Nov. 21, 2010
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - No. 6 Penn State used three pins, three majors and a forfeit to shut out Harvard 45-0 in its opening wrestling match at the 2010 Sprawl and Brawl Duals. While the bonus points provided spark, it was sophomore James English (York, Pa.) who made the biggest statement with a 4-3 upset win over No. 9 Corey Jantzen at 149.
English, continuing to fill in for two-time All-American Frank Molinaro, who is ranked No. 3 nationally at 149, used a third period reversal to clinch the show case win. Sophomore Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) got a pin at 133, 12th-ranked freshman Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) got a pin at 141 (his third in three collegiate bouts) and 14th-ranked freshman Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) got a pin at 174. No. 6 David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) got a major at 157, No. 6 Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) got a major at 184 and true freshman Nick Ruggear (Oxford, Pa.) made his Penn State dual meet debut with a 12-1 major at 197. Freshman Frank Martellotti (Pittsburgh, Pa.) got a win at 125 to stay undefeated and No. 12 Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa.) got a decision at 165 to stay unbeaten as well. Junior heavyweight Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 9, received a forfeit victory at heavyweight to post the final score.
Penn State started six freshmen in the dual and all six one. As a group, Martellotti, Alton, Taylor, Kemerer and Ruth are all 3-0 while Ruggear is now 1-0 (for a combined 16-0 mark). Penn State won the takedown battle by a gaudy 24-1 margin. The shutout was the first for Penn State since the Nittany Lions shut out rival Lehigh 33-0 on Dec. 7, 2007. It was Penn State's most lop-sided shut-out win since downing Clarion 49-0 on Dec. 7, 2006.
Penn State, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, will immediately take on West Virginia here at the Duals. The Nittany Lions' next home dual is on Dec. 12 when Lock Haven comes to town for a 2 p.m. dual. Fans wishing to purchase single dual meet tickets for the 2010-11 Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling season can place their orders by calling 814-865-5555 or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office. The box office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket pricing is $8 for adults and $5 for youth, and there will be a limit of eight tickets per order. Group sales are also available. The 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) and WSQV (92.1 FM). All radio broadcasts are streamed live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#6 Penn State 45, Harvard 0
November 21, 2010 - Binghamton, N.Y.
| 125: Frank Martellotti PSU dec. Steven Keith HAR, 8-4 | 3-0 |
| 133: Bryan Pearsall PSU pinned Fermin Mendez HAR, WBF (2:00) | 9-0 |
| 141: #12 Andrew Alton PSU pinned Joe Alie HAR, WBF (1:21) | 15-0 |
| 149: James English PSU dec. #9 Corey Jantzen HAR, 4-3 | 18-0 |
| 157: #6 David Taylor maj. dec. Walter Peppleman HAR, 15-4 | 22-0 |
| 165: #12 Jake Kemerer PSU dec. Adam Hogue HAR, 6-3 | 25-0 |
| 174: #14 Ed Ruth PSU pinned Ian Roy HAR, WBF (0:54) | 31-0 |
| 184: #6 Quentin Wright PSU maj. dec. Cameron Croy HAR, 16-5 | 35-0 |
| 197: Nick Ruggear PSU maj. dec. Bryan Panzano HAR, 12-1 | 39-0 |
| 285: #9 Cameron Wade PSU win by forfeit | 45-0 |
Attendance: 550
Records: Penn State 3-0 (0-0 Big Ten), Harvard 0-1
Up Next for Penn State: vs. West Virginia at Sprawl and Brawl Duals, 1:15 p.m.
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: True freshman Frank Martellotti (Pittsburgh, Pa.) continued action at 125 for Penn State, taking on Harvard's Steven Keith. Martellotti got the first takedown just :20 into the bout to take an early 2-0 lead. He cut Keith loose after a short ride. The duo scrambled to a stalemate with 1:39 on the clock. Martellotti notched his second takedown shortly after the reset and this time put together a strong ride, building up a :52 time edge before Keith escaped to a 4-2 deficit. Leading by two, Martellotti chose down to start the second period, but Keith was able to break the young Lion down and maintain position for the entire period. The ride-out gave Keith a 1:09 riding time edge but Martellotti led 4-2. Keith chose down to start the third period. Martellotti rode the Crimson grappler long enough to kill the time edge but Keith escaped to a 4-3 deficit with 1:31 on the clock. Martellotti countered a strong Keith shot and worked his way behind Keith for a third takedown and a 6-4 lead after a Keith escape at the :40 mark. Another Martellotti counter led to a fourth takedown and an 8-4 lead with :18 on the clock. The 8-4 victory gave Penn State a 3-0 lead.
133: Sophomore Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) met Harvard's Fermin Mendez at 133. Pearsall gained control of Mendez's left leg, pulled the Crimson grappler onto the mat and took a 2-0 lead with a takedown at the 2:43 mark. Pearsall used a single arm tilt to add on two back points and continued a strong ride well into the first period. Pearsall then turned Mendez to his back and picked up a quick pin at the 2:00 mark, giving the Lions a 9-0 lead.
141: No. 12 Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), a true freshman at 141 for Penn State, met Harvard's Joe Alie. Alton wasted no time getting his first takedown, using a quick single leg to take an early 2-0 lead. Alton put together a strong ride and quickly completed a cradle. The swift move led to a short tussle and a pin for the Lions rookie at the 1:21 mark. It was Alton's third pin in three collegiate bouts.
149: Sophomore James English (York, Pa.) continued to fill in for No. 3 Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) and took on No. 9 Corey Jantzen of Harvard at 149. English countered an early Jantzen shot and nearly turned it into a takedown of his own. The second time Jantzen shot, English's counter did lead to a takedown and the Lion nearly pinned the ranked-Crimson grappler. Up 2-1 after Jantzen escape, action returned to the center circle at the midway point, but neither wrestler would score again in the opening stanza. Jantzen chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. English continued to counter each Jantzen shot, keeping his Harvard opponent on the defensive. Tied at 2-2, English chose down to start the final period and deftly reversed Jantzen, nearly pinning him in the process. With a 4-2 lead, English broke Jantzen down and began to build up a time edge. Jantzen managed an escape with :55 on the clock (English at :51 in time). Trailing by one, the ranked Harvard grappler tried pressing English, but the young Lion countered each move to hold onto his lead. English forced one final tie up and posted a stunning 4-3 upset win.
157: Red-shirt freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 6 nationally at 157, met Crimson 157-pounder Walter Peppleman. Taylor Peppleman took a low shot on Taylor and Taylor tried to scramble out of trouble but action was stopped briefly for an injury time out. The duo continued to hand-fight in the middle of the mat with Taylor forcing Peppleman to the edge of the mat for the rest of the period. Tied 0-0, Taylor chose down to start the second period steadily worked his way to a reversal and a 2-0 lead with 1:35 on the clock. The Nittany Lion freshman then began working for a turning combination, forcing Peppleman into a stall warning in the process. Taylor maintained total control, picking up a stall point during the ride out to lead 3-0 after two periods. Peppleman chose neutral to start the third period, but Taylor was relentless, picking up three quick takedowns in just :20, including three near fall points. Another escape by Peppleman led to a fourth Taylor takedown and the Nittany Lion freshman led 14-3 with under a minute left to wrestle. Taylor cut Peppleman loose and picked up the riding time point to post a 15-4 major to put Penn State up 22-0.
165: Red-shirt freshman Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa.), ranked No. 12 nationally at 165, faced off against Harvard's Adam Hogue. Hogue got the bout's first takedown, nearly pinning Kemerer right out of the gates. But Kemerer quickly fought off the move and escaped to a 2-1 deficit. Kemerer took a 3-2 lead with a strong low shot off a reset with :40 left in the opening period. Hogue nearly escaped at the period's end, but Kemerer was able to maintain control as time expired and led 3-2. Up by one, Kemerer chose down to start the second period quickly escaped to a 4-2 lead. Kemerer continued to set the pace, forcing Hogue backwards while looking for a scoring chance. Hogue got his first stall warning as the period ended and then, trailing by two, chose down to start the third. A quick escaped cut Kemerer's lead to 4-3 with 1:40 on the clock. Hogue nearly picked up a go-ahead takedown at the 1:04 mark, but Kemerer scrambled out of trouble and action returned to the center circle. Kemerer tried to turn numerous shoulder and head locks into takedowns, but Hogue was able to back out of trouble. But a relentless Kemerer was able to tack on one final takedown as the bout ended to post a 6-3 win and put Penn State up 25-0.
174: Red-shirt freshman Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 14 nationally at 174, met Harvard's Ian Roy. Ruth wasted no time in taking Roy down and then completing a cradle. The quick move led to yet another first period pin as Ruth got the fall at :54, putting Penn State up 31-0.
184: All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.), ranked No. 6 at 184, took to the mat against HU's Cameron Croy. Wright was quick out of the gates, turning a low single into a 2-0 lead with a takedown at the 2:44 mark. Wright then turned Croy to his back for two near fall points before resetting at the 1:50 mark. Wright's strong ride continued for nearly two minutes before Wright cut Croy loose and led 4-1. Another high fake, low single led to a second Wright takedown and the Lion led 6-1 after one period with 2:19 in riding time. Wright chose down and quickly escaped to a 7-1 lead early in the second period. Wright then used a low double to up his lead to 9-2 after cutting Croy loose. Wright tripped Croy to the mat for another takedown and an 11-2 lead with :32 left on the clock. A Wright ride-out gave the Lion an 11-2 lead with 3:16 in riding time heading into the final period. Down 11-2, Croy chose down to start the third period and escaped to an 11-3 deficit. Wright countered a Croy shot and used a strong double leg to up his lead to 13-3 (with a secured riding time point). Wright cut Croy loose and began looking for another takedown. The Lion All-American used a high single to drive through his opponent and move out to a 15-4 lead. A final Croy and a time point for Wright gave the Lion a 16-5 major and put PSU up 35-0.
197: True freshman Nick Ruggear (Oxford, Pa.) got the call at 197 and made his Penn State dual meet debut against Harvard's Bryan Panzano. Ruggear followed suit with his teammates and scored quickly, using a low shot to take an early 2-0 lead. The Lion rookie then put together a strong ride and then turned Panzano to his back for three near fall points and a 5-0 lead. Ruggear rode Panzano out and led 5-0 after the first period. Panzano chose neutral to start the third period, but Ruggear kept coming, using a low double to take a 7-0 lead with 1:40 left in the middle stanza. Panzano escaped to pick up his first point, but Ruggear added a third takedown with :20 left. Another Lion ride out gave Ruggear a 9-1 lead with 3:56 in riding time heading to the third period. Ruggear chose neutral to start the final period. The young Lions' relentless style kept his Harvard opponent backing up and led to a fourth takedown with just :14 on the clock. A riding time point gave Ruggear a 12-1 major in his collegiate debut and put Penn State up 39-0.
285: Junior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 9 nationally at heavyweight, received a forfeit victory, making the final score 45-0 in Penn State's favor.