Jan. 21, 2008
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - A trio of Penn State true freshmen claimed individual titles at the Kent State Open this past weekend. Wrestling unattached, freshmen Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), Tim Darling (Nazareth, Pa.) and Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) each finished first in their respective weight classes at the event on Saturday and combined to go 14-0 with three pins, a technical fall and a major. All Penn State entrants in the tournament were unattached.
Molinaro went 5-0 with a pin at 141 to claim the title. Molinaro beat Clarion's Greg Lewis 6-4 in the finals for first place. Darling went 5-0 with a pin and a technical fall to win the 149 pound crown. Darling posted a 7-2 win over Central Michigan's Ryan Cubberly for his championship. Wade went 4-0 with a pin and a major to grab the heavyweight crown. Wade defeated Pittsburgh's Ryan Tomei 7-5 in the finals.
Junior Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio) also placed for Penn State, going 5-2 and finishing fourth at 184 pounds. Other Nittany Lions competing at the event were Eric Caschera (South Williamsport, Pa.), 0-2 at 125; Desmond Moore (Easton, Pa.), 0-2 at 125; Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.), 2-0 with a pin at 141 then withdrew; Colby Pisani (Ridgway, Pa.), 2-2 with a major at 141; Matt Dodds (Leola, Pa.), 0-2 at 165; Craig Owsiany (Phoenixville, Pa.), 2-2 at 165; and Nathan Andrews (Spring Mills, Pa.), 0-2 at 184.