March 21, 2015
FEATURE: Matt Brown a Deserving National Champ | Photo Gallery
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Penn State senior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) added yet another wrestling national title to Penn State's growing list of accomplishments with a thrilling 5-4 win over Pittsburgh's Tyler Wilps in the NCAA finals. Brown, a three-time All-American, earned his first NCAA title with the victory after coming up short in the finals as a sophomore.
Brown's win was capped off by a lengthy delay as the match ended with each bench challenging a bout deciding call. In the end, Penn State's challenge won the day and Brown walked away with a 5-4 win and the NCAA title. Brown won Penn State's 30th national title and is the 23rd individual to claim one.
The Brown/Wilps match-up was the first ever national final between Penn State and Pitt and it would produce a thrilling end. Brown began the match working for control on his feet, forcing Wilps to the outside circle while looking to work his offense. The duo traded low shots at the :35 mark with no on connecting. Brown continued to press Wilps but the bout moved to the second tied 0-0. Wilps chose down to start the middle period and Brown was able to control the action for :33 before Wilps escaped to a 1-0 lead. Brown took yet another shot, not able to finish as Wilps worked his way out of bounds once again. Brown forced the Panther into a first stall warning but Wilps then connected on a single leg that nearly took Brown to the mat. Brown was able to fight off the move and force a reset with :22 left in the period.
Trailing by one, Brown chose down to start the third period and steadily worked his way to an escape and a 1-1 tie at the 1:32 mark. Brown worked in on another single leg and got the takedown as Wilps worked to get out of bounds. The takedown gave the Lion a 3-1 lead at the 1:02 mark. Wilps was awarded an escape at the :42 mark but the Penn State bench challenged the call. The call was overturned and Brown maintained the 3-1 lead. Wilps did quickly escape on the reset to cut Brown's lead to 3-2. He then quickly took Brown down to take a 4-3 lead with :20 on the clock. Wilps, who was called for stalling early in the bout, hung on to Brown's leg for five seconds and Brown picked up the stall point to tie the match at 4-4. With :03 left, Brown worked for an escape and Wilps appeared to lock his hands as the period ended. The non-call was challenged by Penn State and after a long review, the locked hands was awarded and Brown was given the point. Pitt then immediately challenged as to whether the penalty occurred before time expired and the officials confirmed that it did and Brown collected the 5-4 win, claiming his NCAA title.
Brown became Penn State's 24th three-time All-American with his quarterfinal victory and his finals win over Wilps marks the fifth straight year Penn State has crowned a national champion. The Utah native is head coach Cael Sanderson's 11th national champion and his ninth at Penn State.
The newest Penn State national champion, Brown went 5-0 at nationals and ends his year with a 29-3 record. Brown was the national runner-up in 2013 and the fifth place finisher in 2014. In 2013, as a sophomore and a national runner-up, Brown was named the Elite 89 Award winner as the nation's top wrestling scholar athlete. Brown ends his Penn State career with a 118-16 career record. He leaves Penn State alone in 11th place on the school's all-time wins list.
Junior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the No. 2 seed at 197, rebounded from a quarterfinal upset in outstanding fashion and roared back to place third. McIntosh went 6-1 at this year's championships and is now a two-time All-American. The junior ends his season with a 32-3 overall record.
Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 133, ended his tournament run as An All-American and the fifth place finisher. He went 4-2 at this year's NCAA tournament and ends his year with a 26-9 overall record.
Senior Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), the No. 8 seed at 125, ended the NCAA Championships as a first time All-American, the sixth place finisher and with a 4-3 record. He ends his season with a 19-6 record overall.
Junior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), the No. 11 seed at 125, ended the tournament with a 4-3 mark as the 8th place finisher and an All-American. He closed out the year with a 27-9 overall record.
Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.) concluded his tournament on Friday with a 1-2 mark including a major. Beitz posted a 19-11 overall record on the year. Freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), the No. 14 seed at 184, bowed out in last night's session with a 2-2 mark in the `round of 12'. McCutcheon went 26-14 on the year.
Brown's win gave Penn State a final record of 26-13 at this year's NCAA Championship. Sanderson's squad returns home with five All-Americans and a sixth place finish off 67.5 points. The lkjl place finish breaks Penn State's string of four straight NCAA titles but is the sixth top ten finish in Sanderson's six years at the help of the Nittany Lions. Sanderson has now coaches 46 All-Americans, 31 at Penn State. This year's haul of hardware winners brings Penn State's All-American total to 194.
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2014-15 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships - Team Score - Top Ten FINAL
Saturday, March 21, 2015 - Scottrade Center - St. Louis, Mo.
1: Ohio State - 102.0
2: Iowa - 84.0
3: Edinboro - 75.5
4: Missouri - 73.5
5: Cornell - 71.5
6: PENN STATE - 67.5
7: Oklahoma State - 65.0
8: Minnesota - 59.5
9: Nebraska - 59.0
10: Virginia Tech - 56.0
The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown/agate of Penn State's tournament to date (rankings listed are SEEDS):
125: #11 Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), Jr. -- (27-9 overall) - All-American - 8th Place
1st Rd: Joaquin Martinez, The Citadel - W, 12-7 dec.
2nd Rd: #6 Thomas Gilman, Iowa - L, 1-3 (sv) dec.
Cn 2: Scott Parker, Lehigh - W, 4-3 dec.
Cn 3: Ethan Lizak, Minnesota - W, 7-3 dec.
Rd 12: David Terao, American - W, 8-5 dec.
Cn Qtr: #2 Nashon Garrett, Cornell - L, 1-10 maj. dec.
7th Place: #7 Eddie Klimara, Oklahoma State - L, 4-5 dec.
Junior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), the No. 11 seed at 125, began Penn State's day with a solid 12-7 win over Joaquin Martinez of the Citadel. The Lion junior used two reversals and a late four-point move in the second period to break away for the win.
Conaway took on No. 6 Thomas Gilman of Iowa in the second round. After a scoreless first period, Conaway notched an escape to start the second period and led 1-0 heading into the third. Gilman tied the score with an escape of his own to send the bout to sudden victory where the Hawkeye clinched the win with a takedown. The 3-1 (sv) loss, Penn State's first of the tournament, moved Conaway into consolation action.
He then met Lehigh's Scott Parker in his first consolation match Friday morning. Parker used a first period takedown to take an early lead that Conaway erased with a second period escape. With the bout tied 2-2 heading to the third, Parker chose down to begin the final stanza and quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead. Conaway forced Parker into a stall warning and then finished off a scramble in the middle of the mat for a takedown at the :55 mark to take a 4-3 lead. The Lion then held on for a ride out to post the 4-3 win and move into consolation round three.
In the next consolation round, Conaway took on Minnesota's Ethan Lizak. Conaway was the aggressor from the start, forcing Lizak back to the outside circle for the opening two minutes before finishing off a takedown for a 2-0 lead. The Lion junior then controlled the action from the top position, working up a 1:22 riding time edge with a ride out. The second started neutral and Conaway upped his lead to 4-0 with another takedown. Leading 4-1, Conaway chose down to start the third period and reversed Lizak to take a 6-1 lead. Lizak would add a last second reversal but Conaway rolled to a 7-3 win with 2:26 in riding time.
Conaway met American's David Terao in the round of 12, needing one more win to become an All-American. Terao opened up an early 2-1 lead with a first period takedown and carried that lead into the second period. Conaway chose down to start the second and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. He then slipped behind Terao for a takedown and a 4-2 lead at the 1:30 mark. Conaway maintained control for the rest of the period and led 4-2 with 1:24 in riding time after two. Terao chose down to start the third period and quickly reversed the Lion. Conaway escaped and led 5-4 with 1:37 in riding time with 1:30 on the clock. Conaway added one more takedown and, with riding time, rolled to the 8-5 win to stay alive for third and became an All-American.
In the consolation quarterfinals, Conaway met No. 2 Nashon Garrett of Cornell. Garrett notched a quick takedown in the first period to open up a 2-1 lead. The two-time Cornell All-American controlled action in the first and led 6-1 after one. The first period burst was too much for Conaway to overcome and the Lion junior dropped a 10-1 major decision.
Conaway met No. 7 Eddie Klimara of Oklahoma State in the seventh place match. Conaway was the aggressor early but could not connect on two quick singles. Klimara then scored on his first to take a 2-0 lead at the 1:05 mark. Trailing 2-1, Conaway chose down to start the second and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. Conaway then took his first lead with a solid low double on the edge of the mat to move out to a 4-2 advantage with 1:24 on the clock. The Nittany Lion All-American then controlled action from the top for the rest of the period and led 4-2 with :41 riding time after two. Klimara chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 4-3 Conaway lead. Conaway took a final shot with :15 left and Klimara was able to counter on the edge of the mat, turning the scramble into a takedown and posting a dramatic 5-4 win in the final seconds. Conaway ends the tournament with a 4-3 mark as the 8th place finisher and an All-American. He closes out the year with a 27-9 overall record.
133: #7 Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), So. -- (26-9 overall) - All-American - 5th Place
1st Rd: Scott Delvecchio, Rutgers - W, 11-3 maj. dec.
2nd Rd: Jade Rauser, Utah Valley - W, 8-4 dec.
Qtrs: #2 Bradley Taylor, Wisconsin - W, 9-4 dec.
Semis: #3 Cory Clark, Iowa - L, 5-7 dec.
Cn Semi: #9 A.J. Schopp, Edinboro - LBF (3:38)
5th: #10 Mason Beckman, Lehigh - W, 9-5 dec.
Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 133, dominated Rutgers' Scott Delvecchio, using a last second takedown to secure Penn State's first bonus points and rolling to an 11-3 major decision with nearly 2:00 of riding time.
Gulibon met Utah Valley's Jade Rauser in round two. Gulibon gave up a first period takedown and trailed 2-1 early. Rauser escaped to a 3-1 lead to start the second period but Gulibon quickly tied the match with a takedown. Rauser escaped to lead 4-3 after two and Gulibon quickly tied the match at 4-4 with an escape to start the third period. He then clinched the match with a takedown and two near fall points in the final :30 to post the 8-4 win and move into the quarterfinals.
The Lion sophomore was Penn State's first national quarterfinalist of the day, taking on No. 2 Bradley Taylor of Wisconsin. Gulibon was the aggressor out of the gates, turning his third low single into a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 1:19 mark. He turned Taylor for two near fall and led 4-0 after one. Taylor came on strong in the second with two quick takedowns to cut Gulibon's lead to 7-4. Leading by three, Gulibon chose neutral to start the third period. Staying on offense, the Lion sophomore continued to work and finished off the match with a late takedown for a 9-4 victory. The decision makes Gulibon an All-American for the first time and moved him into the national semifinals.
Gulibon met No. 3 Cory Clark of Iowa in Penn State's first national semifinal. Gulibon got in on a quick high single but Clark was able to fight off the move and keep the bout scoreless early. After a scoreless first period, Gulibon chose down to start the second period. After :30 of work, the Lion works his way to a reversal and led 2-1 after a quick Clark escape. Clark then countered a Gulibon shot to take a 3-2 lead with 1:04 in riding time into the third. Clark chose down to start the third and Gulibon controlled him long enough to kill the riding time edge before Clark escaped to a 4-2 lead. Clark notched another counter takedown on the edge of the mat to open up a 6-2 lead. Gulibon escaped to a 6-3 score with :40 left and finished off a takedown at the :06 mark. But the score was too late and Clark posted the 7-5 win.
Gulibon took on No. 9 A.J. Schopp of Edinboro in the consolation semifinals. Gulibon took an early lead with a low single that led to a scramble and a takedown midway through the period. Schopp countered with a reversal with just :08 on the clock and the bout moved to the second period tied 2-2. Schopp chose top to start the second and a scramble ensued right off the opening whistle. Gulibon worked in on a high crotch and turned Schopp's back to the mat but the Scot rolled through before Gulibon could get the fall and turned the Lion to his back for a pin at the 3:38 mark.
Gulibon took on No. 10 Mason Beckman of Lehigh in the fifth place match. Beckman scored early to take a 2-0 lead but Gulibon answered back quickly. The Lion sophomore escaped and then quickly took Beckman down to take a 3-2 lead. Beckman escaped and action resumed in the center circle knotted at 3-3. Beckman chose down to start the second period and Gulibon was able to control the action long enough to build up a 1:12 riding time edge before Beckman escaped to a 4-3 lead. Gulibon retook the lead with a sweet single leg to takedown and two quick back points to lead 7-5 with 1:24 in riding time after two. Gulibon chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to an 8-5 lead, still maintaining a 1:18 riding time edge. Gulibon rolled on to the 9-5 decision to place fifth as the seven seed. The All-American went 4-2 at this year's NCAA tournament and ends his year with a 26-9 overall record.
149: #12 Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), So. -- (19-11 overall)
1st Rd: Shawn Greevy, Chattanooga - W, 10-1 maj. dec.
2nd Rd: #5 Chris Villalonga, Cornell - L, 4-6 (sv) dec.
Cn 2: #6 Alec Pantaleo, Michigan - L, 4-5 dec.
Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), the No. 12 seed at 149, was equally dominant in his NCAA Championship debut, rolling to a 10-1 major over Shawn Greevy of Chattanooga. Beitz used multiple takedowns and a three point near fall in the second and added 3:35 riding time.
Beitz met No. 5 Chris Villalonga of Cornell in round two. Villalonga chose down to start the second period after a scoreless opening stanza and escaped to a 1-0 lead. Beitz answered quickly, however, using a fast low shot to take a 2-1 lead with a takedown on the edge of the mat. Another escape tied the bout at 2-2 after two periods. Beitz chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead. A Villalonga takedown and Beitz escape knotted the bout at 4-4 with :40 left to wrestle, sending the bout to sudden victory. Villalonga countered a Beitz shot in extra time for a takedown and a 6-4 (sv) win.
He then took on No. 6 Alec Pantaleo of Michigan in his first consolation match Friday morning. After a scoreless first period, Beitz took a 1-0 lead with a quick escape to start the second stanza. Pantaleo worked his way for a takedown to lead 2-1 with 1:15 left in the period and Beitz notched an escape to send the bout to the third tied 2-2. Pantaleo escaped to a 3-2 lead quickly in the third. Pantaleo countered a slight Beitz throw attempt for another takedown and a 5-3 lead. Beitz appeared to have a takedown with :06 left but the officials called the action out of bounds and instead gave Pantaleo another stall, cutting the lead to 5-4. Beitz was unable to connect in the last seconds and dropped a 5-4 decision. The loss ended the Lion sophomore's season at 19-11, having gone 1-2 with a major at his first NCAA Championships.
174: #2 Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) Sr. -- (29-3 overall) - All-American - National Champion
1st Rd: Pete Renda, North Carolina State - W, 12-4 maj. dec.
2nd Rd: #15 Santiago Martinez, Lehigh - W, 10-2 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #7 Zach Epperly, Virginia Tech - W, 2-1 dec.
Semis: #3 Mike Evans, Iowa - W, 1-0 dec.
Finals: #8 Tyler Wilps, Pittsburgh - W, 5-4 dec.
Senior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), the No. 2 seed at 174, made it three straight majors for Penn State with a strong 12-4 major over Pete Renda of North Carolina State. Brown secured the bonus point with a late takedown and 2:55 riding time.
Brown met No. 15 Santiago Martinez of Lehigh in the second round. Brown dominated the action in the first period, connecting on one of numerous shots to lead 2-0 after the opening stanza. He added a quick escape to start the period and another takedown and ride out to lead 5-0 with over 1:00 in riding time after two. Martinez chose down to start the third period and Brown cut him loose to begin working towards a major. The Lion senior added two more takedowns and rolled to a 10-2 major with 2:57 in riding time. The win moved Brown into the quarterfinals.
The Lion senior then faced off against No. 7 Matt Epperly of Virginia Tech in his quarterfinal match-up. After a scoreless first period, Brown took down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The Lion pressed the tempo, forcing Epperly backwards throughout the second period but could not connect for a takedown. Epperly chose down to start the third period and Brown made him pay for the decision. The Lion rode Epperly for all but :15 of the period and used the 1:45 riding time to post a 2-1 win. The made him Penn State's 24th three-time All-American.
Brown took on No. 3 Mike Evans of Iowa in his national semifinal. The duo, meeting for the third time this year, battled through a scoreless first period in the middle of the mat. With the score tied at 0-0, Brown chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Like the first period, once Brown escaped the wrestlers traded jabs for control on their feet with no one breaking through for a score. Trailing by one, Evans chose neutral to start the third period. Brown broke free of a slick low single by Evans, kicking out of trouble to maintain his lead at the 1:30 mark. Brown then got in on a low single and nearly got the takedown. But Evans worked out of trouble, getting out of bounds at the :20 mark. The late offensive effort was enough to kill the clock and Brown posted the 1-0 win, advancing to the National Finals tomorrow night.
For Matt's finals information, see story above agate...
184: #14 Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), Fr. -- (26-14 overall)
1st Rd: Nick Fiegener, Cal Poly - W, 20-5 (TF; 7:00)
2nd Rd: #3 Blake Stauffer, Arizona State - W, 3-1 (sv) dec.
Qtrs: Kenny Courts, Ohio State - L, 5-7 (sv) dec.
Rd 12: #16 T.J. Dudley, Nebraska - L, 2-5 dec.
Freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), the No. 14 seed at 184, made it yet another bonus point win with a furious 20-5 technical fall over Cal Poly's Nick Fiegener. McCutcheon, in his NCAA Championship debut, tallied numerous takedowns and turns and picked up the tech fall off 1:41 in riding time at the 7:00 mark.
McCutcheon took on No. 3 Blake Stauffer of Arizona State in round two. McCutcheon worked in on two solid low singles but Stauffer was able to fight of the Lion's efforts and send the bout to the second period tied 0-0. Stauffer escaped to a 1-0 lead to start the middle stanza. McCutcheon, down by one after two periods, then took down to start the third period and worked his way to an escape and a 1-1 tie at the 1:05 mark with Stauffer owning :52 of riding time. The bout moved to sudden victory where each man traded early scoring chances. McCutcheon broke through with a scrambling takedown with just :23 left to post the thrilling 3-1 (sv) win over the third-seeded Sun Devil. The win moved the Lion freshman into the national quarterfinals.
He then took on Ohio State's Kenny Courts of Ohio State in the quarters. McCutcheon continued his wide open wrestling, taking the action to Courts from the start. A quick low single turned into a scramble and a McCutcheon takedown at the 1:13 mark. The Lion freshman then rode Courts out to lead 3-0 after one. McCutcheon escaped to a 3-0 lead to start the second but McCutcheon answered with a takedown to cut the lead to 3-2. McCutcheon worked free for an escape before his riding time edge dipped below 1:00 and led 4-2 with 1:04 in time after two. Courts escaped quickly to start the third and then took McCutcheon down to take a 5-4 lead at the 1:21 mark. The Lion freshman, trailing by one, escaped to a 5-5 tie but his riding time edge was gone. The bout moved to sudden victory tied 5-5 where Courts finished off the comeback with a takedown for the 7-5 win. McCutcheon's 7-5 (sv) loss, Penn State's third extra time loss of the tournament, moved the Lion freshman into consolation action.
McCutcheon took on No. 16 T.J. Dudley of Nebraska, with the winner becoming an All-American. Dudley opened up an early 2-1 lead with a takedown midway through the first period. Trailing by one, McCutcheon chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. Dudley chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead. Dudley would add one more takedown and post the 5-2 win. McCutcheon ends his first NCAA Championship in the round of 12 with a 2-2 mark, including a technical fall. McCutcheon ended the 2014-15 season with a 26-14 overall record, one win shy of All-America laurels.
197: #2 Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), Jr. -- (32-3 overall) - All-American - 3rd Place
1st Rd: Zach Nye, Virginia - W, 3-0 dec.
2nd Rd: #15 Adam Studebaker, Nebraska - W, 14-5 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #10 Conner Hartmann, Duke - L, 2-3 dec.
Rd 12: #13 Shane Woods, Wyoming - W, 8-3 dec.
Cn Qtrs: #6 Nathan Burak, Iowa - W, 6-3 dec.
Cn Semis: #1 J'Den Cox, Missouri - W, 3-1 dec.
3rd Place: #5 Scott Schiller, Minnesota - W, 12-7 dec.
Junior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the No. 2 seed at 197, built up nearly 4:00 of riding time and used a second period reversal to roll to a first round win over Virginia's Zach Nye. McIntosh amassed 3:55 in time on his way to a 3-0 victory to move into the second round.
McIntosh met No. 15 Aaron Studebaker of Nebraska in the second round. McIntosh dominated the first period, notching two takedowns to lead 4-2 after the opening stanza. He took down to start the second, quickly escaped to a 5-2 lead, and blew through another high double to take a 7-2 lead. He added one more score in the middle period and led 9-3 after two. McIntosh would add two more takedowns, including one with just two seconds left, to secure important bonus points with a 14-5 major decision (with 1:44 in riding time). The victory moved McIntosh into the quarterfinals.
The junior met No. 10 Conner Hartmann of Duke in the quarterfinals. McIntosh nearly connected on a low single midway through the first period but Hartmann scrambled to a stalemate and the bout moved to the second stanza tied 0-0. McIntosh took a lead with a quick escape to start the second period and then worked his way in on a single. But Hartmann countered the move to open up a 2-1 lead with 1:20 on the clock and McIntosh tied the bout at 2-2 with an escape late in the second. Hartmann retook the lead with an escape at the 1:30 mark of the third period. McIntosh scrambled for a late takedown, appearing to complete the move in the final seconds, but the officials did not award the points and the Penn State corner challenged the call, sending it to video review. The no call stood, however, and McIntosh dropped the 3-2 decision.
McIntosh met No. 13 Shane Woods of Wyoming in the round of 12, looking to become a two-time All-American with a victory. McIntosh was aggressive early in the bout and slipped down to a low double and a 2-0 lead with a takedown on the edge of the mat. Leading by one, he chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. He added another takedown in the second to lead 5-2 after two periods. Woods chose down and McIntosh dominated action in the third period and rolled to an 8-3 win. The victory made McIntosh a two-time All-American and moved him into the consolation quarters.
In the conso quarters, McIntosh took on No. 6 Nathan Burak of Iowa. McIntosh was all offense out of the gates, setting the tempo early and turning a low single into a scramble and a takedown for a 2-1 lead midway through the period. The Lion junior continued to dominate the period, adding a second takedown to up his lead to 4-2. McIntosh escaped to a 5-2 lead to start the second period, the only scoring of the period. Burak escaped to start the third period but McIntosh was able to build up enough riding time to move over a minute. McIntosh went on to post the strong 6-3 decision, moving into the consolation semifinals.
McIntosh took on No. 1 and defending NCAA Champion J'Den Cox of Missouri in the consolation semifinals. McIntosh had the first period's nearest scoring chance, connecting on a low single that Cox was able to fight off. After a scoreless first period, Cox chose down to start the second. An escape gave the Tiger a 1-0 lead. Trailing by one, McIntosh chose down to start the third period and steadily worked his way to an escape and a 1-1 tie. With both men on their feet as the period wound down, McIntosh worked his way in on a low single at the :10 mark and finished off the takedown with just :03 on the clock. The late score clinched a 3-1 win and moved the Lion into the third place match.
In the third place bout, McIntosh took on No. 5 Scott Schiller of Minnesota. McIntosh broke into the scoring column with a takedown midway through the opening stanza to lead 2-1 early. The Lion then extended his lead with a scrambling takedown as the period ended to carry a 4-1 edge into the second period. McIntosh chose down to start the second period and quickly reversed Schiller to up his lead to 6-1. He then controlled Schiller, trying to lock up a cradle. Schiller managed a reversal and McIntosh escaped to a 7-3 lead. Schiller chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 7-4 score. Schiller cut into the lead with a takedown but McIntosh quickly reversed him to up his lead to 9-6 with a clinched riding time point. Finishing strong, McIntosh added one more takedown after a Schiller escape and rolled to a convincing 12-7 win. McIntosh went 6-1 at this year's championships, taking third place. Now a two-time All-American, the junior ends his season with a 32-3 overall record.
285: #8 Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), Sr. -- (19-6 overall) - All-American - 6th Place
1st Rd: Jacob Aiken-Phillips, Cornell - W, 9-3 dec.
2nd Rd: #9 Michael Kroells, Minnesota - W, 5-2 dec.
Qtrs: #1 Nick Gwiazdowski, North Carolina St. - L, 3-11 maj. dec.
Rd 12: #11 Devin Mellon, Missouri - W, 4-1 dec.
Cn Qtrs: #10 Ty Walz, Virginia Tech - W, 3-1 (sv)
Cn Semis: #2 Mike McMullan, Northwestern - L, 1-10 maj. dec.
5th Place: #3 Bobby Telford, Iowa - L, 0-6 dec.
Senior Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), the No. 8 seed at 285, controlled Cornell's Jacob Aiken-Phillips from start to finish in his 9-3 first round win. Lawson rolled up three takedowns, a reversal and 3:43 in riding time to move into round two and cap off the perfect Penn State morning.
Lawson met No. 9 Michael Kroells of Minnesota in round two. The duo battled through a scoreless first three minutes. Kroells chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Trailing by one after two periods, Lawson chose down to start the third and escaped to a 1-1 tie. Maintaining contact, the Lion senior worked for control high, then slid low quickly for a takedown on the edge of the mat and a 3-1 lead. Kroells quickly escaped to a 3-2 score with 1:20 left in the match. Lawson continued to push the action and added one more takedown to post the 5-2 win. The victory moved Lawson into the quarterfinals.
He then met No. 1 seed and defending National Champion Nick Gwiazdowski of North Carolina State in the quarters. The top-seeded Gwiazdowski took an early lead with a takedown midway through the first period and then turned Lawson for two back points to lead 4-0. Gwiazdowski added an escape and a takedown before Lawson got on the board with a reversal. But the defending NCAA Champion was able to control the action from that point on and went on to post an 11-3 major over Lawson.
Lawson faced off against No. 11 Devin Mellon of Missouri, needing a victory to earn his first All-America honor. The duo battled through a scoreless first period and Mellon took down to start the second. Lawson controlled the action long enough to build up a 1:08 riding time edge before Mellon escaped to a 1-0 lead. Lawson chose down to start the third period and escaped in just three seconds to tie the score and keep his time edge. He added a final takedown and, with the riding time, posted the 4-1 win to become an All-American and move into the consolation quarterfinals.
In the consolation quarterfinals, Lawson met No. 10 Ty Walz of Virginia Tech. The duo battled through a scoreless first period, with neither wrestler working into a chance for a takedown. Walz chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The duo continued to work in the middle of the mat, both on their feet. Trailing by one, Lawson chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. Lawson fought off a late Walz shot and the bout moved to sudden victory. In extra time, Lawson scrambled his way through a low double with just :02 left to grab the win with a takedown. The 3-1 (sv) decision sent Lawson into the consolation semifinals.
Lawson battled No. 2 Mike McMullan of Northwestern in the consolation semifinals. McMullan came out hot, taking Lawson down quickly for an early lead. He turned the Nittany Lion senior for two different two-point near falls and led 6-0 at the 1:17 mark. The quick flurry by the Wildcat was too much for Lawson to overcome and the Penn State senior dropped a 10-1 major.
In the fifth place match, Lawson met No. 3 Bobby Telford of Iowa. Telford notched an early takedown to lead 2-0 out of the blocks. The Hawkeye then controlled the action from the top for the rest of the period to lead 2-0 with 2:39 in riding time after one. Lawson chose down to start the second period but could not escape and Telford led 2-0 with 4:39 riding time after two. Telford chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead with a clinched riding time point. Telford added a late takedown and posted the 6-0 win. Lawson ends nationals as an All-American, the sixth place finisher, with a 4-3 record. He ends his season with a 19-6 record overall.