Wrestling
2008 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships
at Mercyhurst University
December 6, 2008

last updated 12/30/08

Championship Preview PSAC Championship (host website) Results

CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

KEMMERER VYING FOR TITLE FOR KU AT PSAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

MERCYHURST, Pa. — The Kutztown University wrestling team will look to add to its five place-winners at the 2008 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships this Saturday.

KU will travel to Mercyhurst University to compete in the 66th PSAC Championships, which start at 9 a.m.

The Golden Bears, who finished eighth last season, will be led by Joe Kemmerer (sr. Mountain Top/Crestwood), at 133 pounds. Kemmerer, who redshirted last season, finished second at the PSAC Championships in 2006-07 during his national title season.

His second-place finish was the best KU finish since Jon Bittenbender finished second in 1977. Kemmerer, who is 9-0 on the season and has not allowed a single point in competition, will look to be the first KU wrestler to win a conference title since 1942.

Kemmerer will face a tough challenge at 133 with Edinboro’s Rick Deubel back for another season. Deubel is looking to defend his title from last season, which he won over Bloomsburg’s Jason Guffey. Guffey returns as well, along with last year’s third-place finisher Matt Swallow, of East Stroudsburg.

Kemmerer is ranked No. 1 in Division II at 133 pounds and is looking to beat Deubel after falling 1-0 in their title bout in the 2006-07 season.

The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown for the rest of the Golden Bears competing at the PSAC Championships this Saturday.

125 — Either Clayton Youtz (fr. Dauphin/Central Dauphin) or Matt Yacco (fr. Mertztown/Brandywine Heights) will wrestle at 125 for the Golden Bears. Both wrestlers would be wrestling in his first conference title bracket. Three-time PSAC Champion Mike Sees, of Bloomsburg, graduated, leaving the highest spot on the podium open for anyone. Youtz is 3-4 on the season for the Golden Bears and Yacco would make his KU debut if he wrestles. Also competing at 125 will be Edinboro’s Kyle Fluke and Clarion’s Jay Ivanco, who finished fourth last season. Lock Haven’s John Trumbetti, Bloomsburg’s Ian Moser — ranked 20th by USA Today/NWCA/InterMat — and Mercyhurst’s Payne Flint also will contend for the title.

141 — An early season surprise for the Golden Bears has been John Paukovits (so. Northampton/Northampton), who is 4-2 with a pin, a major decision and technical fall. The defending champ from last season is not on the roster and other place-winners from last season have moved on, opening up 141 for Paukovits. His top competition will be Bloomsburg’s Rickey Donald and Edinboro’s Joel Webster.

149 — Brett Martinez (jr. Slatington/Northern Lehigh), who is 4-3 on the season and has finished sixth twice at the PSAC Championships, faces a tough road in the 149-pound bracket with the 16th-ranked wrestler in the NCAA, Edinboro’s Torsten Gillespie. Also wrestling in the 149-pound bracket will be Lock Haven’s Matt Fittery — winner of the Mat Town Open — and Bloomsburg’s George Hickman.

157 — Chris Chambers (sr. Holland/Council Rock South) has placed all three years at the PSAC Championships, including a fourth place finish at 149 in 2005-06. He has moved up to 157, where he is 7-3 on the season. He rounds out some tough competition in the 157-pound bracket, including the 2007 champion, Gregor Gillespie, of Edinboro. He is ranked No. 2 in the country in Division I. Also contending is the 11th-ranked wrestler in Division I, Bloomsburg’s Matt Moley. Last season’s third-place finisher at 141, Clarion’s Hadley Harrison, also will jump up to 157. Mercyhurst’s Andy Lamancusa and Gannon’s Brandon Monin, both ranked in Division II, will add to the competition.

165 — Sonny Flood (sr. Southampton/William Tennent), who is 4-3 on the season, or Joseph Yavoich (fr. Jonestown/Northern Lebanon), who is 0-2, will be in a bracket featuring the nation’s fifth-ranked wrestler in Division I, Edinboro’s Jarrod King, who also will look to defend his PSAC title last season. Bloomsburg’s Rick Schmelyun, Shippensburg’s Jake Wilson and Mercyhurst’s Josh Shields also will contend for the 165-pound title.

174 — David Zeek (jr. Newtown/Council Rock North) will wrestle for the first time this season, moving up from 157 pounds last season. Zeek went 21-14 last season at 157, finishing fourth at regionals and qualifying for nationals. He will compete against Bloomsburg’s Nathan Graham and Shippensburg’s Chris Barrick, who are the only returnees from last year’s 174-pound championships. Several freshmen will be making their first appearance, including Millersville’s Shane Smith, East Stroudsburg’s Nick Tetro and Edinboro’s Paul Paddock.

184 — Bobby Mort (fr. Huntingdon/Huntingdon) will make his first appearance at the PSAC Championships this season and he’ll be going up against Bloomsburg’s Jesse Hasseman and Edinboro’s Chris Honeycutt, ranked 11th in Division I. Others competing at 184 will be Jon Hade, of Shippensburg, and Tom Kocher, of Lock Haven.

197 — Scott Snyder (jr. Slatington/Northern Lehigh), who finished fourth at the PSAC Championships last season and went 18-11, is 4-1 to start the 2008-09 season. He will be going up against the defending champion, Edinboro’s Patrick Bradshaw, who decisioned Snyder 4-1 last season.  Also entering into the picture will be Mercyhurst’s Trevor Gallo and East Stroudsburg’s Shane Mallory, a third-place finisher at 174 pounds last season.

285 — Cory Rutt (fr. Easton/Easton) is 2-1 as a freshman and will be making his first appearance at the PSAC Championships. Rutt will be challenged by the runner-up, East Stroudsburg’s Chris Birchler, and Edinboro’s Joe Fendone, the seventh-ranked wrestler at 285 pounds in Division I. Gannon’s Frank McGrath, a national qualifier last season, will add to the competition at heavyweight.