A duo of national champions, Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) and David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), as well as senior James English (York, Pa.) wrestled in the final home dual meets of their careers. All three came away victorious with Taylor and Ruth thrilling the capacity crowd with blazingly fast first period falls.
The dual began at 125, where junior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 2 nationally, posted a dominating 21-6 technical fall over Clarion's Hunter Jones, getting the tech at the 5:00 mark. Red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 15 at 133, matched Megaludis with a takedown of his own, rolling to a 16-0 first period takedown (3:00) over Clarion's Victor Lepari.
True freshman Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 2 nationally at 141, posted a strong 8-4 win over Clarion senior Tyler Bedelyon to put the Loins up 13-0. Senior James English (York, Pa.) made his Rec Hall farewell in fine fashion, posting a 7-2 decision over talented Clarion freshman Justin Arthur. At 157, junior Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 6 in the nation, closed out a perfect Penn State opening half with a 12-6 win over another talented Clarion rookie. The victory gave Penn State a 19-0 lead heading into intermission.
After the break, the sold out Rec Hall crowd rose to its feet as Taylor took center stage in Rec Hall for the final time. Taylor, ranked No. 1 at 165, gave the fans exactly what they wanted, posting the second fastest pin in Penn State history. Taylor caught Clarion's Michael Pavasko in just seconds, took him to the mat and flattened his shoulders for a pin in just 0:11. Junior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), ranked No. 4 at 174, was equally impressive, notching a first period pin of his own, getting the fall over Clarion's Ryan Darch at the 2:50 mark.
Following Brown's pin at 174, it was time for Ruth to receive a standing ovation from nearly 6,500 fans in sold out Rec Hall as he hit the mat in Rec Hall for the last time. Ruth, ranked No. 2 at 184, also went out in a blaze of glory with a first period pin. The Lion senior used his textbook cradle to lock up Clarion's Dustin Conti, adjust once and then flatten the Eagle for the fall at the 1:05 mark.
Sophomore Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 3 at 197, made it four straight pins for Penn State, notching a second period pin at the 3:11 mark to put Penn State up 43-0. Clarion avoided the shut-out at 285, however. Junior Jimmy Lawson (Tom's River, N.J.), ranked No. 12 at 285, got the nod at heavyweight for the first time since an injury sidelined the Lion on Jan. 19. Lawson mounted a late comeback but riding time would be the difference as Evan Daley posted the 7-6 upset victory with 1:57 in time, making the final 43-3 in Penn State's favor.
Taylor moves to 26-0 on the year with 12 pins, seven tech falls and six majors. His 49 career pins is second all-time at Penn State, four shy of the all-time record of 63. The 0:11 fall was the second fastest in Penn State history (Dylan Alton had an 0:08 pin last year). Taylor is 126-3, sixth in wins at Penn State, with 49 pins, 41 techs and 28 majors. He ends his career with 63 dual meet victories, a perfect 63-0 record, third all-time at Penn State win dual wins.
Ruth is now 25-1 with ten pins, eight tech falls and six majors. His 45 career pins is third all-time at Penn State. Ruth is now 127-3 all-time, fifth on Penn State's all-time wins list. He has 45 pins, 24 tech falls and 29 majors during his Lion career. He leaves Penn State with a perfect 55-0 dual meet record, eighth all-time in school history.
Megaludis improves to 23-2 with a pin, five techs and nine majors; Retherford is still perfect on the year with a 26-0 mark, including four pins, two techs and seven majors; Alton is 16-2 with three pins and a major; Brown is 24-3 with seven pins, four techs and eight majors; and McIntosh is 25-2 with five pins and 11 majors.
Penn State won the takedown battle by a 24-3 margin. This was the second time this year Penn State had four pins in a dual (Michigan State). Sanderson's Lions close out the dual meet season with a 15-1 overall record and won their second Big Ten dual meet title (co-) with a 7-1 conference ledger. Clarion is now 9-15 overall. Penn State's 15 dual meet wins is the second most since 1998 when Penn State won 18 (The Lions went 17-1 in 2010-11). The sell-out crowd of 6,483 is the 19th-straight home sellout for Penn State
The Nittany Lions will now prep for the 2014 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, hosted by the University of Wisconsin on March 8-9. Penn State will be aiming for its fourth-straight Big Ten crown at the Kohl Center, with action beginning on Saturday, March 8, at 11 a.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Central).
Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#1 Penn State 43, Clarion 3
February 23, 2014 - Rec Hall - University Park, Pa.
125: #2 Nico Megaludis PSU tech fall Hunter Jones CUP, 21-5 (TF; 5:00) -- 5-0
133: #15 Jimmy Gulibon PSU tech fall Victor Lepari CUP, 16-0 (TF; 3:00) -- 10-0
141: #2 Zain Retherford PSU dec. Tyler Bedelyon CUP, 8-4 -- 13-0
149: James English PSU dec. Justin Arthur CUP, 7-2 -- 16-0
157: #6 Dylan Alton PSU dec. Austin Matthews CUP, 12-6 -- 19-0
165: #1 David Taylor PSU pinned Michael Pavasko CUP, WBF (0:11) -- 25-0
174: #4 Matt Brown PSU pinned Ryan Darch CUP, WBF (2:50) -- 31-0
184: #2 Ed Ruth PSU pinned Dustin Conti CUP, WBF (1:05) -- 37-0
197: #3 Morgan McIntosh PSU pinned Danny Sutherland CUP, WBF (3:11) -- 43-0
285: Evan Daley CUP dec. #12 Jimmy Lawson PSU, 7-6 -- 43-3
Attendance: 6,483 (19th straight home sell out)
Records: Penn State 15-1, 7-1 B1G; Clarion 9-15
Up Next for Penn State: 2014 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, Madison, Wis., Saturday and Sunday, March 8-9, the Kohl Center
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Junior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 2 at 125, took on Clarion freshman Hunter Jones. Megaludis quickly took control of Jones' shoulders but the Eagle was able to fight off the move and keep the bout scoreless in the early going. The Nittany Lion used a swift duck under to work his way to a takedown at the 1:40 mark. He quickly tacked on three more takedowns and led 8-3 with :50 on the clock. Megaludis controlled the action from the top for the rest of the period, tacking on three near fall points in the process, to lead 11-3 after one. Megaludis chose down to start the second period, quickly escaped and then took Jones down for a 14-4 lead after cutting the Eagle loose. He tacked on another takedown and cut to lead 16-5 and added one more takedown with :38 left, upping his lead to 18-5. Megaludis then turned Jones one more time for three back points and rode him out for the 21-5 tech fall at the 5:00 mark.
133: Red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 15 at 133, met Golden Eagle Victor Lepari. Gulibon scored right out of the gates to take a 2-0 lead. He then dominated action from the top position, working for a turning combination. He turned Lepari for two back points and led by four at the opening period's midway point. Gulibon reset, turned Lepari for three back points, reset again, and tacked on three more near fall points to lead 10-0 at the :40 mark. The Lion freshman added two more three point tilts, rode Lepari out and posted the 16-0 tech fall at the 3:00 mark, putting Penn State up 10-0 early.
141: True freshman Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 2 at 141, took on Clarion senior Tyler Bedelyon. The veteran Eagle shot quickly, gaining control of Retherford's ankle, working for an opening takedown. Bedelyon worked his way to the takedown only to quickly be reversed by Retherford, tying the score at 2-2 with 2:30 on the clock. Retherford then began to work on top, building up over 2:00 of riding time as he flattened the Eagle out. Retherford nearly turned Bedelyon for back points but the Clarion grappler fought off the move to keep the bout tied after one period. Bedelyon chose down to start the second period and worked his way into a low single leg. But Retherford was able to muscle through the shot and force a stalemate with :54 on the clock. The duo battled evenly for the rest of the period and the bout moved to the third tied at 2-2, with Retherford owning 2:22 in riding time. Retherford chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead. He then exploded into a low single, working through a scramble into a takedown and a 5-2 lead with 1:16 on the clock. Retherford cut Bedelyon loose, quickly worked a high double into a takedown and led 7-3 with :50 on the clock. Retherford cut the Eagle loose again but could not notch a final takedown. The strong third period, with 2:36 in time, gave Retherford the 8-4 win.
149: James English (York, Pa.) got the nod at 149 in his final dual meet as a Nittany Lion and took on Clarion freshman Justin Arthur. English scored first, using a fast low single to gain control of Arthur's ankle, working his way to a takedown and a 2-0 lead with 1:46 on the clock. The Lion senior then controlled the action from the top, building up a 1:46 time advantage with a strong ride out. English chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. He then fought off an Arthur low single leg, forcing a stalemate with 1:20 on the clock. Arthur got in on a high single, forcing another scramble, but English was tough on defense once again, killing the clock before any takedown was called. Arthur chose down to start the third period and quickly reversed the Lion to cut English's lead to 3-2. English forced a stalemate at the :56 mark, still on the bottom. He scrambled for a near reversal, but the Eagle was able to maintain control. Arthur then cut English loose on a reset, only to watch the Lion quickly take him down to open up a 6-2 lead. A ride out and 1:28 in riding time gave the Nittany Lion senior a strong 7-2 win.
157: Junior Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 6 at 157, faced Clarion's Austin Matthews. Alton nearly locked Matthews up for a throw early. But the Eagle fought off the attempt to keep things scoreless early. Alton turned in on a quick single, taking the Eagle down for a takedown and an early 2-1 lead. He added a second takedown to lead 4-1 with 1:45 on the clock. Matthews escaped to a 4-2 score with 1:20 left in the opening period, but Alton's offensive pressure was too much as the Lion junior caught the Eagle for a four-point move, getting the takedown and two near fall points to lead 8-2 after one period. Matthews chose down to start the second period and worked his way to an escape and an 8-3 score, but not before Alton built up 1:39 in riding time. Leading 8-3, Alton chose down to start the third period. He deftly worked his way around Matthews for a reversal and a 10-3 lead with 1:40 on the clock. Matthews escaped to a 10-4 scored with 1:20 left. Alton forced a scramble that ended in a stalemate with :51 left and action resumed in the center circle. Matthews countered a slight Alton shot and notched takedown to cut the lead to 11-6. But Alton escaped and quickly got in on a shot that killed the clock. 1:49 in riding time gave Alton a 12-6 win and put Penn State up 19-0 at the break.
165: Senior David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 1 at 165, bid adieu to Rec Hall by battling Clarion's Michael Pavasko. Walking off the stage in stunning and quick fashion, Taylor gained control of Pavasko's shoulder, quickly took the Eagle to the mat and turned his shoulders flat for a blistering pin in jut 0:11. The fall is the second fastest in Penn State history and sent the Rec Hall faithful to their feet.
174: Junior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), ranked No. 4 at 174, faced off against Clarion freshman Ryan Darch. Brown took a quick 2-1 lead with a fast takedown and cut. He then took Darch down again, this time nearly picking up the pin in the last :30. But Darch was able to roll out of trouble. Undaunted, Brown got in on another low single, forced a scramble and, with his back to Darch, used his strength to flatten the Eagle's shoulders out and get the first period pin at the 2:50 mark, putting Penn State up 31-0.
184: Senior Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 2 at 184, took on Clarion's Dustin Conti in the final Rec Hall dual meet of his career. Ruth, like Taylor, would walk off the Rec Hall mat for the last time in glory. Catching Conti in a quick cradle, the Nittany Lion senior steadily worked the Eagle's shoulders to the mat. After a brief adjustment, the talented Nittany Lion picked up the pin at the 1:05 mark, eliciting a deafening roar from the sold out Rec Hall crowd.
197: Sophomore Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 3 at 197, met Danny Sutherland. McIntosh scored early, using a low single to take Sutherland down and lead 2-1 in the opening :30. The Lion was relentless, tacking on two more quick takedowns to lead 6-3 with 1:26 on the clock. After a reset, the third-ranked Nittany Lion picked up a fourth takedown with :30 on the clock and then turned Conti for three back points to lead 11-3 after one period. Conti chose down to start the second period and McIntosh made him pay for the decision. He lifted the Eagle off the mat, turned him mid-air and brought him down flat in just eleven seconds, picking up the fall, Penn State's fourth straight, at the 3:11 mark.
285: Junior Jimmy Lawson (Tom's River, N.J.), ranked No. 12 at 285, took to the mat for the first time since a Jan. 19 injury and faced Clarion's Evan Daley. Daley looked to score early, shooting low on Lawson and working his way to a 2-0 lead with 2:07 on the clock. Lawson quickly reversed the Eagle and, after a Daley escaped, trailed 3-2 with 1:20 left. The duo battled evenly for the remainder of the period and Lawson trailed by one after one. Daley chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-2 lead. Lawson and Daley traded shoulder control for the next minute with neither man gaining control of the action. Daley turned his efforts into a low single and a takedown to lead 6-2 with :30 on the clock. The Lion junior rolled his way to an escaped and a 6-3 score after two period. Lawson chose down to start the third period but could not work his way free of a strong Daley ride. The Clarion big man controlled the action from the top, building up over 1:00 in riding time and then clinching the point before Lawson escaped to a 6-4 score with just :25 on the clock. Showing spark in the waning seconds, Lawson quickly blew through a low double to tie the bout at 6-6 with :05 left, but Daley's 1:57 in riding time was the difference. The Eagle notched a 7-6 win and prevented the shut-out with Penn State winning 43-3.
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