Penn State wrestling misses Nick Lee again, but Brady Berge returns to spark comeback

Penn State knew coming into Sunday’s match it would be without Nick Lee again.

According to Jeff Byers on the Penn State Sports Network, Lee wasn’t cleared to wrestle until Saturday. It didn’t leave enough time to be ready against a tough opponent in Rutgers’ Sebastian Rivera.

However, the Nittany Lions saw an old face return to the lineup in Brady Berge. Berge, who announced his plans to return to Penn State on Jan. 6, helped lead the Nittany Lions to a rallying 27-11 win over the Scarlet Knights inside Rec Hall. The victory kept Penn State perfect against Rutgers at 22-0.

“I thought Rutgers wrestled really well. They have a really good team. We knew that coming into the week,” coach Cael Sanderson said to the media after the win. “There are little things here and there we can do to change things around in some of those matches that didn’t go our way. I think we can separate ourselves some of the other ones. It’s all part of the process here. We’re just trying to get better as we as we move along.”

The Nittany Lions, who were using their ninth different lineup in 11 duals, trailed 11-6 to open the second half of the dual.

It was unknown who would come out at 165 pounds to start the second half as a pre-match lineup reveal had no one listed. It was known that starter Creighton Edsell and Berge both weighed in.

When it came down to it, it was Berge getting the call from Sanderson and Co. It’s a move that the Nittany Lions’ Aaron Brooks felt is all part of a plan.

“As I tell Berge, ‘this is God’s plan.’ We know how great of a wrestler he is,” Brooks said to the Penn State Sports Network after the win. “The way his career ended initially with unfortunate injuries, it’s God’s will he’s able to got out there and reach for what he’s been going for this whole time. For Berge, it’s a sign to rewrite the things that happened to him.

“Creighton Edsell, I love him to death, that’s a kid that does everything right. He just doesn’t do everything right as a starter this year, but even as a backup in previous years. The things and time he has put in this program, we are all still behind him as well.”

Brooks went on to say that it didn’t matter who went out on Sunday that the team is behind both guys.

Berge, who had problems with concussions and then his knee, looked fresh as he could be after coming over as an assistant coach with South Dakota State. He was firing off takedown attempts on Rutgers’ Andrew Clark, but neither could score in the first period.

In the second period, Clark led 1-0 late with an escape, but Berge was able to come out with a takedown with 19 seconds remaining. Berge extended his lead with an escape early in the third period. He tacked on one more takedown with 22 seconds remaining in the bout.

Berge returned to the lineup with a 5-1 win, and started the Nittany Lions’ rally.

“I think Brady was here, like four years, I mean the years kind of run together,” Sanderson said, “but just a great kid comes from a great family. Obviously, a very talented wrestler, and he’s been a gamer for us. He’s been clutch in big moments. Things haven’t really gone his way, but he’s pushed through those things. When he’s gotten knocked down, he’s gotten back up.”

NCAA champ Carter Starocci fed off of Berge’s return. Starocci raced out to a 12-2 first-period lead on Connor O’Neill thanks to three takedowns and two sets of nearfall points.

Starocci came out in the second period and locked up a 19-2 technical fall in 4:25. Penn State reclaimed the lead, 14-11.

Then came two stellar matchups.

Fellow NCAA champ Aaron Brooks took on No. 5 John Poznanski at 184 pounds. Brooks, who topped Poznanski in the Big Ten Championship semifinals last year, dispatched the wrestler again on Sunday.

It took until 10 seconds remained in the first period for Brooks to record a takedown. He led 5-0 after two periods thanks in part to a counter takedown on Poznanski, who had hit a nice fireman’s carry.

Brooks poured it on in the third period for a 10-2 major decision — the same exact score of last year’s meeting.

“He’s really good. I know he is tough and strong,” Brooks said of the bout. “In the first period, we were hand fighting hard. A lot of times, I just tell myself stay on them, and you’ll get your opening, toward the end of the first I got it. From wrestling him last year, I knew he was a flexible kid, so I knew when I got to the legs, I expected the splits. I give credit to my coaches. I’m super grateful for those guys getting me prepared and working on these positions, so when I come out here, it’s like deja vu.”

No. 2 Max Dean took on No. 7 Greg Bulsak at 197 pounds. It was a bout that saw Dean trail 6-5 to open the third period.

Dean tied the bout with an escape 10 seconds into the third period. He used a takedown with just under one minute left to help secure a 9-6 win. Dean’s victory sealed the dual for the Nittany Lions, who led 21-11 with one bout left.

Greg Kerkvliet pinned the Scarlet Knights’ Alex Esposito in 1:45 to close out the dual.

The dual began in Penn State’s favor as No. 9 Drew Hildebrandt needed a takedown with .8 seconds left in the third period to pick up a 4-2 win over Dylan Shawver at 125 pounds.

NCAA champion Roman Bravo-Young returned to the lineup after missing last Sunday’s dual with Indiana. RBY used four takedowns, a reversal and a riding time point to dispatch No. 20 Joseph Olivieri, 11-5.

Rutgers won the next three bouts to setup its halftime lead. No. 3 Sebastian Rivera, who would’ve faced Lee at 141 pounds, racked up a 17-1 technical fall in 3:36 on Brandon Meredith.

No. 18 Michael Van Brill needed a riding time point in the second set of tie-breakers to top No. 19 Beau Bartlett, 4-3. Robert Kanniard used a takedown 27 seconds into a sudden victory period to edge Tony Negron, 6-4, at 157 pounds.

The Nittany Lions have a little bit of rest here now until they head west for two road duals against No. 3 Michigan (Friday, 6 p.m.) and Michigan State (Jan. 23, 1 p.m.). They’ll come back to State College, before heading back out to Iowa on Jan. 28 for a 9 p.m. dual.

“We have big matches coming up,” Sanderson said. “Every match is big, but we’re excited to get on the road here and kind of test ourselves out a little bit as we push into the Big Ten schedule.”

No. 1 Penn State 27, No. 16 Rutgers 11

Sunday at University Park

125: No. 9 Drew Hildebrandt, PSU, dec. No. 31 Dylan Shawver, 4-2

133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young, PSU, dec. No. 20 Joseph Olivieri, 11-5

141: No. 3 Sebastian Rivera, R, tech. fall Brandon Meredith, 17-1 (3:36)

149: No. 18 Michael Van Brill, R, dec. No. 19 Beau Bartlett, 4-3 (UTB2)

157: Robert Kanniard, R, dec. Tony Negron, 6-4 (SV)

165: Brady Berge, PSU, dec. Andrew Clark, 5-1

174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, tech. fall Connor O’Neill, 19-2 (4:25)

184: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, PSU, major dec. No. 5 John Poznanski, 10-2

197: No. 2 Max Dean, PSU, dec. No. 7 Greg Bulsak, 9-6

285: No. 4 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, pinned Alex Esposito, 1:45

Extra bout

157: Terrell Barraclough, PSU, major dec. Al DeSantis, 10-1

Takedowns: R 7, PSU 22

Records: Rutgers (12-2, 2-2 Big Ten), Penn State (11-0, 3-0 Big Ten)

Next match: Penn State at Michigan, Friday, 6 p.m.