Eagles. Keller won his first three matches before losing to CSU’s Nick Montgomery, then dropped back into the wrestle backs and defeated Patrick Duggan (WVU) 5-0 before losing is third place match to Isaac Dulsarian (Notre Dame) 6-1. Keller was 4-2 on the day.
Daley meanwhile, was 5-2 in finishing fourth at 285. He won his first two bouts, then lost to Virginia’s Pat Gillen 9-4. He won three straight wrestle back bouts including a 3-1 win over Pitt’s Lucas Chestnut. Daley battled Gillen agai for third and lost 14-1.
Three other Clarion wrestlers advanced to wrestle for fifth place at their weight classes, but those place matches were not wrestled. Freshman Michael Bartolo (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds) at 133 was 2-2 at 133 at would have wrestled for 5th. Dominic Rigous (So. Warrington/Central Bucks South) was 4-2 at 184 and Dustin Conti (So. Jefferson Morgan) was 3-2 at 197-pounds, both would have wrestled for fifth place had the matches been concluded.
Also wrestling well were Michael Pavasko (Sr. Munhall/Steel Valley) at 174 and Zack DeLuca (Fr. Pgh. Central Catholic) at 285. Pavasko was 3-1 on the day and DeLuca was 2-0. Both forfeited as a precaution, their final matches, after sustaining an injury.
CLARION NOTES: The Golden Eagles open their dual meet season this Saturday with four matches at the Eastern Michigan duals… Opponents include EMU, Northern Illinois, Michigan State and Illinois… other Clarion wrestlers and their records on the day — 125- Patrick DeWitt (2-2), Roshawn Cooley (1-2), Brendan Howard (1-2), 13- Kyle Greenwald (1-2), Joel Rosko (3-2), 141- Matt Liggett (0-2), 149- Sean Caruso (0-2), Brodie Zacherl (3-2), 157- Troy Braddock (1-1), 174- Slade Horner (2-2), 184- Nick Shawley (0-2), 197- Edgar Ruano (2-2).
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