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Vikings Break For A Week Before CSU Open
Dec. 4, 2006 Contact: Josh Rattray
Complete Release in PDF Format
Idle This Week Next: CSU Open, Saturday, Dec. 16 Time: 9:00 a.m. Site: Woodling Gym SETTING THE SCENE: After what head coach RECAPPING LAST WEEK: After a 12-day holiday hiatus, CSU returned to action at the Penn State Open on Sunday (Dec. 3). Twelve Viking wrestlers competed at the tournament, which included over 600 wrestlers nationwide. Here is a look at how CSU fared: Penn State Open (Dec. 3, 2006, State College, Junior Mike Hurley (141) went 5-1 and placed eighth and freshman Cody Butzer (157) went 4-2 in his season debut in the season's toughest open tournament. Three other Vikings, Ryan Hurley, Marcus Effner and David Gilkey, all won three matches. PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: The 2006-07 edition of the Vikings features a young nucleus of talented wrestlers, including 11 freshmen and nine sophomores on the roster. Four NCAA qualifiers return, led by junior David Armstrong (3-1), who led the Vikings at the NCAAs last year by winning two matches at 133 pounds. Junior Mike (10-5) and senior Ryan Hurley (12-3) are the other returning NCAA qualifiers at 141 and 149 pounds, respectively, and are aggressive, athletic wrestlers that give the Vikings points in the middle of the lineup. Sophomore Marcus Effner (13-6), an NCAA Qualifier in 2005, returns at 165 pounds after losing last year to injury.The Vikings also return veterans at 174 and 184 pounds, respectively, as junior Tim Scarl and the team's only true senior, David Gilkey (8-6), are both experienced wrestlers in the second half of the lineup. Talented freshmen Shaun Mitchell (3-8) and Kyle Chittick (5-4) have contributed at 149 and 165 pounds, respectively, as has sophomore heavyweight Jeff Schuller (3-3). EFFNER ON THE VIKINGS: "I feel like we're doing a good job of fighting and battling hard. The Penn State Open was a step up in quality and we gained some valuable experience. Now we're just going to keep improving, focus on our academics and get ready for the rest of the season." TAG TEAM: Brothers Mike and Ryan Hurley are a combined 22-8 with five pins this season at 141 and 149 pounds, respectively. Mike (10-5) led the Vikings with five wins at the Penn State Open en route to an eighth place finish, while Ryan (12-3) won three of his five bouts. Both brothers posted victories in CSU's 38-3 win over John Carroll on Nov. 21, with Mike winning by pin and Ryan by major decision. The brothers from ...MORE ON RYAN: Ryan Hurley became the first Viking this season to win an individual title after finishing first at the Ashland Openon Nov. 18. Hurley won his first two matches by tech fall and major decision, respectively, before winning by decision in both the semi-final and final bouts. At John Carroll, Ryan moved up to 157 pounds, a jump up from his normal weight of 149, to score an 18-6 major over Devon Jurczak. He owns the team's best individual winning percentage (.800) and is second on the team in wins (12). `ON THE MARC-US': After losing most of last year to a knee injury, Marcus Effner has started this season AT 165 pounds 13-6 with a team-high nine decisions. Effner, an NCAA qualifier in 2005, is also tied for the team lead in pins (3) with Mike Hurley and now has 36-26 for his career. At the Ashland Open on Nov. 18, Effner went 3-1 to finish fourth and he placed eighth at ARMSTRONG RETURNS STRONG: After sitting out the first three open competitions due to injury, David Armstrong (133) has won three of his first four bouts this season. He went 2-1 with two major decisions at the Penn State Open after making his return to the lineup with a 7-1 decision over John Carroll's Adam Pizzuro on Nov. 21. Armstrong, a returning NCAA qualifier, went 20-14 last year, including two wins at the NCAA Tournament, while placing third at the EWL Championships. FIGHTING HIS WAY ON THE MAT: After suffering an injury in CSU's intrasquad event on Nov. 1, Cody Butzer made his season debut a memorable one, going 4-2 with two majors. Away from the wrestling mat, Butzer is an amateur fighter who holds a 5-1 record. WANTED: LEAGUE CHAMPION AT 184 POUNDS: The Vikings are faced with the daunting task of replacing three-time NCAA qualifier Ron Howard at 184 pounds. Howard amassed a career record of 80-61, including a sparkling 29-9 mark in his EWL Championship campaign last year. David Gilkey has emerged as the candidate to try to fill Howard's shoes, although talented freshman Chris Barnhizer may also see time at the position. The Head Coach At CSU: 58-75-3 Overall: 145-117-8 Head coach EWL TOURNEY AT OUR PLACE: For the third time in school history and the first time since 1999, UP NEXT: The Vikings host their first home competition of the year when the CSU Open comes to Woodling Gym on Sat., Dec. 16. The all-day tournament is slated for a 9:00 a.m. start.
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