[fan00]

...start today. The first session is at noon. You can watch live webstreaming of the opening 2 rounds here (Session 1-12:00; Session 2-7:30):

http://all-access.cbssports.com/player. ... dia=173968

ESPNU will cover quarters and semis...finals on ESPN.

Good luck to our six qualifiers!!

[Stevewalt]

they are talking about Liberty alot right now...even with the results so far.

[Stevewalt]

Childress loss 6-2
Panteleo lose Tech fall 16-1(suprise here I thought he had the best chance of all qualifiers to do something big)
Clymer WINS 3-2 I thought he would make some noise but I was thinking this early maybe in the wrestlbacks but WOW.

[Stevewalt]

Gayeski lose 11-2 no score going into the 3rd period then they go on a point tear and tough one when he sees how close he was.

[fan00]

Oh man, the brackets are wrong then because they have Clymer winning 3-2.
http://www.ncaa.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_ ... 10Brackets

[Stevewalt]

No my mistake he did win! wow what an upset! Clymer is the man
Intermat says riding time was the difference

*Fixed it above too*

[Stevewalt]

Porter loss by fall (against Number 1 seed Andrew Howe)
Knowles - loss 6-2

[Stevewalt]

oh what a heartbreaker! Clymer losses in the final seconds with a takedown (6-5, to those who don't follow wrestling that is 2 points and he was up by one) He needs to wrestle hard and he can come back to AA and that is what is important now. Refocus and leave it all on the mat.

[Stevewalt]

Clymer up now in wrestlebacks...come on win it and a good shot at AA

[Stevewalt]

loss 14-6 tough one. He was down the whole time and tough to come back from that at this level. Good showing by Clymer and tough tourney for Liberty but we have come a long way in a short time.

[Sly Fox]

Agreed. Coach Castro has done a spectacular job and we are on the cusp of doing some really special things at nationals.

[Stevewalt]

It will be interesting how the weight classes fill out next year. Hicks from Ca is a special wrestler and recruited by some top tier programs and a family history of really quality wrestlers. I still feel like Coach could recruit PA really hard and pull in some top talent but the thing holding up talent here is that we are in a weak conference (who is not sure if it will still get auto bids next year or not) and the D2 schools in PA recruit the same quality kids here hard. But if you don't have the PA,NJ,OH kids in the room to get quality out of all wrestlers. (I know I am biased to PA kids but let's face it to wrestle you have to beat the best and they seem to come from PA)

A little birdy told me that Dernlan (former LU wrestler back in his day) is not long for his position at PSU since Cael took over. He is the number one recruiter in OH and western PA...just saying may be nice to see an old face on the hill again assisting the Coach.

[Dan P]

Steve- you mentioned the need for LU to go after the Pa and NJ kids --- I think they've been doing just that.
Childress -- Pa, Clymer---PA, Gayeski -- NJ, Clark ---Pa, factor in Mitchell (NJ) and redshirt Colon (Pa), and spot starter Ziegiler (Pa) .... I would say Pa. and NJ. are well represented. (6 of 10 wt classes)

But I see your point on going after guys in those states. Great HS level wrestling there(Ohio too). As for the ER conference being weak and turning kids off -- I have to (gently) disagree. The ER is actually a selling point to attending LU (or Gard-Webb, or Millersville, etc) --- kids are able to get out to the NCAAs and experience the bright lights and huge crowd early in their careers. Then, after a trip out to the big dance (once or twice), they will have that experience under thier belts and are much more prepared to make "noise" on subsequent trips out to NCAAs.

I know the first time I stepped on the mat at the big dance, I was awe-struck by the Iowa crowd, the noise, the level of competition, the entire environment. However, the next year, I was much more prepared. Just a thought ... but the more Freshmen and Sophs we can get out to NCAAs, the more likely they are to place in their Jr and Sr years.
I firmly believe that had Gayeski already had the NCAA "jitters" out of the way (a previous trip), he would have done much better this past weekend.

[Stevewalt]

I know there are some Pa boys on the team but (nothing against them at all, they are doing well) they were tier 2-3 recruites in PA and not the tier 1 and top kids in tier 2 young men that need to push this team into the higher team category in the NCAA. We need kids that were and are finishing top 3 the last 2-3 years in HS when signing to go to college. They are there. When I was at PA states this year the kids that would go to LU for wrestling/education are there and they are top conteders they just need to be heavily recruited to go there.
Look when we are getting the same kids that go to Messiah (Div III) and the other schools in Div III then we need to look at who and where we are recruiting.

This is not meant to say Coach or the men in the program aren't doing well but I guess I am an old wrestler that believes in being number one or at least top 10. I guess I would like to see a blue chip every year maybe I am asking for to much of the program right now.

[Stevewalt]

I see your point about the ER. I agree, but to disagree the problem with the ER is the level of cometition to get there. Coach does well to get into big tourneys (Penn State Open, VA duals, ETC) but I always go back to the old adage "Iron shapens Iron" you need good stiff compition day in and day out to make yourself better. We preach it in our room everyday and reach out to get the quality kids to push eachother.

As far as the "big lights" go these boys coming from PA, NJ, OH see the big lights every year. We had 60,000 people at PA states this year and champ round saturday night was sold out 6 months in advance. These kids wrestle big lights every year here and that is why you see so many AA and qualifiers from these states year in and year out. We average 1000-1500 people at every home wrestling tourney for our HS team. That is 1500 screaming yelling people at every missed call or cheap shot taken. It is ravenous here and I must admit AWESOME.

I back Coach and the team and wish I could see more matches but it is what it is when you have your own wrestling and hopefully good enough to be recruited for college someday.

[Dan P]

I know there are some Pa boys on the team but (nothing against them at all, they are doing well) they were tier 2-3 recruites in PA and not the tier 1 and top kids in tier 2 young men that need to push this team into the higher team category in the NCAA. We need kids that were and are finishing top 3 the last 2-3 years in HS when signing to go to college. They are there. When I was at PA states this year the kids that would go to LU for wrestling/education are there and they are top conteders they just need to be heavily recruited to go there.
Look when we are getting the same kids that go to Messiah (Div III) and the other schools in Div III then we need to look at who and where we are recruiting.

This is not meant to say Coach or the men in the program aren't doing well but I guess I am an old wrestler that believes in being number one or at least top 10. I guess I would like to see a blue chip every year maybe I am asking for to much of the program right now.

No offense taken. But ... I do have to disagree -- I wouldn't call Clymer (PA State champ), Chilly (PA Place winner), Clark (Placer) , ect ... tier 2-3 guys. Yeah, they ain't the Alton twins, but they are all very solid and sought after.
Also, this incomming year's class has 4 high school All-Americans. Pretty good class coming in ...
I suspect LU will be poised to make a little more noise at the 2011 NCAA tourny --- but the one to watch for is the 2012 tourny- That's when we'll be hitting in all cylinders.

[Stevewalt]

I agree Dan. The program is on an upswing and it is looking better and better as the years tick by.

[Stevewalt]

Dan who are the incoming freshmen? I only know of 2 on intermat...