March 17, 2011
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team finds itself in first place after the opening session of the 2011 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia. Penn State went 7-1 in the first round at the Wells Fargo Center, picking up important bonus points with two pins and two majors.
The Nittany Lions have 20.0 points after one round and find themselves alone in first place. Iowa is a close second with 18.0 followed by Cornell in third with 16.5 and Wisconsin in fourth with 15.0. Minnesota and Oklahoma State are both tied for fifth with 14.0.
Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), Penn State's only unseeded wrestler, lost a hard-fought 13-7 decision to 12th-seed Jarrod Garnett of Virginia Tech in Penn State's first match of the day at 125. Pataky will move into the first round of consolation action tonight. Sophomore All-American Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa), the third seed at 133, coasted to an 8-1 win over Northern Colorado's Casey Cruz in his first match. Long notched a late takedown in each period for the win. He moves into the second round tonight against Minnesota's David Thorn.
True freshman Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), the 6th-seed at 141, made a stellar NCAA tournament debut, pinning Binghamton's Anwar Goeres in the first period at the 2:20 mark. Alton's pin moves him into the second round tonight against 11th-seed Matthew Mariacher of American University. Two-time All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), the second seed at 149, dominated Rider's Zac Cibula in his first round match. Molinaro posted three takedowns and built up nearly 4:00 of riding time to shut out Cibula with a 9-0 major decision. The junior New Jersey native has not been scored on in four straight matches. He will take on Virginia's Derek Valenti in the second round tonight.
Red-shirt freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), the third seed at 157, put on a show against Big 12 Champion Robert Erisman of Oklahoma State. Taylor used a reversal and two near falls in the second period to roll to a 12-3 major and stay unbeaten on the year at 35-0 (with 33 bonus point victories). Taylor will take on Northern Iowa's David Bonin tonight. Classmate Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), the second seed at 174, also had a great, albeit quick, NCAA tournament debut. Ruth caught Liberty's Royal Brettrager with an inside cradle and pinned him in just 0:24. Ruth's fast fall sends him into tonight's' second round where he will meet Minnesota's Scott Glasser.
Sophomore Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.), a 2009 All-American at 174, was the No. 9 seed at 184 and took on Virginia's Jon Fausey in the opening round. Wright continued his dominant March run by not giving up a takedown, getting three of his own, and rolling to an 8-4 win. Wright will now face eighth-seed Kevin Steinhaus of Minnesota in the second round tonight in a rematch of the 2011 Big Ten Championship bout (won by Wright earlier this month). Junior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), the ninth-seed at heavyweight, made short work of Oregon State's Clayton Jack, turning the Beaver wrestler twice after a first period takedown to roll to a 9-2 win with over 4:00 in riding time. Wade's win moves him into the second round tonight where he will face eighth-seed Tony Nelson of Minnesota.
The Nittany Lions are 7-1 through one session with two pins and two majors for four bonus points. Both of Penn State's pins are first period falls.
The 2011 NCAA Championships continue this evening at 6:30 P.M. The event will be covered in full by the ESPN family of networks continuing with session two tonight at 6:30 p.m. (ESPN3). Action then continues as follows: Friday, March 18 - Session three, 10:30 a.m. (ESPNU & ESPN3 simulcast) - Session four, 7 p.m. (ESPNU & ESPN3 simulcast); Saturday, March 19 - Session five, 11 a.m. (ESPNU & ESPN3 simulcast) - Session six/championship finals, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN). All broadcasts are in HD, including ESPN3. The 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.
2011 NCAA Wrestling Championships - After Session I
Thursday, March 17, 2011 - Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, Pa.
1: PENN STATE - 20.0
2: Iowa - 18.0
3: Cornell - 16.5
4: Wisconsin - 15.0
5: Minnesota - 14.0
5: Oklahoma State - 14.0
7: Nebraska - 13.5
8: Lehigh - 13.0
8: Virginia Tech - 13.0
10: Boise State - 12.0
10: Rutgers - 12.0
The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown of Penn State's tournament to date:
125: Brad Pataky, Sr., (Clearfield, Pa.) - unseeded - 11-6 overall
1st Rd: L, 7-13 dec. #12 Jarod Garnett, Virginia Tech
Cons Rd. 1: Tonight
Senior Brad Pataky, unseeded at 125, battled 12th-seed Jarrod Garnett tough but dropped a hard-fought 13-7 decision to the seeded Hokie in Penn State's first bout of the day. Pataky, Penn State's only unseeded grappler, moves into the second round of consolation action tonight where he will face Oregon State's Jason Lara.
133: Andrew Long, So. (Creston, Iowa) - 3rd seed - 16-1 overall
1st Rd: W, 8-1 dec. Casey Cruz, Northern Colorado
2nd Rd: Tonight
Sophomore Andrew Long, the third seed, dominated Northern Colorado's Casey Cruz 8-1 in his opening round match, getting a late takedown in each of the three periods to coast to the win. Long will face Minnesota's David Thorn in tonight's second round.
141: Andrew Alton, Fr. (Mill Hall, Pa.) - 6th seed - 29-8 overall
1st Rd: WBF over Anwar Goeres, Binghamton (2:20)
2nd Rd: Tonight
True freshman Andrew Alton entered his first NCAA tournament as the 6th-seed at 141. The first year grappler made a superb NCAA tournament debut, pinning Binghamton's Anwar Goeres at the 2:20 mark. Alton took Goeres down three times in the first period before finishing off the match with the fall. Alton will face 11th-seed Michael Mariacher of American in the second round tonight.
149: Frank Molinaro, Jr. (Barnegat, N.J.) - 2nd seed - 29-2 overall
1st Rd: W, 9-0 maj. dec. Zac Cibula, Rider
2nd Rd: Tonight
Two-time All-American Frank Molinaro is the No. 2 seed at 149 and the New Jersey native finds himself wrestling before something of a home crowd in Philadelphia. Molinaro was dominant in a 9-0 major decision over Rider's Zac Cibula, amassing 3:45 in riding time and taking the Bronc grappler down three times. Molinaro now moves into the second round tonight where he will face Virginia's Derek Valenti.
157: David Taylor, Fr. (St. Paris, Ohio) - 3rd seed - 35-0 overall
1st Rd: W, 13-2 maj. dec. Robert Erisman, Oklahoma State
2nd Rd: Tonight
Red-shirt freshman David Taylor took an undefeated 34-0 record into his first NCAA Championship and was the third seed at 157. Taylor met unseeded Big 12 champion Robert Erisman of Oklahoma State in the first round and used a flurry of near falls in the second period to roll to a 12-3 major over the Cowboy senior. Taylor turned Erisman twice after a reversal to start the period. Taylor will now face Northern Iowa's David Bonin in the second round tonight.
174: Ed Ruth, Fr., (Harrisburg, Pa.) - 2nd seed - 33-1 overall
1st Rd: WBF over Royal Brettrager, Liberty (0:24)
2nd Rd: Tonight
Red-shirt freshman Ed Ruth took a superb 32-1 overall record into his first NCAA Championship and was the second seed at 174. Ruth wasted no time in making a splash at his first NCAA tournament. The Harrisburg native pinned Liberty's Royal Brettrager in just :24. Catching him with a near-side cradle and getting Penn State's second fall of the opening session. Ruth will now face Minnesota's Scott Glasser in the second round tonight.
184: Quentin Wright, So. (Wingate, Pa.) - 9th seed - 17-6 overall
1st Rd: W, 8-4 dec. Jonathan Fausey, Virginia
2nd Rd: Tonight
Sophomore Quentin Wright, a 2009 All-American at 174 as a true freshman, returned to NCAAs at the No. 9 seed at 184. Wright continued his torrid March run by downing Virginia's Jonathan Fausey in the opening round. Wright did not give up a takedown, notched three of his own, and rolled to an 8-4 win. The Lion will now take on eighth-seed Kevin Steinhaus of Minnesota in the second round tonight.
285: Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio.) - 9th seed - 29-6 overall
1st Rd: W, 9-2 dec. Clayton Jack, Oregon State
2nd Rd: Tonight
Junior Cameron Wade entered his second NCAA Championship as the No. 9 seed at heavyweight. Wade turned a first period takedown into a blowout win, turning Oregon State's Clayton Jack twice and rolling to a 9-2 win with over 4:00 in riding time. Wade moves into the second round tonight where he will meet No. 8 seed Tony Nelson of Minnesota.