By Pat Donghia
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (1-0, 0-0 B1G) rolled to a 30-10 victory over visiting Lehigh (0-2) in the dual meet opener for head coach Cael Sanderson‘s squad. Five Nittany Lions made their Rec Hall dual debuts in the convincing home victory.
The match was wrestled in front of yet another Rec Hall sellout crowd of 6,623. This marks the 67th-straight sellout in Rec Hall and the 76th of 78 home sellouts for Penn State (including nine of 11 in the 16,000 seat Bryce Jordan Center).
The dual began at 125 where Nittany Lion Gary Steen dropped a hard-fought 4-1 decision to Sheldon Seymour. Sophomore Aaron Nagao, ranked No. 3 at 133, made his Penn State Rec Hall debut and took on No. 5 Ryan Crookham. Crookham notched two second period takedowns, Nagao used a full third period takedown to try and turn Crookham but dropped a tough 6-4 decision, giving Lehigh a 6-0 lead.
Senior Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 2 at 141, put the Nittany Lions on the board, with a dominant 14-6 major decision. True freshman Tyler Kasak made his Penn State dual debut, moving up to 149 for No. 2 Shayne Van Ness. The Lion freshman worked his way to a hard-fought 7-5 decision over LU’s Drew Munch, giving Penn State a 7-6 lead. Sophomore Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 157, worked his way to a convincing 12-6 win over No. 24 Max Brignola, using two takedowns in the final period. Haines’s win gave Penn State a 10-6 lead at intermission.
Redshirt freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 16 at 165, made his Nittany Lion Rec Hall debut and rolled his way to a 17-2 technical fall over No. 32 Jake Logan at the 6:13 mark. Mesenbrink’s win put Penn State up 15-6. Senior Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, added to the Lion lead. Starocci notched three first period takedowns before turning Thayne Lawrence to his back for a first period fall at the 2:07 mark, giving the Nittany Lions a 21-6 lead.
Graduate Bernie Truax, ranked No. 2 at 184, made his Penn State home dual debut and thrilled the Rec Hall crowd with an offensive show, rolling up five takedowns and over 3:00 in riding time to post a 19-4 technical fall (7:00) to put the Lions up 26-6. Sophomore Lucas Cochran stepped in for No. 1 Aaron Brooks at 197 and made his Rec Hall dual debut, dropping a 20-6 major decision to No. 10 Michael Beard. Senior Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 1 at 285, capped off the dominant team win with a strong 11-1 major decision with 2:22 in riding time over No. 12 Nathan Taylor. The Nittany Lions walked away with a convincing 30-10 victory.
Penn State won seven of ten bouts with five new faces in the line-up. The Nittany Lions rolled up a 25-11 edge in takedowns. Penn State picked up nine bonus points off a pin (Starocci), two tech falls (Mesenbrink, Truax) and two majors (Bartlett, Kerkvliet).
Penn State is now 1-0, 0-0 B1G. Lehigh falls to 0-2. The Nittany Lions will host Hofstra next Sunday, Dec. 10, in their next outing. The dual, in Rec Hall, is set for 1 p.m.
The 2023-24 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X/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 30, #20 Lehigh 10
December 3, 2023 – Rec Hall – University Park, Pa.
125: Sheldon Seymour LU dec. Gary Steen PSU, 4-1 0-3
133: #5 Ryan Crookham LU dec. #3 Aaron Nagao PSU, 6-4 0-6
141: #2 Beau Bartlett PSU maj. dec. Carter Bailey LU, 14-6 4-6
149: Tyler Kasak PSU dec. Drew Munch LU, 7-6 7-6
157: #1 Levi Haines PSU dec. #24 Max Brignola LU, 12-6 10-6
165: #16 Mitchell Mesenbrink PSU tech. fall #32 Jake Logan LU, 17-2 (TF; 6:13) 15-6
174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU pinned Thayne Lawrence LU, WBF (2:07) 21-6
184: #2 Bernie Truax PSU tech fall Jack Wilt LU, 19-4 (TF; 7:00) 26-6
197: #10 Michael Beard LU maj. dec. Lucas Cochran PSU, 20-6 26-10
285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet PSU maj. dec. #12 Nathan Taylor LU, 11-1 30-10
Records: Penn State (1-0), Lehigh (0-2)
Attendance: 6,623 (67th-straight sellout in Rec Hall; 76th in last 78 events, including 9 of 11 in BJC)
Up Next for Penn State: home vs. Hofstra, Sunday, Dec. 10, 1 p.m. in Rec Hall
DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Sophomore Gary Steen took on Sheldon Seymour at 125. Steen fought off an early Seymour shot in the opening seconds to stay on his feet and keep things neutral. The Nittany Lion sophomore worked the center of the mat, fighting off another Seymour single leg as the clock hit 1:44. The duo worked the clock down below the 1:00 mark. The bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Steen chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. He then worked his way into a low single, but Seymour forced a stalemate at 1:28. Steen continued to work on offense, getting in deep Seymour’s left leg. But the Mountain Hawk was able to fight the move off and force a reset at :58. Trailing 1-0, Seymour chose down to start the final period. Steen controlled him and nearly locked a cradle, but Seymour scrambled out of trouble and escaped to tie the bout 1-1. As the clock moved to :30, Steen gave up a stall warning. He lunged low on a reset with :10 left, and Seymour scrambled through, countered, and connected on a takedown as time expired to steal a 4-1 win.
133: No. 3 Aaron Nagao met No. 5 Ryan Crookham of Lehigh. The duo worked through the first 1:30 neutral and Nagao connected on a low shot. The Lion worked for a takedown, but a potentially dangerous call stopped action and the bout continued 0-0 to the 1:00 mark. Crookham got called for a first tall and then Nagao worked a low shot into a scramble. Crookham forced a reset and then moved in on a low shot at :20. Nagao scrambled his way to 0:00 and the bout moved to the second period scoreless. Nagao chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Crookham turned a double into a takedown and a 3-2 lead after a quick Nagao escape with :55 left in the middle period. Nagao turned another low shot into a scramble and Crookham countered for another takedown and ta 6-2 lead after two periods. Crookham chose down to start the third period and Nagao broke him down flat at 1:20, looking for a turn. As the clock hit :55, the official called a stalemate and a reset. Nagao picked up a stall point and a riding time point but was unable to turn the Mountain Hawk and dropped a 6-4 decision.
141: Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 2 at 141, met Carter Bailey. Bartlett scored quickly, taking down Bailey and cutting him loose. Bailey turned in for a quick takedown and the bout was tied 4-4 after a Bartlett escape, all in the first 1:00. The duo worked neutral for the next minute-plus. Bartlett turned a low shot into scramble the effectively killed the clock and the match moved to the second stanza tied 4-4. Bartlett chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 5-4 lead. He notched another takedown and led 8-5 after a quick Bailey escape. Bartlett countered a slight Bailey shot and finished off the second stanza with a takedown to lead 11-5 after two. Bailey chose down to start the third period and Bartlett cut him loose to an 11-6 score. With :40 on the clock, Bartlett worked his way through a double for a takedown and a 14-6 lead. He finished the period on top and walked away with a strong 14-6 major decision.
149: Tyler Kasak took on Drew Munch at 149. Kasak notched his first dual takedown at the 2:25 mark and led 3-1 after a Munch escape. The Nittany Lion countered a Munch shot and scrambled his way through :30 before moving behind the Mountain Hawk for another takedown and a 6-2 lead. Munch chose down to start the second period and Kasak worked his riding time up to over 1:00 before the Hawk escaped to a 6-3 score. Kasak fought off a Munch single at :10 but gave up a stall warning in the process. The duo finished the period on their feet and the bout moved to the second with Kasak leading 6-3. Kasak chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 7-3 lead. Kasak gave up a penalty point on an illegal hold at 1:03 and led 7-4. Kasak was hit for stalling at the :15 mark, cutting his lead to 7-5. Kasak forced a late scramble with a low shot and then fought off Munch’s counter as the bout ended, holding on for a hard-fought 7-5 win.
157: No. 1 Levi Haines met No. 24 Max Brignola at 157. Brignola took an early 3-1 lead after a quick takedown and Haines escape. Haines fought off another Brignola shot at the 1:15 mark, forcing a stalemate at :46. Haines turned a high single into a takedown and a 4-3 lead with :20 on the clock. Brignola escaped to a 4-4 score and the bout moved to the second period tied. Brignola chose down to start the second period and escaped after a :30 Haines ride to lead 5-4. Haines fought off another Brignola shot, forcing a stalemate at :23. Haines nearly scored as the period ended but Brignola defended until the period ended. Trailing 5-4, Haines chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 5-5 tie. Haines took an 8-5 lead with a low shot, tripping Brignola to the mat with 1:30 on the clock. Haines maintained control of Brignola long enough to work his riding time up past 1:00 but gave up a stall warning in the process. Brignola escaped to an 8-6 score at :30 but Haines finished the period on top, scrambling his way to a takedown and, with 1:26 riding time, posted the 12-6 decision.
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 16 at 165, took on No. 32 Jake Logan. Mesenbrink turned a quick low single into a scramble and then spent the next minute looking for a takedown. The official called a stalemate at 1:12 and the bout resumed on the reset. Mesenbrink took another low shot, forcing Logan to back away from the action at :35. The Lion freshman then countered a slight Logan shot, scrambled through for a counter takedown as the period wound down to lead 3-0 after one. Mesenbrink chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-0 lead. He picked up a quick takedown with a low shot, leading 7-0 at 1:30. Mesenbrink cut Logan loose after a :30 ride and led 7-1 with 1:00 left in the period. He hit a high single to takedown to up his lead to 10-1 with :35 on the clock and finished the period on top, leading 10-1 with 1:06 riding time. Logan chose neutral to start the third period. Mesenbrink picked up a stall point and then took Logan down one final time, rolling to the 17-2 technical fall at the 6:13 mark.
174: No. 1 Carter Starocci faced Thayne Lawrence at 174. Starocci scored quickly, taking the Hawk down to open up a 3-1 lead. He notched his second takedown at the 1:45 mark to up the lead to 6-1. The Nittany Lion senior picked up his third takedown midway through the first period and led 9-2. He worked the outside circle, turning Lawrence to his back. He adjusted, settled in and got the first period pin at the 2:07 mark.
184: Bernie Truax, ranked No. 2 at 184, met Jack Wilt. Truax notched a quick takedown taking Wilt down in the opening seconds to lead 3-0. He then worked a strong ride, building up over 1:00 in riding time while trying to turn the Mountain Hawk for two points. Wilt managed a reversal while Truax tried to turn him, and the Nittany Lion led 4-2 after a quick escape. Truax nearly scored as the first period ended but Wilt skipped out of trouble and the Lion led 4-2 after one. Truax chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 5-2 lead. Truax continued to shoot and took an 8-2 lead on a low single with 1:15 on the clock. Truax finished the period on top and carried an 8-2 lead with 2:27 in riding time into the third period. Wilt chose neutral to start the third period. Truax took Wilt down once, cut him loose, took him down again and cut him loose to lead 14-4 with :25 left. He picked up a stall point, took him down with :10 left and finished on top. His 3:25 riding time gave the new Nittany Lion a 19-4 technical fall (7:00).
197: Sophomore Lucas Cochran took on No. 10 Michael Beard at 197. Cochran battled through the first :45 in neutral and worked for a takedown on the edge of the mat as the first minute played out. Beard was able to work his way out of trouble and bring action back to the middle. Cochran battled through a Beard shot at the midway point of the period, but the Mountain Hawk was able to take Cochran down and led 3-1 after a Lion escape. The 3-1 score held into the second period. Beard chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 4-1 lead. The Mountain Hawk added two quick takedowns and opened up a 10-3 lead after two periods. Cochran chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 10-4 score, but Beard had 1:37 in riding time. Cochran worked in on a shot late, but Beard countered for a takedown. The Mountain Hawk added two more takedowns and, with 1:53 in riding time, posted the 20-6 major decision.
285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet met No. 12 Nathan Taylor at 285. The duo battled through an even first minute-plus, but Kerkvliet took a 3-1 lead with a takedown at the 1:23 mark. Kerkvliet skipped away from a Taylor shot at the 1:20 mark and the opening period finished with the Nittany Lion up 3-1. Kerkvliet chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-1 lead. He bulled through a high shot, lifted Taylor off the mat and tripped him for a takedown and a7-1 lead at 1:10. The Nittany Lion maintained control for the rest of the period, working his riding time up to 1:18 with the ride out, and led 7-1 after two. Taylor chose neutral to start the third period. Kerkvliet countered a Taylor shot and upped his lead to 10-1. He controlled action on top, building up over 2:00 in riding time. Kerkvliet finished the match on top, rolling to an 11-1 major with 2:22 in riding time.
