EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Penn State Nittany Lions (13-0, 5-0 B1G), ranked No. 1 in the latest InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI), posted a convincing 28-9 win at Michigan State (8-2, 3-2 B1G) on Sunday in East Lansing, Mich. Penn State closed out a two-dual swing through Michigan with seven more wins to go 15-5 in picking up two Big Ten road victories.
Senior Drew Hildebrandt (Granger, Ind.) ranked No. 7 at 125, got Penn State off to a hot start with a dominating 8-0 major over MSU's Tristan Lujan, putting the Lions up 4-0 early. With No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.) not wrestling, sophomore Baylor Shunk (Centre Hall, Pa.) moved up to 133 and battled No. 12 Rayvon Foley tough before dropping an 8-2 decision. Senior Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 1 at 141, picked up Penn State's second major in the opening three bouts, rolling up nearly 4:00 in riding time in a 13-1 major over Matt Santos.
Sophomore Beau Bartlett (Tempe, Ariz.), ranked No. 19 at 149, used two third period takedowns to notch a hard-fought 5-2 win over Peyton Omania, putting the Nittany Lions up 11-3. Sophomore Terrell Barraclough (Kaysville, Utah) got the nod again at 157 and nearly knocked off No. 19 Chase Saldate before dropping a tough 4-2 (sv) decision in extra time. Penn State led 11-6 at the dual's midway point.
Senior Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.), ranked No. 16 at 165, collected the bout's only three takedowns in a strong 7-4 win over Caleb Fish to but the Nittany Lions up 14-6. Sophomore Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 174, dominated Marty Larkin as he rolled to a 19-3 technical fall at the 3:32 mark in the second period. Junior Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md.), ranked No. 1 at 184, followed that up with a strong 4-0 win over No. 27 Layne
Junior Max Dean (Lowell, Mich.), ranked No. 2 at 197, battled No. 15 Cameron Caffey tough for seven minutes, forcing the Spartan to the outside circle for three periods but dropping a 3-2 decision for his first loss of the year. Sophomore Greg Kerkvliet (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), ranked No. 4 at 285, ended the dual meet with a first-period pin, getting the fall over Brad Wilton at the 1:58 mark in the first period.
The Nittany Lions won the takedown battle 16-5. Penn State picked up seven bonus points off a pin (Kerkvliet), a tech fall (Starocci) and two majors (Hildebrandt and Lee).
Penn State is now 13-0 overall, 5-0 Big Ten action. Michigan State falls to 8-2, 3-2 B1G. Penn State once again travels to Iowa City, Iowa, next weekend to take on No. 2 Iowa. The dual meet is at 9 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Central on Friday, Jan. 28 in Carver Hawkeye Arena. The dual will be a B1G Network national telecast.
All rankings listed by Penn State wrestling are InterMat individual and team TPI. The 2021-22 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. 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.
#1 Penn State 28, Michigan State 9
January 23, 2022 – East Lansing, Mich.
125: #7 Drew Hildebrandt PSU maj. dec. Tristan Lujan MSU, 8-0 4-0
133: #12 Rayvon Foley MSU dec. Baylor Shunk PSU, 8-2 4-3
141: #1 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. Matt Santos MSU, 13-1 8-3
149: #19 Beau Bartlett PSU dec. Peyton Omania MSU, 5-2 11-3
157: #19 Chase Saldate MSU dec. Terrell Barraclough PSU, 4-2 (sv) 11-6
165: #16 Brady Berge PSU dec. Caleb Fish MSU, 7-4 14-6
174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU tech fall Marty Larkin MSU, 19-3 (TF; 3:32) 19-6
184: #1 Aaron Brooks PSU dec. #27 Layne Malczewski MSU, 4-0 22-6
197: #15 Cameron Caffey MSU dec. #2 Max Dean PSU, 3-2 22-9
285: #4 Greg Kerkvliet PSU pinned Brad Wilton MSU, WBF (1:58) 28-9
Records: Penn State (13-0, 5-0 B1G); Michigan State (8-2, 3-2 B1G)
Up Next for Penn State: at #2 Iowa, Friday, Jan. 28, 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central
DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Senior Drew Hildebrandt (Granger, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 125, faced off against Tristan Lujan. Hildebrandt controlled the center of the mat for the first minute-plus, looking for a chance to score early. At the 1:25 mark, Hildebrandt got in on a low single, moved up Lujan's leg and finished off the takedown for a 2-0 lead with 1:10 on the clock. Hildebrandt went to work on top, building up riding time while looking for a chance to turn the Spartan for back points. The Lion finished the period no top and led 2-1 with 1:10 in riding time after one. Lujan chose neutral to start the second period. Hildebrandt worked upper control into a takedown and a 4-0 lead with 1:30 on the clock. Hildebrandt controlled the action from the top position again, finishing the period on top and leading 4-0 with 2:40 in riding time after two. The Lion senior chose down to start the third period. He worked his way to an escape and a 5-0 lead with 1:20 left and clinched his riding time as the clock hit 1:00. Lujan worked a low shot into a scramble, but Hildebrandt forced a stalemate with :35 on the clock. The Lion finished off the major with a late takedown and rideout and, with 2:12 in riding time, posted the 8-0 major.
133: With No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.) not wrestling, sophomore Baylor Shunk (Centre Hall, Pa.) moved up to 133 and battled No. 12 Rayvon Foley. Foley notched the bout's first takedown, opening up an early 2-0 lead. The Spartan then built up over 1:00 in riding time trying to turn Shunk, but the Nittany Lion sophomore was able to fight off the efforts. He worked his way to an escape to cut Foley's lead to 2-1. Foley added a second escape and rideout and led 4-1 after one. Foley chose down to start the second period. Shunk went to work on top, nearly turning Foley for back points but the Spartan rolled through the turn effort and escaped to a 5-1 lead. He then took Shunk down once more to open up a 7-1 lead at the 1:10 mark. Shunk escaped to a 7-2 score with :45 on the clock. Shunk forced a scramble on the edge of the mat that nearly ended in a takedown, but Foley was able to escape out of bounds to force a reset with :25 on the clock. Shunk chose down to start the third period. Foley clinched the riding time point working on top but was unable to turn the Lion sophomore for back points. Shunk worked his way into a scramble on the edge of the mat that killed the clock and Foley settled for an 8-2 win.
141: Senior Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 1 at 141, met Matt Santos. Lee scored quickly, taking Santos down in the opening :15 for a 2-0 lead. Lee then went to work on top, building up 1:02 in time before Santos escaped. Lee forced Santos into a stall warning and then took him down to lead 4-1 with :42 left in the period. Lee finished a dominant first period on top and led 4-1 with 1:47 in riding time. Lee chose down to start the second period and scrambled his way to an early escape. Santos took a high shot and Lee countered, forcing a stalemate to maintain a 5-1 lead with 1:10 left in the period. Lee countered a slight Santos shot for a third takedown to lead 7-1 with :25 left in the period and finished on top to end the period. Santos chose down to start the third period and quickly turned the Spartan for two back points and a 9-1 lead. He reset himself and added a second two-point turn to up his lead to 11-1 with :55 on the clock. With the riding time point clinched, Lee picked up a stall point and, with 3:56 in riding time, rolled to the 13-1 major decision.
149: Sophomore Beau Bartlett (Tempe, Ariz.), ranked No. 19 at 149, wrestled MSU's Peyton Omania. The duo battled evenly in neutral for the first half of the opening period with neither man connecting on offense. Action returned to the center of the mat after a reset, and Bartlett rolled through a solid throw effort from Omania, keeping the bout tied 0-0 with 1:00 on the clock. The first period ended in neutral and a 0-0 tie. Omania chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Bartlett gained control of Omania's shoulders with 1:20 on the clock but the Spartan was able to stay on his feet and the bout continued in neutral with Omania up by one. Bartlett chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. He worked the center of the mat but was unable to break through Omania's defense as the clock hit 1:20. Bartlett hit a low single and tripped Omania to the mat for a takedown and a 3-1 lead with 1:00 left to wrestle. Omania rolled to an escaped off a reset to cut the lead to 3-2 with :30 left to wrestle and Bartlett fought off a late flurry of Spartan shots and ended the bout with a late counter takedown to post the 5-2 win.
157: Sophomore Terrell Barraclough (Kaysville, Utah) battled No. 19 Chase Saldate at 157. Barraclough battled through an even first minute, slipping out of the Spartan's grasp on a takedown attempt on the outside circle. After a reset, the Nittany Lion sophomore worked a low shot into a scramble, but Saldate was able to force a stalemate and action resumed tied 0-0 with 1:30 on the clock. Barraclough connected on another late low shot that forced Saldate to defend as the clock ran out. Tied 0-0, Saldate chose down to start the second period. Barraclough put together a strong ride, controlling the action from the top position for over a minute before Saldate scrambled to an escape and a 1-0 lead. Trailing by one, Barraclough chose down to start the third period. Saldate controlled the Lion long enough to kill the riding time edge before Barraclough scrambled to a reversal and a 2-1 lead. Saldate worked his way to an escape to tie the score at 2-2 with 1:00 left to wrestle. Barraclough controlled the action in the center of the mat before Saldate used a high shot. The rest of the period featured Barraclough scrambling away from the takedown effort and trying to counter but the period ended and moved to extra time. Barraclough instigated a quick scramble in extra time, nearly taking Saldate down, but the Spartan was able to counter and end the bout with a takedown to steal the 4-2 (sv) win.
165: Senior Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.), ranked No. 16 at 165, met Caleb Fish. The duo battled through two even minutes with Berge controlling the center of the mat. Fish forced Berge into a stall warning with 1:00 as a reset sent action back to the center of the mat. Berge turned a late low shot into a takedown and a 2-0 lead after the opening period. Berge chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. The Nittany Lion senior went back to work on offense, turned a low shot into a takedown and a 5-0 lead with 1:20 left. Fish escaped and Berge went back to work offensively. Berge fought off a solid Fish shot with :55 on the clock to maintain his 5-1 lead. Trailing 5-1, Fish chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 5-2 score. Berge nearly connected on a low shot, but Fish was able to slip out of the Lion's grasp to keep the score at 5-2. Berge took Fish down a third time with a low double at the 1:05 mark to up his lead to 7-2. Fish escaped to a 7-3 score with :50 left in the bout. Berge gave up a stall point with :18 on the clock and finished off a 7-4 win in neutral.
174: Sophomore Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 174, took on Marty Larkin. Starocci quickly took the Spartan down and wrapped up a cradle for back points, but Larkin was able to roll through the effort. Starocci settled for a takedown and a 2-0 lead, but Larkin was able to reverse the Lion to tie the score at 2-2. Starocci quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead and went back to work on offense. The Nittany Lion sophomore used a low single to up his lead to 5-3 after cutting Larkin loose. Larkin took an injury timeout and Starocci took down on the reset. He reversed the Spartan to take a 7-3 lead. Starocci then turned Larkin for four back points to lead 11-3. Starocci added a second nearfalls to lead 15-3 after the opening period. Starocci ended the bout quickly, taking Larkin down after taking neutral to start the second and adding two back points for a 19-3 tech fall at the 3:32 mark.
184: Junior Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md.), ranked No. 1 at 184, battled No. 27 Layne Malczewski. The two ranked grapplers battled evenly for the opening minute, but Brooks controlled the tempo and the center of the mat. He worked Malczewski's shoulders to the mat but was not able to break through the Spartans defense until forcing a scramble with a low shot at the 1:00 mark. He was able to pull the Spartan back on to the mat, but Malczewski was able to fight off the takedown and the action moved to the second period tied 0-0. Malczewski chose down to start the second period. Brooks nearly locked up a cradle, but action moved out of bounds, forcing a reset with Brooks still on top. Brooks controlled the action for the entire second period and the bout moved to the third period tied 0-0 but with Brooks owning 2:00 in riding time. Brooks chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 1-0 lead while maintaining his time edge. The Nittany Lion quickly took Malczewski down to up his lead to 3-0 with 1:15 left in the bout and went to work on top, looking to turn the Spartan. With the riding time point clinched, Brooks finished the bout on top and rolled to the 4-0 win with 2:54 in riding time.
197: Junior Max Dean (Lowell, Mich.), ranked No. 2 at 197, faced off against No. 15 Cameron Caffey. Dean set a fast tempo to start the bout. He gained control of Caffey's right leg with a low shot, lifted the Spartan's leg off the ground and then scrambled for nearly 1:00 before Caffey was able to force a stalemate with 1:04 left in the opening period. Dean continued to force Caffey to the outside circle, pushing his shoulders to the mat on the edge of the mat as the first period ended in a 0-0 tie. Dean chose down to start the second period. Dean chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. He nearly connected on a shot that Caffey was able to counter, gaining control and taking Dean down to lead 2-1. Dean escaped to tie the bout at 2-2 with :35 left in the middle stanza. Dean shot late but the clock ran out before the Lion could finish off the move the bout moved to the second period tied 2-2. Caffey chose down to start the third period. Dean was able to control the action from the top maintain control of the Spartan as the clock moved below the 1:00 mark. Caffey was able to skip to an escape and a 3-2 lead after a reset with :25 on the clock. Dean turned a low shot into a late scramble, but Caffey was able to hold on for a hard-fought 3-2 win.
285: Sophomore Greg Kerkvliet (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), ranked No. 4 at 285, battled Brad Wilton. Kerkvliet scored quickly, taking Wilton down for a 2-0 lead in the opening seconds. The Nittany Lion sophomore went to work on top, building up over 1:00 in riding time. He then turned Wilton to his back, ending the bout and the dual meet with a pin at the 1:58 mark.
