PITTSBURGH -- The problem with taking people for granted is that just when it looks like a sure thing, disaster can strike. Dave Hart and Jeff Prescott almost learned that bitter lesson at last weekend's Eastern Wrestling League Championships.

Prescott (25-1) easily advanced to the finals, scoring falls over Matt Whitmer and fifth-seeded Brian Slates. The finals saw the defending 118-pound champion matched up against his arch nemesis, Tim Casey of Bloomsburg.

A couple of weeks ago, the two-time All-American needed riding time for a 4-3 decision over Casey. Prescott lost his only match last season to guess who? Casey.

It looked like a rout when Prescott scored a takedown 10 seconds into the match. Two more takedowns and a reversal and the senior had an 8-5 lead after one. From there it was sloppy city, as Prescott, who gives up two inches to Casey, overextended and ended up on the mat.

With the Bloomsburg senior and the anti-Penn State crowd smelling blood, Prescott scored a reversal in the final period. Once again, though, he needed riding time to win his third EWL title with an 11-10 decision.

"I came out firing," he said. "I felt good the first minute then I let up and he started stalling like he usually does when we wrestle."

Although Prescott is no technical genius, his performance left something to be desired. The Olean, N.Y., native, however, contends that fans expect too much.

Prescott was fine until he let Casey dictate the tempo, Coach Rich Lorenzo said.

"I thought he wrestled good except when he started wrestling Casey's match," he said.

After the near-catastrophe Prescott said that he was "tired, but I felt like I was ready to wrestle another match."

Despite his less-than-sparkling finish, Prescott became the sixth Penn Stater to win three EWL titles. He also established a new scoring record at 118 pounds with 60 points. Prescott has a 47-2 record, including an 11-0 tournament mark over the last two seasons.

The Lions' most consistent wrestler, Hart (29-1), almost gave Lorenzo a heart attack when he was nearly pinned in the semifinals by Clarion's J.J. Stanbro. Lorenzo has said all season that Hart would only lose if, "he makes a mistake or if the guy is better than he is."

In this case, Hart, the No. 1 seed, got caught off-balance. Next thing you know, Stanbro had pancaked him and scored three back points. People still haven't figured out how he avoided the pin. For the first time this season, however, Hart was in deep trouble, down 5-0. Thirty seconds later, however, reality set in and Stanbro was victimized by a five-point move. Hart took over from there and recorded a 12-6 decision.

"Scary. All our hearts just jumped," Lorenzo said. "He made a drastic error. He was an eyelash away from being pinned. The fact that he was able to get the points right back and control the match shows a lot about him."

Pitt's Sean Gibbs, however, made things even hotter in the finals at 167. Earlier this season, Hart trounced Gibbs, 9-1. With the fans squarely behind him, however, Gibbs scored the initial takedown. Gibbs could smell the EWL title, however, with 25 seconds left, the referee called him for stalling. With two seconds left, another stall call tied the match.

Realizing that he had been given a reprieve, Hart scored a takedown seven seconds into overtime to win his first EWL title. Pitt fans, however, smelled a robbery and made their feelings known as they chanted, "The referee, the referee, the referee is a horse's ass."

Ever the perfectionist, Hart wasn't pleased with his performance.

"I was a little sluggish, I wasn't sure why," he said. "The guy has a different style, it's sort of dangerous. If I pin everyone then I'm pleased. I can't really afford to win like that."

Despite Hart's showing, Lorenzo feels that the junior just needs a little rest.

Lorenzo claims that Hart has wrestled "intelligently" all season. His record seems to support this. His only loss came to No. 1 Steve Hamilton of Iowa State and his 7-0 tournament mark should bode well in the tournament.