Jan. 1, 2016
CHATANOOGA, Tenn. ââ'¬" No. 1 Penn State (6-0, 1-0 B1G) is leading the field after day one of the 2016 Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Nittany Lions, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, are looking to claim their sixth straight Southern Scuffle title. Penn State owns a slim three point lead over second place Oklahoma State at the event's midway point.
Penn State advanced ten wrestlers into tomorrow morning's quarterfinals after a solid first round that saw the team advance 12 of its 16 wrestlers into the third round. Penn State then went 10-2 in the third round to move ten grapplers into the quarters. Penn State sits in first place with 47.5 points while Oklahoma State is a close second with 44.5.
Penn State's first quarterfinalist was senior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.) at 125. Megaludis, the top seed and ranked No. 4 nationally, was the victim of a bracketing error, receiving two byes (instead of a bye and a forfeit win) when his first opponent did not make weight and the tournament directors chose not to redraw the bracket after weigh-ins. The decision cost Megaludis a victory and critical team bonus points and kept the senior inactive for the entire morning session. The issue is being clarified and could change overnight. The Lion senior's third round win; a 14-5 major over Mitch Rogaliner of Michigan State, was the 98th of his career and has him in tomorrow morning's quarterfinals.
Senior All-American Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 6 at 133 and the second-seed, went 2-0 on the day, including a tech fall and a 6-1 win over Gardner-Webb's Tyler Ziegler to advance to the quarterfinals. Sophomore Kade Moss (South Jordan, Utah) went 3-0 on day one, including a first round pin. He posted a thrilling 4-3 (tb) win over Campbell's Lucas Stewart at 141, riding him out to claim the tie-breaker victory and move into the quarterfinals. Sophomore All-American Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), the top seed at 149 and ranked No. 1 nationally, rolled to two victories to move to the quarterfinals. Retherford got a pin and a technical fall to roll into the quarters and pick up big team bonus points along the way.
Freshman Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 3 at 157 and the tournament's top seed, rolled to two technical falls by a combined 48-18 score to move into tomorrow's quarterfinals. Nolf's second tech fall was a 23-8 win over Cornell's Chris Dowdy. Junior Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.) also advanced to the quarters at 157, going 3-0 on day one, including a technical fall in the opening round.
Junior Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.), ranked No. 18 at 165, went 2-0 to advance to the quarters at 165. Morelli posted a 20-5 tech fall in his Scuffle opener and then escaped with a hard-fought 6-5 (tb) win over Appalachian State's Forest Przybysz to advance to the quarterfinals. Red-shirt freshman Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 5 at 174, rolled to a 3-0 mark with two tech falls and a major, advancing to the quarterfinals by a combined score of 53-9.
Sophomore Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 13 at 184, went 2-0 with a pin to move to the quarterfinals. McCutcheon posted a hard-fought 5-4 win over North Carolina's Michael Macchiavello in his second bout, avenging his only loss of the year (suffered at the Nittany Lion Open in December). Senior All-American Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the top seed and ranked No. 1 at 197, went 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals as well. McIntosh notched a technical fall and a major in his two Scuffle bouts.
Red-shirt freshman Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.) got a pin in his first Scuffle bout of the day and the lost a hard-fought 5-3 decision to Michigan's Logan Massa in his next bout. The 1-1 day has Rasheed in consolation round four tomorrow. Sophomore Garett Hammond (Chambersburg, Pa.) went 1-1 on day one, including a major. A 7-4 loss in the second round has Hammond in the fourth round of consolation action tomorrow.
Penn State suffered a major upset loss in the second round at 141 where junior All-American Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 6, lost his opening match 4-3 to Lehigh's Cortland Schuyler. Gulibon rebounded to beat Appalachian State's Payton Shuford but was then upset again in the third round of consolation action, 6-3 by Michigan's Zac Hall. Gulibon went 1-2 at the Scuffle and bowed out on day one. True freshman Gary Dinmore (Skillman, N.J.), wrestling unattached at 149, won his first round bout (a 10-1 major over Chattanooga's Roman Boylan) then lost in the second round. He opened consolation action by majoring Michigan State's Kaelen Richards. He was leading his third round conso bout over Army's Mark Marchetti before having to take an injury default and bowing out of the tournament with a 2-2 record (including two majors).
True freshman Jan Johnson (Mohnton, Pa.) got a first round bye and then missed on a last second takedown attempt to drop a 3-2 second round decision to Cornell's McZiggy Richards. Johnson then dropped a 5-3 decision to Central Michigan's Adam Robinson to bow out of the tournament with a 0-2 mark. Red-shirt Kenny Yanovich (Effort, Pa.) won his first round match up before losing in the second round. He closed out day one with a loss in his first consolation bout and ended his tournament with a 1-2 mark.
Penn State went 28-10 one with a whopping 19 wins for bonus points. Sanderson's aggressive Lions notched seven majors, eight technical falls and four pins during the first day of action in McKenzie Arena.
Day two of the Scuffle begins tomorrow, January 2, at 9 a.m. back in McKenzie Arena. Penn State's next home dual is on Friday, Jan. 15, when it hosts Nebraska at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. With the remaining Rec Hall duals already at seated capacity, a limited number of Standing Room Only tickets (SROs) can be purchased for each of those duals as well. Rec Hall SROs may only be purchased by calling 1-800-NITTANY and are $15 per person. A few limited tickets remain for the second BJC Dual, the Feb. 5 date against Ohio State. Fans can purchase those tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY as well. BJC Dual tickets are $16 for adults and $8 for students.
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. The 2015-16 Penn State wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
2016 Southern Scuffle ââ'¬" Day One Team Standings (Top Four as of 8:05 p.m., 1/1/16):
January 1, 2016 ââ'¬" McKenzie Arena ââ'¬" Chattanooga, Tenn.
1: PENN STATE ââ'¬" 47.5
2: Oklahoma State ââ'¬" 44.5
3: Cornell ââ'¬" 38.5
4: Lehigh ââ'¬" 36.5
Attendance: 2,670
Weight-by-weight agate (rankings listed are Intermat 12/22/15)
* indicates unattached wrestler, not eligible for team scoring
125: #4 Nico Megaludis
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: bye
Rd 3: Mitch Rogaliner, Michigan State ââ'¬" W, 14-5 MD
Qtrs: Tomorrow
125: Kenny Yanovich ââ'¬" 1-2 overall, DNP
Rd 1: William Mason, Virginia ââ'¬" W, 4-2 dec.
Rd 2: Brian Rossi, Stanford ââ'¬" L, 2-5 dec.
Cn 2: Robert Elliott, West Virginia ââ'¬" L, 4-10 dec.
133: #6 Jordan Conaway
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Evan Cheek, Cleveland State ââ'¬" W, 16-2 MD
Rd 3: Tyler Ziegler, Gardner-Webb ââ'¬" W, 6-1 dec.
Qtrs: Tomorrow
141: #6 Jimmy Gulibon ââ'¬" 1-2 overall, DNP
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Cortland Schuyler, Lehigh ââ'¬" L, 3-4 dec.
Cn 2: Payton Shuford, Appalachian State ââ'¬" W, 8-4 dec.
Cn 3: Zac Hall, Michigan ââ'¬" L, 3-6 dec.
141: Kade Moss
Rd 1: David Walker, Air Force ââ'¬" WBF (6:07)
Rd 2: Jared Prince, Navy ââ'¬" W, 7-5 dec.
Rd 3: Lucas Stewart, Campbell ââ'¬" W, 4-3 (TB)
Qtrs: Tomorrow
149: #1 Zain Retherford
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: James Dekrone, West Virginia ââ'¬" WBF (2:26)
Rd 3: Chris Vassar, Gardner-Webb ââ'¬" W, 22-7 TF (7:00)
Qtrs: Tomorrow
149: *Gary Dinmore ââ'¬" 2-2 overall, DNP
Rd 1: Roman Boylan, Chattanooga ââ'¬" W, 10-1 MD
Rd 2: Justin Oliver, Central Michigan ââ'¬" L, 4-14 MD
Cn 2: Kaelen Richards, Michigan State ââ'¬" W, 12-4 MD
Cn 3: Mark Marchetti, Army ââ'¬" L, inj. def.
157: #3 Jason Nolf
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Walker Dempsey, Stanford ââ'¬" W, 25-10 TF (6:28)
Rd 3: Chris Dowdy, Cornell ââ'¬" W, 23-8 TF (7:00)
Qtrs: Tomorrow
157: Zack Beitz
Rd 1: Joseph Grable, Northern Colorado ââ'¬" W, 20-2 TF (4:38)
Rd 2: Jack Clark, North Carolina ââ'¬" W, 4-1 dec.
Rd 3: Aaron Walker, The Citadel ââ'¬" W, 9-3 dec.
Qtrs: Tomorrow
165: #18 Geno Morelli
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Travis Berridge, Cal Poly ââ'¬" W, 20-5 TF (6:29)
Rd 3: Forest Przybysz, Appalachian State ââ'¬" W, 6-5 (TB)
Qtrs: Tomorrow
165: Shakur Rasheed
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Tyler Kinn, Northern Colorado ââ'¬" WBF (2:13)
Rd 3: Logan Massa, Michigan ââ'¬" L, 3-5 dec.
Cn 4: Tomorrow
165: Garett Hammond
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Michael Coleman, Navy ââ'¬" W, 22-8 MD
Rd 3: Ryan Preish, Lehigh ââ'¬" L, 4-7 dec.
Cn 4: Tomorrow
174: #5 Bo Nickal
Rd 1: Randy Roden, Duke ââ'¬" W, 17-1 TF (4:21)
Rd 2: Sohrab Movahedi, Cal Poly ââ'¬" W, 20-2 TF (4:57)
Rd 3: Fox Baldwin, Virginia ââ'¬" W, 15-6 MD
Qtrs: Tomorrow
184: #13 Matt McCutcheon
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Taylor Jackson, Appalachian State ââ'¬" WBF (2:50)
Rd 3: Michael Macchiavello, North Carolina ââ'¬" W, 5-4 dec.
Qtrs: Tomorrow
197: #1 Morgan McIntosh
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: Ben Haas, Lehigh ââ'¬" W, 20-5 TF (7:00)
Rd 3: Chip Ness, North Carolina ââ'¬" W, 13-3 MD
Qtrs: Tomorrow
285: Jan Johnson ââ'¬" 0-2 overall, DNP
Rd 1: bye
Rd 2: McZiggy Richards, Cornell ââ'¬" L, 2-3 dec.
Cn 2: Adam Robinson, Central Michigan ââ'¬" L, 3-5 dec.