Jan. 13, 2008
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa; January 13, 2008 - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team was handed a tough 24-11 upset loss by No. 11 Ohio State this afternoon in its final dual at the 2008 National Duals. Penn State posted a 3-2 record during its solid tournament run and placed sixth at the event. Senior Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) picked up his 100th career win against the Buckeyes and head coach Troy Sunderland grabbed his 100th career coaching win during the weekend's action.
The Buckeyes won seven of ten bouts in the dual including stunning upsets at 125, 141 and 149, allowing OSU to win the first four bouts and put Penn State on its heels early. Nittany Lions getting wins were No. 10 Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) with a decision at 157, No. 17 David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) with a major decision at 174 and Davis with a major decision at 197.
Vallimont's win at 157 was his fifth of the weekend and keeps the talented Penn State sophomore undefeated with a 17-0. Vallimont grabbed impressive wins over the No. 5, No. 18 and No. 20 ranked wrestlers. Two of his five wins were majors.
Davis' victory at 197 against Ohio State was the 100th of his illustrious Penn State career. Davis, still a perfect 10-0 on the year, is now 100-19 overall with 26 pins, 19 majors and 217 dual match points. During his outstanding run this weekend, Davis downed the No. 4, No. 13 and No. 17 ranked wrestlers. Two of his victories this weekend were pins and two were majors.
Head coach Troy Sunderland also reached a milestone this weekend. His victory over Cornell last evening was the 100th of his career and Sunderland now stands at 101-75 in this, his tenth season at the helm of the Nittany Lions.
Penn State moves to 8-2 on the year and will venture to current finalist and second-ranked Iowa for its Big Ten opener. Action in Carver-Hawkeye Arena is set for a 2 p.m. Eastern bout. Penn State's next home dual will be on Sunday, Jan. 27, when the Nittany Lions host No. 15 Indiana at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall. All Penn State duals can be heard locally on WBLF AM (970) and WKVA (920 AM). 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 free! Fans can call 814-863-1000 or 800-833-5533 to order single-dual tickets.
#1 Penn State 11, #11 Ohio State 24
Sunday, January 13, 2008 - National Duals - Cedar Falls, Iowa
| 125: Nikko Triggas OSU dec. #7 Mark McKnight PSU, 10-3 | 0-3 |
| 133: #14 Reece Humphrey OSU dec. Tim Haas PSU, 8-3 | 0-6 |
| 141: #10 J Jaggers OSU dec. #2 Jake Strayer PSU, 6-4 | 0-9 |
| 149: #10 Lance Palmer OSU dec. #4 Bubba Jenkins PSU, 10-7 | 0-12 |
| 157: #10 Dan Vallimont PSU dec. Jason Johnstone OSU, 4-1 | 3-12 |
| 165: Colt Sponseller OSU dec. Dave Rella PSU, 9-5 | 3-15 |
| 174: #17 David Erwin PSU maj. dec. Alex Picazo OSU, 10-2 | 7-15 |
| 184: #5 Mike Pucillo OSU tech. fall #14 Phil Bomberger PSU, 15-0 (5:18) | 7-20 |
| 197: #2 Phil Davis PSU maj. dec. John Weakley OSU, 10-2 | 11-20 |
| HWT: #2 J.D. Bergman OSU maj. dec. John Laboranti PSU, 12-3 | 11-24 |
Final Score: #1 Penn State 11, #11 Ohio State 24
Records: Penn State 8-2, Ohio State 13-2
Up next: at #2 Iowa, Sunday, Jan. 20 - 2 p.m. EASTERN
BOUT BY BOUT:
125: Senior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.), ranked No. 7 at 125, took on Ohio State's Nikko Triggas. McKnight and Triggas began the match with high energy, with each wrestler looking to throw the other from their feet. It was Triggas who stunned McKnight early, getting a four-point move on the edge of the mat with a takedown and two quick back points. The flurry put Triggas up 4-0 midway through the opening stanza. Triggas once again tried to turn McKnight, but this time the Nittany Lion fought through the move and got his escape. Then, with time winding down, McKnight got in behind Triggas, pulled him to the mat and got a takedown as the first period ended to trail by only one, 4-3. The Penn State senior chose down to begin the middle stanza but could not break free of a strong Triggas ride. Triggas turned McKnight one more time for two back points, upping his lead to 6-3 all the while amassing a huge riding time advantage. McKnight found himself down 6-3 after two periods with Triggas guaranteed a time bonus point as well. Triggas chose top to begin the final period, hoping to continue his dominance underneath. The Buckeye did just that, once again riding McKnight out and adding three back points to post a stunning 10-3 upset. The win put OSU up 3-0 to start the match.
133: Nittany Lion co-captain Tim Haas (Camp Hills, Pa.) met OSU's Reece Humphrey, who was ranked No. 14 at 133. Humphrey got the bout's first takedown, getting Haas to the mat with :30 into the first period. Haas got free at the 1:30 mark to cut the Humphrey lead to 2-1 and began looking for a takedown of his own. The duo battled evenly for the remainder of the period and Humphrey carried that slim lead into the second period. The Buckeye chose down to begin the middle stanza and escaped to a 3-1 lead. Humphrey extended his lead late in the second period with a solid takedown on the edge of the mat, enabling the Buckeye to take a 5-1 lead into the final period. Haas chose down to begin the last period and escaped to a 5-2 lead with 1:42 left to wrestle. But Humphrey iced the bout with a third takedown at the :55 mark, taking a 7-3 lead (after a quick Haas escape). The Nittany Lion senior looked for his offense, but each shot he took was countered by Humphrey and the 8-3 OSU win (with riding time) put the Buckeyes up 6-0 after two bouts.
141: All-American Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.), ranked No. 2 in the country at 141, met No. 10 J Jaggers of Ohio State in one of the dual's marquee match-ups. With the Nittany Lions down, Strayer looked to spark Penn State and get his team back into the dual match with a win over the talented Buckeye grappler. With each wrestler attacking out of the blocks, it was Jaggers who got the bout's first points with a hard-earned takedown almost two minutes into the period. Strayer eventually worked himself out from underneath Jaggers, forcing a mad scramble over the period's last :30. Strayer eventually reversed Jaggers and tied the bout at 2-2 after one. Strayer chose down to start the middle period and once again. Jaggers managed to ride Strayer for the first minute-plus of the period, building up a solid riding time edge but pick up a stall warning in the process. Strayer escaped with :52 left to take a 3-2 lead, but Jaggers had a riding time advantage. The Lion held a 3-2 lead heading into the third, where Jaggers (with a sizeable time edge) chose down. Needing takedowns to win, Strayer let the Buckeye up to a 3-3 tie and began looking for a takedown. But Jaggers countered the Lions first shot and got his own takedown at the 1:24 mark to open up a 5-3 lead with a bonus point to come. Strayer escaped to cut the lead to 5-4 with ;15 left, but Jaggers was able to play defense for the final seconds and steal a close 6-4 victory. The Buckeyes had now won three straight and were up 9-0, putting the thoughts of upset victory into motion.
149: In another highly anticipated bout, No. 4 Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) took on No. 10 Lance Palmer of Ohio State at 149. After a short break due to a false fire alarm in the UNI-Dome, Jenkins seemed energized and began to force the tempo. With Palmer on defense, the Nittany Lion sophomore was able to pick his spots, getting in on two consecutive high single legs and finishing off the second attempt for a 2-1 lead with :30 left in the period (after the Palmer escape). Down by one, Palmer chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. Jenkins continued to set the tempo, forcing Palmer back towards the edge of the mat. The Buckeye caught Jenkins by the shoulders, however, and took him down for two points and two back points. But Jenkins immediately reversed him and after a furious :30 of wrestling, Palmer held a 7-4 lead. Down by three heading into the final period, Jenkins chose down to start the third. Jenkins escaped to a 7-5 deficit with 1:20 left to wrestle and immediately tied the bout at 7-7 with a quick double ankle pick. Palmer escaped to an 8-7 lead with :52 left. With :10 left, Palmer countered a late Jenkins shot and got a clinching takedown to post a stunning 10-7 upset win and push OSU out to a 12-0 lead.
157: Nittany Lion sophomore Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 10 in the country at 157, took to the mat against Ohio State's Jason Johnstone. Vallimont got the first takedown, taking a 2-0 lead at the 1:35 mark. He then put together a very effective ride, working hard on top to try and turn Johnstone to his back. Vallimont ended the period by riding his Buckeye opponent out and led 2-0 with a large riding time edge after three minutes of wrestling. Vallimont chose down to start the second stanza and escaped to a 3-0 lead. Vallimont pressured Johnstone throughout the period, but the Buckeye's defense was able to keep him from scoring again. Down by three, Johnstone chose down to start the final period. But Vallimont was able to maintain control long enough to secure a bonus point before he escaped to a 3-1 deficit. Looking to counter a low Johnstone shot, Vallimont flipped out of the move at the 1:06 mark. While Vallimont continued his aggressive style, Johnstone's defense helped the Buckeye keep things close. Nonetheless, Vallimont posted a 4-1 decision and put Penn State in the scoring column, trailing 12-3.
165: Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) met Ohio State's Colt Sponseller at 165 pounds. Rella had early chances against the Buckeye, but the OSU grappler fought off each attempt to keep things scoreless early in the bout. Sponseller picked up his pace then, forcing Rella towards the edge of the mat and into an early stall call. But Rella countered the temp and got a quick takedown on the edge of the mat, taking a 2-0 lead with just :31 left in the period. Rella then put together a very strong ride, working the Buckeye grappler hard enough to ride him out and carry the 2-0 lead into the second period. Rella chose down to start the middle stanza and escaped to a 3-0 lead with 1:35 to go wrestle in the period. Sponseller cut the lead to 3-2 with a solid takedown on the edge of the mat. Rella was then allowed up to a 4-2 lead, but Sponseller tied the bout with another quick takedown at the :30 mark. Sponseller then rode Rella out to send the bout to the final period knotted at 4-4. The Buckeye chose neutral to start the final period and deftly took Rella down for a 6-4 lead with 1:40 to wrestle. Rella escaped to a 6-5 deficit with :38 left but could not get a winning takedown in the bout's final seconds. Sponseller added a last second takedown and, with riding time, got a hard-fought 9-5 win. The victory put OSU up 15-3.
174: Sophomore David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio), ranked No. 17 at 174, met Ohio State's Alex Picazo. Erwin got the first takedown of the bout quickly and then proceeded to dominate Picazo from the top position to build up a solid time advantage. Picazo's escape with just under 1:00 to wrestle in the period sent the bout to the second stanza with Erwin holding a 2-1 lead. Picazo chose down to start the middle minutes and escaped to a 2-2 tie. But Erwin was undeterred, adding another takedown at the :52 mark to retake a 4-2 lead. Up by two with a big edge in riding time, Erwin chose down to start the final period. After a brief struggle, the Lion sophomore worked his way around Picazo for a nice reversal, taking a 6-2 lead. The Lion sophomore then added three back points to move up by seven, 9-2. With a bonus point in hand, Erwin continued to work Picazo from the top, maintaining his control for the bout's final minute-plus. Erwin's strong performance resulted in a 10-2 major and cut Ohio State's lead to 15-7 with only three bouts left to wrestle.
184: Junior Phil Bomberger (Port Royale, Pa.), ranked No. 14 in the country at 184, met No. 5 Mike Pucillo of Ohio State in the next bout. Bomberger was equal to the task early, battling the highly-ranked Buckeye throughout the bout's first period. Bomberger's offense was constant, but Pucillo was able to keep the Nittany Lion from taking an early lead. Late in the period, Pucillo picked up his pace and began setting the tempo himself, working the Lion junior's head and looking to pull Bomberger down to the mat. Pucillo got his takedown with :45 remaining in the openings period and carried that lead into the second stanza. Pucillo chose down to start the next period and quickly reserved Bomberger to up his lead to 4-0. He then turned Bomberger to his back for a three-point near fall and a 7-0 lead. The talented Buckeye grappler maintained his position, picked up a stall point, and rode Bomberger out. Trailing 8-0, Bomberger chose down to start the third period. Pucillo added a two-point nearfall, a three-point nearfall and another two-point nearfall to grab a 15-0 technical fall at the 6:18 mark. The five team points put OSU up 20-7 and clinched the upset victory for the Buckeyes.
197: Three-time All-American Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 2, met Ohio State's John Weakley at 197. Davis, dominating throughout his first four bouts at the duals, fought off some early pressure from Weakley and got his first takedown by pulling the fleeing Buckeye back onto the mat for a 2-0 lead at the :30 mark. Down by two, Weakley chose neutral to begin the middle period. Davis kept up the offensive pressure and countered a strong Weakley shot to turn it into his own takedown and a 4-0 lead with :20 left in the period. Another ride-out gave the Lion senior a 4-0 lead heading into the final stanza, where he chose top. Davis then worked his magic up top, forcing Weakley into a stall warning all the while methodically looking for a scoring opportunity. After a minute's work, Davis turned Weakley to his back for three nearfall points, holding the Buckeye grappler down until a reset was called. The three-points, plus a penalty point on Weakley, put Davis up 8-0 with :21 left to wrestle. Weakley did manage a reversal as Davis looked for another turning opportunity, but after all was said and done, Davis posted a convincing 10-2 major decision. The major cut OSU's lead to 20-11. The win was Davis' 100th career victory.
HWT: Nittany Lion junior John Laboranti (Pittston, Pa.) took to the mat against Ohio State All-American J.D. Bergman. Bergman entered the bout ranked No. 2 in the country. Bergman got the bout's first points with a takedown at the 1:20 mark. Laboranti escaped quickly and cut the lead to 2-1 with under a minute left in the opening period. Bergman finished off a scramble on the edge of the mat for a second takedown as the first period ended and led 4-1 after three minutes of action. Bergman chose down to start the last period and escaped to a 5-1 lead. Another Bergman takedown and two nearfall points put the talented OSU grappler up 9-2 after a Laboranti escape. Down by seven, Laboranti chose down to start the dual's final period and escaped to a 9-3 deficit. Bergman added a final takedown as the bout ended to post a 12-3 major and give OSU a 24-11 final victory.