Senior heavyweight Josh Carter won the final bout to move his dual meet record to 8-0, but it was not enough to bring the Muhlenberg wrestling team back from a large deficit. The Mules were defeated by Scranton, 36-15.

Carter won a 5-4 decision to improve his overall record to 15-4. He has won seven straight bouts. His last loss came Dec. 6, when he was defeated by a wrestler ranked eighth in the nation in the championship of the Petrofes Invitational at Messiah.

The evening started out promising for Muhlenberg (1-7). The Mules won the 125 and 133 classes by forfeit, but lost close decisions at 141 and 149 and did not win again until Cater’s bout. The win was the first of the season for Scranton (1-9).

Click here for box score.

The Muhlenberg track and field team has a pretty good recipe for success in the 2004 indoor season, which begins tomorrow at the Kutztown Invitational: Start with a good women’s team, take away no graduating team members, and add a stellar freshman class. Then take the 2003 Centennial Conference men’s runner-up squad, and fill the gaps left by graduation with points in other events.

After breaking into the upper half of the Centennial Conference last year, placing fifth in the CC Championships, almost the entire women’s

Hankee holds school indoor records in the 55, 55 hurdles and 4x200.

team is back and ready to compete for the 2004 indoor league title.

“I don’t think there’s an event in the conference meet where we can’t score points,” Head Coach Brad Hackett said. “That’s when you know your team’s getting better. We’ve gotten to the point where we’re a player in the Centennial Conference.”

For junior Katie Macomber, the objective is clear-cut. Her philosophy: “The goal is to get more points than last year. If that puts us in fifth again, so be it. If we get a higher place, that’s even better.”

With a solid group of returning runners, the Mules could improve in places as well as points. Sophomore Karen Mount can contribute points in any race from the 800-meter to the 3,000. Muhlenberg has the luxury of several possible combinations for its relay teams. Senior Diana Garretto and junior Samantha Sachleben each competed on multiple school-record-setting relay teams last year. Some of the records they eclipsed, Macomber helped set a season earlier.

Garretto and her co-captain Stephanie Melka and fellow senior Gail Morris provide veteran leadership and contributions in the distance events.

Sophomore Danielle Seiler contributed to four ’Berg indoor records last year and scored points in five events at the conference meet. Along with Seiler, junior Ashlie Hankee and senior Kathryn Scalzo will make an impact in the hurdles. Junior Danielle Bovelle will try to earn the Mules points in the sprints.

In the field events, Meghan Douglas-Snyder won the CC indoor pole vault title each of her first two years on campus. Fellow junior Kristin Boydston set the school indoor shot put record last season.

In addition to the returning talent, the Mules have an outstanding freshman class that will provide a key ingredient to team success that past teams have lacked: depth.

The men’s team lost some key components after its best CC finish last year, but is ready to reload and keep its place among the elite teams of the league.

“We’re trying to replace some points through other events,” said senior captain Alex Johansen. “It’s something that develops throughout the season. Everything’s about the conference meet.”

One area where the Mules will look to pick up some points is the throws. With 12 throwers, the Mules are very deep but shot put is the only throwing event in indoor competitions. Defending CC champion Frank Santini will look to repeat in his senior season, and several of other Mules look capable of breakout years. Sophomores Brian Campfield and Joe Baiocchi have been through a season adjusting to the larger implements thrown in college, and Beny Jose and Jeff Salzano should step up as juniors. Also throwing the shot in the indoor season will be senior Randy Holak, a three-time Centennial outdoor medallist in the javelin.

Senior Matt Frye is the men’s top pole vaulter. The Mules could get a big lift from Frye

Frye finished fourth in the pole vault at last year’s CC meet.

and senior jumper Joshua Boyer, who has placed six times at conference, but is battling injury.

There is no decathlon in indoor track, but that won’t stop Muhlenberg’s decathletes from making an impact. Junior John Brodowski holds four indoor ’Berg records and is the defending CC high jump champion. Junior Harry Kegelman showed his versatility with a strong showing in his first-ever decathlon at last year’s outdoor conference meet. Coaches expect him to get better at all his events as he gets more experience. Johansen said he is better shape now than in past winters, which should help him contribute more, especially in the high jump and long jump.

Johansen is one of two captains on the men’s side. The other is senior distance runner Rob Uniszkiewicz. Uniszkiewicz had two fifth-place finishes in last year’s CC meet.

The Mules will get plenty of other senior leadership from their distance athletes. Rich Kipp helped set a school record in the indoor 4x800 and won a gold on the distance medley relay team at CCs in 2003. Jordan Corbman specializes in the 400 hurdles. Another distance runner, sophomore Alexander Hotz holds the school indoor record in the 3,000.

The Mules will rely on a pair of two-sport athletes, wide receivers Ben Phillips and Kyle Douglass to lead them in the shorter races. Phillips, a member of the distance medley relay team that finished fifth at the NCAA Championships, is Muhlenberg’s only returning All-American. Douglass had a promising freshman season, despite fighting injury, and could break through in 2004.

With the addition of some skilled freshmen, the Mules have a complete team, capable of getting points in any event. With some of the veterans stepping up with big seasons, Muhlenberg should be able to stay near the top of the Centennial heap.