UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; February 14, 2021 – The Penn State Nittany Lions (4-0, 4-0 B1G), ranked No. 3 in the latest InterMat Tournament Power Index, took down No. 2 Michigan (4-1, 4-1 B1G) for another Big Ten road win. The Nittany Lions won 18-13 in a dual meet rescheduled from Feb. 7. All team and individual rankings listed are InterMat (2/9/21).
By virtue of the dual meet win, Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson grabbed his 200th dual meet victory as a collegiate head coach. Sanderson is now 200-26-2 overall in this, his 15th season as head coach, including a 44-10 mark in three years at Iowa State. He is 156-16-2 in this, his 12th season at Penn State. Sanderson is also 86-11-1 in Big Ten dual meets. Freshman Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.) notched a key win at 174 in the tightly contested dual meet and true freshman Robert Howard (Cranford, N.J.) made his collegiate debut, winning at 125.
Howard made his Penn State debut at 125 picked up an impressive win in his first bout. Howard used takedowns in the first and second periods to post a 6-5 win over Michigan's Jack Medley in the dual's opening bout. Junior Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.), ranked No. 3 at 133, dominated Dylan Ragusin, who was ranked No. 8 at 125. Bravo-Young used three takedowns and 2:15 in riding time to roll to a 9-2 win and put Penn State up 6-0.
Senior Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 2 at 141, controlled No. 20 Drew Mattin from start to finish in a marquee bout at 141. Lee controlled the entirety of the bout, posting two first period takedowns and a third period takedown to post a 10-4 victory with 2:25 in riding time. . Redshirt freshman Terrell Barraclough (Kaysville, Utah) took to the mat a 149 and nearly posted an upset victory over No. 6 Kanen Storr. Barraclough battled back from an early deficit but lost a tough 4-3 decision to the ranked Wolverine. Junior Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.), ranked No. 9 at 157, took on No. 8 Will Lewan next and used a strong takedown in the third period to post an important 3-1 victory. Berge's win gave Penn State a 12-3 lead at the dual's midpoint.
Freshman Joe Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 6 at 165, suffered a 4-1 upset loss to No. 16 Cameron Amine in the second half's opening bout. Amine used a third period reversal to grab the win. Freshman Starocci, ranked No. 8 at 174, had the statement win of the dual, taking down No. 2 Logan Massa in a marquee match at 174. The freshman battled the veteran evenly taking the bout to sudden victory tied 1-1. After a scoreless extra stanza, Massa chose down in his tie-breaker period and Starocci turned the Wolverine for four back points and posted the thrilling 7-1 (tb) win.
Sophomore Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md.), ranked No. 3 at 184, kept Penn State rolling and essentially clinched the dual with a strong 10-5 victory over Michigan's Jaden Bullock. Brooks' win put Penn State up 18-6. Freshman Michael Beard (Pottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 14 at 197, battled No. 1 (at 184) Myles Amine tough throughout his bout with the veteran Wolverine but lost a tough 8-5 decision. . Sophomore Seth Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 7 at 285, took on No. 2 Mason Parris in the dual's final bout and dropped a tough 12-2 major to the ranked Wolverine. Michigan closed out the dual with two victories but Penn State rolled to the 18-13 win to remain unbeaten on the year.
Penn State was able to work its way to a slim 12-11 edge in takedowns. The Lions won six of ten bouts and Michigan picked up the dual's lone bonus point on Parris' major at 285.
Five extra matches were conducted during the dual meet on a separate mat. This year, with condensed schedules, these extra matches, while not counting towards dual meet scores, are official varsity bouts and count towards NCAA competition minimums.
Freshman Donovon Ball (New Cumberland, Pa.) picked up a win at 184 in Penn State's first extra bout, posting a 12-4 major over Bobby Striggow. True freshman Beau Bartlett moved up to 149 for extras and rolled over Cole Mattin in an 8-4 win for the Lion rookie. Senior Luke Gardner (Pottsville, Pa.) moved up to 157 and lost a close 6-4 (sv) decision to Nick Lombard. Nittany Lion sophomore Konner Kraeszig (Louisville, Ky.) fell 5-2 to UM's Reece Hughes in a bout at 165 and Creighton Edsell (Wyalusing, Pa.) posted a 4-3 win at 174 over Max Maylor in the final extra bout of the day.
Penn State is now 4-0 on the year, 4-0 in Big Ten action. Michigan falls to 4-1, 4-1 B1G. The Nittany Lions return to action next Friday, Feb. 19, with a road dual at Ohio State. The Lions and Buckeyes tangle in a dual that will air live on the Big Ten Network at a time to be announced.
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.
#3 Penn State 18, #2 Michigan 13
February 14, 2021 – Ann Arbor, Mich.
125: Robert Howard PSU dec. Jack Medley MICH, 6-5 3-0
133: #3 Roman Bravo-Young PSU dec. #8/125 Dylan Ragusin MICH, 9-2 6-0
141: #2 Nick Lee PSU dec. #20 Drew Mattin MICH, 10-4 9-0
149: #6 Kanen Storr MICH dec. Terrell Barraclough PSU, 4-3 9-3
157: #9 Brady Berge PSU dec. #8 Will Lewan MICH, 3-1 12-3
165: #16 Cameron Amine MICH dec. #6 Joe Lee PSU, 4-1 12-6
174: #8 Carter Starocci PSU dec. #2 Logan Massa MICH, 7-1 (TB) 15-6
184: #3 Aaron Brooks PSU dec. Jaden Bullock MICH, 10-5 18-6
197: #1/184 Myles Amine MICH dec. #14 Michael Beard PSU, 8-5 18-9
285: #2 Mason Parris MICH maj. dec. #7 Seth Nevills PSU, 12-2 18-13
Records: Penn State (4-0, 4-0 B1G; Michigan (4-1, 4-1 B1G)
Up Next for Penn State: at Ohio State, Friday, Feb. 19, time TBA (B1G Network)
Extra Matches:
184: Donovon Ball PSU maj. dec. Bobby Striggow MICH, 12-4
149: Beau Bartlett PSU dec. Cole Mattin MICH, 8-4
157: Nick Lombard MICH dec. Luke Gardner PSU, 6-4 (sv)
165: Reece Hughes MICH dec. Konner Kraeszig PSU, 5-2
174: Creighton Edsell PSU dec. Max Maylor MICH, 4-3
DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: True freshman Robert Howard (Cranford, N.J.) made his collegiate debut against Michigan's Jack Medley. The due battled evenly for over a minute with action remaining neutral throughout. Medley worked his way into control of Howard's shoulders at the 1:45 mark but the Lion freshman was able to stand firm and force a reset midway through the period. Howard connected on a low single off the rest and worked his way into a takedown and 2-0 lead with 1:00 left on the clock. He was able to maintain control on offense for nearly :30 before Medley escaped to a 2-1 score. Howard used a fast, low ankle pick to force a late scramble but time ran out and Howard settled for a 2-1 lead after one. Medley chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. Howard fought off a slight Medley shot and action moved out of bounds with 1:10 left in the middle period. Howard deftly ducked under a shot with :45 left and notched his second takedown to up his lead to 4-1. He maintained control until the :05 mark and led 4-3 after two with 1:15 in riding time. Howard chose down to start the third period and escaped with 1:38 left on the clock, taking a 5-3 lead. Medley countered with his first takedown and Howard quickly escaped to lead 6-5 with 1:10 left in the bout. Howard fought off a strong Medley shot to work the clock down to the :30 mark, picking up a stall with :27 left in the bout. Howard took a high single with :18 left that forced a scramble. The move effectively killed the clock and Howard posted a hard-fought 6-5 win in his collegiate debut.
133: Junior Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.), ranked No. 3 at 133, took on Michigan's Dylan Ragusin, who is ranked No. 8 at 125. Bravo-Young controlled the center of the mat from the onset, controlling the tempo as the clock moved to the 1:45 mark. Ragusin took a slight shot at 1:30 but Bravo-Young quickly locked up action and a reset ensued. Bravo-Young used a low shot to gain control of Ragusin's leg but the Wolverine scrambled out of bounds the action resumed in neutral with :45 left in the period. Bravo-Young picked up a late takedown to lead 2-0 after the opening stanza. Ragusin chose down to start the second period and Bravo-Young controlled the Wolverine for over 1:00, building up a 1:00-plus riding time advantage. The Lion junior maintained his top position for the entirety of the second stanza and carried a 2-0 lead with 2:09 in time into the third period. Bravo-Young chose down to start the third period and Ragusin immediately cut him loose to a 3-0 score. The Lion junior quickly took Ragusin down and cut him, then repeated the action to lead 7-2 with :45 left. Bravo-Young also grabbed a penalty point to lead 8-2. The Lion appeared to close out the bout with a takedown on the edge of the mat that would have given him a major, but the move was not awarded and Bravo-Young settled for a strong 9-2 decision with 2:17 in riding time.
141: Senior Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 2 at 141, met No. 20 Drew Mattin. Lee quickly took Mattin down in under :10 and led 2-1 early. Lee fought off a slight Mattin shot and moved in on offense, notching a second takedown with 1:50 left in the opening period. Lee locked up an arm bar, trying to turn Mattin for back points as the clock hit 1:00 but Mattin was able to work his way out of bounds for a reset. Lee worked his riding time up over 2:0 and then finished the period on top to lead 4-1 with 2:08 in time. Lee chose down to start the second period and steadily worked his way into a reversal and a 6-1 lead with 1:20 on the clock. Lee cut Mattin loose to lead 6-2 at the :50 mark. Lee pressed the action for the rest of the period but Mattin's defense held and Lee led 6-2 with 1:51 in time after two periods. Mattin chose down to start the third period. Lee maintained control long enough to clinch the riding time point before cutting Mattin loose to a 6-3 score. Lee picked up a stall point at the :50 mark. He added another takedown and cut with :15 left but Mattin was able to back away for the rest of the period, fighting off the bonus win. Lee notched a strong 10-4 win with 2:25 in riding time.
149: Redshirt freshman Terrell Barraclough (Kaysville, Utah) faced off against Michigan's Kanen Storr, ranked No. 6 in the bout at 149. Storr worked his way in on a low shot with 2:25 left in the period, turning into the move for a first takedown and a 2-1 lead with 2:02 on the clock. The ranked Wolverine picked up a second takedown with 1:15 left and led 4-2 with 1:00 left in the opening period. Barraclough took a shot that Storr was able to fight off and the bout moved to the :30 mark. Barraclough fought off a late shot and trailed 4-2 after one. Storr chose down to start the second period and controlled the action for over a minute. The Lion freshman continued a strong ride, long enough to build up over 1:00 in riding time for himself. Barraclough finished the period with a rideout and trailed 4-2 but had 1:35 in time after two. Barraclough chose down to start the third period but Storr was able to maintain control long enough to kill the Lion's time advantage as the clock hit 1:20. Barraclough escaped to a 4-3 deficit with :50 left in the bout. The Lion pressed Storr back towards the outside circle, looking for a chance to score. The ranked Wolverine was able to play defense for the remainder of the period and Barraclough dropped a hard-fought 4-3 decision.
157: Junior Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.), ranked No. 9 at 157, met No. 8 Will Lewan in another top-ten showdown. Lewan took a quick shot at the 2:30 mark but Berge moved aside the effort and the bout continued in neutral with the clock moving to 2:00. Neither wrestler was able to find an offensive opening for the next minute-plus as the first period ended in a 0-0 tie. Lewan chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Berge nearly connected on a low shot but Lewan was able to slide back to maintain his one-point lead. Berge paced the center of the mat, taking a number of quick low shots that did not connect. The Lion junior trailed 1-0 after two periods. He chose down to start the third stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. Brady nearly countered a Lewan shot for a takedown but the Wolverine slipped out of Berge's grasp and the bout continued tied 1-1 with 1:10 left. Berge used a low shot to control Lewan's ankle, lifted his leg up and finished off the takedown to take a 3-1 lead with :30 on the clock. Berge finished the match on top and posted the strong 3-1 win over Lewan.
165: Freshman Joe Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 6 at 165, battled No. 16 Cameron Amine. Lee and Amine battled evenly at the onset, working the middle of the mat for the first minute before Amine locked Lee up at the chest and nearly took the Lion down for an early lead. Lee fought through the move and action continued 0-0 at the 1:30 mark. Lee looked to control the center of the mat for the rest of the period and neither wrestler found any offense for the rest of the time. Tied 0-0, Amine chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Lee fought off a strong Amine shot, then fought off another Amine shot with :50 left on the clock. Michigan challenged the latter, seeking to overturn the no call. The call was confirmed, no takedown awarded, and Lee trailed 1-0 with :45 on the clock. Down 1-0, Lee chose down to start the third period. Amine controlled the Lion freshman for over 1:00 and worked his riding time advantage up over 1:00 in the process. Amine turned Lee for two back points and clinched his riding time before Lee scrambled to an escape with :20 left in the bout. Amine posted the 4-1 win with the riding time point for Michigan's second win of the dual.
174: Freshman Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.), ranked No. 8 at 174, squared off against No. 2 Logan Massa in another top bout. Starocci connected on a quick shot that nearly ended in a takedown, but Massa was able to fight the move to a stalemate with 2:10 on the clock. Starocci fought off a Massa front headlock as the clock hit 1:30 and action continued in neutral tied 0-0. Massa worked a low single into a potential scoring position but Starocci worked his way back to his feet and keep the bout scoreless with :30 on the clock. Starocci took a slight shot that Massa pushed back on and the bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Starocci chose down to start the second period. Massa maintained offensive control for over 1:00 before Starocci escaped to a 1-0 lead with :55 on the clock. The duo battled evenly in the middle of the mat as the clock hit :30. Trailing 1-0, Massa chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 1-1 tie. Starocci was able to work the riding time edge down below 1:00 with the short ride. Starocci took a slight low shot at the :45 mark but Massa was able to step away from the move as the clock hit the :40 mark. Neither wrestler threatened for the remainder of the period and the bout moved to sudden victory. Starocci took a slight shot at the :15 mark but Massa was able to counter and kill the move toc close out the extra period. Still tied 1-1, Massa chose down for his tie-breaker period and Starocci took advantage. The Lion used his legs and strength to turn Massa to his back for four nearfall points, finished on top and led 5-1. He chose down for his tie-breaker and picked up a quick penalty point on an illegal hold. Starocci then escaped to close out the tie-breaker period and posted a thrilling 7-1 (tb) win over second-ranked Massa.
184: Sophomore Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md.), ranked No. 3 at 184, battled Michigan's Jaden Bullock. Brooks countered two quick Bullock shots and kept the bout scoreless as the clock slid to the 2:08 mark. The duo battled evenly for the next minute until Brooks used a fast high double to connect on a takedown on the edge of the mat with 1:02 on the clock. Leading 2-0, Brooks kept control for nearly :20 before Bullock escaped to a 2-1 score. He added a second takedown late in the period to lead 4-1 with :39 in riding time after the opening period. The Lion sophomore chose down to start the second period. He worked his way to a reversal and picked up a stall warning in the process. Bullock escaped and then got in on a single leg, but Brooks forced a stalemate at the :48 mark. Brooks took an 8-2 lead late with a third takedown and carried that lead, with 1:01 in time, into the third period. Bullock chose down to start the third period and escaped to an 8-3 score. Bullock picked up a takedown and led 9-5 with :40 on the clock. Brooks finished off the bout with a low single that killed the clock. He picked up a point on 1:01 in riding time and posted the 10-5 victory.
197: Freshman Michael Beard (Pottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 14 at 197, faced off against Wolverine Myles Amine, who entered the weekend ranked No. 1 in the nation at 184. The duo battled evenly for over a minute before Beard countered a slight Amine shot to gain control of the Wolverine's leg. Beard worked for a takedown for nearly a minute before Amine was able counter Beard himself for a takedown on the edge of the mat. Beard escaped to a 2-1 deficit with :50 on the clock. Trailing 2-1, Beard chose down to start the second period. He escaped to a 2-2 tie with 1:30 on the clock and quickly turned in on offense. Beard slid down on a low shot and nearly connected but Amine countered once more for a second takedown and 4-2 lead. Beard escaped to a 4-3 score and the bout moved to the third period. Amine chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-3 lead at the 1:30 mark. Amine picked up a third takedown on a solid shot to up his lead to 7-3 with :50 on the clock. Beard picked up a penalty point and an escape over the last :40 but dropped a tough 8-5 decision.
285: Sophomore Seth Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 7 at 285, met No. 2 Mason Parris in a battle of ranked big men. The duo worked the middle of the mat evenly for the first minute. Parris finished off a takedown with 1:53 on the clock to open up a 2-0 lead. Nevills took an injury timeout and Parris chose down on the reset. The Wolverine big man worked his way to a reversal and a 4-0 lead with 1:10 on the clock. Parris took a 6-1 lead with :40 on the clock and ended the period with a rideout to lead 6-1 after the first period. Nevills chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 6-2 score. Parris worked his way through for another takedown and upped his lead to 8-2. Parris chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 9-2 lead. He added another takedown to lead 11-2 and clinched his riding time point in the process. Parris finished the bout on top and, with riding time, notched the 12-2 major decision.
