UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. –The Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0, 6-0 B1G), ranked No. 2 in the latest InterMat Tournament Power Index, crowned two champions at the 2021 Big Ten Wrestling Championships in the Bryce Jordan Center. Junior Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.) and sophomore Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md.) each won individual titles. Bravo-Young won his first and Brooks his second. The two-day event was hosted by Penn State in the BJC.
Freshman Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.), runner-up at 174, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Penn State finished the team race in second place. Iowa won the team title, followed by Penn State, Nebraska, Michigan, Minnesota and Purdue.
Penn State now heads to the 2021 NCAA Championships with nine total NCAA qualifiers secured and the at-large bids announced this coming Tuesday with the potential for one more. The 2021 NCAA Championships will take place in St. Louis, Mo., March 18-20.
Junior Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.), ranked No. 2 by InterMat at 133, took on No. 3 Austin DeSanto of Iowa in the first of Penn State's four Big Ten title bouts. DeSanto took an early single, trying to gain control of the Lion's right leg, but Bravo-Young fought off the slight shot. Bravo-Young then worked a fast shot into a scrambling takedown and opened up a 2-1 lead at the 1:34 mark. The duo finished the opening period in neutral on the Nittany Lion logo and the bout moved to the second period with Bravo-Young leading by one. DeSanto chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. Bravo-Young took a diving shot with 1:15 on the clock but DeSanto stepped back from the effort to keep the one-point margin intact briefly. Another fast shot from the Lion junior led to a second Bravo-Young takedown and a 4-2 lead. He kept DeSanto down on the mat and finished on top to lead 4-2 with 1:13 in time after two. Bravo-Young chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-2 lead. DeSanto immediately got in on a high single but Bravo-Young fought off the move and the clock read 1:22. Bravo-Young gave up a stall warning late in the final period but his early work gave the Lion a strong 5-2 win and his first Big Ten championship. Bravo-Young went 3-0 to pick up his first conference crown.
Senior Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 2 at 141, met No. 1 Jaydin Eierman of Iowa in the finals. Lee scored quickly, drifting behind the Hawkeye for a takedown and an early 2-1 lead. Eierman countered a Lee shot and took the Lion down to take a 3-2 lead with 2:00 on the clock. Eierman kept control of Lee for the rest of the period and Lee trailed by one after one (Eierman had 1:59 in riding time as well). Eirman chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 4-2 lead with 1:37 on the clock. Lee worked the middle off the mat for the next minute, taking shots that the Hawkeye was able to skip away from. Lee continued to shoot, Eirman continued to move away and the clock moved to :30. Eirman picked up a first stall before the period ended and Lee trailed 4-2 after two. Lee chose neutral to start the third period. With Eirman holding a riding time edge, the Lion tied the bout at 4-4 with a takedown. He cut Eierman loose to a 5-4 score and went back to work. Lee picked up a point on a second stall, tying the bout at 5-5, but Eierman was able to back away for the rest of the bout and picked up a 6-5 victory. Lee took second at 141 with a 2-1 record, including a technical fall.
Freshman Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.), ranked No. 4 at 174, battled No. 1 Michael Kemerer of Iowa in Penn State's third final battle. The Lion freshman battled the senior in the center mat for the first half of the opening stanza. Kemerer took a 2-0 lead with a takedown at the 1:01 mark. Starocci quickly escaped, then took a high single but Kemerer forced a stalemate to maintain his lead. Leading by one, Kemerer chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 3-1 lead with 1:45 on the clock. Starocci locked up a high single on a reset but the Hawkeye once again defended the Lion shot. Starocci took a shot late that Kemerer countered in a scramble, notching a takedown with two near fall points to lead 7-1 after two periods. Starocci chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 score. He fought off a Kemerer single for the next :30 and a reset moved the action to the center circle with 1:10 left in the bout. Starocci continued to move forward with shots but Kemerer's strong defense kept the Lion from scoring and Starocci dropped a 7-2 decision. Starocci earned runner-up status in his first conference tournament with a 3-1 record, including a pin.
Sophomore Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md.), ranked No. 1 at 184, took on No. 14 Taylor Venz of Nebraska in Penn State's final title tilt. Venz notched the bout's first takedown but Brooks quickly escaped and returned to his feet. He then moved in on the Cornhusker and took him down to open up a 3-2 lead with 1:35 left in the opening period. Brooks maintained control for the rest of the period and finished on top to lead 3-2 with 1:46 in time after one. Brooks chose down to start the second period. He waited for his chance during the scramble and worked his way around Venz for a reversal at the 1:15 mark to up his lead to 5-2. He picked up another takedown after a Venz escape, finished on top again, and led 7-3 with 2:10 in time after two periods. Venz chose down to start the third period. Brooks controlled Venz long enough to clinch the riding time point before the Husker escaped to a 7-4 score. Brooks worked his way around a Venz shot for a takedown and a 9-4 lead with :45 on the clock. He cut Venz loose and, with 3:03 in riding time, rolled to a 10-5 decision and his second straight Big Ten Championship at 184.
True freshman Robert Howard (Cranford, N.J.) battled No. 9 Malik Heinselman of Ohio State in Penn State's first consolation semifinal bout. Heinselman took a 2-1 lead with a takedown at the 1:40 mark. Howard escaped to start the second period, tying the bout at 2-2. The duo grappled through another scramble but the 2-2 score held after two. Heinselman quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead to start the third period. Howard got in on a high single with :45 left but the Buckeye scrambled out of the Lions' grasp, countered for a final takedown, and downed the Nittany Lion freshman 5-2. Howard met No. 15 Michael DeAugustino of Northwestern in the fifth-place bout. DeAugustino scored the bouts' first takedown just under a minute into the bout and rode the Lion freshman out. DeAugstino added a quick escape to start the second period, the middle stanza's only points. Howard chose neutral to begin the final period. He forced a scramble and worked DeAugustino towards his back, picking up a late takedown. DeAugustino picked up a riding time point and Howard lost 4-2, placing sixth in his first Big Ten tournament. Howard went 3-3 with two majors and advanced to nationals.
Junior Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.), ranked No. 8 at 157, met No. 6 Brayton Lee of Minnesota in the conso semis. The ranked duo battled through a scoreless first period. Berge chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Lee answered that escape to begin the third and the bout moved into the third period tied at 1-1. Berge gave up a stall warning midway through the third period but the bout moved to sudden victory. Lee took Berge down :15 into extra time and took the 3-1 (sv) win, sending Berge into the fifth-place bout. Berge took medical forfeit (not a loss) and did not compete in the fifth-place bout, earning him a sixth-place finish with a 3-2 record, including three majors. He now preps for the NCAA Championships.
Freshman Michael Beard (Pottstown, Pa.), No. 15 at 197, took on No. 13 Cameron Caffey of Michigan State in the consolation semis. Caffey notched an early takedown, taking a 2-0 lead with 2:20 on the clock. The Spartan was able to build up over 1:00 in riding time before Beard escaped to a 2-1 score. Caffey added a second takedown and led 4-1 with 1:53 in time after one. Caffey added a quick escape to up his lead to 5-1 and then countered a Beard shot for another takedown to lead 7-2 after two periods. The Spartan added one more takedown and a reversal of Beard's first takedown and posted the 12-6 win, moving Beard into the fifth-place bout. He met No. 14 Lucas Davison of Northwestern for fifth. Beard came out and controlled the action early. Beard controlled the early tempo but could not break through Davison's defense and the first period ended in a scoreless tie. Davison chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Beard moved in for a low shot, scrambling for a takedown in the center circle to take a 2-1 lead. Davison escaped quickly and the bout was tied 2-2. Beard chose down to start the final period and escaped, but Davison would take on two takedowns in the third period to notch a 6-4 win. Beard finished sixth in his first Big Ten tournament with a 3-3 record.
Freshman Greg Kerkvliet (Grove Heights, Minn.), ranked No. 6 at 285, battled No. 12 Christian Lance of Nebraska in Penn State's final consolation semi match-up. Kerkvliet dominated the first three minutes, scoring on two textbook takedowns to lead 4-1 with over 1:30 in riding time heading to the second. The Penn State freshman escaped to start the second period and added another takedown. He continued his dominant effort, picking up one more late takedown and adding 2:30 in riding time to roll to a 10-2 major decision. His win moved him into the third-place bout where he took on No. 3 Tony Cassioppi of Iowa. The Hawkeye notched the bout's firs takedown, scoring on the edge of the mat for an early 2-0 lead. Kerkvliet worked to break free of Cassioppi's strong ride but the Hawkeye was able to maintain control on offense and ended the first period with a 2-0 lead and 1:50 in riding time. Kerkvliet chose neutral to start the second period but the Hawkeye added a second takedown and upped his lead to 4-0. A stall point gave the Hawkeye a 5-0 lead after two periods. Cassioppi would add an escape and another takedown and posted a 9-0 major. Kerkvliet finished fourth at his first conference tourney with a 4-2 record, including three majors.
Freshman Joe Lee (Evansville, Ind.) had one match slated for the day, taking on David Ferrante of Northwestern for seventh place at 165. Lee countered an early Ferrante shot and nearly scored himself but almost a minute's worth of scrambling led to no scoring. Lee rolled himself into a scramble but Ferrante countered for a takedown and a 2-0 lead as the first period ended. Lee took a brief lead in the second with a takedown and near fall, but Ferrante counter-rolled through Lee's pin effort for back points of his own and led 9-6 with 1:19 in time after two periods. Lee chose neutral to start the third period, looking to battle back on his feet. But Ferrante held the Nittany Lion freshman at arm's length and Lee dropped a 10-6 decision. Lee went 2-3 and finished eighth in his first conference tournament run.
All nine of the above Nittany Lions have qualified for the NCAA Championships. True freshman Beau Bartlett (Tempe, Ariz.) went 1-2 at 149, dropping a sudden victory bout in his last match-up in session two. Bartlett will be in the pool for consideration for an at-large bid at 149. The NCAA will announce the at-large entrants at each weight on Tuesday, March 9, in a release on NCAA.com.
The Nittany Lions went 3-9 in overall on Sunday. Penn State finished the tournament with a 27-17 overall record and collected 18.5 bonus points from eight majors, a tech fall and four pins. Brooks earned his second Big Ten title and Starocci became Penn State's seventh Big Ten Freshman of the Year. It is Penn State's second straight, with Brooks winning last season.
Penn State finished its dual meet schedule with a perfect 6-0 mark, 6-0 in the Big Ten, and earned a share of its seventh Big Ten Regular Season Championship with 5-0 Iowa. Sanderson and company will head to St. Louis' Enterprise Center for the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships on Thursday through Saturday, March 18-20.
The Big Ten Network recently announced an increase of its linear coverage of the event, giving fans around the country the chance to see the nation's best wrestlers throughout the weekend. The network aired whip-around coverage of all four mats during Saturday's 10 a.m. first session and Saturday night's Big Ten semifinals at 7:30 p.m. All four individual mats for both Saturday sessions featured mat cams available on the Big Ten Network+. Big Ten Network+ will featured the consolation action on Sunday prior to the finals as well as placing bouts during the title tilts. Sunday afternoon's Big Ten Championship finals aired live on the Big Ten Network.
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. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
Penn State at 2021 Big Ten Championship – FINAL
March 7, 2021 – University Park, Pa. – Bryce Jordan Center
TEAM STANDINGS (FINAL)
1: Iowa – 159.5
2: PENN STATE – 124.0
3: Nebrarska – 105.5
4: Michigan – 92.0
5: Minnesota – 77.5
6: Purdue – 76.0
7: Northwestern – 74.0
8: Michigan State – 73.5
9: Ohio State – 69.5
10: Rutgers – 52.0
11: Illinois – 32.0
12: Wisconsin – 30.5
13: Indiana – 22.0
14: Maryland – 2.0
Weight-by-weight agate (RANKINGS LISTED ARE INTERMAT as of 3/2/21):
125: Robert Howard, Fr., Cranford, N.J.
Rd. 1: #12 Eric Barnett, Wisconsin – L, 2-3 dec.
Cn. 1: Zach Spence, Maryland – W, 16-4 maj. dec.
Cn. 2: Dylan Shawver, Rutgers – W, 10-1 maj. dec.
Cn. Q: #7 Dylan Ragusin, Michigan – W, 3-1 (sv) dec.
Cn. S: #9 Malik Heinselman, Ohio State – L, 2-5 dec.
5th: #15 Michael DeAugustino, Northwestern – L, 2-4 dec.
Howard took on Eric Barnett of Wisconsin in the opening round. The Lion freshman notched a takedown out of the gamest and took a 2-0 lead out of the gates. Barnett countered with a takedown to tie the bout at 2-2, all within the first minute. Barnett maintained control for the rest of the period and Howard was tied 2-2 after one, but Barnett had 1:32 in riding time to his side. Barnett chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 3-2 lead, but his riding time edge was gone. The score held into the third period and Howard chose neutral to start it. The Lion freshman was not able to break through Barnett's defense during the period and dropped a 3-2 decision. He took on Maryland's Zach Spence in his first consolation match-up. He used two takedowns and two back points to open up a 8-2 lead after the opening period. Howard upped his lead to 10-3 after two and rolled to a 16-4 major with 3:45 in riding time, moving into the second round of consolations.
Howard took on Rutgers' Dylan Shawver in Penn State's first consolation bout off the evening. Howard scored the bout's first points with a solid takedown just over :30 into the bout. He then controlled the action for the rest of the period and picked up a four-point near fall as the period ended to lead 6-0 after the first period. Howard used a takedown in the second period, an escape and riding time to roll to a 10-1 major decision, advance in consolation action, and become an NCAA qualifier as a true freshman. He took on No. 7 Dylan Ragusin of Michigan in the consolation quarterfinals. After a scoreless first period, Howard took a 1-0 lead to start the second period on a quick escape and then fought off a Ragusin shot in front of the Penn State corner. The Lion freshman withstood a strong late shot from the Wolverine and led by one after two. Ragusin tied the bout with his own escape to start the third period and the bout was deadlocked. The duo battled evenly for the rest of the third and the bout moved to extra time. After having one takedown taken away late in sudden victory, Howard locked up the Wolverine and threw him to his back for a takedown and a 3-1 (sv) win with 0:05 left. His second conso win of the day advanced him to the consolation semifinals.
See above story for this session's recap.
133: #2 Roman Bravo-Young, Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
Rd. 1: bye
Qtrs: Jacob Rundell, Purdue – W, 9-3 dec.
Semis: Chris Cannon, Nebraska – W, 8-3 dec.
Finals: #3 Austin DeSanto, Iowa – W, 5-2 dec.
Bravo-Young had a first-round bye. Bravo-Young, ranked No. 2 nationally by InterMat, met Purdue's Jacob Rundell in the quarterfinals. The Lion junior picked up an early takedown to open up a 2-0 lead. He built up over 1:30 in riding time before Rundell escaped, then finished off the period with a takedown to lead 4-1 with 1:43 in riding time after one. Rundell escaped to start the second period and Bravo-Young ended the period with another takedown to lead 6-2 after two. Bravo-Young would add on one more takedown and a riding time point to roll into the semifinals with a 9-3 win. The win also clinched a trip to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis two weeks hence.
The Lion junior took on Nebraska's Chris Cannon in Penn State's first semifinal of the night. Bravo-Young scored quickly, taking Cannon down in the opening twenty seconds. The Lion junior added a second takedown, grabbing a fleeing Cannon's feet for a 4-1 lead at the 2:03 mark. Bravo-Young worked his riding time up to over 1:30 before Cannon escaped. Cannon escaped to start the third period, cutting Bravo-Young's lead to 4-3. Leading by one, Bravo-Young chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-3 lead with 1:05 in time at the 1:30 mark. He added a takedown and a riding time point to post the 8-3 win and move into the Big Ten title bout.
See above story for this session's recap.
141: #2 Nick Lee, Sr., Evansville, Ind.
Rd. 1: bye
Qtrs: Dylan D'Emilio, Ohio State – W, 16-1 (TF; 3:12)
Semis: #3 Sebastian Rivera, Northwestern – W, 8-6 (sv) dec.
Finals: #1 Jaydin Eierman, Iowa – L, 5-6 dec.
Lee also had a first-round bye. Lee, ranked No. 2 nationally by InterMat, met Ohio State's Dylan D'Emilio in the quarterfinals. Lee scored right off the whistle to open up an early 2-0 lead. He added a second takedown less than :30 later and turned D'Emilio for four back points to lead 8-1. Lee added a two-point tilt and another four-pointer to lead 14-1 after the first. He ended the match quickly in the second, reversing D'Emilio and posting a 16-1 technical fall at the 3:12 mark. Lee's win moves him into the semifinals tonight and also punches his ticket to NCAAs.
The Penn State senior met No. 3 Sebastian Rivera of Northwestern in the semis. Rivera took the bout's first shot, gaining control of Lee's leg and working for a takedown with 2:13 on the clock. Lee quickly escaped and then rolled into a low shot for a takedown of his own to lead 3-2 with 1:45 left. Rivera escaped with :45 left in the period and the bout moved to the second tied 3-3. Lee quickly escaped to a 4-3 lead to start the second period. Rivera took a quick low shot and took Lee down to lead 5-4 with 1:00 on the clock. Rivera got called for locked hands at the :30-mark, Lee then escaped on the reset and the Lion led 6-5 after two periods. Rivera chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 6-6 tie at the 1:07 mark. Lee forced a wild scramble at the :15 mark that appeared to lead to a takedown and then danger, but no points were awarded. Penn State called for a review but the call stood. The bout headed to sudden victory and Nick Lee pulled out the thrilling 8-6 (sv) win with a scrambling takedown with just :02 left on the clock. Lee's win pushed him into the Big Ten title bout at 141.
See above story for this session's recap.
149: #10 Beau Bartlett, Fr., Tempe, Ariz.
Rd. 1: Michael Blockhus, Minnesota – L, 3-5 dec.
Cn. 1: Michael North, Maryland – WBF (0:55)
Cn. 2: #17 Yahya Thomas, Northwestern – L, 5-7 (sv) dec.
Bartlett battled sixth-seed Michael Blockhus of Minnesota in the opening round. Bartlett, ranked No. 10 by InterMat, fell behind 2-1 early on a quick takedown by Blockhus and trailed by one after the opening period. He chose down and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie to start the second period but Blockhus countered with a takedown to up his lead to 4-2 at 1:10. Bartlett escaped to a 4-3 score and trailed by one after two. The Gopher senior added a final escape point in the third and Bartlett dropped a 5-3 decision in his Big Ten tournament debut. He took on Maryland's Michael North in consolation action and made short work of the Terrapin for his first Big Ten tournament win. Bartlett locked North up and quickly took him to his back. After just seconds of work, the Lion freshman got the fast fall, getting a pin at the 0:55 mark and advancing into the second round of consolations.
See above story for this session's recap.
157: #8 Brady Berge, Jr., Mantorville, Minn.
Rd. 1: Johnny Mologousis, Illinois – W, 13-4 maj. dec.
Qtr: #7 Kendall Coleman, Purdue – L, 2-3 dec.
Cn. 2: Michael Doetsch, Maryland – W, 11-2 maj. dec.
Cn. Q: Caleb Licking, Nebraska – W, 12-2 maj. dec.
Cn. S: #6 Brayton Lee, Minnesota – L, 1-3 (sv) dec.
5th: Did not compete, medical forfeit
Berge took Illinois' Johnny Mologousis in the opening round. Berge, ranked No. 8 in the nation by InterMat, scored quickly, taking the Illini down in the opening seconds. He added two more takedowns in the first period and led 6-2 after one. The Lion junior led 10-4 after two periods off two more takedowns and had 3:00 in riding time. Berge added a takedown and a riding time point to roll to a 13-4 major decision over Mologousis and advance to the quarterfinals. He met No. 7 Kendall Coleman of Purdue in the quarterfinals. Berge and Coleman battled in neutral over the first three minutes with neither wrestler making a dent offensively. Berge chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead that he carried through the period. Coleman escaped to start the third period and the bout was tied 1-1 but Coleman quickly moved in on a low shot to take the Lion down, opening up a 3-1 lead with 1:35 on the clock. Berge escaped to a 3-2 score with 1:10 left but could not counter with his own takedown and dropped into consolation action in session two.
Berge met Maryland's Michael Doetsch of Maryland in his opening consolation bout. Berge dominated Doetsch in each period. He used two takedowns to lead 4-1 after one, added a takedown and two near fall in the second period and rolled to an 11-2 major decision. The win moved him into consolation quarters and earned him a trip to the NCAA tournament as well. Berge took on Nebraska's Caleb Licking in the consolation quarterfinals. Berge scored quickly, taking Licking down off the opening whistle. He picked up a quick second takedown and finished off the opening period with a third to lead 6-2 after one. The Lion junior added a fourth takedown in the second and led 8-2 after two. He would go on to post the 12-2 major to advance to the consolation semifinals.
See above story for this session's recap.
165: #15 Joe Lee, Fr., Evansville, Ind.
Rd. 1: Jonathan Spadafora, Maryland – L, 5-7 (sv) dec.
Cn. 1: Josh Otto, Wisconsin – W, 4-3 dec.
Cn. 2: #14 Andrew Sparks, Minnesota – WBF (0:44)
Cn. Q: Gerrit Nijenhuis, Purdue – LBF (4:29)
7th: David Ferrante, Northwestern – L, 6-10 dec.
Lee met Jonathan Spadafora of Maryland in the first round. Lee, ranked No. 15 nationally by InterMat, scored quickly to take a 2-0 lead right out of the gates. The Lion freshman built up a sizeable riding time edge before Spadafora escaped and Lee led 2-1 with 1:49 in riding time after one period. He took down to start the second period and scrambled his way to a reversal and a 4-2 lead with 1:30 on the clock. Spadafora added a late scrambling takedown and tied the match up at 4-4 after two. The Terrapin chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-4 lead but Lee had the riding time point clinched. Lee worked the bout to extra time but gave up a takedown early in the extra period and dropped a 7-5 (sv) decision. He took on Wisconsin's Josh Otto in his first consolation bout. After a scoreless first period, Lee escaped in the second but gave up a takedown to Otto. Lee escaped to tie the bout 2-2 after two and then finished off the win with a late takedown in the third period. Lee's 4-3 victory moved the Lion along in consolation action.
The younger Lee took on No. 14 Andrew Sparks of Minnesota in the consolations. The bout began with Sparks taking an injury timeout and Lee choosing down on the reset. The Lion freshman quickly reversed the Gopher, then turned him to his back and quickly got the first period pin. Lee's fast fall at the 0:44 mark moved him into the next round of consolations and punched his ticket to the NCAA Championships. Lee met Purdue's Gerrit Nijenhuis in the consolation quarterfinals. After an even minute, Lee took the Boilermaker down midway through the period and finished on top to lead 2-0 with 1:35 in time after one. Lee chose down to start the second period and after a scramble midway through it, was pinned by the Boilermaker at the 4:29 mark. Already an NCAA qualifier, he dropped to the seventh-place bout.
See above story for this session's recap.
174: #4 Carter Starocci, Fr., Erie, Pa.
Rd. 1: Phillip Spadafora, Maryland – WBF (4:47)
Qtr: #6 Kaleb Romero, Ohio State – W, 2-0 dec.
Semis: #2 Mikey Labriola, Nebraska – W, 3-1 (sv)
Finals: #1 Michael Kemerer, Iowa – L, 2-7 dec.
Starocci faced Philip Spadafora of Maryland in the first round. Starocci, ranked No. 4 at 174 by InterMat, opened up a big lead in the first period off two takedowns and a stall point. Leading 5-2, he chose down to start the second period, quickly escaped and then ended the match with just seconds left in the middle stanza, pinning Spadafora at the 4:47 mark. He took on No. 6 Kaleb Romero of Ohio State in the quarterfinals. In a rematch of the 2-1 (tb) bout won by Starocci earlier this year, this match-up began with Starocci fighting off an early Romero shot on the outside circle for nearly :30. Starocci forced a stalemate and the first period ended in a scoreless tie. Starocci escaped to start the second period to lead 1-0. He fought off another solid Romero shot and led by one after two periods. Romero chose down to start the third period and the Lion freshman took advantage. He controlled the action from the top position and rode Romero for the entire third period. Starocci's strong work in the third stanza led to a 2-0 victory with 1:52 in riding time, a spot in the Big Ten semifinals and a trip to the NCAA Championships.
Starocci met No. 2 Mikey Labriola of Nebraska in the semifinals. Starocci took the bout's first few shots but Labriola was able to back away from each Lion shot. The Lion continued to provide the offense, forcing the Nebraska wrestler back towards the outer circle. Tied 0-0 after the first, Starocci chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The duo battled evenly over the remainder of the middle stanza and Starocci led 1-0 after one. Labriola chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 1-1 tie at the 1:41 mark. Starocci nearly connected on a shot with :45 left but Labriola once again defended the effort. Starocci forced a late scramble that looked to end with the Lion turning Labriola's back to the mat, but after a review, no points were awarded and we went to extra time. Starocci, forcing all the action throughout the bout, had his offense pay dividends as a scrambling shot led to a takedown with under :05 left on the clock. Starocci's 3-1 (sv) win moved the freshman into the Big Ten finals.
See above story for this session's recap.
184: #1 Aaron Brooks, So., Hagerstown, Md.
Rd. 1: bye
Qtrs: #16 Nelson Brands, Iowa – W, 14-8 dec.
Semis: #18 John Poznanski, Rutgers – W, 10-2 maj. dec.
Finals: #14 Taylor Venz, Nebraska – W, 10-5 dec.
Brooks had a first-round bye. Brooks, last year's Big Ten Champion and ranked No. 1 in the country by InterMat, took on No. 16 Nelson Brands of Iowa in the quarterfinals. Brands countered an early Brooks shot to lead 2-1 at the 2:35 mark. Brooks picked up his first takedown with 1:40 on the clock and Brands escaped quickly to a 3-3 tie midway through the opening period. Tied, Brands chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 4-3 win. Brooks took an injury time and Brands chose down at the restart, quickly escaping to a 5-3 advantage. Another injury timeout and Brands escape put the Hawkeye up 6-3. Brooks quickly took him down at the :45 mark and cut the lead to 6-5 with. Brand escaped one more time and led 7-5 after two. Brooks chose down to start the third period and rolled through a reversal to tie the bout briefly before Brands escaped to an 8-7 lead. Brooks was undaunted. He lifted the Hawkeye at the waist, took him to his back and opened up a 13-8 lead with the takedown and four nearfall points. Brooks finished the bout on top and, with 2:59 in riding time, posted the 14-8 come-from-behind victory to roll into the semifinals and earn a bid to the NCAA Championships.
Last year's Big Ten Champion battled No. 18 John Poznanski of Rutgers in Penn State's fourth semifinal match-up. Brooks battled Poznanski evenly for the bulk of the first period but worked his offense to a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the :42 mark. He finished the period on top and led by two after one. The Lion sophomore chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. He continued to press Poznanski and picked up a second takedown late in the period to lead 5-0 with :48 in riding time after two periods. The Scarlet Knight chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-1 score. Brooks dominated the rest of the bout, notching two takedowns and building up 1:39 in riding time to roll to a 10-2 major decision. The win moved the Lion into another Big Ten title bout and gave Penn State a 4-0 record in the semifinals.
See above story for this session's recap.
197: #15 Michael Beard, Fr., Pottstown, Pa.
Rd. 1: Billy Janzer, Rutgers – W, 7-3 dec.
Qtr: #2 Myles Amine, Michigan – L, 6-8 (sv) dec.
Cn. 2: Matt Wroblewski, Illinois – W, 6-2 dec.
Cn. Q: #17 Thomas Penola, Purdue – W, 6-5
Cn. S: #13 Cameron Caffey, Michigan State – L, 6-12 dec.
5th: #14 Lucas Davison, Northwestern – L, 4-6 dec.
Beard met Billy Janzer of Rutgers in round one. Beard, ranked No. 15 by InterMat, scored midway through the opening period to lead 2-0. He maintained control of Janzer for the rest of the period and carried that lead with 1:37 in riding time into the second period. Beard took a 3-0 lead with a quick escape to start the second period. Janzer picked up a late takedown and Beard escaped to lead 4-2 with 1:17 in riding time after two. Janzer escaped to start the third period. Beard fought off a slight Janzer shot, forced a stalemate, and then drove through a high single for a takedown and a 6-3 lead, with the time point clinched. Beard's 7-3 decision moved him into the quarterfinals where he took on No. 2 Myles Amine of Michigan. Amine scored early in the period, opening up a 2-1 lead after a quick Beard escape. Beard took a 3-2 lead with a fast high double and Amine escaped to tie things up with :50 left in the opening period. Amine escaped to a 4-3 lead to start the second period. Down by one, Beard escaped to a 4-4 tie to start the third period and the bout resumed tied in neutral. With :30 left, Beard took Amine down to take a lead but Amine quickly reversed the Lion and tied things up at 6-6. The bout moved into sudden victory where Amine secured the 8-6 (sv) win with a takedown, sending Beard to consolation action in session two.
Beard met Matt Wroblewski of Illinois in his first consolation bout of the evening. The first period was scoreless with Beard nearly notching a takedown as the first ended, but to no avail. Wroblewski chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Beard continued to battle for the entire period, forcing Wroblewski back to the outside circle. His efforts paid off and he notched a takedown in the period's final seconds to lead 2-1 after one. He chose down to start the third and quickly reversed Wroblewski to lead 4-1, then 4-2 after his opponent escaped. Beard fought off two late Illinois shots and notched a final counter takedown with :11 and posted the 6-2 win. Beard took on No. 17 Thomas Penola in the consolation quarterfinals. The duo traded solid shot in the opening period and Beard finally got the first takedown with just under a minute left in the first. He quickly added a second after a Penola escape and led 4-2 after one. Penola picked up an early escape in the second and that was the middle period's only scoring. Beard escaped to a 5-3 lead to start the third period. But Penola tied the bout with a takedown at the :48 mark. Beard escaped to a 6-5 lead and made that point count, securing the 6-5 victory to move into the conso semifinals and earn a bid to the NCAA Championships.
See above story for this session's recap.
285: #6 Greg Kerkvliet, Fr., Grove Heights, Minn.
Rd. 1: Jack Heyob, Northwestern – W, 16-5 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #2 Mason Parris, Michigan – L, 3-11 maj. dec.
Cn. 2: Christian Rebottaro, Michigan State – W, 16-5 maj. dec.
Cn. Q: #13 Trent Hillger, Wisconsin – W, 7-3 dec.
Cn. S: #12 Christian Lance, Nebraska – W, 10-2 maj. dec.
3rd: #3 Tony Cassioppi, Iowa – L, 0-9 maj. dec.
Kerkvliet took on Jack Heyob of Northwestern in the opening round. Kerkvliet, ranked No. 6 by InterMat, took Heyob down early, taking a 2-0 lead just :06 into the bout. He cut the Wildcat loose with 1:48 on the clock and quickly took the Wildcat down a second time. Kerkvliet would total three first period takedowns to lead big after the opening stanza. Kerkvliet added on two takedowns and an escape to lead 11-3 after two periods. The Lion freshman continued to work on top in the third period and rolled to a lopsided 16-5 major decision with 4:47 in riding time. His win pushed him into the quarterfinals where he took on No. 2 Mason Parris of Michigan. Parris notched the first takedown of the bout to lead 2-0. Parris got hit with a stall at the 1:35 mark but maintained offensive control for the rest of the period and led by two with 1:58 in riding time after the opening period. The second-ranked Wolverine added another takedown in the second period and led 4-0. Kerkvliet took Parris down to cut a 5-0 lead to 5-2 but Parris would work his way through the rest of the period and posted an 11-3 major, knocking Kerkvliet into session two's consolation action.
The freshman big man met Michigan State's Christian Rebottaro in his opening consolation bout of the session. The Lion big man notched the first takedown of the bout quickly and led 2-1 early. He took Rebottaro down a second time to up his lead to 4-1 at the 1:15 mark and then went to work on top, looking for a turn. The Spartan was able to work his way to his feet and escape with :220 left but Kerkvliet quickly took him down again to lead 6-2 after the opening period. Kerkvliet chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. He added another takedown and led 9-2 after two periods. Kerkvliet tacked on two more takedowns in the third period and, with 3:47 in riding time, posted the 16-5 major decision. Kerkvliet battled No. 13 Trent Hillger of Wisconsin in the consolation quarters. Kerkvliet scored midway through the opening period and led 2-1 after one period. Hillger chose down to start the second period, reversed Kerkvliet, but was quickly reversed by the Lion seconds later and Kerkvliet led 4-3 with 1:45 in riding time after two. The Lion freshmen would add one more takedown and clinch the riding time point with a rideout out. Kerkvliet rolled to a 7-3 win with 3:24 in riding time, advancing to the conso semis, and becoming Penn State's ninth NCAA qualifier.
See above story for this session's recap.
