Nov. 4, 2007
STATE COLLEGE, Pa.; - Nearly 1,800 fans filled Rec Hall as the 2007-08 wrestling season had its table set with Penn State's annual Wrestle-Offs. Twenty five Nittany Lion grapplers took to the mats to stake their claims on the Penn State depth chart this season.
Head coach Troy Sunderland's two returning All-Americans, Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) at 197 and Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) at 141, did not wrestle in the event. Davis, ranked No. 2 nationally at 197, was the only wrestler entered at his weight while Strayer, ranked No. 7 at 141, did not compete due to a slight injury.
At 125, No. 11 Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) went 2-0 on the day, downing true freshman Desmond Moore (Easton, Pa.) with a pin at the 4:01 mark in the finals. The senior posted a technical fall over red-shirt freshman Eric Caschera (South Williamsport, Pa.) in his first bout.
Senior Tim Haas (Camp Hill, Pa.) went 2-0 on the day to claim the title at 133. He downed freshman Mike Eagan (Wharton, N.J.) twice, with an 11-3 major and a 9-3 decision in the finals.
With Strayer not competing at 141, rookie Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) took the title with two wins over sophomore Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.). The true freshman from New Jersey posted a 10-6 win in the first round and an 8-3 victory in the finals.
At 149, sophomore Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) claimed the crown. Jenkins, ranked No. 7 nationally, posted two major decisions over freshman Shane Everett (Saylorsburg, Pa.). Jenkins posted a 12-4 major to open up action at 149 and a 14-5 major in the finals.
The 157-pound weight class featured two outstanding meetings between sophomore Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 12 nationally, and true freshman Tim Darling (Nazareth, Pa.). Darling won his first round bout to set up the first meeting, with Vallimont claiming a 5-2 decision. After another Darling win in consolations set up another meeting in the finals. Vallimont, who was one win shy of being an All-American at 149 last season, claimed an 8-1 decision to take the title.
Sophomore Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), ranked No. 16 in the country, went 3-0 on the day and capped off his title with a pin of freshman Micah Bollinger (Mifflinburg, Pa.) in the finals (5:33).
At 174, juniors Mark Friend (Libertyville, Ill.) and Jack Decker (Roseland, N.J.) met in the finals. Friend claimed a 7-1 decision to win wrestle-offs for the second straight season. No. 11 David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio), coming off a red-shirt season, went 0-2 on the day, dropping a 4-3 decision to Friend and a 2-0 bout to Decker.
The 184-pound weight class entered the day as one of two wide open spots. Junior Phil Bomberger (Port Royal, Pa.) and sophomore Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio) split time at the weight last season and once again faced each other for the starting spot this year. Bomberger used a third period takedown in the first meeting of the afternoon and claim the first bout between the two, 4-1. Bomberger then used a 2-1 edge in the finals to secure the wrestle-offs spot.
With No. 2 Davis the only entrant at 197, no action took place at this weight.
The 285-pound weight class also featured a battle for the title. With the starting spot up for grabs, sophomore transfers Stefan Tighe (Erie, Pa.) and John Laboranti (Scranton, Pa.) each won their first round bouts and faced each other in the winners bracket final. Tighe scored a takedown midway through the first period and fought off Laboranti long enough to post an early 3-2 win. True freshman Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) stopped any thoughts of a rematch, however, with a solid 7-3 win over Laboranti in consolations, setting up a meeting with Tighe in the finals. Tighe then downed Wade 7-3 in the finals to secure the HWT title.
Penn State will open up the 2007-08 season by hosting ACC foe Maryland on Sunday, Nov. 11, in a 1 p.m. dual in Rec Hall. Admission to wrestle-offs is free. Tickets for all regular season duals are on sale now at the athletic department ticket office in the Bryce Jordan Center. Single-dual tickets are $5 for adults and seniors and $3 for students 18 and under. Penn State students with a proper student ID are admitted to wrestling events for free! Season tickets are $28 for adults and seniors, youth 18 and under season tickets are $21. Fans can call 814-863-1000 or 800-833-5533 to order tickets. All home duals will be streamed live at gopsusports.com and over the air on WBLF 970 AM and WKVA 920 AM.
Nearly 1,800 fans filled Rec Hall as the 2007-08 wrestling season had its table set with Penn State's annual Wrestle-Offs. Twenty five Nittany Lion grapplers took to the mats to stake their claims on the Penn State depth chart this season.
Head coach Troy Sunderland's two returning All-Americans, Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) at 197 and Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) at 141, did not wrestle in the event. Davis, ranked No. 2 nationally at 197, was the only wrestler entered at his weight while Strayer, ranked No. 7 at 141, did not compete due to a slight injury.
At 125, No. 11 Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) went 2-0 on the day, downing true freshman Desmond Moore (Easton, Pa.) with a pin at the 4:01 mark in the finals. The senior posted a technical fall over red-shirt freshman Eric Caschera (South Williamsport, Pa.) in his first bout.
Senior Tim Haas (Camp Hill, Pa.) went 2-0 on the day to claim the title at 133. He downed freshman Mike Eagan (Wharton, N.J.) twice, with an 11-3 major and a 9-3 decision in the finals.
With Strayer not competing at 141, rookie Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) took the title with two wins over sophomore Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.). The true freshman from New Jersey posted a 10-6 win in the first round and an 8-3 victory in the finals.
At 149, sophomore Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) claimed the crown. Jenkins, ranked No. 7 nationally, posted two major decisions over freshman Shane Everett (Saylorsburg, Pa.). Jenkins posted a 12-4 major to open up action at 149 and a 14-5 major in the finals.
The 157-pound weight class featured two outstanding meetings between sophomore Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 12 nationally, and true freshman Tim Darling (Nazareth, Pa.). Darling won his first round bout to set up the first meeting, with Vallimont claiming a 5-2 decision. After another Darling win in consolations set up another meeting in the finals. Vallimont, who was one win shy of being an All-American at 149 last season, claimed an 8-1 decision to take the title.
Sophomore Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), ranked No. 16 in the country, went 3-0 on the day and capped off his title with a pin of freshman Micah Bollinger (Mifflinburg, Pa.) in the finals (5:33).
At 174, juniors Mark Friend (Libertyville, Ill.) and Jack Decker (Roseland, N.J.) met in the finals. Friend claimed a 7-1 decision to win wrestle-offs for the second straight season. No. 11 David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio), coming off a red-shirt season, went 0-2 on the day, dropping a 4-3 decision to Friend and a 2-0 bout to Decker.
The 184-pound weight class entered the day as one of two wide open spots. Junior Phil Bomberger (Port Royal, Pa.) and sophomore Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio) split time at the weight last season and once again faced each other for the starting spot this year. Bomberger used a third period takedown in the first meeting of the afternoon and claim the first bout between the two, 4-1. Bomberger then used a 2-1 edge in the finals to secure the wrestle-offs spot.
With No. 2 Davis the only entrant at 197, no action took place at this weight.
The 285-pound weight class also featured a battle for the title. With the starting spot up for grabs, sophomore transfers Stefan Tighe (Erie, Pa.) and John Laboranti (Scranton, Pa.) each won their first round bouts and faced each other in the winners bracket final. Tighe scored a takedown midway through the first period and fought off Laboranti long enough to post an early 3-2 win. True freshman Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) stopped any thoughts of a rematch, however, with a solid 7-3 win over Laboranti in consolations, setting up a meeting with Tighe in the finals. Tighe then downed Wade 7-3 in the finals to secure the HWT title.
Penn State will open up the 2007-08 season by hosting ACC foe Maryland on Sunday, Nov. 11, in a 1 p.m. dual in Rec Hall. Admission to wrestle-offs is free. Tickets for all regular season duals are on sale now at the athletic department ticket office in the Bryce Jordan Center. Single-dual tickets are $5 for adults and seniors and $3 for students 18 and under. Penn State students with a proper student ID are admitted to wrestling events for free! Season tickets are $28 for adults and seniors, youth 18 and under season tickets are $21. Fans can call 814-863-1000 or 800-833-5533 to order tickets. All home duals will be streamed live at gopsusports.com and over the air on WBLF 970 AM and WKVA 920 AM.
FINALS:
125: #11 Mark McKnight pinned Desmond Moore, WBF (4:01)
133: Tim Haas dec. Mike Eagan, 9-3
141: Frank Molinaro dec. Adam Lynch, 8-3 (#7 Jake Strayer did not compete today)
149: #7 Bubba Jenkins maj. dec. Shane Everett, 14-5
157: #12 Dan Vallimont dec. Tim Darling, 8-1
165: #16 Dave Rella pinned Micah Bollinger, WBF (5:33)
174: Mark Friend dec. Jack Decker, 7-1
184: Phil Bomberger dec. Mike Ward, 2-1
197: None contested, #2 Phil Davis only entrant at 197
HWT: Stefan Tighe dec. Cameron Wade, 7-3
BOUT-BY-BOUT
125:
Caschera dec. Moore, 3-2 (sv)
McKnight TF Caschera, 19-4 (6:25)
Moore pinned Caschera, WBF (2:53)
FINALS: McKnight pinned Moore, WBF (4:01)
133:
Haas maj. dec. Eagan, 11-3
FINAL: Haas dec. Eagan, 9-3
141: Molinaro dec. Lynch, 10-6 FINAL: Molinaro dec. Lynch, 8-3
149:
Jenkins maj. dec. Everett, 12-4
FINAL: Jenkins maj. dec. Everett, 14-5
157:
Darling TF Dodds, 15-0 (5:15)
Vallimont dec. Darling, 5-2
Darling pinned Dodds, WBF (2:46)
FINAL: Vallimont dec. Darling, 8-1
165:
Rella dec. Bollinger, 8-5
Owsiany dec. Lorenzo, 3-2
Rella maj. dec. Owsiany, 17-8
Bollinger dec. Lorenzo, 14-9
Bollinger inj. def. Owsiany
FINAL: Rella pinned Bollinger, WBF 5:33
174:
Friend dec. Decker, 9-2
Friend dec. Erwin, 4-3
Decker dec. Erwin, 2-0
FINAL: Friend dec. Decker, 7-1
184: Bomberger dec. Ward, 4-1
FINAL: Bomberger dec. Ward, 2-1
197:
No bouts contested
HWT:
Tighe maj. dec. Herlihy, 11-3
Laboranti dec. Wade, 4-2
Tighe dec. Laboranti, 3-2
Wade maj. dec. Herlihy, 8-0
Wade dec. Laboranti, 7-3
FINAL: Tighe dec. Wade, 7-3