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College Wrestling
Bloomsburg University 26, Rider University 10
LAWRENCEVILLE?It is not how you start, it is how you finish that counts. Rider lost the first six bouts to Bloomsburg Tuesday night but won three of the final four for a strong finish in a loss to the Huskies. “The Bloomsburg coaching staff did a heck of a job preparing their team and getting them to wrestle hard,” said Rider head coach Gary Taylor. “I feel responsible that we weren't as prepared.”
The Broncs won three of the 10 bouts in a loss to Bloomsburg Tuesday night. “Bloomsburg has some very good kids,” Taylor said.
For Rider (1-2) senior Doug Umbehauer (Shamong, NJ/Lenape), ranked fifth in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News, won by a major decision to improve to 6-2 on the season. “Doug is starting to get better each match,” Taylor said. “He's feeling more comfortable. That should keep on getting better.”
Junior Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio/Mayfield Village) won at 174 to get Rider on the board and junior Ed Bordas (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) won at heavyweight for the final score.
“I wrestled a little better than my previous appearances,” said Ward. “I stuck to a game plan and it worked.”
“Mike opened up and hopefully rounded a corner tonight,” said Taylor. “He is certainly capable. He's a gifted, skilled wrestler. It is very hard to come back after a lay off like he had. You have to learn how to compete again.”
Ward is a transfer from Penn State and had to sit out a year before competing for the Broncs. “That's just an excuse,” Ward said of his lay off from competing. “That isn't the reason why I wrestle badly. I've always been a slow starter my whole life. I've always climbed the ladder and gotten better as the season went on. But it isn't how you start, it is how you finish that counts. That's what I've been about my whole life. I've always worked hard to improve, and there is much room for improvement right now.”
In high school Ward was twice a State Champion in Ohio at Mayfield Village High. “I was going to either Iowa or Penn State, and I felt Penn State was a perfect fit.” It wasn't.
Ward's roommate and best friend at PSU, Jason Lapham, transferred to Rider from not-so-Happy Valley and enjoyed success at Rider, and Ward followed. “I never heard of Rider before Jason came here,” Ward said. “I looked into Rider and Oregon once I decided to leave Penn State, and Coach (John) Hangey made me feel I could accomplish my goals here. I'm very glad I came here.”
“It is not a knock on Penn State,” Taylor said, “we've had the same thing happen here. A wrestler has to go where he has the best fit. At Penn State he wasn't at the weight he wanted to compete at and wasn't winning the wrestle-offs.”
For Bloomsburg (4-4), Matt Moley, ranked ninth in the nation at 157, defeated Rider junior Michael Kessler (Randallstown, MD/Owings Mills), who is ranked 17th in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News, 4-0. “Moley is an All-American and I'm sure he remembered that Kessler beat him here two years ago,” Taylor said. “That's what you expect out of a kid like that. Mike wrestled him hard but not to the level he is capable of.”
Rider and Bloomsburg have now met 13 times, with Rider winning seven. The Broncs won 23-20 here in Alumni Gym in 2007 and lost to Bloomsburg at Boyertown High School last year.
Rider takes on 17th ranked Edinboro Friday at 9:00 am in the first round of the two-day Virginia Duals. “The Virginia Duals are going to be very, very tough,” Taylor said. “We drew Edinboro right off the bat. We'll have to be a lot more prepared than we were tonight.”
125 Ian Moser-B major dec. Filiberto Colon-R 13-4 4-0
133 Jason Guffey-B major dec. Matt Bradley-R 14-4 8-0
141 Rickey Donald-B dec. Fred Rodgers-R 4-0 11-0
149 George Hickman-B wbf Nick Weaver-R 4:36 17-0
157 Matt Moley-B dec. Michael Kessler-R 4-0 20-0
165 Rickey Schmelyun-B dec. Jason Lapham-R 7-3 23-0
174 Mike Ward-R dec. Nate Graham-B 7-4 23-3
184 Doug Umbehauer-R major dec. Brian Shaw-B 18-6 23-7
197 Jesse Hasseman-B dec. Mike Miller-R 6-4 26-7
hwt Ed Bordas-R dec. Zac Walsh-B 3-0 26-10
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