2014-15 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling TABLE of CONTENTS PITT-JOHNSTOWN PRIMARY MEDIA OUTLETS
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2014-15 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling TABLE OF CONTENTS PITT-JOHNSTOWN PRIMARY MEDIA OUTLETS WJAC-TV 6 SPORTS TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT Matt Maisel, Patrick Welter Shawn Curtis, Mike Mastovich 49 Old Hickory Lane 47 Locust Street Track the Mountain Cats Johnstown, Pa. 15905 Johnstown, Pa. 15901 (814) 255-7651 (814) 532-5080 Through Social Media Fax: (814) 255-7658 Fax: (814) 539-1409 all season… SOMERSET DAILY AMERICAN ALTOONA MIRROR 334 West Main Street P.O. Box 2008 Somerset, Pa. 15501 Altoona, Pa. 16603 (800) 452-0823 (800) 222-1962 Fax: (814) 445-2935 Fax: (814) 946-7540 WTAJ-TV 10 SPORTS PGH. POST-GAZETTE P.O. Box 10 50 Blvd. Of The Allies Altoona, Pa. 16603 Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222 On the Pitt-Johnstown (800) 762-6053 (412) 263-1621 Fax: (814) 946-4763 Fax: (412) 263-1926 Website at PGH. TRIBUNE-REVIEW INDIANA GAZETTE www.pittjohnstownathletics.com (888) 748-8742 (800) 262-3077 Fax: (412) 320-7964 Fax: (724) 465-8267 BEDFORD GAZETTE THE ADVOCATE 424 W. Penn Street 147 Student Union Bldg. P.O. Box 671 Johnstown, Pa. 15904 (814) 623-1151 (814) 269-7470 (814) 623-5055 On Facebook at facebook.com/pages/Pitt-Johnstown- Athletics ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Design and Layout Chris Caputo, Sports Information Director, Erin Lischerelli, Sports Information Assistant Cover Design and Layout Ali Single Contributing Editors And on Twitter at Pat Pecora, Jody Strittmatter, Shane Valko, @MtnCatAthletics Photography Ali Single, Stephanie Blackstone, Tami Knopsnyder, Pitt-Johnstown User Services, The Advocate, The Tribune-Democrat, Harrisburg Patriot News Printing Cover: Ali Single Interior: Pitt-Johnstown Print Shop 1 2014-15 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling 2014-15 Season Preview The 2013-14 season was another impressive one for Head 133-lb. Weight Class (Cont’d) Coach Pat Pecora, who enters his 39th season, and his (Patton, Pa.), Regional place-winner Dakota Laughman Mountain Cat wrestlers. Pitt-Johnstown boasted a 13-2 overall (York, Pa.), and John Lobeck (Lancaster, Pa.). dual meet record and a 5-2 mark in its first season in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The Mountain Cats finished second at the Super Region I 141-lb. Weight Class Tournament and ninth at the National Tournament with four Another familiar face in junior Sam Hanau (Pittsburgh, All-Americans. Pa.) is back at 141 lbs. Hanau claimed the starting spot This year, Coach Pecora must replace three of his four at in this weight class last January after transferring to Pitt- returning All-Americans. Two-time All-American Dave Fogle Johnstown from Division I Central Michigan. Hanau went (125 lbs.) (Summerhill, Pa.) graduated, while three-time All- 16-6 overall and 8-1 in dual meets with six falls. He placed American and National Runner-up Travis McKillop (184 lbs.) third at the Super Region I Tournament to reach the National (Lower Burrell, Pa.) and seventh-place finisher Josh Duplin Tournament. Hanau also finished sixth at the Franklin & (285 lbs.) (Johnstown, Pa.) are expected to red-shirt. Along Marshall Open. Also back at 141 lbs. is fellow junior Craig with the three All-Americans, the Mountain Cats must also Dawson (Penn Hills, Pa.). Dawson, who gives Hanau a replace All-PSAC performer Gary Lantz (165 lbs.) (Delta, Pa.), solid back-up, earned the starting spot for much of the first a two-time National Qualifier who graduated following last semester last season. Sophomore Anthony Mastrangelo season. (Phoenixville, Pa.), will also look to get on the mat this Despite the losses, Pitt-Johnstown, which returns six season while Krenzelak is also capable of wrestling in this starters, is still expected to compete for a PSAC and Regional weight class. title in 2014-15. This year’s squad will be led by 2014 All- American Zac Bennett (Johnstown, Pa.) and National Qualifiers Sam Hanau (141 lbs.) (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Cole 149-lb. Weight Class Landowski (149 lbs.) (New Kensington, Pa.). In addition, Cole Landowski (New Kensington, Pa.) took full 2013 National Qualifier Evan Link (Cresson, Pa.) will move advantage of an opportunity to wrestle as a true freshman in back to 125 lbs. from 133 lbs. for his junior season. 2013-14. The experience he gained has him prepared to take the next step this year. Landowski, who was slated to red- The following is a tentative weight-by-weight shirt, took over the starting position after injuries opened-up synopsis of the 2014-15 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat the spot and wrestled his way to the National Tournament. wrestling team. He finished his freshman season at 15-8 overall and 5-3 in dual meets. 10 of his wins came by way of decision. 125-lb. Weight Class Landowski also placed fifth at the Franklin & Marshall 2013 National Qualifier and 2014 PSAC sixth-place Open. Red-shirt freshman Kevin Synan (Allison Park, Pa.), finisher Evan Link returns to the 125-lb. weight class after a PIAA AA State qualifier, will look to push Landowski or wrestling last season’s first semester at 133 lbs. Link, who mat-time. Freshmen in this weight class are 2014 PIAA moved up a weight class as a sophomore to allow Fogle to AAA fifth-place finisher Corey Falleroni (Lower Burrell, wrestle his senior season at 125 lbs., was 6-5 overall and 2-2 in Pa.) and two-time PIAA AA State Qualifier Nick Naglic dual meets in 2013-14. Link will be back at his natural weight (Johnstown, Pa.). class this season. As a red-shirt freshman, Link was 21-10 overall and 11-4 in dual meets on his way to a runner-up finish at the Super Region I Tournament to earn a spot in the National 157-lb. Weight Class Tournament. Red-shirt freshmen Jimmy Harrison (Whitaker, Similar to the situation at 149 lbs., true freshman Heath Pa.) and Nate Russo (Belle Vernon, Pa.) are expected to Coles (North Huntingdon, Pa.) was forced to forego a red back-up Link at 125 lbs. if they don’t wrestle at 133 lbs. -shirt season and wrestled after injuries to starter Sam Molina (Pittsburgh, Pa.) opened the job. Coles, who is 133-lb. Weight Class expected to red-shirt in 2014-15, was 8-8 and 2-2 in dual The starting spot in this weight class will feature a meets a year ago. He wrestled at the Super Region I competition between red-shirt freshmen Harrison and Russo, tournament, but did not place. That opens the door for true and possibly true freshman Malachi Krenzelak (Canonsburg, freshman Steve Edwards (Lower Burrell, Pa.), to battle Pa.), who could also wrestle at 141 lbs. Harrison is a for the starting spot at 157 lbs. Edwards, a graduate of former two-time PIAA Regional Qualifier, and Russo won Burrell High School, was a two-time PIAA AA State Place- PIAA Section titles in both 2011 and 2013, while Krenzelak winner who won the state championship at 152 lbs. in 2014. was a 2014 PIAA AAA Regional Place-winner. Freshmen in Red-shirt freshmen Boe Bonzo (Rochester, Pa.), a 2013 this weight class are: 2014 PIAA AA State Qualifier Joe Davis PIAA AAA State Semifinalist, will compete with Edwards for mat-time after moving from 149 lbs. to this weight class. 2 2014-15 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling 2014-15 Season Preview 165-lb. Weight Class 197-lb. Weight Class With graduation of Lantz and the expectation of John Garafola will fill in. Bennett, who transferred to Pitt- Blankenship (New Florence, Pa.) moving up to 174 lbs., the Johnstown after two successful seasons at Division I starting spot at 165 lbs. will be up for grabs. Red-shirt freshman University North Carolina, burst onto the scene last Tyler Reinhnart (Greensburg, Pa.), a 2013 PIAA AAA State January. Bennett posted a 21-5 overall record and a 10-2 Place-winner, looks to be the front-runner going into the season. dual meet record. He also boasted a team-best and record- Reinhart gained a bit of experience as a true freshman setting 16 falls on his way to winning the Super Region I wrestling in open tournaments, but the 2014-15 campaign could title and placing seventh at the National Tournament. put him right into the action on an everyday basis. Along with Bennett’s 16 victories by pin broke Jared Kuleck’s 197-lb. Reinhart, sophomore Justin Stonebraker (McKeesport, Pa.) will single-season record (14 falls) set in 1992-93. In addition, compete after red-shirting in 2012-13 and sitting out last season his 14 pins in 28:09 over Division II opponents led the with an injury. country and his 4.3478 points made him the country’s second most dominating wrestler. Freshmen in this weight class are 2014 PIAA AA State sixth-place finisher Zac Croyle (Kittanning, Pa.) and 2014 Pennsylvania AA District Champion Forest Tuttle (Coudersport, Pa.). 174-lb. Weight Class Blankenship, who wrestled at both 165 and 174 lbs. as a red-shirt freshman last season, looks to become the full-time starter at 174 in 2014-15. Blankenship finished at 7-6 overall and 5-2 in dual meets in his first year of collegiate wrestling. Heavyweight With the mat-time he got a year ago, Blankenship, a former Two-time National Qualifier and 2014 All- PIAA State Place-winner, should prove to be a solid fit for American Josh Duplin (Johnstown, Pa.) will red-shirt this Coach Pecora. A freshman in this weight class is Nick year, opening the door for red-shirt freshman D.J. Sims Penatzer (Bedford, Pa.). (Aliquippa, Pa.). Sims, a former all-conference performer and member of Aliquippa High School’s PIAA AA State Runner-up football team, was a 2012 Pennsylvania State Qualifier and placed sixth at the 2012 Flo Nationals as a wrestler.