Fisk, Eckloff, Jones all apear on track for big weekend
By DAN GELSTON
The Associated Press
HERSHEY, Pa. – Joey Ecklof and Donnie Jones appear headed toward an epic title showdown. Matt Fisk is so tantalizingly close to breaking the PIAA record for career victories.
None of those three wrestlers really wanted to think that far ahead at the PIAA Wrestling Championships on Thursday.
Ecklof (Northampton) and Jones (Greensburg Salem) are each hoping to become three-time champions this weekend, this time with a title in the Class AAA 152-pound division. Ecklof already won championships at 135 and 145 pounds while Jones’ first two titles were at 130 and 140 pounds.
Much of the championship hype has been on the potential meeting between Jones and Ecklof. The two didn’t disappoint on Thursday, with Ecklof a 10-6 winner over Pennsbury’s Bill Trimble and Jones a 9-5 victor against Jereme Heisey of Manheim Central.
“Everybody’s giving him this garbage about an Ecklof match. They both have three matches before they’ve got to worry about that one, “said Jones’ coach, Randy Parsley. “He knows he has to win four matches here to be a state champion. It doesn’t matter who he’s wrestling.”
Ecklof must have had enough of the attention because he did not want to talk about his win, saying only he wished to “let this ride.”
Jones also tried to downplay the potential of what would easily be the main event match of the weekend.
“I really don’t think too much about it, “Jones said. “Until it happens, I’m not really concerned about it.”
Fisk took another easy step toward breaking the PIAA record for career victories with a default victory over North Star’s Tony Lascari in the first round of the Class AA 125-pound wrestling championship.
With two more victories this weekend, Fisk (172-9 career, 41-0 season) can break the long-standing record for career scholastic victories by a wrestler from a PIAA school – 173 by former Meadville wrestler Doug Stanford.
“I try not to think about it, “Fisk said. “I just try to focus on winning a state championship. I just try and do my best. If it brings a title, if it brings history, then so be it.”
Stanford had a 173-14-1 record when he graduated in 1984, an era of no limits on the number of tournaments in which wrestlers could participate.
Fisk, a Wyalusing senior who won a PIAA Class AA championship at 119 pounds last season, has committed to wrestle at Lehigh University. He was happy to make short work of Lascari.
“They come and they go, “said Fisk, a three-time place winner. “Hopefully they’ll all go down like that. That would be nice.”
The first major upset came in the Class AAA 125-pound division when two-time runner up Seth Ciasulli of Easton lost 4-3 to State College’s Kyle Fluke.
“I wanted to keep the match close and try and beat him by one or two points, “Fluke said.
Ciasulli was second in 2003 at 103 pounds and second last year at 119. He pinned Fluke two years ago when they wrestled each other at 103 pounds.
Fluke needed a takedown in the final minute to clinch the victory. He said he wasn’t intimidated when he saw his draw in the bracket.
“I don’t really look at the bracket, I just go wrestle who I have to wrestle, “he said.
In the other big Class AA match, Juniata Valley’s Garrett Scott pinned Greg Care of Saint Pius X in 1:16 in the 135-pound division. Scott is looking for his third straight state title, with championships at 119 pounds in 2003 and 130 pounds last year.
Scott said he was ready to add a third title.
“I don’t feel any pressure, “Scott said. “I don’t let anything bother me. I don’t get rattled at all.”
Curwensville’s Nate Sipes started his quest for consecutive state titles with a 6-1 victory over Donte Blakey of Milton Hershey in the Class AA 215-pound class.
Sipes, who won at 189 pounds last year, dominated from the start, getting two points for a takedown only 13 seconds into the match. He earned points for two more takedowns and had one point for a reversal.
“I’d prefer to pin him to save some energy, “said Sipes. “With a guy of his caliber, you take what you can get.”
Sipes, who will play college football at Slippery Rock, said he’s felt a noticeable difference with his weight gain.
“I feel a lot stronger then I did last year, “he said. “I feel quicker, also. It’s hard to believe I can gain weight and feel quicker.”
Also, Damian Rose of Freedom (District 7) was a 9-1 winner over Octorara’s Rico Zavala in the Class AA 140-pound class. Rose won the state title at 135 pounds last year.
There was a mild upset in the Class AA 119-pound division, when Avella’s Jeff Kusich beat Wilson Area’s Russ Souders 3-1. Souders finished second in the 112-pound class last year.
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