Half of Penn State’s wrestling lineup makes Rec Hall debut in win over Lehigh

Nate Cobler
·5 min read

Penn State wrestling was without Aaron Brooks and Shayne Van Ness on Sunday for its dual season home opener against Lehigh.

However, half of the Nittany Lions’ lineup got their first taste of Rec Hall in a 30-10 win over the Mountain Hawks.

“After the match, I was kind of overwhelmed. I started smiling because I’ve never been here,” Mitchell Mesenbrink said. “I’ve always wanted to wrestle for Penn State, so it was kind of overwhelming to take it all in after the match has done.”

Added Bernie Truax: “The energy in there is so different compared to a lot of places that I’ve wrestled at. I was nervous, of course. Then, Carter wrestled his match, everyone standing up and celebrating, I just felt an extra energy and felt free. It was just a lot of fun going out there and competing.”

Those two, along with Tyler Kasak, who filled in for Van Ness, were able to secure victories in their first Rec Hall matches.

After Beau Bartlett’s 14-6 major decision got Penn State on the board at 141, Kasak, who normally goes at 141 pounds, came out firing off takedowns against Drew Munch.

The freshman secured two first period takedowns with his second coming out on top of a scramble situation with Munch. Kasak led 6-2 after one period.

The second period saw Munch secure an escape as the lone points scored, but nearly had a takedown that Kasak fought off.

Kasak had to hang on for a 7-5 win as he got hit for an interlock point and a stall point. His victory gave the Nittany Lions the lead, 7-6, that they didn’t lose.

Penn State’s Tyler Kasak (right) battles Lehigh’s Drew Munch (149 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Kasak edged Munch, 7-5. Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.
Penn State’s Tyler Kasak (right) battles Lehigh’s Drew Munch (149 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Kasak edged Munch, 7-5. Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.

“Anytime you have kids that you’re expecting and counting on in the future, any experience they can get is extremely valuable. He’s a competitor,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said of Kasak. “He found a way to win the match, got a little close to the end there, but you can just see he’s a pretty dang good wrestler. He’s a hard nosed, tough Pennsylvania kid. He’s been wrestling at a high level, so he was ready to fill in there and bump up.”

Levi Haines was on the mat for the first time since the Journeyman Collegiate Classic. He had to fight his way to a 12-6 victory over No. 24 Max Brignola giving the Nittany Lions a 10-6 lead at the break.

Mesenbrink opened the second half of the dual with a bang in his debut.

Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink takes down Lehigh’s Jake Logan (165 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Mesenbrink won by tech fall (18-2). Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.
Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink takes down Lehigh’s Jake Logan (165 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Mesenbrink won by tech fall (18-2). Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.

He took on No. 32 Jake Logan, but didn’t score until there was 16 seconds left in the first period. In the second period, Mesenbrink opened up his lead to 10-1 thanks to two more takedowns.

The third period he added two more takedowns plus picked up a stall point to secure a 17-2 technical fall in 6:13.

“It was cool to see the atmosphere and be in it,” Mesenbrink said, “It was so much cooler being a part of it. I’m just really grateful to be here. It’s just going to be really fun. I’m excited to keep getting better and for what’s coming.”

Carter Starocci earned a pin at 174 pounds in 2:23 before Truax got out there.

The graduate transfer had no problems with Jack Wilt. He raced out to an 8-2 lead, giving up a reversal in the first period.

In the third period, Truax was on cruise control. He rattled off three takedowns, added a stall point and had 3:25 in riding time for a 19-4 technical fall in 7:00.

Truax jumped up to his feet and started clapping in unison with the Nittany Lions’ fans as the dual victory was sealed with a 26-6 lead, and two bouts remaining.

“The energy overall with teammates and the crowd is just unreal, it’s amazing. When Carter had won and everyone stood up I was just like, ‘wow, this is an amazing opportunity to compete,’” Truax said. “Afterwards (his match), everyone’s clapping, I got into it, it was awesome.”

Penn State’s Aaron Nagao, right, tries to roll over Lehigh’s Ryan Crookham (133 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Crookham defeated Nagao, 6-3. Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.
Penn State’s Aaron Nagao, right, tries to roll over Lehigh’s Ryan Crookham (133 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Crookham defeated Nagao, 6-3. Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.

Aaron Nagao and Lucas Cochran, who filled in for Brooks, weren’t as lucky as the previous three in their debuts.

However, to be fair, each wrestler squared off with a top-10 opponent.

Nagao took on No. 5 Ryan Crookham, who made a name for himself by topping Cornell’s Vito Araju in the Journeymen Collegiate Classic.

Nagao scored the first points of the match with an escape to start the second period. However, Crookham, who is also a three-time PIAA champion, snapped off two first period takedowns to lead 6-2 after two periods.

Those takedowns were all Crookham needed to secure a 6-4 win.

Cochran squared off with former Penn State wrestler in No. 10 Michael Beard, who had six takedowns to come up one point shy of a technical fall in a 20-6 victory.

“I thought that was a lot of fun. We got a lot of really great wrestlers. It was a great dual,” Sanderson said. “Lehigh is always going to be ready to go. They got a lot of really good wrestlers.”

Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet lifts and drives Lehigh’s Nathan Taylor (285 lbs) to the mat during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Kerkvliet won by major decision (11-1). Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.
Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet lifts and drives Lehigh’s Nathan Taylor (285 lbs) to the mat during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Kerkvliet won by major decision (11-1). Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.

No. 1 Penn State 30, No. 20 Lehigh 10

Sunday at University Park

125: Sheldon Seymour, L, dec. Gary Steen, 4-1

133: No. 5 Ryan Crookham, L, dec. No. 3 Aaron Nagao, 6-4

141: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU, major dec. Carter Bailey, 14-6

149: Tyler Kasak, PSU, dec. Drew Munch, 7-5

157: No. 1 Levi Haines, PSU, dec. No. 24 Max Brignola, 12-6

165: No. 16 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU, tech. fall No. 32 Jake Logan, 17-2 (6:13)

174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, pinned Thayne Lawrence, 2:23

184: No. 2 Bernie Truax, PSU, tech. fall Jack Wilt, 19-4 (7:00)

197: No. 10 Michael Beard, L, major dec. Lucas Cochran, 20-6

285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, major dec. No. 12 Nathan Taylor, 11-1

Takedowns: Lehigh 11, PSU 25

Records: Lehigh (0-2), Penn State (1-0)

Next match: Hofstra at Penn State, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Penn State’s Levi Haines, right, battles Lehigh’s Max Brignola (157 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Haines defeated Brignola, 11-6. Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.
Penn State’s Levi Haines, right, battles Lehigh’s Max Brignola (157 lbs) during Sunday’s match at Rec Hall at Penn State. Haines defeated Brignola, 11-6. Penn State defeated Lehigh, 30-10.