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2000-2001 Press Release Index
STATE COLLEGE, PA - While their teammates returned home from a successful 6th-place showing at the Las Vegas Invitational on Sunday, December 3, former Franklin High School standout Cory Ace (Franklin, PA/Franklin) and redshirt freshman Matt King (Connellsville, PA/ Connellsville) placed first and fifth, respectively, at the Penn State Open in State College, PA.
Ace captured the championship in the 141-pound weight class, posting a 5-0 record in the event. He defeated Navy;s Mark Conley in the final match by a 6-3 score following an 8-0 major decision over Penn's Kyle Bernholz in the semifinals. The 2000 NCAA qualifier opened the tournament with a 11-9 decision over Eastern Michigan's Josh Wiles, then shut out Maryland's Nick Cilento, 7-0, and Rider's Joe Pollard in a 10-0 major decision. Edinboro's starter at 141 pounds a year ago, Ace racked up a 28-17 record. He shares the duty with 2000 EWL 133-lbs. champion Chad Caros (Franklinville, PA/ Suffern) this season, and has an 11-4 ledger.
King continued his strong wrestling at the Open with a 6-1 performance at 165 pounds, his lone loss came in the quarterfinals to American's 17th-ranked Denis Alampiev, 1-1, in the tiebreaker. He rebounded with three straight victories, including a 5-4 victory over Jeremy Suave, wrestling unattached, to collect fifth place. In the opening round, King downed Bill Boeh of Duquesne by a 5-2 count. He followed that with a 5-3 win over Jacob Inge of VMI and a 5-1 decision over Suave. In the consolation bracket, King upended Greg Francesca of Virginia in a 7-2 decision, then scored a 9-1 major decision over Penn's Greg Hallahan. King leads the Fighting Scots with 16 victories, to only four losses, posting a 38-13 career record.
Freshman Jacob Gray (Essex, VT/Essex) won three matches at the event at 125 pounds to up his season record to 8-6. He downed Matt Puskar of Duquesne, 12-2, and Todd Schroder of James Madison, 5-0, before dropping a 5-0 decision to former Fighting Scot Josh Moore, who transferred to Penn State last season. Gray won by medical forfeit against Clarion's Starlin Jimenez, but was eliminated in his next match by Jerold Limongelli of Rider by a 4-2 score.
Freshman Ryan Yates (Lower Burrell, PA/Burrell) won two matches, beginning with an 11-3 major decision over Kennon Kincaid of VMI in the first round. He defeated Alex Martini by a 6-3 count in round two, but lost in the next round by a narrow 6-5 score to Tyrone Neal. Pitt-Johnstown's Craig Hight eliminated Yates by pinfall in the next round. Yates improved his record to 10-5.
Freshman Nate Yetzer (Mansfield, OH/Mansfield Madison) scored a 12-4 major decision over David Hopper of Appalachian State. Fifth-ranked All-American Jamarr Billman of Lock Haven pinned Yetzer in the next round in 2:37. Yetzer has a 5-3 record.
Freshmen Chris Bala (Darien, NY/Alexander Central), David Patrick (Wyalusing, PA/Wyalusing), Josh Yetzer (Mansfield, OH/Mansfield Madison), Josh Evans (Marietta, GA/McEachern), Matthew Camino (Solon, OH/Solon), Reuben Daniels (Summerville, SC/Summerville), and Ryan Smith (McKean, PA/General McLane) all competed for head coach Tim Flynn at the Open, but came away winless, as did sophomore Brad Fliflet (Lower Burrell, PA/Kiski Area) and junior Stan Greene (Verona, NY/ Vernon).
Up next for the Fighting Scots is the home opener against Eastern Wrestling League rival Cleveland State on Thursday, December 7. The meet is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in McComb Fieldhouse.
~ Fighting Scots ~
Created on ... December 4, 2000