Penn State wrestling continues to roll on, even with starters missing, against Maryland
Since the start of the new year, Penn State has only given up 12 team points in its wrestling duals.
The Nittany Lions have done that with some starters missing from the lineup.
On Sunday, Penn State was missing starters again in a 42-6 demolition of Maryland. The Nittany Lions took to the mat without 133-pound starter Aaron Nagao and 149-pound starters Tyler Kasak and David Evans.
According to Penn State Sports Network’s Jeff Byers, Nagao didn’t even make the trip because he’s sick. Kasak and Evans competed in the Mat Town Open at Lock Haven University to try and figure who will be the starter the rest of the year.
Continued success even without starters is a credit to the coaches, Carter Starocci told the Penn State Sports Network.
“As guys leave, you think like the team won’t be as good, but we’ll still be good,” he said. “Honestly, we just keep getting better as a team. I think being loose and not taking yourself too seriously makes a big difference. We do a really good job at that.”
Penn State dropped those two weights with Nagao and Kasak-Evans missing, but Starocci, along with the seven other starters, all earned bonus points. He also earned his 60th consecutive win, which is the longest streak currently in the NCAA.
The dual kicked off with Braeden Davis taking down the Terrapins’ Tommy Capul quickly at 125 pounds. Davis then turned Capul to his back for three sets of nearfall points with a tight 2-on-1 tilt for a 15-0 technical fall in 2:47.
Penns Valley graduate Baylor Shunk stepped in for Nagao at 133 pounds against No. 21 Braxton Brown.
Brown came out and got a takedown, but Shunk collected a reversal to trail 3-2 after one period. Brown pushed out his lead in the second period with an escape and another takedown.
The third period saw Shunk escape late, and kept Brown to an 8-3 win.
Beau Bartlett took on No. 17 Kal Miller, and had no troubles. The pair were in an early scramble that seemed to take forever to get resolved as no stalemate was called by the official.
Bartlett came out with the score in that flurry. He had a full period rideout in the second period to keep it 3-0 after two periods.
Bartlett poured the pace on in the third period to the tune of a pair of takedowns to secure an 11-1 major decision.
No. 14 Ethen Miller for Maryland shut out Connor Pierce, who filled in for Kasak-Evans at 149, 5-0. The dual was 9-6 in favor of the Nittany Lions.
Levi Haines cruised to a 15-0 technical fall of No. 33 Michael North in 5:58 to give Penn State a 14-6 lead at the break. Haines led 7-0 after two periods of wrestling, and used two sets of nearfall points to close out the tech.
The second half of the dual got underway with Mitchell Mesenbrink needing just 50 seconds to stick Ryan Money.
Starocci followed with a pin of Mason Stein in 4:26. Starocci rattled off five takedowns within 1:30 of wrestling, and added one more before the first period ended.
He could’ve easily collected a technical fall, but he wanted more.
“I think getting a pin is almost like getting in a knockout in the fight. It’s always that much more cool. A tech fall is good,” Starocci said. “I love those as well, but it’s just getting pins. A lot of guys on bottom just lay there, so just got to keep working through those positions. It always feels a little better on the way home when you get that pin.”
Bernie Truax kept the pin parade rolling as he flattened Chase Mielnik in 1:43. The Nittany Lions’ lead was 32-6.
Aaron Brooks had a top-five matchup on his hands as he faced No. 5 Jaxon Smith at 197 pounds.
The pair had some hard hand fighting throughout the bout, but Brooks led 7-2 after two periods of wrestling. In the third period, it seemed as if Smith was broken as the pair were jawing back and forth at one another, but Brooks tallied two more takedowns to earn the 13-4 major decision.
Greg Kerkvliet finished the dual off with another first-period pin. He took Jordan Gabriel right down off the whistle and cranked him over his head for a fall in 54 seconds.
Kasak, Barr, Cochran earn Mat Town titles
Penn State had seven wrestlers compete in the Mat Town Open 2 at Lock Haven University on Sunday.
Those wrestlers competing attached were Kasak, Evans, Lucas Cochran, Brian Borden and Jack Kelly. Josh Barr and AJ Fricchione wrestled unattached.
Kasak, Barr and Cochran all came away with titles.
Kasak and Evans faced off against one another in the 149 pound finals. Kasak used a first period takedown to secure a 4-2 win over Evans.
With the win, the thoughts are Kasak will be the starter the remainder of the season, but nothing is guaranteed.
Barr dominated his way to his title as he earned technical falls to reach the finals. He outscored his opponents 36-5.
In the finals, Barr used a full period rideout, to secure a 2-0 win over West Virginia’s Ian Bush at 184 pounds.
Borden (174 pounds) and Kelly (184) each finished sixth.
Cochran, who filled in at heavyweight for the Michigan State match, pinned his way to the 197 pound crown. He stuck Penn’s Martin Cosgrove in the finals in 2:36.
No. 1 Penn State 42, Maryland 6
Sunday at College Park, Md.
125: No. 4 Braeden Davis, PSU, tech. fall Tommy Capul, 15-0 (2:47)
133: No. 21 Braxton Brown, M, dec. Baylor Shunk, 8-3
141: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU, major dec. No. 14 Kal Miller, 11-1
149: No. 14 Ethen Miller, M, dec. Connor Pierce, 5-0
157: No. 1 Levi Haines, PSU, tech. fall No. 33 Michael North, 15-0 (5:58)
165: No. 7 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU, pinned Ryan Money, :50
174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, pinned Mason Stein, 4:26
184: No. 5 Bernie Truax, PSU, pinned Chase Mielnik, 1:43
197: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, PSU, major dec. No. 5 Jaxon Smith, 13-4
285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, pinned Jordan Gabriel, :55
Takedowns: PSU 18, M 3
Records: Penn State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten), Maryland (3-5, 1-4)
Next match: Ohio State at Penn State, Friday, 6:30 p.m.
