| Senior James Yonushonis downed MSU??s Greg Goidosik to help Penn State get a 27-12 road win at Michigan State. Yonushonis and teammate Phil Davis went 8-0 in Big Ten duals this year. |
EAST LANSING, Mich.; February 18, 2007 ?C The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 11 nationally, downed No. 22 Michigan State 27-12 to close out the dual match season on a four-dual win streak. The Nittany Lions won seven of ten bouts to claim their fifth Big Ten dual win of the season.
Action in the dual began at 174, where Nittany Lion All-American James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.), ranked No. 5 at 174, battled Michigan State??s Greg Goidosik. Goidosik came out the aggressor early, forcing the tempo through the first part of period one. But Yonushonis?? defense was solid enough to keep the Spartan junior off the scoreboard. Neither wrestler was in real danger of giving up any points through three minutes of wrestling and the bout went to the second tied at 0-0. Yonushonis chose down to begin the middle stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The Lion captain then began to work his offense and, after a reset, nailed a quick double leg takedown with 1:00 left in the second to up his lead to 3-0. Yonushonis put together a solid ride, building up a :46 second time advantage while riding Goidosik out. Down 3-0, the Spartan junior chose neutral to begin the final period. Yonushonis fought off every Goidosik attempt to score high. Goidosik had one final chance to take Yonushonis down, but the Lion senior held firm and walked away with a 3-0 win. The victory gave Penn State an early 3-0 lead. Yonushonis improved to 27-3 on the year and ended the Big Ten dual meet season with a perfect 8-0 mark. Goidosik fell to 9-10.
At 184, Penn State sophomore Phil Bomberger (Port Royal, Pa.) took on No. 10 Joe Williams of Michigan State. Bomberger took the first solid shot of the match, nearly getting an opening takedown on the edge of the mat. But Williams worked his way around Bomberger to force a stalemate and a reset with 2:00 left in the opening period. Neither wrestler managed to break through for the remainder of the period and the bout went to the second period tied 0-0. Williams chose down to begin the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Bomberger once again shot quickly off a reset, going low at Williams, but the Spartan sophomore moved aside and worked around behind the Nittany Lion to get the bout??s first takedown with just over 1:00 to wrestle in the second period. After a reset, Bomberger quickly escaped to cut the lead to 3-1. Looking for his offense, Bomberger made another shot at Williams, only to be countered once again. Williams?? takedown as the period ended gave Williams a 5-0 lead with 2:00 to wrestle. Bomberger chose down to begin the final period, made a fast escape and quickly moved in on Williams for a takedown that he turned into a near fall to pick up two more points. The fast flurry gave Bomberger a 6-5 lead. Williams escaped to tie the score and with 1:00 left, the Spartan once again countered a Bomberger shot to get his third takedown and take an 8-6 lead with :40 left. Bomberger got hit with a second stall warning and could not escape Williams in the bout??s final seconds. The Spartan junior added a riding time point and escaped with a hard-fought 10-6 win. The decision tied the team scored at 3-3. Bomberger fell to 8-12 while Williams improved to 25-9.
Two-time Penn State All-American Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 197, battled MSU freshman Nick Palmieri. Davis wasted little time in getting a lead, finishing a textbook double-leg takedown at the 2:01 mark to grab an early 2-0 lead. After a reset, Davis used his top position to work towards a pinning combination. Davis dominated action, forcing Palmieri into one stall warning while building up 1:59 in riding time. Up 2-0 after one period, Davis chose down to begin the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. Davis initiated a fast scramble that resulted in a Davis takedown at the 1:10 mark. Within seconds, Davis had the Spartan freshman on his back. Palmieri fought off the pin for a bit, but Davis got the fall at the 4:04 mark, putting Penn State up 9-3. Davis improved to 22-1 with the win and, like Yonushonis, finished the Big Ten season with a perfect 8-0 dual match record. Palmieri fell to 11-20.
At HWT, Penn State senior Aaron Anspach (Columbia, Pa.) put his No. 3 national ranking on the line against MSU??s Alan O??Donnell. Anspach continued his torrid Big Ten season with a takedown just :35 seconds into the bout to take an early 2-0 lead. O??Donnell escaped only to get taken down with seconds again as Anspach moved out to a 4-1 lead. The Lion senior let O??Donnell out and, after a reset, finished a textbook double-leg for his third takedown in less than two minutes. This time, Anspach put together a ride, building up a 2:22 riding time edge and maintaining his advantage until the end of the period. Leading 6-1, Anspach chose down to begin the second period and, after a bit of work, escaped to a 7-1 lead. He added another takedown again after a reset, using his quickness to once again take the Spartan wrestler to the mat. Up 9-2, Anspach cut O??Donnell loose and began working towards bonus points. He added two more takedowns before the second period ended and carried a 14-4 lead with nearly three minutes of riding time into the final stanza (O??Donnell gave up a stall point in the process). O??Donnell chose down to begin the third period and escaped to a 14-5 deficit. Anspach countered an O??Donnell shot and got his seventh takedown with :45 left, cut the Spartan loose and added an eighth with :20 left. O??Donnell gave up another stall point with :06 left. Anspach, with over 4:00 of riding time, finished off the bout with a 20-7 major decision. The four points put Penn State up 13-3 and moved Anspach to 16-2 on the year. He went 7-1 in Big Ten duals as well. O??Donnell fell to 10-19.
One of the dual??s premier bouts took place at 125, where Penn State junior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) met Michigan State??s Franklin Gomez. McKnight entered the bout ranked No. 10 while Gomes checked in at No. 7. McKnight, who downed Gomez in the championship bout of the Nittany Lion Open back in December, fought off the Spartan freshmen??s first shot attempt early on in the first period. Gomez, however, got the opening takedown with just :20 left in the first period to take a 2-0 lead into the middle stanza. Leading 2-0, Gomez chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. McKnight put together two solid shots over the next minute. The Nittany Lion junior could not break through Gomez?? defense, however, and the Spartan kept McKnight at a distance long enough to get to the end of the second period. McKnight chose down to begin the final stanza and quickly escaped to a 3-1 deficit. With riding time not a factor, McKnight needed a takedown to tie the bout, the junior steadily worked his way to a near takedown on the edge of the mat. A scramble ensued and action slid out of the circle, but Gomez was awarded with a takedown at the :54 second mark. On the reset, McKnight go hit with a third warning for a false start and Gomez would ride McKnight out. The riding time point made the final 7-1 and inched MSU to within seven 13-6. McKnight fell to 18-6 with the loss while Gomez improved to 31-5.
At 133, Penn State??s Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) put his No. 11 national ranking on the line against MSU??s Clint Fruitiger. The Spartans moved Nick Simmons, ranked No. 2, up to 141 to fill in for his injured brother Andy. Strayer set the tone of the bout early and deftly countered a Fruitiger shot to lead 2-0 with 1:10 left. Strayer was dominant on top, putting together a solid ride and turning Fruitiger for two near fall points before the period ended. The Nittany Lions sophomore led 4-0 with more than a minute??s worth of riding time after the first three minutes of wrestling. Fruitiger chose down to begin the second period but could not find any breathing room underneath. Strayer once again put together a dominating ride, steadily working Fruitiger for another chance to turn the Spartan to his back. Strayer did not let Fruitiger out for the entire period and carried a 4-0 lead with 3:10 in time with him into period three. Strayer chose down to begin the final period and quickly escaped to a 5-0 lead. Sensing bonus points, Strayer began forcing Fruitiger to the edge of the mat in his efforts to get another takedown and grab a major decision. Strayer deftly stepped around Fruitiger and got the takedown with :50 left. He then cut Fruitiger loose and added a third takedown to lead 9-1. Fruitiger gave up a stall point and Strayer got the riding time point to post a convincing 11-1 major. The victory put the Nittany Lions up 17-6 and pushed Strayer??s record to 20-4, 6-2 in Big Ten duals. Fruitiger fell to 8-11.
At 141, Penn State??s Bryan Heller (Fair Haven, N.J.) met Spartan 133-pounder Nick Simmons. Simmons was ranked No. 2 at 133. Simmons got in on Heller??s left leg early, but the Lion senior broke away to keep things scoreless midway through the first period. With :45 left in the first, Simmons wrapped his arms around Heller??s neck and turned the hold into a two-point takedown and two near fall points to go up 4-0 with :36 left in the period. After a reset, Simmons managed to work Heller to his back and got a pin at the 2:41 mark to cut the Penn State lead to 17-12. Heller fell to 16-9 with the loss while Simmons moved to 32-1 on the year.
Penn State??s string of three straight freshmen starters began at 149 where No. 16 Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) took on Michigan State??s Jeff Wimberly. Vallimont got the opening takedown at the 2:40 mark to go up 2-0 on the Spartan sophomore. Like Strayer two weights earlier, Vallimont was a dominant force on top, riding Wimberly for over two minutes while looking for a chance to turn the MSU grappler to his back. Wimberly gave up another point prior to the period??s end with a technical violation and Vallimont led 3-0 with 2:40 in riding time after one stanza. Wimberly chose neutral to begin the second period. Vallimont then took Wimberly down once more to open up a 5-0 lead. Vallimont nearly finished on a cradle to break the bout wide open, but Wimberly managed to work his head free and force a reset after a stalemate. The Nittany Lion freshmen did not allow Wimberly any space underneath and once again rode him out. Leading 5-0 with a guaranteed riding time point (a 4:07 edge), Vallimont chose down to start the third period. Wimberly gave up two points in start cautions before Vallimont escaped to an 8-0 lead. Wimberly answered, however, with a takedown of his own at the 1:30 mark to cut the lead to 8-2. Vallimont escaped to lead 9-2 with 1:11 left. He then added another takedown and three near fall points, rolling to a 15-2 major decision and putting Penn State up 21-12. The win improved Vallimont??s record to 16-8 while Wimberly fell to 19-11.
True freshman Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) took to the mat against MSU??s Tony Greathouse at 157. The Lion rookie got the first takedown of the bout, finishing off a shot with a trip at the 2:10 mark to go up 2-0 on the MSU senior. Greathouse escaped to cut the lead to 2-1 :33 seconds later. Neither grappler had a solid scoring chance for the remainder of the period until Greathouse got in on Jenkins?? right leg as the period wound down. Jenkins did a solid job of fighting the move off and the second period ended with Jenkins holding a 2-1 lead. The Nittany Lion freshman chose down to begin the second period and quickly turned his position into a two point reversal. Greathouse??s escape made the scored 4-2 Jenkins with 1:14 to wrestle in the middle period. After a reset, Jenkins dove at Greathouse??s lower legs and finished the double-leg takedown by getting two near fall points. But Greathouse managed to reverse Jenkins and after :30 of heated action, Jenkins led 8-4. Greathouse rode Jenkins out for the remaining few seconds and the bout went to the final stanza with Jenkins leading by four. Greathouse chose down to begin the final period, but Jenkins did not allow the Spartan senior up until :30 had passed. In the process, however, Jenkins grabbed Greathouse??s headgear and gave up another point. Greathouse??s escape and the penalty cut Jenkins?? lead to 8-6. The Penn State freshman, however, continued his offensive assault and got another takedown to lead 10-6. But Greathouse once again got a reversal and, after a Jenkins escape, cut Jenkins lead to 11-8. Not to be denied, Jenkins got one more takedown to ice the bout. Still, Greathouse got one more reversal but it was not enough as Jenkins posted a 13-10 win and clinched the dual for the Nittany Lions. Penn State moved out to a 24-12 lead and Jenkins upped his record to 19-7. Greathouse fell to 17-17 with the loss.
Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), another Penn State true freshman, met MSU??s Rex Kendle at 165 in the dual??s final bout. Rella quickly jumped out on the Spartan sophomore with a solid takedown a minute into the first period and led 2-1 after a Kendle escape. The Penn State rookie added a second takedown shortly after Kendle??s escape to lead 4-1 with under 1:00 to wrestle in the first period. Rella put together a strong ride, working for a pinning condition while riding Kendle out. An outstanding three minutes of wrestling gave the Penn State freshman a 4-1 lead with 1:40 in riding time heading into the middle stanza. Rella chose down to begin the second period and quickly escaped to a 5-1 lead. A quick Rella takedown put him up 7-2 after letting Kendle up. Kendle got his first takedown at the 1:00 mark, cutting Rella??s lead to 7-4. Rella escaped after a reset and upped his lead to 8-4 after two periods. Kendle chose down to start the dual??s final period but could not break free of Rella??s ride. Putting together a strong ride, Rella did not allow Kendle up until he had a 2:02 riding time edge. Kendle, however, cut the lead to 8-7 with a fine takedown in the middle of the mat with 1:00 left in the bout. Rella escaped to a 9-7 lead in time to ice the riding time point. Neither wrestler added any more points and Rella posted a solid 10-7 win. The decision made the final scored 27-12 in the Nittany Lions?? favor and moved Rella to 20-10 on the year. Kendle fell to 13-11.
The Lions won seven of ten bouts and had 24 takedowns to Michigan State??s nine. The Lions also had six bonus points to MSU??s three.
Penn State ends the season with a 14-5 record, 5-3 in Big Ten duals. The 5-3 finish marks the third time in four years that Penn State has won at least five Big Ten duals. If No. 10 Iowa loses to No. 1 Minnesota this evening, Penn State would finish tied for third in the final Big Ten dual meet standings. Michigan State moves to 3-10, 2-6 in Big Ten duals.
Head coach Troy Sunderland??s Nittany Lions will be off until the 2007 Big Ten Championships on March 3-4. The two-day event will be back in East Lansing as Michigan State hosts the event in the Breslin Center. Fans may order tickets directly from Michigan State University by calling 1-800-GO-STATE. When ordering tickets, request seats in section 126, which is the Penn State ticket block. More information and on-line ticket availability can be found at Michigan State??s official athletic department website, www.msuspartans.com (just click on the Big Ten Tournament Central logo along the right side of the main home page).
#11 Penn State 27, #22 Michigan State 12
Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007 ?C East Lansing, Mich.
174: #5 James Yonushonis PSU dec. Greg Goidosik MSU, 3-0 3-0
184: #10 Joe Williams MSU dec. Phil Bomberger PSU, 10-6 3-3
197: #1 Phil Davis PSU pinned Nick Palmieri MSU, WBF (4:04) 9-3
HWT: #3 Aaron Anspach PSU maj. dec. Alan O??Donnell MSU, 20-7 13-3
125: #7 Franklin Gomez MSU dec. #10 Mark McKnight PSU, 7-1 13-6
133: #11 Jake Strayer PSU maj. dec. Clint Fruitiger MSU, 11-1 17-6
141: #2 Nick Simmons MSU pinned Bryan Heller PSU, WBF (2:41) 17-12
149: #16 Dan Vallimont PSU maj. dec. Jeff Wimberly MSU, 15-2 21-12
157: Bubba Jenkins PSU dec. Tony Greathouse MSU, 13-10 24-12
165: Dave Rella PSU dec. Rex Kendle MSU, 10-7 27-12
Records: Penn State 14-5, 5-3 Big Ten; Michigan State 3-10, 2-6 Big Ten
Next Up For Penn State: At 2007 Big Ten Championships, March 3-4, East Lansing, Mich.