Nov. 13, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The top-ranked Penn State wrestling team opened up the 2011-12 season with a 39-3 win over visiting Bloomsburg in a nearly sold-out Rec Hall today. After the championship banners for last year's Big Ten and NCAA titles were raised prior to the dual, over 6,000 fans roared as Penn State used three first period pins to roll to victory.
True freshman Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 18 at 125, made a stellar Penn State debut, pinning Bloomsburg's Sean Boylan at the 2:15 mark to give the Lions a lead they would never relinquish. Bloomsburg got its only win of the bout when Nick Wilcox downed Lion junior Derek Reber (Lewisburg, Pa.) 2-0. Red-shirt freshman Sam Sherlock (West Mifflin, Pa.) made successful Penn State debut by downing talented Huskie Matt Rappo 10-5 at 141.
Three-time All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 1 at 149, hammered Bloomsburg's Bryce Busler, turning the Huskie three-times in the second period alone on his way to a 16-0 technical fall at the 5:05 mark. Red-shirt freshman Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 12 at 157, took care of No. 14 Frank Hickman 10-8 in a bout of ranked foes. The win gave Penn State a 17-3 lead at the intermission.
All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 1 at 165, thrilled the crowd after intermission with a pin over Bloomsburg's Kevin Hartnett at the 2:21 mark. Taylor's win was followed up by All-American Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), who downed No. 20 Mike Dessino 10-4 at 174. Ruth is ranked No. 2 nationally. Two-time All-American and defending national champion Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 184, notched Penn State's third first period pin, decking Huskie Mike Mirra at the 1:55 mark.
True freshman Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 10 heading into his collegiate debut at 197, posted a convincing 6-0 with nearly 4:00 riding time over BU's Richard Perry. Nittany Lion senior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 5 at heavyweight, closed out the dual with a resounding 8-0 major over Bloomsburg's Zach Walsh.
Penn State gave up only two takedowns in the dual and rolled up a 24-2 edge. Penn State won the bonus point battle 12-0 as well. The win moved Penn State to 1-0 on the year while Bloomsburg falls to 2-3.
Penn State will take on No. 5 Minnesota on Sunday, Nov. 20, in a 12 p.m. dual that will televised to a national audience on the Big Ten Network. The dual is already sold out with only a few standing room only tickets remaining. Fans can purchase those SRO tickets by calling 814-865-5555. Tickets are priced at $8 for adults and $5 for youth (18 and under) and can be purchased from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day or in person at the Bryce Jordan Center box office. A maximum of four tickets may be purchased per person.
The full season slate of live dual meet and tournament action will air locally on WRSC AM (1390 AM) with Friday evening duals being simulcast on WRSC FM (103.1 FM). Lock Haven's WBPZ (1230 AM) will also carry the entire season live and further affiliates may be added soon. The regular season schedule of radio broadcasts will be streamed live at www.GoPSUsports.com as part of Penn State's All-Access package, which will also feature live video streams of many home events. Ticket information is accessed easily online at www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets/m-wrestl-tickets.html . Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstatepat and on Penn State Wrestling's facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2011-12 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#1 Penn State 39, Bloomsburg 3
November 13, 2011 - University Park, Pa. - Rec Hall
125: #18 Nico Megaludis PSU pinned Sean Boylan BU, WBF (2:15) 6-0
133: Nick Wilcox BU dec. Derek Reber PSU, 2-0 6-3
141: Sam Sherlock PSU dec. Matt Rappo BU, 10-5 9-3
149: #1 Frank Molinaro PSU tech fall Bryce Busler BU, 16-0 (TF; 5:05) 14-3
157: #12 Dylan Alton PSU dec. #14 Frank Hickman BU, 10-8 17-3
165: #1 David Taylor PSU pinned Kevin Hartnett BU, WBF (2:21) 23-3
174: #2 Ed Ruth dec. #20 Mike Dessino BU, 10-4 26-3
184: #1 Quentin Wright PSU pinned Mike Mirra BU, WBF (2:55) 32-3
197: #10 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. Richard Perry, 6-0 35-3
285: #5 Cameron Wade PSU maj. dec. Zac Walsh BU, 8-0 39-3
Attendance: 6,059
Records: #1 Penn State (1-0, 0-0 B1G); Bloomsburg (2-2, 0-0 EWL)
Up Next for Penn State: vs. #5 Minnesota, Sunday, Nov. 20, 12 p.m. - Rec Hall
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Freshman Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.) made his collegiate debut against Bloomsburg's Sean Boylan. Megaludis entered the bout ranked No. 18 at 125. Megaludis quickly got in on a single leg and took Boylan down at the 2:35 mark. The true freshman then cut Boylan loose and quickly took the Huskie sophomore down again for a 4-1 lead. Boylan got hit with a stall in the process. Megaludis then turned Boylan for a pin in his Penn State debut at the 2:15 mark to put Penn State up 6-0.
133: Junior Derek Reber (Lewisburg, Pa.) made his Nittany Lion debut at 133 against Bloomsburg's Nick Wilcox. The duo battled through a feisty but scoreless first period. Reber chose down to start the second and fought off a strong turning attempt by Wilcox for the first part of the period. The Lion junior nearly reversed Wilcox but could not finish off the move and Wilcox rode the Lion for the full two minutes. Wilcox chose down to start the third period and Reber began controlling the Huskie, looking to turn him and working off the riding time edge. Reber maintained control for over a minute but Wilcox reversed Reber with :20 to post a 2-0 win and cut Penn State's lead to 6-3.
141: Red-shirt freshman Sam Sherlock (West Mifflin, Pa.) made his Penn State debut at 141 against Bloomsburg's Matt Rappo. Sherlock forced the bout's first scramble, nearly taking Rappo down. But Rappo countered the move and rolled around the Lion freshman for a takedown and a 2-0 lead. Sherlock escaped to a 2-1 deficit but Rappo had a 1:15 riding time edge. Rappo, leading 2-1, took down to start the second period. The Huskie escaped to a 3-1 lead with 1:35 left in the period but Sherlock used a fast low double to tie the bout up at 3-3 with :55 on the clock. Rappo quickly escaped to a 4-3 lead. Sherlock shot high, forced a scramble on the edge of the mat and turned it into a takedown with :23 left to take a 5-4 lead. Sherlock then managed a short ride to carry that lead into the final period. Sherlock chose down to start the final period and scramble to a quick escape and a 6-4 lead. Sherlock powered through a high double to up his lead to 8-4 with another takedown at the 1:00 mark. Rappo escaped with :40 left, cutting the Sherlock lead to 8-5, and Sherlock would scramble for a late takedown and a 10-5 win.
149: Three-time All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 1 at 149, battled Huskie Bryce Busler. Molinaro spent the first half of the opening period looking for an opening and fending off a few head slaps from Busler. The Lion senior then used a swift high single for a takedown and a 2-0 lead. Molinaro then used the final minute to dominate Busler from the top position, working up 1:12 in riding time heading into the second period. Molinaro chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. Another high duck-under single by Molinaro led to another takedown and a 5-0 lead. Molinaro then turned the Huskie to his back for three near fall points, reset himself after getting the points and turned him again for three more. Leading 11-0, Molinaro reset, turned Busler to the mat once again and added a third three-point turn to lead 14-0 after two. Busler chose neutral but Molinaro wasted no time in ending the bout, using a fast high double off the whistle for a final takedown and a 16-0 technical fall at the 5:05 mark.
157: Red-shirt freshman Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 12 at 157, made his Penn State debut against No. 14 Frank Hickman of Bloomsburg in one of the dual's two bouts pitting ranked grapplers against each other. Alton scored quickly, taking Hickman down for a 2-1 lead after a Huskie escape. Alton gained control of Hickman's right ankle and forced a scramble on the edge of the mat midway through the opening period. But Hickman was able to force a stalemate and keep the match close. Alton was relentless, however, working a high single into a second takedown and a 4-2 lead after another Hickman escape. Trailing 4-2, Hickman chose down to start the second and quickly escaped. But Alton scored another swift takedown and led 6-4 after Hickman escaped at the 1:20 mark. The Lion freshman continued his takedown clinic, turning a high shot into a low single and an 8-5 lead as Hickman continued quick escapes. Alton, leading 10-5, chose down to start the third period. Hickman was able control Alton for a minute and a half, but Alton notched a reversal and led 10-6 after the BU escape. Hickman countered an Alton shot with :10 left to notch a takedown but Alton walked away with the 10-8 win, giving Penn State a 17-3 lead at the break.
165: All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 1 at 165, faced off against Bloomsburg's Kevin Hartnett. Hartnett had the first scoring chance of the bout, working in on a high single but Taylor forced a stalemate and kept the bout scoreless early on. Taylor countered a Hartnett scramble and worked his way to a takedown and a 2-0 lead. Taylor cut Hartnett loose and then used a low ankle pick for another takedown and a 4-1 lead. Taylor then turned Hartnett quickly, worked his shoulders to the mat and got Penn State's second fall of the bout at the 2:21 mark.
174: All-American Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 2 at 174, met No. 20 Mike Dessino in a battle of ranked opponents at 174. Ruth scored quickly off the opening whistle, using a high double to take a 2-1 lead early. Ruth then added a second takedown and two back points to lead 6-2 after a Dessino escape. Dessino chose down to start the second period and Ruth nearly turned him again. Dessino finally escaped at the 1:10 mark, but Ruth notched another takedown to up his lead to 8-3. Dessino escaped before the period ended to cut Ruth's lead to 8-4. Ruth chose down to start the third period but Dessino maintained control for the period's first minute. Ruth escaped with :40 left to take a 9-4 lead and, with the riding time point, posted a 10-4 win.
184: Two-time All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 184, took on Huskie freshman Mike Mirra. Wright used a sliding double leg to trip Mirra to the mat for an early 2-0 lead. Mirra escaped, Wright quickly took him down and Mirra escaped again to give Wright a 4-2 lead at the 1:25 mark of the first period. Wright then took Mirra down again and this time turned the Huskie to his back for Penn State's third pin at the 1:55 mark, giving the Lions a 32-3 lead.
197: True freshman Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.) made his collegiate debut at 197 against Bloomsburg's Richard Perry. McIntosh entered the dual ranked No. 10. Perry was the aggressor early on, trying to set the tempo and taking numerous shots early. The Huskie sophomore worked in on McIntosh's left leg, forcing a scramble at the 1:15 mark, but the Lion forced a stalemate and action resumed in the center circle. Perry gained control of McIntosh's left leg again and nearly scored as the bout ended, but the Lion true freshman was able to work his way out of bounds to send the match to the second period in a scoreless tie. Perry chose down to start the second period and McIntosh used the opportunity to punish the Huskie from the top position. McIntosh spent over a minute trying to turn Perry to his back. He got a one count at the :40 mark and then finished the tilt as the period ended, getting the three point turn to lead 3-0 after two periods. McIntosh chose down to start the third and quickly reversed the Huskie for a 5-0 lead. McIntosh steadily gained control of Perry's arms, working his way into another turning opportunity. While Perry was able to fight the move off, McIntosh's strong ride out gave the Lion rookie a 6-0 win with 3:52 riding time.
285: Senior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 5 at heavyweight, met Bloomsburg's Zac Walsh in the dual's final bout. The duo battled evenly for nearly two minutes, but Wade used a high double to take a 2-0 lead. Wade then began looking for a chance to tilt Walsh but the Huskie forced a stalemate with :31 left in the opening period. Wade nearly turned Walsh but could not finish the move as the period ended and led 2-0 with 1:18 in riding time heading into the second. Walsh chose neutral to start the second stanza. Wade used a fast single to up his lead to 4-0 at the :40 mark and then rode the Huskie out to carry that lead into the final period. Wade chose down to start the third period and steadily worked his way to an escape and a 5-0 lead. The Lion senior used a low trip and single leg for another takedown and a 7-0 lead with :45 left. He clinched the riding time point and then continued to work for a tilting opportunity. Wade maintained control for the rest of the period and posted an 8-0 major.