InterMat Staff

Trennis Henderson

Charlie Falck

Barry Davis

NEW CONCORD, Ohio -- The Waynesburg University wrestling team won every contested match and received three forfeits as they rolled over Muskingum by the score of 46-6 on Tuesday night. Freshman 125-pounder Alex Crown got the night started right with a pin in 37 seconds over Shawn Feistamel. The Jackets received forfeits at 133 and 141 pounds, extending their advantage to 18-0. At 149, the Jackets kept the big wins coming as sophomore Jesse Byerly rolled to a 20-3 technical fall victory over Kenny Poland. Sophomore Garrett Johnston followed with a 10-0 major decision win over Ralph Geesey, making it 27-0 Yellow Jackets. Sophomore Alex Evanoff picked up a 17-5 major decision at 165 over Adam Harris, and the Jackets added a forfeit at 174 to extend their lead to 37-0. Junior Corbin Semple won by 7-0 decision over Jacob Getto to take a 40-0 lead. The Muskies picked up a forfeit at 197 for their only win of the night, but senior Melvin Warrick got the six points back by pinning Kenny Weber in 5:38. With the win, the Yellow Jackets got their dual match record back to .500 (3-3), while Muskingum fell to 0-3. Though things went fairly easily for Waynesburg in Ohio, they’ll face a much stiffer challenge on Friday, when they host The Apprentice School, which is a powerhouse from the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA).

Wildcats seek to remain King(s) of the Mountain Central Mountain, PA seeks to defend its championship from last year in its home tournament, the King of the Mountain. However, they will have to withstand a challenge from arguably the best team in New Jersey -- High Point. Other notable teams in the field include Council Rock South, PA; Kiski Prep, PA; defending Reno ToC champions Phillipsburg, NJ; Massillon Perry, OH; and Reynolds, PA. Nine wrestlers that appear in the national rankings anchor this field. Most notably is the group of either three or four nationally ranked competitors at 152 pounds -- including the top wrestler in this weight nationally in Dylan Alton (Central Mountain, PA). Also projected to compete here is a pair of wrestlers ranked sixth and seventh respectively at 152 pounds -- John Guzzo (High Point, NJ) and Jason Luster (Kiski Prep, PA). It is also possible that Eric Hess (Benton, PA) -- ranked 12th in this weight -- competes in this weight class, though he could end up at 160 pounds. A pair of nationally-ranked wrestlers are also slated to compete at 285 pounds, where No. 3 Evan Craig (Abington Heights, PA) and No. 9 Tyler Demott (Benton, PA) project to meet in a battle of the preseason favorites in each Pennsylvania classification at the weight. Mike Rhone (Benton, PA) is ranked in the nation at 119 pounds; however, his weight class will be an absolute battle with the presence of state champion Nick Francavilla (High Point, NJ) and Mason Beckman (Reynolds, PA), who won the toughest weight class of the Walsh Ironman last week. Two other wrestlers ranked first in the nation are slated to compete in this event -- Josh Dziewa (Council Rock South, PA) is ranked at 135, though he may also end up at 140; and Andrew Alton (Central Mountain, PA) at 145. The fields at both 135 and 140 are formidable. A trio of state placers is projected for the 135 pound weight class -- Jordan Rich (Central Mountain, PA); Drew Wagenhoffer (High Point, NJ); and Zach Dailey (Massillon Perry, OH). At 140 pounds, a pair of Ironman placers anchors the challenge group in Evan Henderson (Kiski Prep, PA) and Shane Foster (Massillon Perry, OH); Oliver Burkhardt (Phillipsburg, NJ) was a state placer last year; Brian Brill (Central Mountain, PA) was a Cadet freestyle runner-up; and Lorenzo Thomas (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, PA) is a returning state qualifier. The tournament's other nationally-ranked wrestler is Mitchell Port (Bellefonte, PA), who is eighth nationally at 125 pounds. Last year in this event, he ended the 100-match winning streak of Shane Young with a 6-2 victory in the championship match at 119 pounds. Among the wrestlers seeking to block Port's title defense are state qualifiers Matt Rappo (Council Rock South, PA); Dylan Durso (Reynolds, PA); and Cameron Throckmorton (South-Western, PA). Clovis depth crystal clear Even with Clovis, CA having seven wrestlers competing at the Ironman -- where they were able to muster an 11th place finish -- the rest of the squad dominated all comers at the Clovis West Shootout on the way to an overall championship. The six victories were 38-25 over Laguna Hills, 51-9 over Bella Vista, 66-6 over Ventura, 39-18 over Vacaville, 76-3 over Gilroy, and 67-10 over El Dorado. Second place among "home" teams was Bakersfield. Vacaville and Laguna Hills were the top two on the "away" side. Outstanding wrestler honors went to Moses Quesada (Clovis East, CA) at 140 pounds -- home team light weights; Brian Schoene (Bakersfield, CA) at 285 -- home team upper weights; Bobby Morales (Laguna Hills, CA) at 135 -- away team light weights; and Jake Briggs (Bella Vista, CA) at 140/145 -- away team upper weights. CW Shootout All-Tournament Team (Photo/Ian Shaw)Wrestlers were named to the all-tournament team on the basis of being undefeated and having the most wins in the weight class for which they weighed in. Bakersfield led the way with Ian Nickell (103), Micah Cruz (119), Jeff Lanier (125), Natrelle Demison (130), and Schoene earning all-tournament honors. Vacaville, CA was the only other team with multiple wrestlers on the all-tournament squad, as Tyler Johnson (145) and Adam Delagarza (189) were selected. Rounding out the roster were Shane Tucker (Bella Vista, CA) at 112; Morales; Quesada; Johnny Pedraza (Hanford West, CA) at 152; Nikko Reyes (Clovis West, CA) at 160; Martin Fabbian (Buchanan, CA) at 171; and Devin Barbo (Clovis, CA) at 215 pounds. Dvorak Memorial to feature premier talent from Illinois, nation The premier regular season event for wrestling in the Land of Lincoln will be contested on the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas at Machesney Park Harlem High School outside of Rockford, IL. The field has a pair of state champions and runners-up from last year -- Oak Park River Forest, IL and Montini Catholic, IL won titles; while Yorkville, IL and Iowa City West, IA took home second place. The field also includes perennial powers such as Mt Carmel, IL; Providence Catholic, IL; Neuqua Valley, IL; and Bishop Lynch, TX. While the Friars of Bishop Lynch are favored, Montini Catholic is the defending champion. Fourteen wrestlers currently ranked by InterMat anchor the field, with three slated to compete at 160 pounds; which, like last year, will be the featured weight bracket of the event. Nick Moore (Iowa City West, IA) -- ranked second in the country - seeks to repeat as Dvorak champion in a weight that his teammate Derek St.. John, now at Iowa, won last year. The two prime challengers will be Nick Proctor (Neuqua Valley, IL) and Jahwon Akui (St.. Rita, IL); Proctor is ranked eighth at 171, and Akui ranked ninth in this weight. Three other wrestlers will lead the charge seeking to derail the big three -- Trey Adamson (Bishop Lynch, TX); Sam Brooks (Oak Park River Forest, IL); and Jeff Koepke (Hersey, IL). While there is only one ranked wrestler at 189 pounds -- 16th ranked Stephen McPeek (Bishop Lynch, TX) -- the competition will be very rigorous. Challengers of note include Cadet freestyle champion Austin Mardsen (Crystal Lake Central, IL); two-time Super 32 placer Ben Brooks (Oak Park River Forest, IL); and a pair of state placers in Sterling Hecox (Machesney Park Harlem, IL) and Matthew Dwyer (Hononegah, IL). A pair of ranked wrestlers appears in weight classes 130 through 140. At 130 pounds, it is Edwin Cooper (Providence Catholic, IL) and Colton Rasche (Montini Catholic, IL); Cooper ranked 10th at 125, while Rasche is ranked 13th in this weight. Another wrestler to watch in this weight is Case Garrison (Bishop Lynch, TX), who placed fifth at the Walsh Ironman. At 135 pounds, Chris Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL) and Jed Lightfoot (Yorkville, IL) are ranked; Dardanes 13th at this weight, and Lightfoot 17th at 130 pounds. Two others to watch are Tyler Argue (Mount Carmel, IL) and Troy Silver (Bishop Lynch, TX), who placed fifth and sixth at the Walsh Ironman. Finally at 140 pounds, Nick Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL) is ranked second in the country while Stephen Robertson (Montini Catholic, IL) is ranked 17th at 135 pounds. Rounding out the list of nationally-ranked wrestlers in this field are Kevon Powell (Montini Catholic, IL) at 103 pounds; Derek Elmore (Machesney Park Harlem, IL) at 112 pounds; Eddie Klimara (Providence Catholic, IL) at 119 pounds; and Tanner Eitel (Bishop Lynch, TX) at 171 pounds. However, in the 171 pound weight class, Walsh Ironman champion Charles Argue (Mount Carmel, IL) pinned Eitel in preliminary competition on Friday evening. Diverse field to converge at KCI Center The Toshiba Midwest Classic in Kansas City, MO will play host to teams from ten different states. Park Hill, MO seeks to defend its title and enters the event as a strong favorite with four nationally-ranked wrestlers -- Skylar Wood (119), though ranked at 112; Alan Waters (125); Kaleb Friedley (145), though ranked at 140; and John Eblen (189). In addition, both Bricker Dixon (112) and Hayden Bock (215) were state runners-up last year; and Dixon was a double Junior National All-American this past summer. Top challengers to Park Hill include Skutt Catholic, NE; Collins Hill, GA; and Blue Springs, MO -- the three teams that were within 15 points of the championship last year. Two weight classes have a pair of ranked wrestlers present. First, Waters is ranked sixth at 125 pounds, with TJ Mitchell (Collins Hill, GA) ranked 17th. Then at 145 pounds, Friedley and Greg Amos (Holt, MO) project to meet in a match that could preview the state championship bout; Friedley ranked eighth at 140, while Amos is ranked 11th in this weight class. However, in the 125 pound weight class Cody Brewer (Oak Park, MO) is a very tough challenger, already with two state titles in this his junior campaign. Other nationally-ranked wrestlers in this field are Brad Perkins (Oak Park, MO) at 103 pounds; Thomas Gilman (Skutt Catholic, NE) at 112 pounds; Daniel Baucke (Christian Brothers, TN) at 130 pounds; Joel Smith (Collins Hill, GA) at 140 pounds; and Drake Houdashelt (Fort Zumwalt West, MO) at 150 pounds. Gilman is looking at a key projected final with Dixon, while state champion Bazell Partridge (Collins Hill, GA) hopes to spoil this at 112 pounds. Baucke's prime competition includes a pair of state champions in Ian Fisher (Perry, OK) and Michael Roberts (Canyon Randall, TX) -- as well as freshman sensation Jake Marlin (Creston, IA). State champion Devin Aguirre (Ponca City, OK) is the prime challenger to Smith at 140 pounds, though Jake Gregerson (Granite City, IL) and Josh Howk (Blue Springs, MO) do have state finals experience. Merry Christmas, Minnesota style Rochester, MN will be home to the vast majority of the top scholastic wrestling teams from the Gopher State this Friday and Saturday for the Minnesota Christmas Tournament. Five of the six teams inside the top three in Class 3A and 2A, the two bigger classifications, are in this tournament; Apple Valley, Hastings, STMA, Simley, and Plainview-Elgin-Millville. In total nine of the top 12 in Class 3A and five of the top seven in 2A appear in the field, as do two of the top teams in North Dakota -- Bismarck and West Fargo. Ten nationally-ranked wrestlers by InterMat, and a total of 17 wrestlers ranked first in their state division anchor the field. The tournament's premier weight class should be the one at 160 pounds, where Joe Latham (Bismarck, ND) -- ranked 15th in the nation -- is the favorite. Also ranked first in their state division in this weight class are Blaine Miller (Plainview-Elgin-Millville, MN) and Jordan Campa (STMA, MN); Steven Keogh (Apple Valley, MN) is ranked second to Campa and in the field as well. Four other weight brackets have a pair of top ranked wrestlers in their state division. At 119 pounds, it is Dakota Trom (Apple Valley, MN) and Drew Fleming (Watertown-Mayer, MN). In the 130 pound weight class, it is Ben Morgan (Forest Lake, MN) and/or Matt Kelliher (Apple Valley, MN), as well as Garrett Garness (Kasson-Mantorville, MN). Kevin Nelson (Forest Lake, MN) and Joe Schumacher (Bismarck, ND) appear at 135 pounds. Finally at 189 pounds, it is Tyler Lehmann (West Fargo, ND) and Kraig Schumm (STMA, MN). Other than Latham, nationally-ranked wrestlers by InterMat include Morgan (ranked at 130); Kelliher (ranked at 135); Brandon Kingsley (Apple Valley, MN) at 140 pounds; Dylan Ness (Bloomington Kennedy, MN) at 145 pounds; Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, MN) at 152 pounds; Jake Waste (Apple Valley, MN) at 171 pounds, but ranked nationally at 160; and Scott Schiller (West Fargo, ND) at 215 pounds. No anchor team, but many strong individuals at Reno ToC In the past Reno was an absolute buzzsaw of a tournament with power teams and dominant individuals at every single turn. However, at present the tournament is on a slight down-turn. The field this year has no team that is the definitive favorite; in fact, last year's top three teams in the standings are all not in the field this year. Should Tulsa Union, OK be back in order from their football tournament run, the Hurricanes may be pre-tournament favorites. However, there are 13 individuals ranked by InterMat in the tournament field with a pair of weight classes having three each. At 135 pounds, Louis Trujillo (Rio Rancho, NM) is ranked fourth in the country; with Kade Moss (Bingham, UT) ranked eighth; and Luke Goettl (Mingus, AZ) ranked 14th. Former Reno ToC runner-up Joey Rizzolino (Easton, PA) is also projected to be in this weight class. At 152 pounds, Steven Hernandez (Bishop Gorman, NV); Justin DeAngelis (Jenks, OK); and Travis Gallegos (Foothill PC, CA) are also all top 100 members of the Class of 2010 as well. A pair of ranked wrestlers is present at 189 pounds with Austin Morehead (Sutter Union, CA) ranked 17th in this weight, and Adam Delagarza (Vacaville, CA) ranked 14th at 171 pounds. Other challengers include state placer JT Felix (Centennial, CA) and Tanner Hall (Meridian, ID); Hall is a state champion and Cadet National Greco-Roman champion. Rounding out the nationally-ranked wrestlers are Jesse Delgado (Gilroy, CA) -- ranked fifth at 119 pounds -- but projected to compete at 125; Mark Hartenstine (Easton, PA) ranked 12th at 140 pounds; Jake Snider (Ponderosa, CO) ranked ninth at 145; Dominic Kastl (Gilroy, CA) ranked 16th at 160; and Ronnie Balfour (Tulsa Union, OK) ranked 12th at 160 but projected to compete at 171 pounds. Notable challengers to Delgado in a deep 125 pound weight class are Shane Thomas (Catoosa, OK); Chris Martinez (Clovis West, CA); Bryan Grubbs (La Costa Canyon, CA); Tommy Siciliano (Newburg, OR); and Fabian Garcia (Turlock, CA). Hartenstine is looking at a likely battle with the much ballyhooed Ben Morgan (Catoosa, OK) -- a senior who has not materialized in high school as expected. Snider is looking at a challenger group mostnotably led by Nick Wooden (Spring Creek, NV). Tulsa Union dominant but not champs at home tournament Despite four champions -- Josh Walker (112), Kyle Ash (145), Kyle Crutchmer (152), and Ronnie Balfour (171) -- Tulsa Union, OK was not able to muster the team title at their home event. Winning the Mid-American Nationals was Claremore with 201 points, who were led by their lone champion Jordan Basks (135). Key to the 201-188 point margin victory was the fact Claremore had ten total placers, while Tulsa Union only had three wrestlers place in the top eight other than their champions. The distance between second and fourth was similar to that between first and second, while fourth to fifth had a more than 50 point chasm. Finishing third was Allen, TX with 185 points and five top three finishers anchored by a title from freshman Oliver Pierce (140). Finishing fourth was Tuttle, OK led by their lone champion Shane Woods (215). Both Allen and Tuttle had eight total placers. MVP honors went to Balfour with three technical falls heading into the final and then a pin over Cole Gracey of Tuttle, OK in a battle of returning state runners-up. Other wrestlers earning Mid-American Nationals titles were Jett Shell (103) and Rhett Leach (119) from Sallisaw, OK; Cory (160) and Cody (285) Dauphin from El Reno, OK; Zach Housley (125) from Grove, OK; Taylor Moeder (130) from St. James Academy, KS; and Max Adair (189) from Lawton MacArthur, OK. Dueling Paths The top two teams in the state of Indiana competed at the Traicoff Invitational this past weekend. In the final round of Saturday's event at Calument High School, Mishawaka dominated the defending state champions Crown Point to the tune of a 43-17 victory. The two returning state runners-up for the Cavemen -- Ryan Stahl (152) and Christian Lentz (215) -- each secured pins; while the two anchor wrestlers for Crown Point, Jason Tsirtsis (130) and Eric Roach (145) were only able to secure a 3-1 decision and technical fall victory respectively. Replay allows for re-examined perspective For those that followed the Cover-it-Live blog of the Walsh Ironman this past weekend on InterMat, the 119-pound semifinal between Hunter Stieber (Monroeville, OH) and Ty Mitch (Aurora, OH) had an ending that was incredibly controversial and confusing. The video replay is shot from opposite of where the media was positioned. In my opinion, instead of the call being absolutely awful; we just have a controversial match ending. Through the wonders of Flowrestling, you can decide for yourself. The circle of life This past weekend was the Alaska State Wrestling Tournaments. In Division 4A, Colony used five state finalists to score 220.5 points on the way to a state title. Winning championships were Kenny Boykin (171) and Eric Fan (215) while Charles Coisman (119), Sam Loggions (130), and Renn Wright (285) finished in second place. Other teams with multiple champions were Anchorage East with a quartet of champions in Nathan Marquez (103), Matthew Malnoske (125), Skyler Moore (130), and Nathan Hoffer (140); Lathrup had a pair -- Dillon Achman (112) and Joe Hughes (119); while the host squad - Chugiak -- got titles from Ben (135) and Grant (145) Sullivan. Dillingham earned the title in 1/2/3A with six wrestlers making the finals to score 192 points. Champions were Jared Miller (112), Jesse Rogers (119), Reed Tennyson (145), and Quentin Blackford (215); finishing as runners-up were Dennis Wilson (119) and Jerry Hulshing (171). Bethel, Cordova, and Kotzeblue each also had a pair of champions. While Alaska ended its scholastic wrestling season last weekend, New Jersey is just starting its season this weekend. It happens that the top two teams in the state will open their seasons in bordering states -- High Point at King of the Mountain in Pennsylvania, and Long Branch at Beast of the East in Delaware.

Seeking to expand recruiting options for student-athletes, Ouachita Baptist University’s Board of Trustees has voted to add two new NCAA Division II athletic teams – men’s wresting and women’s golf. The additional programs will bring the total number of athletic teams at Ouachita to 16. “We are most pleased to announce that we will begin men’s wrestling and women’s golf next fall,” said Ouachita President Rex M. Horne, Jr. “The golf is in response to stated interest from present and potential students. Wrestling meets a need and growing interest. “We will be the first university in Arkansas to offer collegiate wrestling,” Dr Horne added. “In fact, there is only one university in Texas that offers the same at a time when high school wrestling is growing dramatically here in Arkansas. This is another way Ouachita is a recognized leader.” This marks the first time that Ouachita has expanded its athletic options since 2000 when the university joined the Gulf South Conference and added men’s soccer and women’s softball. The Ouachita women’s golf team will compete in the Gulf South Conference, bringing to 10 the total number of GSC schools with women’s golf. Men’s wrestling will compete independently against collegiate teams in Oklahoma, Missouri and other surrounding states. “To be the first institution in the state to have collegiate wrestling will give us a stronghold on it,” noted Ouachita Athletic Director David Sharp. “For high school wrestlers in the state who want to compete on the collegiate level, we will give them that opportunity. “From a women’s golf standpoint, I’ve had a lot of inquiries the past few years about adding women’s golf,” Sharp said. “I think there’s really an interest there.” The new programs “give more opportunities to some student-athletes who want to continue their competition in intercollegiate sports,” Sharp added.”I think we will attract quality students who will add to and enhance a group of student-athletes that we already deem as exceptional.” Greg Hatcher, president of the Arkansas Wrestling Association, has announced the non-profit association will provide wrestling mats, uniforms and other assistance to help Ouachita’s wrestling program get under way. The association also has donated wrestling mats to more than 40 Arkansas high schools to help launch their wrestling programs. Emphasizing that “wrestling creates leaders,” Hatcher said the opportunity for wrestlers to “go one-on-one with no one to bail you out” helps build confidence and discipline as well as “great self-defense skills.” He also cited wrestling’s fitness benefits for student-athletes. Hatcher is founder and owner of the Hatcher Agency, the largest health insurance agency in Arkansas. A graduate of Alma College in Alma, Mich., he lettered in wresting, soccer and baseball while in college. He is a member of the Alma College Sports Hall of Fame and recently was named the school’s Distinguished Alumnus. He also is the author of “55 Steps to Outrageous Service.” Ouachita Baptist University, a private Christian liberal arts university in Arkadelphia, Ark., has been ranked the No. 1 Baccalaureate College in the South for three years in a row by U.S. News & World Report. With an enrollment of almost 1,500 students from more than 30 states and 50 nations, Ouachita seeks to foster a love of God and a love of learning in a vibrant, Christ-centered learning community.

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt freshman wrestler Anthony Zanetta has been named the Eastern Wrestling League’s wrestler of the week for his efforts against Rutgers and No. 14-ranked Penn State. Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) posted a 7-4 decision over Joseph Langel of Rutgers at 125, before defeating No. 7-ranked Brad Pataky of Penn State, 15-9. The true freshman improves to 5-0 on the dual match season, and has earned his first ranking of the season, moving into the top 20. In the win over Pataky, Zanetta jumped out to an 8-3 lead after the first period and earned three points for the Panthers as they earned a 19-19 tie against in-state rival Penn State. Pitt is off until the end of the month when they make their trek to Evanston, Ill. to compete at the Midlands Championships. Action at the two-day event starts on Dec. 29.

Senior Craig Brester has been awarded for his outstanding performance as he was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week on Monday by the league office for matches Dec. 7-Dec. 13. Brester is 13-0 this season and used a pair of impressive victories last week to solidify the second Big 12 weekly award of his career. The Howells, Neb., native pinned Minnesota’s Joe Nord (1:10) Thursday night in Minneapolis before defeating his fourth ranked opponent in the past two weeks with an 8-2 decision over No. 9 Tyler Sorenson of South Dakota State on Saturday. Brester leads the Huskers in victories (13) and pins (6), winning six of his last nine matches by fall, including four pins in under 2 minutes. The 2009 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational champion, Brester also has one technical fall and one major decision to total eight bonus-point victories this season. Currently ranked No. 2 in the nation at 197 pounds, Brester is a two-time All-American and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2009 Big 12 Championships. His previous Big 12 Wrestler of the Week honor came on Feb. 18, 2008 following back-to-back wins over No. 12 T.J. Morrison (Rider) and No. 10 Joe Rovelli (Hofstra). Brester and the Huskers return home this week for a double-dual against No. 6 Central Michigan and Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday at the NU Coliseum. Action begins at 10 a.m., between the Chippewas and Lopers, followed by Nebraska duals vs. Central Michigan and Nebraska-Kearney with 10-minute breaks between each match.

Last week’s show was cancelled due to severe weather conditions in Iowa. Scheduled guests from last week, Wil Kelly and Bill Tate, Jr. will both be radio show guests on the program this Wednesday along with author Jamie Moffatt. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:05 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Author Jamie Moffatt recently released a new book titled, "Strobel: Stories From A Life With Wrestling." This book documents the coaching career of former Lehigh University head wrestling coach Greg Strobel. Moffatt also wrote "Wrestlers at the Trials," a terrific book covering the Olympic trials from 1960 through 1988. Kelly is in his first season coaching the Cedar Falls Tigers. Kelly was a three-time high school state champion for Dubuque Wahlert and also won an NCAA Division III title at 141 pounds as a Wartburg Knight in 2003. Kelly is also heavily involved with youth wrestling and runs his own wrestling training center called USA Mat Club. Bill Tate, Jr. was part of the legendary Waterloo Boys Club in the 1970s, one of the top kids clubs at the time that produced many state and national champions. Tate was a high school state champion for Waterloo Columbus in 1983 at 155 pounds. He wrestled at Iowa State University where he won a Big Eight title and helped the Cyclones win the NCAA team championship in 1987. Tate also served as the head wrestling coach at Waterloo Columbus for several years and had many outstanding teams.

Joe Baranik

Linda Shields

Cung Le

Corvallis, Ore. -- The Oregon State wrestling team signed Taylor Meeks (Orting, Wash.) to its 2010-11 class, announced Monday by head coach Jim Zalesky. Meeks is projected to wrestle at 184/197 pounds. “Taylor fits into our coaching philosophy,” Zalesky said. “He is very aggressive and puts a lot of points on the scoreboard.” A two-time Washington state champion, Meeks is also a three-time district and league champion for Orting High School. As a freshman, he finished third. Currently he boasts a 118-5 overall record, including 80-1 over the last two years. He placed third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, falling in a close 4-3 decision to No. 1 Tyler Beckwith of New York and defeating No. 3 Tyler Lehman of Minnesota. Meeks is ranked fourth in the country by WIN Magazine at 189 pounds. He is a former Cadet All-American, finishing fourth at the Cadet Nationals in Freestyle. He finished fourth in 2007 in Fargo and first at the Rocky Mountain Rumble and Tri-State. And he was fifth at the Western Regionals in 2008.

Drew Pariano

Heath Eslinger

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- The Cowboy wrestlers have another decorated group of recruits on deck, as University of Wyoming head coach Mark Branch announced today that six high school state champions have signed national letters of intent to wrestle for the 'Pokes beginning in the 2010-11 season. Joining the Cowboy squad next fall will be Michael Hamel (Gilbert, Ariz.), Cody Mansur (Clackamas, Ore.), Andrew McCulley (Rock Springs, Wyo.), Brandon Richardson (Rathdrum, Idaho), Shane Woods (Tuttle, Okla.) and Zach Zehner (Tomahawk, Wis.). “This is a solid class that will take care of many of our weight class needs,” said Branch as he described his incoming freshmen for next season. “I am very excited about these young men and their attitudes towards competition and success. These are young kids that, in the end, wanted to be Cowboys and chose to come here because they felt like this is the place where they can be All-Americans and NCAA Champions. I have no doubt that they will find success here and help us build a nationally powerful program at Wyoming.” Michael Hamel will come to UW from Gilbert, Ariz. He is projected to wrestle at 133 or 141 pounds collegiately. After placing fifth as a freshman and third as a sophomore, Hamel was the 2009 Arizona State 5A High School Champion at 130 pounds for Mesquite High School as a junior. He was an Arizona National Team member in 2008 and was an All-State selection as both a sophomore and junior. Michael was born in Gillette, Wyo., and is the son of Wyoming’s All-Time Pins leader Mike Hamel. The elder Hamel lettered at UW from 1983-86, was a two-time WAC champion and had 61 career pins. Cody Mansur has developed as a prep wrestler in Clackamas, Ore., where he was the Oregon State 6A High School Champion at 215 pounds during his junior year. Wrestling for Clackamas High School he also placed third in the state tournament as a sophomore at 189 pounds. In 2008, Mansur placed third at the Reno World of Wrestling Championships at 200 pounds. As a collegiate student-athlete he is expected to compete either at 197 pounds or heavyweight (285). Andrew McCulley is a Wyoming native from Rock Springs. At Rock Springs High School, he was the Wyoming 4A State Champion in 2008 at 130 pounds as a sophomore. As a junior in 2009, he was injured at the state tournament competing at 145 pounds. McCulley is a two-time 4A West Regional Champion. In 2008 he was the Wyoming USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner, as well as a Cadet All-American by placing fourth at USA Wrestling Nationals. McCulley has been on the honor roll each year at Rock Springs H.S. At UW he will compete at 157 or 165 pounds. Brandon Richardson, 5’10”, hails from Rathdrum, Idaho and should wrestle for the Cowboys at 149 or 157 pounds. Richardson was an Idaho 4A High School State Champion in 2007 as a freshman at Lakeland High School. He was a USA Wrestling National Champion in 2008, the 4A State runner-up as a junior in 2009 and the 2008 Tri-State Champion. Richardson served as Lakeland Student Council Vice President in 2007-08 and has been an honor roll student each year of high school. He also played soccer for Lakeland H.S., lettering twice. Shane Woods will join the Wyoming Cowboys after wrestling in high school at Tuttle H.S., in Tuttle, Okla. There he was a Oklahoma State 4A High School Champion in 2009 as a junior at 215 pounds. He led his team to a state title that same season and placed third individually at the Midwest Classic in Kansas City. As a sophomore, Woods placed third at the state tournament in the 160-pound weight class. At UW he will compete at 197 pounds. Zach Zehner is a product of Tomahawk, Wis., where he was a Wisconsin State High School Champion at 125 pounds in 2009. Wrestling for Tomahawk H.S., Zehner was a Regional and Sectional Champion in 2009, as well as First Team All-Conference as both a sophomore and junior. He was a member of the Wisconsin National Dual Team, was the Freestyle State Champion in 2009 and was runner-up at the 2009 Junior National Tournament. In addition to four years as a wrestling letterman, Zehner also will letter four years in track and field and once in football. His expected weight class while at UW is 141 or 149 pounds.

Hempstead, NY -- Senior Jonny Bonilla-Bowman and sophomore P.J. Gillespie posted major decisions to lead the Hofstra Pride to a 20-19 non-conference victory over the Bald Eagles of Lock Haven at the Mack Sports Complex Sunday evening. The Pride improve to 2-2-1 on the season while Lock Haven falls to 0-2-0. The Pride also benefitted from an opening match forfeit win for freshman Luke Vaith (5-4) at 141 pounds to go up 6-0 in the contest. Lock Haven sophomore Brock Parker, ranked 20th by Amateur Wrestling News at 149 pounds, tallied three points in the third period and added the riding time (1:29) point to put the Bald Eagles on the board with a 4-2 win over Pride red-shirt freshman Tyler Banks (4-6). But Bonilla-Bowman (3-2), ranked 18th by InterMat, boosted the Hofstra lead to 10-3 with a dominating 24-11 major decision over Seth Creasy at 157 pounds. Gillespie, ranked 17th by InterMat at 165 pounds, took a 12-0 lead after two periods on the way to a 13-1 major decision over Kevin Dufresne. Gillespie, a sophomore, improved to 15-4 on the season and bumped the Pride lead to 14-3. Junior Ryan Patrovich, ranked 10th at 174 pounds by InterMat, cruised to a 5-0 victory over Aaron Ernest to improve to 12-4 on the year. Sophomore Ben Clymer (11-2) claimed Hofstra’s last victory of the day, taking a 3-1 lead after two periods and holding on for a 3-2 win over Jeremie Cook to give the Pride a 20-3 advantage. Lock Haven battled back, though, beginning with a 5-1 decision by Harry Turner over Pride senior Anthony Tortora (4-8) at 197 pounds. Turner had a takedown in the second and third periods and an escape in the second to close the gap to 20-6. Sophomore Dan Craig improved to 9-2 on the year with a 16-7 major decision over Hofstra red-shirt freshman Paul Snyder (4-8) at 285 pounds. The 125 pound match was the most costly match of the contest for the Pride as sophomore Steve Bonanno, making his 2009-10 debut after a preseason leg injury, suffered an arm injury just 24 seconds into his match against Nick Hyatt and took an injury default. After Hyatt’s default win, the Bald Eagles trailed by four at 20-16 heading into the match finale at 133 pounds. Lock Haven sophomore John Trumbetti jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one period and expanded it to 8-1 after two periods. But Hofstra freshman Jamie Franco held Trumbetti off and would not let him get the major victory in the 8-2 decision as the Pride pulled out the one-point match victory. The Pride will be off for exams and the Christmas holiday before returning to action on December 29-30 at the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, North Carolina. Hofstra’s next home match is on Sunday, January 3, 2010 when the Pride host #3 Ohio State at 11 a.m. Results: 141- Luke Vaith (HU) wins by forfeit 149- Brock Parker (LHU) dec. Tyler Banks (HU) 4-2 157- Jonny Bonilla-Bowman maj. dec. Seth Creasy (LHU), 24-11 165- P.J. Gillespie (HU) maj. dec. Kevin Dufresne (LHU), 13-1 174- Ryan Patrovich (HU) dec. Aaron Ernest (LHU) 5-0 184- Ben Clymer (HU) dec. Jeremie Cook (LHU), 3-2 197- Harry Turner (LHU) dec. Anthony Tortora (HU), 5-1 285- Dan Craig (LHU) maj. dec. Paul Snyder (HU), 16-7 125- Nick Hyatt (LHU) wins by injury default Steve Bonanno (HU), 0:24 133- John Trumbetti (LHU) dec. Jamie Franco (HU), 8-2

KENT, Ohio -- No. 15 Kent State (4-0) extended its dual winning streak to 11 with a 28-9 pummeling of Michigan and a 32-9 thrashing of Newberry Sunday at the M.A.C. Center. The Golden Flashes won 15-of-20 matches on the day led by sophomore Dustin Kilgore, who chalked up his sixth and seventh pins of the year. Kilgore's first period pin of Erich Smith gave the Flashes a commanding 21-9 lead over Michigan. Kilgore (12-0) needed two minutes to chase down Smith for the opening takedown, before showing his home crowd why he's ranked second in the nation. He quickly crunched Smith into a tight cradle and rocked him back to end the match at 2:26. "He's real powerful, goes right at you and doesn't quit" Head Coach Jim Andrassy said of Kilgore. "He's got a series of moves where if one doesn't work he goes right to next one." Following Kilgore, redshirt freshman Adam Cogar (197) used seven takedowns in a 15-6 major decision over Hunter Collins. Redshirt sophomore Brendan Barlow (285) helped KSU finish the day with three straight wins in his 5-3 decision over Ben Apland. Barlow improved to 15-3, while Cogar moved to 11-3. Sophomore Troy Opfer suffered 3-1 setback to Sean Boyle to give the Wolverines their only lead (3-0) of the dual. Boyle grabbed an escape and a takedown in the second period and held on for the win. In a battle of nationally ranked wrestlers, senior Danny Mitcheff remained unbeaten (12-0) with a 10-5 decision over Zac Stevens. Mitcheff recorded an opening period takedown, but found himself in a brief 4-2 hole in the second. However, the fifth year senior stayed aggressive, taking all the shots, while notching takedowns in the second and third periods. "Danny's not always flashy, but he's so consistent," Andrassy said. "He wins and he'll continue to win throughout the season." Redshirt freshman Chase Skonieczny (141) topped Mark Weber 2-0 to give KSU its first lead 6-3. After a scoreless first, Skonieczny earned a quick second period escape and used an effective leg ride in the third to earn a bonus point and improve to 11-5 on the year. "Chase has done some incredible things in the practice room, but he still hasn't opened up and shown a lot yet," Andrassy said. "He's only going to get better." Junior Matt Cathell (149) brought the crowd to its feet with a second period pin of Mark Beaudry. Beaudry got in deep on a double leg shot, but a fearless Cathell caught him off-balance, flung him to his back and flattened him. "He's exciting and entertaining for these fans," Andrassy said. "Half the time you don't know what he's going to do. There isn't a normal thing about the way he wrestles and that's what makes him so hard to wrestle against." Redshirt freshman Mallie Shuster (157) made it four consecutive KSU wins with a 7-4 victory over Dave Johnson. The match was tied 2-2 heading into to the third, when Shuster scored an escape and a pair of takedowns. "As soon as he realizes how good he is, he's going to be very dangerous," Andrassy said of Shuster. Aaron Hynes needed a takedown with 30 seconds remaining to edge redshirt sophomore Ross Tice 7-5. Tice got in on the legs of Hynes on a pair of third period shots, but could not finish it off. No. 15 Justin Zeerip handed redshirt freshman Keith Witt a 7-1 loss at 174 to narrow margin to 15-9, before Kilgore took over. Prior to a 22-13 Michigan win over Newberry, the Golden Flashes won 8-of-10 matches against Newberry and four straight major decisions beginning with Mitcheff at 133. Opfer dropped the day's opening match 7-6 in sudden victory to Matt Oliver. A first period takedown and cradle in the second gave Opfer a 5-0 lead, but Oliver, who is ranked third in Division II, used a five-point move late in the second to tie match. After no scoring in the third period or first overtime, Oliver scored a reversal and hung on for the win. Mitcheff cruised to a 13-3 win over Sheridan Moran, claiming four takedowns, including one in each period. Mitcheff used a three-point tilt in the third period to secure the major decision. Skonieczny followed with a major decision over Deral Brown 12-4. Skonieczny jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the second period, putting Brown on his back twice and gave the Flashes an 8-3 team lead. Cathell made it three straight major decisions with a 12-2 victory over Latra Collick. Cathell rallied for eight first period points after giving up the opening takedown. He put Collick on his back three separate times to extend KSU's lead to 12-3. Shuster then blanked Mike Rogers 11-0, scoring takedowns in all three periods. He improved to 10-3 on the year. Senior Obie Simpson scored the most exciting victory of the Flashes' first dual. Trailing Josh Whitelock 4-3 with 20 seconds left in the match, he turned a front headlock from the neutral position into a 5-point cradle to give him an 8-4 victory. With his team already up 19-3, Witt raced out to a 5-0 lead and settled for a 9-2 decision over Curtis Chenoweth. After a wild first period in the 184-pound match, Kilgore used a cradle to pin Bryant Blanton with 11 seconds remaining in the second. Kilgore overcame a 5-2 deficit and led 8-6 by the end of the first against the No. 3 ranked wrestler in Division II. Newberry returned the favor when defending national champion Keeno Griffin pinned Cogar 32 seconds into the first period. Barlow closed out the dual with the Flashes' fifth major decision against Newberry, a 12-4 victory over Steven Butler. For Witt, Cathell and Skonieczny, it was their first dual win in a Kent State singlet. Mitcheff is now alone sixth place on KSU's career victory list with 109. Sunday's win marked the Flashes' first dual victory in school history against Michigan. The Golden Flashes return to action Sunday, Dec. 20 for a dual meet at Clarion. Kent State (3-0) 32 Newberry (4-2) 9 125: Matt Oliver (N) dec. Troy Opfer, 7-6 (OT); 0-3 133: #5 Danny Mitcheff (KS) maj. dec. Sheridan Moran, 13-3; 4-3 141: Chase Skonieczny, (KS) maj. dec. Deral Brown 12-4; 8-3 149: #9 Matt Cathll (KS) maj. dec. Latra Collick, 12-2; 12-3 157: Mallie Shuster (KS) maj. dec. Mike Rogers, 11-0; 16-3 165: Obie Simpson (KS) dec. Josh Whitelock, 8-4; 19-3 174: Keith Witt (KS) dec. Curtis Chenoweth, 9-2; 22-3 184: #2 Dustin Kilgore (KS) pinned Bryant Blanton, 4: 49; 28-3 197: Keeno Griffin(N) pinned Adam Cogar, :32; 28-9 285: #15 Brendan Barlow (KS) maj. dec. Steven Butler, 12-4; 32-9 Michigan (2-3) 22 Newberry (4-3) 13 125: Sean Boyle (M) dec. Matt Oliver, 6-3; 3-0 133: Zac Stevens (M) dec. Sheridan Moran, 9-3; 6-0 141: Deral Brown (N) dec. Mark Weber, 2-1; 6-3 149: Latra Collick (N) maj. dec. Mark Beaudry, 18-6; 6-7 157: Dave Johnson (M) dec. Mike Rogers, 4-0; 9-7 165: Aaron Hynes (M) maj. dec. Josh Whitelock, 16-4; 13-7 174: Justin Zeerip (M) pinned Curtis Chenoweth, 3:39; 19-7 184: Bryant Blanton (N) dec. Hunter Collins, 12-11; 19-10 197: Keeno Griffin (N) dec. Erich Smith, 3-1 (OT); 19-13 285: Ben Apland (M) dec. Steven Butler, 7-1; 22-13

Fargo, N.D. -- Junior Colby Covington (Springfield, Ore.) recorded three falls on the day, boosting the No. 24 Oregon State wrestling team to a 3-0 finish at the Dakota Duals, hosted by North Dakota State. “I thought overall we wrestled well today,” head coach Jim Zalesky said. “We had a lot of bonus points, and I thought we wrestled better as the day went on after losing a couple matches in the first dual of the day. Colby [Covington] came out really hard each match and was really physical and wrestled hard to get three falls. He set the tone today of how we want to guys to wrestle.” The Beavers earned a 36-6 win over Northern Illinois before shutting out Minnesota State Moorhead, 48-0, and North Dakota State, 42-0. Thirteen wrestlers competed for Oregon State in the three duals with sophomore Garrett Drucker (Huntington Beach, Calif.) at 149 pounds, junior Jon Brascetta (Aurora, Colorado) at 165 pounds and redshirt freshman Ty Vinson (Great Falls, Mont.) at 184 pounds seeing their first dual meet action of the season. All three won all of their matches. Covington pinned his competition faster each match, earning his first win over Mason True of Northern Illinois in 4:23. He then pinned pinned Jacob McLean of Minnesota State Moorhead in 3:56 before tallying the fall over Mac Stoll of North Dakota State in 2:25. Covington now leads the team in falls this season with nine. Recording a pair of falls, 19th-ranked redshirt sophomore Jason Lara (Midway City, Calif.) remains perfect in dual meet action with a 7-0 record at 125 pounds. Lara won his first bout in a 10-7 decision over Izzy Montemayor of NIU before earning a fall over Corey Ulmer of MSUM in 2:23 and wrapped up competition against Justin Solberg of NDSU with a 3:34 fall. Sophomore heavyweight Clayton Jack (Vacaville, Calif.) chalked up three bonus point wins with a fall over Dakota Greenhaw of Northern Illinois in 1:08, a major decision over Tim Johnson of MSUM and a 16-0 technical fall over Joe Arthur of NDSU in 4:53. Jack is the only other Beaver wrestler to be undefeated in dual meets thus far on the season. Sophomore 16th-ranked Kelly Kubec (Lake Stevens, Wash.) continued to build on his winning streak at 133 pounds, which currently is the longest active with four straight wins. Kubec earned three bonus point wins, beginning with a major decision over Tristen DeShazer of Northern Illinois, 13-5, before a 20-5 technical fall over Evan Forde of Minnesota State Moorhead. Kubec earned extra points for the Beavers at 133 pounds against North Dakota State by forfeit. Seventeenth-ranked sophomore Chad Hanke (Dayton, Ore.) won all three of his matches on the day at 197 pounds, scoring a 10-2 major decision to start the day against Derrick Yant of NIU before a 19-4 technical fall over Jon Swart of MSUM, wrapping up the day with a 16-11 decision over Drew Ross of NDSU. Also going 3-0 on the day, redshirt freshman Mike Mangrum (Auburn, Wash.) tallied a pair of decisions and a technical fall at 141 pounds. No. 17 senior Keegan Davis (Salem, Ore.) suffered a loss in his first match but rebounded with back-to-back major decisions at 157 pounds. No. 16 freshman RJ Pena (Salem, Ore.) went 2-0 with a major decision in his first bout and a decision in the last at 149 pounds. Junior Brice Arand (Springfield, Ore.) earned his fourth fall of the season over Derrick Yant of NIU in his only match of the day at 184 pounds. Oregon State returns to Corvallis to host Southern Oregon and Air Force at Crescent Valley High School on Friday, Dec. 18, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Northern Illinois 6, No. 24 Oregon State 36 125 Pounds — No. 19 Jason Lara (OSU) decision over Izzy Montemayor (NIU), 10-7 0 3 133 Pounds — No. 16 Kelly Kubec (OSU) major decision over Tristen DeShazer (NIU), 13-5 0 7 141 Pounds — Mike Mangrum (OSU) decision over Pat McLemore (NIU), 5-2 0 10 149 Pounds — No. 16 RJ Pena (OSU) major decision over Dan Ruettiger (NIU), 10-2 0 14 157 Pounds — Bryan Deutsch (NIU) decision over No. 17 Keegan Davis (OSU), 14-8 3 14 165 Pounds — John Odeen (NIU) decision over Ryan Smith (OSU), 10-3 6 14 174 Pounds — Colby Covington (OSU) fall over Mason True (NIU), 4:23 6 20 184 Pounds — Brice Arand (OSU) fall over Derrick Yant (NIU), 2:36 6 26 197 Pounds — No. 17 Chad Hanke (OSU) major decision over Scott Penny (NIU), 10-2 6 30 Heavyweight — Clayton Jack (OSU) fall over Dakota Greenhaw (NIU), 1:08 6 36 Minnesota State Moorhead 0, No. 24 Oregon State 48 125 Pounds — No. 19 Jason Lara (OSU) fall over Corey Ulmer (MSUM), 2:23 0 6 133 Pounds — No. 16 Kelly Kubec (OSU) technical fall over Evan Forde (MSUM), 20-5 0 11 141 Pounds — Mike Mangrum (OSU) tech fall over Brady Schneeberger (MSUM), 21-6 (6:20) 0 16 149 Pounds — Garrett Drucker (OSU) major decision over Derek Bomstad (MSUM), 14-4 0 20 157 Pounds — No. 17 Keegan Davis (OSU) major decision over Tallen Wald (MSUM), 12-4 0 24 165 Pounds — Jon Brascetta (OSU) major decision over Tyler Kivel (MSUM), 16-5 0 28 174 Pounds — Colby Covington (OSU) fall over Jacob McLean (MSUM), 3:56 0 34 184 Pounds — Ty Vinson (OSU) technical fall over Roger Sirek (MSUM), 17-0 (4:50) 0 39 197 Pounds — No. 17 Chad Hanke (OSU) technical fall over Jon Swart (MSUM), 19-4 0 44 Heavyweight — Clayton Jack (OSU) major decision over Tim Johnson (MSUM), 12-4 0 48 North Dakota State 0, No. 24 Oregon State 42 125 Pounds — No. 19 Jason Lara (OSU) fall over Justin Solberg (NDSU), 3:34 0 6 133 Pounds — No. 16 Kelly Kubec (OSU) wins by forfeit 0 12 141 Pounds — Mike Mangrum (OSU) decision over Ryan Adams (NDSU), 13-8 0 15 149 Pounds — No. 16 RJ Pena (OSU) decision over Andrey Patselov (NDSU), 7-4 0 18 157 Pounds — No. 17 Keegan Davis (OSU) major decision over Vince Salminen (NDSU), 13-5 0 22 165 Pounds — Jon Brascetta (OSU) decision over Tyler Johnson (NDSU), 5-3 0 25 174 Pounds — Colby Covington (OSU) fall over Mac Stoll (NDSU), 2:25 0 31 184 Pounds — Ty Vinson (OSU) decision over Kenny Moenkedick (NDSU), 4-1 0 34 197 Pounds — No. 17 Chad Hanke (OSU) decision over Drew Ross (NDSU), 16-11 0 37 Heavyweight — Clayton Jack (OSU) technical fall over Joe Arthur (NDSU) 16-0 (4:53) 0 42

PERRYSBURG, Ohio -- In front of 2,325 at Perrysburg High School in Perrysburg, Ohio, the third-ranked Ohio State wrestling team downed No. 19 Edinboro, 34-12, Sunday. The Buckeyes won the first seven bouts, including a Fighting Scot forfeit, to jump out to a 34-0 lead. "Overall, it was a great day for the Buckeyes," Tom Ryan, head coach, said. "There was a great crowd and the team wrestled with a lot of energy at every weight class. We pushed the action and that's a big step for us at several weight classes." The dual began at 133 pounds with Buckeye freshman Ian Paddock matching up against Kyle Fluke. Paddock, a native of Warsaw, N.Y., took a 5-0 lead after the first period on a takedown and 3-point nearfall. He then extended his advantage to 9-1 following the second and sealed the 12-1 victory in the third period thanks to a reversal and a riding time of 1:29. With the Scarlet and Gray up 4-0 early, No. 1 and senior tri-captain Reece Humphrey made the score 8-0 at 141 pounds on a 27-11 technical fall over Ashton Osterberg. Hailing from Indianapolis, Ind., Humphrey dominated the match early, taking a 14-6 lead after two periods. Humphrey recorded 13 takedowns in the match. At 149 pounds, fourth-ranked Lance Palmer, also a senior tri-captain, notched a 9-1 major decision over Torsten Gillespie courtesy of three takedowns, an escape, a third stalling call on Gillespie and a riding time of 2:43. Up next, sophomore Sean Nemec shut out Matt Coleman, 10-0, at 157 pounds before junior Colt Sponseller, extended the Buckeye lead, 22-0, when he pinned Chris Hrunka in 4:53 at 165 pounds. The Fighting Scots took a forfeit at 174 pounds and the Ohio State lead increased to 28-0. Mike Pucillo, ranked No. 9, pinned No. 20 Pat Bradshaw in 2:26 at 184 pounds to continue the Buckeye momentum. However, Ohio State dropped its final three matches at 197, 285 and 125 pounds. Sophomore Zach Stolarsky received the starting nod at 197 pounds and was pinned in 2:40 by Shawn Fendone. Senior Corey Morrison dropped a close 6-4 decision to No. 14 Chris Birchler. Junior Nikko Triggas also suffered a 6-4 setback at 125 pounds to Kyle Fluke. The Buckeyes will now break for the Holiday season and return to action Jan. 3 in New York. Ohio State will travel to Hempstead, N.Y., to wrestle Hofstra at noon before heading to New York, N.Y., where they will face Columbia and George Mason starting at 4 p.m. Results: 133 - Ian Paddock (OSU) mdec. Kyle Fluke (Edinboro), 12-1 141 - No. 1 Reece Humphrey (OSU) tech. fall Ashton Osterberg (Edinboro), 27-11 149 - No. 4 Lance Palmer (OSU) mdec. Torsten Gillespie (Edinboro), 9-1 157 - Sean Nemec (OSU) mdec. Matt Coleman (Edinboro), 10-0 165 - No. 7 Colt Sponseller (OSU) pinned Chris Hrunka (Edinboro), 4:53 174 - Edinboro Forfeit 184 - No. 9 Mike Pucillo (OSU) pinned No. 20 Pat Bradshaw (Edinboro), 2:26 197 -Shawn Fendone (Edinboro) pinned Zach Stolarsky (OSU), 2:40 285 - No. 14 Chris Birchler (Edinboro) dec. Corey Morrison (OSU), 6-4 125 - No. 8 Eric Morrill (Edinboro) dec. Nikko Triggas (OSU), 6-4

Greeley, Colo. -- The Golden Gopher Wrestling team won nine-of-10 matches en route to a 41-3 win over Northern Colorado this afternoon (Dec. 13), winning their second straight dual. Minnesota (2-1) was in control the entire match, leading 17-0 before dropping their only contest. Northern Colorado (0-6) watched as six of the Gophers' wins accumulated bonus points for the lopsided final score. Things began mildly for the Gophers, as Zach Sanders (Wabasha, Minn.) won by a 10-6 decision, taking a 3-0 lead after the opening match. Sanders improved his season record to 7-0, the second best mark on the team. The only record better belongs to Jayson Ness (Bloomington, Minn.), who surprised no one with his first period fall next at 133. Ness extends his record to 11-0 with 10 falls, nine of which have been in the first three minutes of the match. The win was also number 128 of his career, moving Ness into sole possession of eighth place all-time in Minnesota Wrestling history. The top of the Gophers' line-up continued their dominance, as Mike Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) won for the seventh time this season at 141, improving to 7-1. Thorn won his second straight match by tech fall, finishing with a 24-5 score as the final buzzer sounded. In his first dual of the season, David Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.) was victorious next at 149. A 5-0 shutout by Zilverberg extended the Gophers lead to 17-0, just four matches in. It was also just the second dual meet appearance ever for the sophomore, running his career record to 2-0. At 165, Dustin Schlatter (Massililon, Ohio) won his second straight, with his most dominating performance of the season in a 16-3 major decision win, while Cody Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) followed with his team leading 13th victory at 174, on a 15-8 decision. Sonny Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) at 184 and Ben Berhow (Hayward, Minn.) at heavyweight closed out the match with a technical fall and pin respectively, as the Gophers put up a season high 41 points. Sonny Yohn already has a 15-0 shutout on his record this season, but equally as impressive was his 19-1 effort today, for his second tech fall of the season. Berhow, meanwhile, won by fall for just the second time as well, winning his second straight match in the process. Early in the third period, Berhow notched the fall, for the final match of the day. The Gophers will get to rest and relax now as the first half of the season comes to a close. Minnesota will return to action just before the calendar turns, on Dec. 29 and 30, in Greensboro, N.C. for the annual Southern Scuffle. It will be a start-studded line-up at the two-day tournament, providing plenty of great competition. Minnesota returns to dual meet action not long after, as they welcome the second ranked team in the country to the Sports Pavilion, in Iowa State on Jan. 3. Results: 125 - #4 Zach Sanders (UM) dec. Tony Mustari (UNC), 10-6 / 3-0 133 - #2 Jayson Ness (UM) fall Gavin Garza (UNC), 1:06 / 9-0 141 - #6 Mike Thorn (UM) tech fall Casey Cruz (UNC), 24-5 (7:00) / 14-0 149 - David Zilverberg (UM) dec. Rocco DePaolo (UNC), 5-0 / 17-0 157 - Justin Gaethje (NC) dec. Joe Grygelko (UNC), 8-6 / 17-3 165 - #4 Dustin Schlatter (UM) major Tanner Weiks (UNC), 16-3 / 21-3 174 - Cody Yohn (UM) dec. Brandon Kammerzell (UNC), 15-8 / 24-3 184 - #18 Sonny Yohn (UM) tech fall Eric Brennan (UNC), 19-1 (6:12) / 29-3 197 - Joe Nord (UM) MFor / 35-3 285 - #11 Ben Berhow (UM) fall Justin Tuell (UNC), 5:29 / 41-3

MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 22 Wisconsin wrestling team defeated Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa Saturday afternoon. The Badgers beat the Panthers 25-11 and had seven individual victories to improve to 2-3 on the season. The match began at 174 lbs., where redshirt freshman Jimmy Duffy took on junior Jarion Beets. Beets scored the first takedown with 2:40 left on the clock in the first period and added to his lead with seven more points to win the match by major decision, 19-6, and give the Panthers a 4-0 lead. Duffy registered six escapes in the match. Sophomore Travis Rutt then took on junior Andy O'Loughlin at 184 lbs. Entering the third period, O'Loughlin had scored on a takedown and Rutt scored on two escapes. The match remained tied until Rutt scored a takedown with just four seconds left in regulation to win the match 4-3, narrowing Northern Iowa's lead to 4-3. This marks Rutt's first win of the 2009-10 season. In his first match of the 2009-10 season, No. 7 Trevor Brandvold faced fellow junior Dustin Bauman at 197 lbs. Brandvold jumped out to an early 4-0 lead entering the third period, adding three more points to win the bout, 7-2. Brandvold scored two takedowns, a reversal and riding time to give the Badgers their first lead of the meet, 6-4. At heavyweight, junior Eric Bugenhagen wrestled No. 17 sophomore Christian Brantley. Bugenhagen recorded the first takedown of the match with 0:03 left on the clock in the first period. He then scored another takedown and an escape to win the match 5-4, extending Wisconsin's lead to 9-4. Senior Drew Hammen faced junior Terrance Young at 125 lbs. Young scored two takedowns and two nearfall points to win the bout 6-0, closing the gap on the Badger lead to 9-7. No. 12 redshirt freshman Tyler Graff took on freshman Joey Lazor at 331 lbs. Graff jumped out to an early 9-3 lead in the first period, scoring three takedowns and three nearfall points. He then added five more takedowns and riding time, winning the match by a 12-2 major decision, and extending Wisconsin's lead to 13-7. Redshirt freshman Cole Schmitt battled redshirt freshman Alec Hoffman at 141 lbs. Schmitt entered the second period with a 7-1 lead after recording two takedowns and three nearfall points. Schmitt then added two more takedowns, three nearfall points and an escape to win by a 15-9 decision, pushing the Badgers' lead to 16-7. No. 2 Kyle Ruschell then faced sophomore Jamal Lawrence at 149 lbs. After a scoreless first period, Ruschell went on an eight-point run to win the match by an 8-0 major decision. Ruschell scored two takedowns, two nearfall points, an escape and secured riding time in the bout, extending the Wisconsin lead to 20-7. Ruschell has now allowed his opponents to score a total of just nine points against him in 10 matches this season. At 157 lbs., junior Greg Burke wrestled senior Tyson Reiner. Reiner claimed an early 6-2 lead in the first period, adding 10 more points to win the match 16-5 and cutting the Badgers' lead to 20-11. Burke registered five escapes in the matchup for UW. In the last match of the day, No. 2 sophomore Andrew Howe took on redshirt freshman David Bonin. Howe won the match by a 22-1 tech fall, extending his overall record on the season to 10-0. Howe scored nine takedowns, two nearfall points, an escape and riding time in the match. The Badgers take a two week break, then hit the road again Dec. 29-30 to compete in the Midlands Championship in Evanston, Ill. Results: 174 Jarion Beets (UNI) maj. dec. Jimmy Duffy (UW), 17-6 184 Travis Rutt (UW) dec. Andy O’Loughlin (UNI), 4-3 197 Trevor Brandvold (UW) dec. Dustin Bauman (UNI) 7-2 285 Eric Bugenhagen (UW) dec. Christian Brantley (UNI) 5-4 125 Terrance Young (UNI) dec. Drew Hammen (UW) 6-0 133 Tyler Graff (UW) maj. dec. Joey Lazor (UNI) 20-7 141 Cole Schmitt (UW) dec. Alec Hoffman (UNI) 15-9 149 Kyle Ruschell (UW) maj. dec. Jamal Lawrence (UNI), 8-0 157 Tyson Reiner (UNI) maj. dec. Greg Burke (UW) 16-5 165 Andrew Howe (UW) tech. fall David Bonin (UNI) 22-7

InterMat high school analyst Josh Lowe predicted the finals matchups and winners in all 14 weight classes prior to the start of the 2009 Walsh Ironman. How did his predictions turn out? See below. 103 Prediction: Ryan Taylor (Graham) over Max Hvolbeck (Blair Academy) Taylor finished fifth. Hvolbeck finished third. 112 Prediction: Evan Silver (Blair Academy) over Alex Cisneros (Selma) Silver finished first. Cisneros finished second. 119 Prediction: Hunter Stieber (Monroeville) over Jerome Robinson (St. Ignatius) Stieber finished second. Robinson finished fourth. 125 Prediction: Logan Stieber (Monroeville) over Devin Carter (Christiansburg) Stieber finished first. Carter finished second. 130 Prediction: Jamie Clark (St. Edward) over Tyler Rauenzahn (Blue Mountain) Clark did not compete. Rauenzahn did not place. 135 Prediction: Felipe Martinez (Graham) over Cam Tessari (Monroeville) Martinez did not compete. Tessari finished first. 140 Prediction: Chris Villalonga (Blair Academy) over Travis Shaffer (Derry Area) Villalonga finished first. Shaffer did not place. 145 Prediction: Andrew Alton (Central Mountain) over Cody Rodebaugh (San Lorenzo Valley) Alton finished first. Rodebaugh finished fifth. 152 Prediction: Dylan Alton (Central Mountain) over Brandon Rolnick (Lawrenceville) Alton finished first. Rolnick finished sixth. 160 Prediction: Sulzer (St. Edward) over Harger (Moeller) Sulzer finished first. Harger finished fifth. 171 Prediction: Chris Phillips (Monroeville) over Tanner Eitel (Bishop Lynch) Phillips withdrew due to injury. Eitel did not place. 189 Prediction: Mike Evans (Blair) over Max Thomusseit (Graham) Evans finished first. Thomusseit finished second. 215 Prediction: Tank Knowles (Calvary Chapel) over Nick Tavanello (Wadsworth) Knowles finished first. Tavanello finished third. 285 Prediction: Mike McMullan (Wyoming Seminary) over Terry Williamson (Broken Arrow) McMullan finished first. Williamson finished fifth.

George DiCamillo (St. Ignatius, OH) -- Sophomore, 103-Pound Champion On making the leap into a statewide and nationally relevant wrestler: "I was small as a freshman, and dedicated myself all summer to becoming bigger, faster, and stronger. Also, continuing to be committed to getting better as a wrestler." About winning the finals in the tiebreaker: "I thought about the hard work and struggles involved in making weight, the grind in that match, and how great it would be to become Ironman champion." Evan Silver (Blair Academy, NJ) -- Junior, 112-Pound Champion On dominating two top-five wrestlers in the nation to become Ironman champion: "It was all about the preparation, we've been working hard since September for this weekend. I just seized the opportunity in both matches (against Gulibon and Cisneros) to get ahead early on." Mason Beckman (Reynolds, PA) -- Junior, 119-Pound Champion Facing Robinson in the quarterfinal with a 1-0 lead, Robinson chose down in the third period and Beckman scored a turn for two NF points. Then, in the semifinal and final, Beckman rode out Grey and Stieber in the second period of both matches that were scoreless buts. Beckman earned the vote on InterMat analyst Josh Lowe's ballot for Most Outstanding Wrestler. About his dominance in the top position: "It's about getting the right start off the whistle, and finding the pressure. Control the hips of the opponent, and dictate the pace to make him react to me." The difference between disappointments at state the last two years and this Saturday at the Ironman: "I have a new focus this year, no longer needing gimmicks to get motivated. Just about getting loose, having fun, and going for six minutes." Logan Stieber (Monroeville, OH) -- Senior, 125-Pound Champion Stieber was selected Most Oustanding Wrestler of the Walsh Ironman tournament. On wrestling in the main event, last match of the evening, right after his brother had lost: "Didn't phase me in the least. I was relaxed, and unlike in other matches didn't force anything." About winning the No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle, and being named MOW: "That throw and cradle in the second period were huge for me. I wrestled a smart finals match and was happy to win the award." Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, OH) -- Sophomore, 130-Pound Champion Why this championship means so much: "It's my home tournament; a lot of people come to watch. Going 2-2 last year was a disappointment, this year not so much." Discussing his four upset victories: "I was just locked in this weekend. All the off-season training really paid off." Cam Tessari (Monroeville, OH) -- Junior, 135-Pound champion On breaking the semifinal hex -- with a 5-4 win: "Felt great to get over the hump. Obviously not having (two of the great wrestlers in Ironman history with) Taylor and Villalonga as opponents really helped. But I came in determined to win." About the finals match with Kitzis: "I got the score early, getting the lead I wanted, and then just focused on crisp positions from there." Chris Villalonga (Blair Academy, NJ) -- Senior, 140-Pound Champion This marks Villalonga's third Ironman title in four championship finals appearances. He is the 8th wrestler in tournament history to win three titles. Unofficially, he joins only David Taylor, Travis Blasco, and Mark Jayne with four Ironman finals appearances. About the historical accomplishment: "In such a tough tournament as this, it's a great honor; though, I would have liked to have wrestled better tonight." On the ride-out in the tiebreaker: "Knew I had to ride him to win. Changed strategy slightly to get (Ian Miller) back down to the mat and go from there. I didn't want to hang on, and tried to get a rhythm going." Andrew Alton (Central Mountain, PA) -- Senior, 145-Pound Champion Discussing the finals bout, a 5-4 win over Brad Squire: "I was trying to get my moves working right away, and did (to the tune of two first period takedowns). However, the match slowed after that. I tried to stay comfortable, remaining confident throughout." Dylan Alton (Central Mountain, PA) -- Senior, 152-Pound Champion On preparing for the meat-grinder that is the Ironman: "My brother and I competed in college opens three consecutive weekends. Just running, training, and wrestling hard." About beating three nationally-ranked wrestlers on Saturday: "I kept pushing the pace and having fun. That's at the core of my success." Doug Buckwalter -- Head Coach -- Central Mountain, PA The impact of having the Alton twins on the team these last four years: "It's been a real pleasure to coach them. They perform on the mat, work hard in practice, and do it right off the mat. Their presence and that of their class (including Jordan Rich and others) has elevated the intensity level in the room. It increases the ability and confidence level of everyone to go into tournaments with two kids pretty much locks to place very high on the podium." Nick Sulzer (St. Edward, OH) -- Senior, 160-Pound Champion Sulzer was named the winner of the first annual Major Ray Mendoza Award, which will go to the wrestler who earns his team the most points during the tournament. He scored 33 team points during the competition. About the semifinal with Demas this afternoon, who beat him in the state final this past year: "I worked a lot on always trying to score even in ‘short time'. Wrestling the whole match at pace and not slowing down. Those efforts worked out for me today." On dominating all matches other than the semifinal match: "I'm happy with the performance here, but it's about continuing to get better and improve." Charles Argue (Mt. Carmel, IL) -- Senior, 171-Pound Champion Thoughts on improving from the setbacks of last year: "Failing to place at Ironman (and losing two one-point matches at state) inspires me to work with my coaches every day to fine tune things and work (relentlessly) toward becoming a better wrestler." About his big-move capability: "Actually much of my practice is spent on defense. When opponents shoot on me, I seize the opportunity to counter for scoring." Michael Evans (Blair Academy, NJ) -- Senior, 189-Pound Champion The impact on my wrestling style since transferring into Blair: "I've gotten a lot better in the neutral position, a lot better hand fighter, and a lot better at controlling matches." On being such an aggressive, go-get-them wrestler: "My goal is to be full sprint for the duration of the six minute (plus) match. Being at Blair helps in that we're practicing as hard, if not harder, than everyone else." Tank Knowles (Calvary Chapel, CA) -- Junior, 215-Pound Champion On being a short, undersized wrestler at the weight: "Being relentless and having speed have been advantages since day one for me. They remain at the key of my matches right now." Goals for the rest of the season: "I want to be an undefeated state champ and win the Dave Schultz Award (for Most Outstanding Wrestler at state)." Mike McMullan (Wyoming Seminary, PA) -- Senior, 285-Pound Champion About wrestling an absolute mammoth (Buzzelli) in the finals despite being a smaller heavyweight: "Speed and technique kill. I wrestle like a middleweight (career path of 160-189-285-285)." Discussing the upcoming Beast of the East: "My weight is going to be very tough (three top six wrestlers in it). Just work hard at practice, wrestle toward my strength in the neutral position, and avoid getting crushed underneath." Greg Urbas -- Head Coach --St. Edward, OH On finishing third despite starting nine sophomores and a freshmen, and not having Jamie Clark: "This sophomore group is so talented, and they work so very hard. We're just going to get better as the year goes on and the kids grow with us. The attitude and spirit from the kids was awesome to watch and see grow in the room." Jeff Jordan -- Head Coach -- Graham, OH About finishing second without two starters and going 2-5 in quarterfinal round: "All our kids seemed to wrestle above seed, and it was awesome to see (five) wrestlers battle back in consolation to the third place match. The finish reflected a complete team effort." Jeff Buxton -- Head Coach -- Blair Academy, NJ This is a back-to-back championship for the Blair Academy squad, a seventh in nine, and a ninth title overall at the Walsh Ironman. About the second day dominance after ending the first day in fifth place: "We expected to be in that type of position after Day 1 with the unproven nature of about one-third of the lineup. However, those money rounds (quarters and semis) were truly that for us this year. Key to the performance was wrestlers like Jesse Shanaman, Brooks Black, and Todd Preston performing significantly above seed. And we also refocused well when sent into the consolation bracket."

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Wrestling without two starters, a shorthanded Penn State wrestling team stormed back from an early 9-0 deficit to win five straight bouts in the middle of the dual to walk away with a 19-19 tie at No. 24 Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Lions, ranked No. 14 nationally, already forfeiting at 197, were dealt a serious blow in warm ups when sophomore heavyweight Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) was injured and could not wrestle. Pittsburgh came storming out of the gates when freshman Anthony Zanetta stunned No. 7 Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) 15-9. Pitt added decisions at 133 and 141, putting Penn State down 9-0 after three bouts. All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) got a 13-4 major over Pitt's Eric Albright at 149 and All-American Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) got a four-point (no back points) technical fall (26-11 at the 6:49 mark) over the Panthers' Mark Powell. Those two wins cut the Pitt lead to 9-8. A third Lion All-American, senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), gave Penn State a 12-9 lead with a 16-5 major over Panther Karl DeCiantis at 165. The wins from the sixth-, third- and ninth-ranked wrestlers helped Penn State come back from Pitt's early flurry. Freshman Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) posted what may have been the most critical win of the night, however, with a 4-2 upset win over Pitt senior David Sullivan at 174. The win put Penn State up 15-9. No. 14 David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) then gave Penn State a chance for the win or a draw with an impressive 13-4 major over Pitt's Zac Thomusseit at 184, putting Penn State up 19-9. Penn State gave up a forfeit at 197 and watched its lead slip to 19-15 heading into the final bout. With Wade injured, senior Brendan Herlihy (Fairfield, Conn.) made his Penn State dual meet debut against No. 12 Ryan Tomei of Pittsburgh. Herlihy fought valiantly, trying to secure the dual meet win by keeping the bout to a decision, but the ranked Panther notched a takedown with :04 left to post a 10-1 win, getting the major, and forcing a 19-19 final in the dual. Even with two starters out, Penn State dominated the takedown battle with a 28-10 final total. Each team won five bouts and notched four bonus points, with Penn State picking up three majors and a four-point tech fall while Pitt got three on the forfeit and one on the final major. Penn State is now 5-1-1 while Pittsburgh moves to 6-1-1. The Nittany Lions return to action next Sunday when the squad heads to Reno, Nev., for the Reno Tournament of Champions. The one-day, team scored tournament begins at 7 a.m. Eastern in Reno. Penn State's next home dual is set for Jan. 22 when it hosts Illinois at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $4 in advance and $5 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC?(1390 AM) or 3WZ (95.3 FM) and on www.GoPSUsports.com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. Results: 125: Anthony Zanetta PT dec. #7 Brad Pataky PSU, 15-9, 0-3 133: Jimmy Conroy PT dec. Bryan Pearsall PSU, 7-3, 0-6 141: #13 Tyler Nuaman PIT dec. Colby Pisani PSU, 5-2, 0-9 149: #6 Frank Molinaro PSU maj. dec. Eric Albright PT, 13-4, 4-9 157: #3 Cyler Sanderson PSU tech. fall (4-pt) Ryan Goodman PT, 26-11 (6:49), 8-9 165: #9 Dan Vallimont PSU maj. dec. Karl DeCiantis PT, 16-5, 12-9 174: Justin Ortega PSU dec. David Sullivan PT, 4-2, 15-9 184: #14 David Erwin PSU maj. dec. Zac Thomusseit PT, 13-4, 19-9 197: #18 Matt Wilps PT win by forfeit, 19-15 HWT: #12 Ryan Tomei PT maj. dec. Brendan Herlihy PSU, 10-1, 19-19 Attendance: 1,104 Records: Penn State 5-1-1, Pittsburgh 6-1-1 Up Next for Penn State: at Reno Tournament of Champions Bout-by-Bout 125: Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), ranked No. 7 at 125, battled Pittsburgh's Anthony Zanetta. Pataky scored literally off the opening whistle, taking a 2-0 lead two seconds in with a double leg. Pataky then put together a strong ride, trying to turn a spiral ride into back points, but Zanetta countered, worked his way out and reversed Pataky to tie the bout. Zanetta then added three back points and took a 5-2 lead with 1:09 left in the first period. Zanetta added three more near fall points off a reset to up his lead to 8-2. Pataky escaped with :30 left to cut Zanetta's lead to 8-3 after one period. Pataky chose down to start the second period and steadily worked his way to his feet and escaped to an 8-4 deficit with 1:34 left in the period. Pataky forced a scramble with a double leg, but Zanetta was able to work his way around Pataky to get the takedown and up his lead to 10-4 with :34 left in the period. A Zanetta ride-out gave the Panther a 10-4 lead with 1:05 in riding time heading into the final period. Zanetta chose down to start the third and quickly escaped. Pataky then took Zanetta down and cut the lead to 12-6 with 1:10 left after a Zanetta escape. Zanetta added another takedown, countering a Pataky shot to take a 14-7 lead with :35 left. Pataky added a takedown to cut the lead to 14-9 but Zanetta was able to escape and post a stunning 15-9 upset of Pataky, giving Pitt a 3-0 lead. 133: Freshman Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) met Pitt's Jimmy Conroy. Conroy notched the first takedown, going up 2-0 early. The Panther then put together a strong ride, forcing Pearsall into a stall warning early in the period. Conroy rode Pearsall out to lead 2-0 with 2:52 in riding time. Conroy chose neutral to begin the second stanza. The duo traded shots during the first half of period number two, with neither wrestler finding an opening until Conroy countered a Pearsall single leg to take a 4-0 lead with :44 left in the period. Another ride out gave Conroy a 4-0 lead with a guaranteed riding time point entering the third period. Pearsall chose top to begin the third period and began working to turn Conroy for a pinning combination. But Conroy fought through a Pearsall turning chance for a reversal and a 6-1 (after a Pearsall escape). Pearsall got his first takedown at the :30 mark, but the damage was already done and Conroy posted a 7-3 win. The decision put Pitt up 6-0. 141: Penn State sophomore Colby Pisani (Ridgway, Pa.) met No. 13 Tyler Nauman in a rematch of a Nittany Lion Open match last Sunday, one in which Pisani upset Nauman in Rec Hall. Pisani was the aggressor early, working a steady offense for an early scoring chance on the edge of the mat. But Nauman was able to step out of bounds and force a reset at the period's midway point. Pisani gained control of Nauman's left ankle and nearly got a takedown at the :40 mark. But the ranked Panther was able to counter and keep things scoreless headed into the second period. Nauman chose down to start the second period and escaped when Pisani aggravated an injury suffered last night and walked off the mat in pain. The Lion sophomore walked back to the center of the mat trailing 1-0 with 1:40 left. Pisani continued to pressure Nauman, keeping the Panther stepping back and setting the bout's tempo. Trailing 1-0 heading into the third period, Pisani chose down to start the stanza. But Nauman turned Pisani for three near fall points before Pisani reversed the Panther in a mad flurry off the opening whistle. Nauman escaped and led 5-2 with 1:02 left in the bout. Pisani worked frantically for takedown but Nauman was able to play defense and walk away with a hard-fought 5-2 win, putting the Panthers up 9-0. 149: All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 6 at 149, met Panther Eric Albright. Albright came out of the gates early, getting a double leg takedown to take a 2-0 lead over Molinaro just ten seconds into the bout. Molinaro quickly escaped and began looking for his first takedown. But Albright was able to block off every Molinaro shot and keep his slim lead. Molinaro took a slight shot in front of the Panther bench only to have Albright counter the move and get a second takedown to lead 4-2 after a Molinaro escape with :50 left. Molinaro quickly got in on a high single but the Lion All-American was hurt during the scramble, forcing action to a halt and leading to an extended injury timeout with :40 left. Albright would carry that 4-2 lead into the second period. Molinaro chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 4-3 deficit with 1:40 left. The Lion then used his standard high double leg to take a 5-4 lead with his first takedown at the 1:30 mark. Molinaro then locked in on a split scissors to turn Albright for three near fall points and take an 8-4 lead into the third period. Molinaro, wincing in pain, added another takedown to up his lead to 10-4 with 1:05 left. He then added a two point near fall to up his lead to 12-4 and move his riding time edge over a minute. The ride-out and riding time point gave Molinaro a 13-4 major, cutting Pitt's lead to 9-4. 157: All-American Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), ranked No. 3 at 157, faced off against Pitt's Mark Powell. Sanderson wasted no time in taking a lead getting a takedown at the 2:43 mark to go up by two early. Sanderson then cut Powell and began looking for another takedown. But it was Powell that took down Sanderson and the bout was tied 3-3 after a quick Cyler escape. The Lion All-American then added his second takedown with a high double to lead 5-3 with just over a minute gone in the period. Sanderson added a third takedown at the 1:05 mark and led 7-5 after cutting Powell loose. A low ankle pick gave Sanderson a fourth takedown and a 9-5 lead with :30 left. The Nittany Lion then rode Powell out and carried that lead, with 1:47 in riding time, into the second period. Powell chose down to start the second period and was cut loose by Sanderson early, only to be taken down again by Sanderson, who led 11-7 after another Powell escape. Sanderson picked up another point on a second Pitt stall and then added a sixth takedown to lead 14-7 as the period moved under a minute. Sanderson cut Powell loose and picked up a seventh takedown to up his lead to 16-8 with a secured riding time point in hand. Sanderson chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 17-8 lead. He added another quick takedown, cut Powell loose and then picked up another stall point to lead 20-9. Sanderson notched one more takedown, upping his lead to 22-9 with 1:10 left. The Lion senior nearly turned Powell for back points, but Powell escaped. Sanderson added two more takedowns, the final with :11 left, to post the 26-11 technical fall at the 6:49 mark. The tech fall was only worth four points as no back points were scored and the Lions trailed 9-8. 165: All-American Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 9 at 165, took on Panther sophomore Karl DeCiantis. Vallimont took an early 2-0 lead with a takedown at the 2:10 mark. Vallimont cut DeCiantis loose with 1:00 left, looking for another takedown, but the Panther was able to play defense and force action to the second period. Leading 2-1 with 1:06 in riding time, Vallimont chose down to start the second period and escaped in just four seconds to lead 3-1. Vallimont attacked DeCiantis repeatedly, forcing the Panther into a stall warning and then getting another takedown at the 1:15 mark to take a 5-2 lead after cutting him loose. The Lion All-American added another takedown and cut and led 7-3 with :50 left. He added another takedown and cut DeCiantis loose with :30 left and then used his head outside single to notch another takedown with :15 left. The four takedown period gave Vallimont an 11-4 lead with 1:50 in riding time heading to the third period. DeCiantis chose down to start the final period and was cut loose by Vallimont to an 11-5 deficit. Vallimont used a beautiful outside trip to take a 13-5 lead with 1:20 left and a secured riding time point. Vallimont picked up a stall point to move out to a 14-5 lead while trying to turn the Panther for back points. Vallimont could not turn DeCiantis but would pick up another stall point and the riding time point to post the 16-5 major decision. The four points put Penn State up 12-9. 174: Freshman Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) took to the mat at 174 to meet Pitt senior David Sullivan. The young Lion set the early temp, forcing Sullivan back to the edge of the mat for the bulk of the first period. But the Nittany Lion's strong effort could not break through Sullivan's defense and action moved to the second period in a scoreless tie. Sullivan chose down to start the second period and put together a solid ride, maintaining control of the senior Panther for 1:30 of the period before Sullivan escaped to a 1-0 lead. Neither man scored over the last :30 and Ortega, trailing by one, chose down to start the third period. Needing to escape in :30 to maintain his riding time edge, Ortega escaped to a 1-1 tie in :18 to keep a 1:12 riding time edge. Sullivan shot low on Ortega, but the Lion freshman forced a stalemate at the 1:07 mark. Ortega was able to counter a Sullivan single leg, work his way around Sullivan and get a critical takedown at the :30 mark. A short ride secured the riding time point and, after a Sullivan escape, Ortega played defense to a key 4-2 win. The victory, Penn State's fourth straight, put the Lions up 15-9. 184: Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio), ranked No. 14 nationally at 184, met Panther sophomore Zac Thomusseit. With a forfeit looming at 197 and starter Wade out at heavyweight, Erwin entered the 184-pound bout not just looking for a win but looking for bonus points. He got his first takedown :50 into the first period, nearly completing a high throw. But Thomusseit was able to work out of trouble and escaped to a 2-1 deficit at the 1:30 mark. Erwin tried for a second takedown, but Thomusseit was able to force a stalemate with :15 left in the period. Leading 2-1, Erwin chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. Erwin used a head inside single to gain control of the Panther's right thigh and notched another takedown to lead 5-1 with :48 left in the period. Thomusseit gave up a first stall warning as the period ended. Trailing 5-1, the Panther chose down to start the final period and was cut loose by Erwin to a 5-2 lead. Erwin had 1:10 in riding time in hand. Erwin countered another Thomusseit shot and got a third takedown to lead 7-3 after cutting the Panther loose. Another quick takedown and cut, plus stall point, gave Erwin a 10-3 lead with :55 left. The Lion then locked in on a cradle with :40 left but was forced to cut him loose with :30 left. Erwin needed one more takedown to work his way to a major decision and with just :01 left, got the call to post the 13-4 major decision. The Lions took a 19-9 lead. 197: The Nittany Lions forfeited the 197-pound weight class, allowing Panther sophomore Matt Wilps to pick up six key team points. Penn State sophomore Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.) was suspended for two duals due to violation of team rules. The six points cut Penn State's lead to 19-15. HWT: Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 13 at heavyweight, was injured in warm ups, stunning the Nittany Lions and sending senior Brendan Herlihy (Fairfield, Conn.) to the mat to take on No. 12 Ryan Tomei of Pittsburgh. Herlihy was making his Penn State dual meet debut. Herlihy was able to keep Tomei at arm's length, forcing the Panther to take a series of short shots during the first period. The Lion senior was hit for one stall warning midway through the period and then taken down with :10 left to trail 2-0 after the opening period. Herlihy chose down to start the middle period and was nearly taken to his back off the opening whistle. But the Lion was able to roll out of trouble and force a reset. The Lion senior spent the rest of the second period, giving up one stall point at the :28 mark. Tomei's strong ride gave the Panther a 3-0 lead with 2:19 in riding time heading to the final period. Tomei chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 4-0 lead with 2:11 in riding time. Tomei gained control of Herlihy's leg and notched another takedown to lead 6-1 after cutting the Lion loose with 1:25 left. Herlihy needed to keep the bout to a decision to give the Loins an improbable win or a major to secure a tie. Herlihy got hit with a stall at the :40 mark and Tomei led 7-1 with a riding time point secured as well. Herlihy fought off Tomei until just :04 was left when the Panther got the key takedown to post a 10-1 major decision, ending the dual in a 19-19 tie.