WRESTLING
WILKES-BARRE — Sophomore Nolan Barger (Clearfield) was one of three Lycoming matmen to finish second as the Warriors placed fifth among 14 teams in the season-opening Monarch Invitational Tournament at Scandlon Gym on the King’s College campus Saturday.
An Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference 157-pound champion with an over-all record of 29-12 in his rookie season, Barger showed he can handle the move to 165 by tech falling Joshua Devriendt of Roger Williams (R.I.) 16-1, shutting out Angelo Lussi of King’s 6-0 and major decisioning John Messinger of New York University 16-7 to reach the finals.
In the title match, he was beaten 7-4 by Roger Williams’ Francisco Colom, who is ranked No. 8 in the country in NCAA Division III.
“His frame is starting to fill out a little bit now that he’s in college,” Warrior coach Roger Crebs said in a preseason article for the Lycoming wrestling website. “He did hit the weight room as well, so that is just a big plus for us.
“He is dangerous, can pin people and put big points on the board for us when we need them.”
Barger, who placed fourth in the state at 145 pounds in his senior year at Clearfield Area High School, came on strong in his breakout freshman campaign for the Warriors, winning 13 bouts in a row before losing 6-4 to No. 6-ranked Josh Etzel of Washington & Jefferson in the Mideast Regional semifinals. He eventually placed fifth.
His 29 wins that included seven falls, three technical falls and three major decisions ranked 13th at 157 in Division III.
A three-time ECWC Rookie of the Week, Barger also excelled in his studies and was cited as a National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American.
* * * * * * * * * *
FOOTBALL
KUTZTOWN — Junior running back Beau Swales (Clearfield) experienced his toughest day as the Lock Haven workhorse Saturday when the Kutztown defense limited him to 19 net yards for 18 carries and the Bald Eagles to minus-26 yards rushing while posting a 19-0 shutout in front of 1,278 fans at Andre Reed Stadium.
Swales caught one pass for three yards as the Bald Eagles (2-7) fell to 2-6 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division.
His season totals show 164 carries for 538 yards and two touchdowns, 25 pass receptions for 174 yards and one TD and 10 kickoff returns for 209 yards for 916 all-purpose yards.
* * * * *
INDIANA — Two former Clearfield Area High School gridders, Indiana University of Pennsylvania wide receiver Trey Campman and Clarion junior longsnapper Eric White, were on opposite sidelines and played reserve roles in the Crimson Hawks’ 31-0 shutout Saturday.
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division clash attracted 1,642 into Miller Stadium, and they saw IUP (6-3, 5-3 PSAC-West) continue its domination of Clarion (2-7, 2-6 PSAC-West).
Both ex-Bison have taken the field in every game this season. Campman, a graduate student, has one solo tackle while White has one tackle and one assist.
* * * * *
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Freshman linebacker Christian Lezzer (Clearfield) saw action in Boston College’s 33-31 Atlantic Coast Conference win over Virginia Tech to send most of the Lane/Worsham Field crowd of 55,729 home disappointed Saturday.
The Eagles became bowl eligible with their sixth win in nine games and upped their ACC record to 3-2.
Lezzer has played in five games with one tackle for a 9-yard sack and one assist.
* * * * *
HUNTINGDON — Freshman offensive lineman Jon Janocko (Clearfield) made his third appearance for Juniata in a 56-31 victory over McDaniel (Md.) in front of 1,800 fans at Knox Field Saturday.
The Eagles improved to 3-4 in the Centennial Conference while evening their record at 4-4.
* * * * * * * * * *
WOMEN’S SOCCER
BLOOMSBURG — Graduate student Brooke Mohney (Bigler/Clearfield Area H.S.) registered five shots, all but one on goal, as Bloomsburg (7-8-3) closed the season with a 2-0 non-conference win at Davis & Elkins (W.Va.) last Wednesday and a double-overtime scoreless tie at Lock Haven Saturday.
She tied for team highs with four shots, three on goal, against Davis & Elkins and forced the Lock Haven goalie to make a very good save on her header that would have ended the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference finale in the 104th minute.
In 18 games, 16 as a starter, the veteran forward scored two goals with 11 of her 16 shots on goal for the Huskies, who wound up 7-8-3 with a 5-8-3 record that was good for an 11th-place tie in the PSAC.
Mohney appeared in six games as a freshman at St. Francis University before transferring to Bloomsburg and playing in 58 games, 45 as a starter, over three seasons.
She had four goals, including a game-winner in 2012, and logged 21 shots with 14 on goal.
* * * * *
CLARION — Freshman Carlee Freeburg (Clearfield) averaged 24 minutes in 13 games as a reserve forward for Clarion, which finished 3-11-2 and tied for 14th place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
Freeburg was credited with five shots, one on goal.
* * * * *
ERIE — Freshman midfielder McKenna Aleksivich (Clearfield) and freshman defender Katie Powers (Clearfield) got their first taste of postseason action as No. 3 seed Penn State Behrend defeated No. 6 seed La Roche 4-1 in the first round of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference at Behrend Field Saturday.
Both also played in the Lions’ regular season finale, a 3-0 loss to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh Tuesday, Oct. 28.
The Lions, who were 7-2 in the AMCC, are 14-5-1 for their semifinal game at No. 2 Franciscan (Ohio).
Aleksivich has played in 16 games with two starts and Powers has appeared in 10 games.
* * * * * * * * * *
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Sophomore Rebecca Johnson (Grampian/Curwensville Area H.S.) ran a personal record 20:58.55 for 5,000 meters running the Stanley Quarter Park Course on Central Connecticut State’s home course Saturday morning. Johnson finished 63 among 80 runnerers, placing 10th on the team.
* * * * * * * * * *
WOMEN’S SWIMMING
CALIFORNIA — Sophomore Krystal Wriglesworth (Clearfield) swam the leadoff backstroke leg for the victorious California ‘A’ quartet in the 400-yard medley that jump started a 108-95 win over Millersville in Hamer Hall Saturday.
She placed in two individual events, third in the 100 backstroke with a 1:06.37 clocking and sixth in the 50 free in 27.41 seconds.
The Vulcans (3-2) had split a home triangular the night before, beating Fairmont State 139-44 while losing to Shippensburg 118-84.
Wriglesworth finished third in the 200 back against Fairmont State and sixth against Shippensburg with a time of 2:25.30.
She competed in a pair of relays, leading off for the Vulcan 400 medley ‘B’ team that placed second against Fairmont and fourth against Shippensburg with a time of 4:20.06 and anchoring the 400 ‘B’ freestyle foursome that was third against both opponents in 3:58.69.
* * * * *
EDINBORO — Freshman Kara Thorp (Clearfield) placed in two events for Edinboro in a 123-82 win over Tiffin (Ohio) in McComb Fieldhouse Saturday.
She was fourth in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:06.34 and led off with a 29.58 backstroke split for the Fighting Scot 200 medley relay ‘B’ foursome that was third in 1:59.15.
Edinboro is 2-0 in duals.