Tim Flynn expected a competitive race for the EWL title.

He nearly got an Edinboro dual meet against the rest of the league.

Eight finalists and six champions helped the Fighting Scots accumulate 121.5 points, 46.5 more than second-place Rider.

“I thought we did pretty well,” Flynn said. “I thought it would be closer. Our guys really wrestled hard. They did well. Six champions. I think they’re peaking at the right time. I didn’t think the league was overly tough, but we had trouble with some of those guys earlier in the season.”

One of those guys was heavyweight Billy Miller, who suffered a pair of losses during the season against Lock Haven’s Thomas Haines. Miller bounced back to win a 7-3 decision in a tiebreaker against Haines to cap the tournament for the Fighting Scots.

It was Edinboro’s third EWL title in four years. Rider interrupted the run last year.

“These last three championships are kind of funny,” said Rider coach Gary Taylor, whose team went 3-for-3 in the final round. “Two years ago, we had five champions, they had four, and they won the tournament. Last year, we had four champions, they had five, and we won the tournament. This year, it was six and three. It’s been nine individual champions between us for the last three years.”

BRIGHT LIGHTS

Edinboro 125-pounder Sean Russell claimed the No. 7 seed for the NCAA Championships after winning the EWL title with an 11-3 major decision in the conference finals against Clarion’s Jake Gromack.

“I knew he’d be a little grippy,” Russell said. “It’s hard to open up on him sometimes, so I knew it would be a good test for me. I was expected to win, and I feel as long as I keep scoring points I’ll be OK.”

Russell opens the NCAA Championships against EWL counterpart Ibrahim Bunduka of George Mason. Russell beat Bunduka 9-4 in the conference semifinals.

This will be Russell’s second trip to the NCAA Championships.

“The environment is awesome,” he said. “Last year was my first time there, and that’s the coolest thing I ever did in wrestling. I feel I thrive in that environment and can make things happen that aren’t expected of me. The crowd affected me in a good way. I felt it boosted my energy a little bit, made me more excited. It was a ton of fun and I can’t wait to get back.

“College wrestling has been awesome. It’s everything I always thought it would be. I’ve been dreaming of the goal of being a national champion since I was six or seven. My whole life I thought about wrestling in college. That was the pinnacle for me. It’s hard, it’s a grind, but I love it and I’m embracing it.”

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

Russell and teammates Patricio Lugo (149), Austin Matthews (165), and Miller are making return trips to the NCAA Championships. It’ll be the first national tournament appearance for Korbin Myers (133), Chase Delande (157), Ty Schoffstall (174) and Dakota Geer (184). It’ll be the third trip for Matthews, who also qualified during his stint at Clarion.

Rider’s conference champions — B.J. Clagon (157), Chad Walsh (165) and Ryan Wolfe (197) are each making repeat trips to the NCAA Championships.

Along with the league’s 17 automatic bids to the national tournament, the EWL picked up three at-large tickets that went to Lock Haven’s Kyle Shoop (149), Cleveland State’s Nick Corba (184) and Rider’s Michale Fagg-Daves (184). Delande was added to the field Friday after Michigan’s Brian Murphy withdrew from the tournament due to injury.  

LAST GO-ROUND

Gary Taylor’s 39-year coaching run is down to its final days.

‘I’m pretty fired up for the NCAA tournament and ready to go,” the Rider coach said.

All three of Taylor’s EWL finalists won titles, and he’s excited about Clagon’s chances.

“He’s looked good ever since Midlands,” Taylor said. “He majored [Edinboro’s Chase Delande] in the finals. B.J. has got to continue to do what he’s doing. There were some major adjustments after Midlands technically, psychologically and strategically. He needs to take that to nationals. B.J. is one of the most talented kids I’ve ever had. At nationals, he’s in a tough weight class and he’s got to put it together. He has the talent, he clearly has the talent to do well in this tournament, but he has to put it all together. He has to perform.”

PERRY PERFORMS

Edinboro and Rider claimed nine of the 10 EWL titles. Lock Haven’s Ronnie Perry grabbed the other.

Perry knocked off Clarion’s top-seeded Brock Zacherl 5-3 in the conference finals at 141.

He opens the NCAA Championships against North Carolina State’s Kevin Jack, the No. 2 seed.

Lock Haven also qualified D.J. Fehlman (133), Thomas Haines (285) and Shoop (149).

“It was a good day overall with Ronnie wining and D.J. and Thomas and Adam (Mackie, second at 174) having real competitive matches in the finals,” Lock Haven coach Scott Moore said. “Individually, it was great seeing our younger guys — we had five freshmen in the tournament —  and guys like D.J., who got down to 133 on Dec. 29, and to see their progressions throughout the year.

“I’m so proud of Ronnie Perry winning. He beat a guy he lost to twice this year. He changed his style up, changed his stance and he found a way to ride the guy this time to win the match.”

(Photo: Edinboro won six individual titles on its way to claiming the EWL team championship/Edinboro Athletics)