Scott Ervin captured first place at the Keystone Classic at 149-pounds (Photo: ASU Athletics)

Ervin Wins Keystone Classic, Mountaineers Finish Third
by ASU Sports Information

Nov. 18, 2007 - PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- For the second consecutive season, Appalachian State’s senior grappler Scott Ervin claimed gold at the Keystone Classic in the historic Palestra. As a team, Appalachian’s 18 wrestlers combined for 80.5 team points and placing eight wrestlers in their respective weight classes.

Ervin, ranked fifth nationally, earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament cruised into the finals with a pin and two decision victories. In the final, Ervin defeated No. 2 seed Don Fisch of Rider on a tech. fall. 18-2 with the near fall coming at 6:55. Ervin claims his second consecutive Keystone Classic victory at 149-pounds.

Senior Terreyl Williams finished fourth in 133-pounds with three wins in the wrestleback following a quarterfinal loss. The top-seeded Mountaineer was pinned for the first time this season, but battled back with a win over the sixth seed.

The Mountaineers claimed two fifth place finishes with performances from senior Tommy Hutchinson, sophomore Frank Celorrio and freshman Austin Trotman. Hutchinson, seeded fourth in 165-pounds, was defeated in the semifinal, then went 2-1 in the wretleback to reach the fifth-place match. Hutchinson won the match on a 4-1 decision to take the honors.

Celorrio came back from an early loss to earn a 10-1 majority decision to take fifth place in 125-pounds. Trotman, in his first collegiate tournament action, rebounded from a semifinal loss to earn fifth place as the fifth seed in 184-pounds. In the fifth place match, Trotman defeated fellow Mountaineer freshman Dylan Temple, 5-2.

Temple, along with senior Neal Martin and junior Jared Campbell earned sixth place finishes in the season’s first tournament. Martin reached the 174-pound semifinal, but an injury forced the Mountaineer to forfeit the wrestleback semifinal and fifth place matches. Campbell won his first two matches in the championship bracket, but dropped his next three to finish in sixth place in 285-pounds.

Appalachian will continue the 2007-08 campaign on the road at the Brute Northeast Duals on Saturday, November 24. The all-day event will bring together some of the nation’s best teams for dual meet competition.

Team Results
1. Chattanooga 140.5
2. Pennsylvania 125.5
3. Appalachian State 80.5
4. Rider 68.0
5. Arizona State 66.5
6. American 63.5
7. Brown 61.5
8. Mercyhurst 57.5
9. Boston 50.0
10. Virginia Military 33.0