No. 6 Ohio State Proves No Match for No. 1 Penn State
The most anticipated matchup of the season took to the mat Friday night in Columbus, Ohio. With the Buckeyes early lineup of ranked wrestlers, Penn State was looking to hold its ground and maybe notch an upset to keep them in the hunt, then let the end of the lineup seal the deal.
The night unfolded a little differently.
True freshman No. 15 Roman Bravo Young was back from injury and opened the match with a huge upset win over No. 6 Luke Pletcher and silenced the Ohio State crowd. Thanks to Young’s tried and true counter shots, he was able to keep the score to 1-1 in regulation and force a tiebreaker. Young escaped at the start of the tiebreaker and was able to ride out Pletcher for the 2-1 win. In true freshman style, he spiked his headgear after the match and cost the team one point.
No. 7 Nick Lee continued the upset parade with another thrilling win over No. 2 Joey McKenna. McKenna controlled most of the first two periods and led the score 5-2 headed into the third. Lee went full force and exposed McKenna’s fading endurance. He escaped and powered through a high double to tie things up. Lee cut McKenna to a 6-5 lead with 1:10 left. Lee was able to connect on a quick low shot and rode out McKenna for the last 30 seconds.
Unranked Jarod Verkleeren held his own in his match with No. 3 Micah Jordan. The score was locked up at 8-8 in the third when Verkleeren got hit with a questionable stall call and handed Jordan the lead. He then cut Jordan loose and was unable to lock up another takedown. The damage was minimal, and the home crowd finally had something to cheer about.
The bonus points started to flow starting at 157. No. 1 Jason Nolf had a tech fall, No. 1 Vincenzo Joseph had a major decision and No. 1 Mark Hall had a major decision to set aside any hope of an Ohio State comeback.
Mason Manville stepped in at 184 and dropped a major to No. 1 Myles Martin. Then came the key matchup of the night at 197, No. 1 Bo Nickal versus No. 2 Kollin Moore.
Early in the first Moore went in on a single leg that he’d soon regret. Nickal countered and worked in on a cradle. He turned Moore to his back and fought a full 30 seconds for the pin. The marquee matchup was over in just 1:38 minutes.
No. 4 Anthony Cassar notched the final PSU win with a major decision and 125 lb. Devin Schnupp dropped the final match of the night.
Penn State’s win streak is alive and well at 56 wins straight. Next, the Lions host Michigan State at Rec Hall on Friday, February 15 and head to Illinois Sunday, February 17.
BOUT BY BOUT
133: PSU No. 15 Roman Bravo-Young dec. OSU No. 6 Luke Pletcher, 2-1
141: PSU No. 7 Nick Lee dec. OSU No. 2 Joey McKenna, 7-6
149: OSU No. 3 Micah Jordan dec. PSU Jarod Verkleeren, 10-8
157: PSU No. 1 Jason Nolf tech fall OSU No. 6 Ke-Shawn Hayes, 21-6 (TF; 5:51)
165: PSU No. 1 Vincenzo Joseph maj. dec. OSU No. 12 Te'Shawn Campbell 11-2
174: PSU No. 1 Mark Hall maj. dec. OSU No. 18 Ethan Smith, 12-4
184: OSU No. 1 Myles Martin maj. dec. PSU Mason Manville, 18-6
197: PSU No. 1 Bo Nickal pinned OSU No. 2 Kollin Moore, WBF (1:38)
285: PSU No. 4 Anthony Cassar PSU maj. dec. OSU No. 19 Chase Singletary, 18-8
125: OSU Malik Heinselman dec. PSU Devin Schnupp, 7-4
The night unfolded a little differently.
True freshman No. 15 Roman Bravo Young was back from injury and opened the match with a huge upset win over No. 6 Luke Pletcher and silenced the Ohio State crowd. Thanks to Young’s tried and true counter shots, he was able to keep the score to 1-1 in regulation and force a tiebreaker. Young escaped at the start of the tiebreaker and was able to ride out Pletcher for the 2-1 win. In true freshman style, he spiked his headgear after the match and cost the team one point.
No. 7 Nick Lee continued the upset parade with another thrilling win over No. 2 Joey McKenna. McKenna controlled most of the first two periods and led the score 5-2 headed into the third. Lee went full force and exposed McKenna’s fading endurance. He escaped and powered through a high double to tie things up. Lee cut McKenna to a 6-5 lead with 1:10 left. Lee was able to connect on a quick low shot and rode out McKenna for the last 30 seconds.
Unranked Jarod Verkleeren held his own in his match with No. 3 Micah Jordan. The score was locked up at 8-8 in the third when Verkleeren got hit with a questionable stall call and handed Jordan the lead. He then cut Jordan loose and was unable to lock up another takedown. The damage was minimal, and the home crowd finally had something to cheer about.
The bonus points started to flow starting at 157. No. 1 Jason Nolf had a tech fall, No. 1 Vincenzo Joseph had a major decision and No. 1 Mark Hall had a major decision to set aside any hope of an Ohio State comeback.
Mason Manville stepped in at 184 and dropped a major to No. 1 Myles Martin. Then came the key matchup of the night at 197, No. 1 Bo Nickal versus No. 2 Kollin Moore.
Early in the first Moore went in on a single leg that he’d soon regret. Nickal countered and worked in on a cradle. He turned Moore to his back and fought a full 30 seconds for the pin. The marquee matchup was over in just 1:38 minutes.
No. 4 Anthony Cassar notched the final PSU win with a major decision and 125 lb. Devin Schnupp dropped the final match of the night.
Penn State’s win streak is alive and well at 56 wins straight. Next, the Lions host Michigan State at Rec Hall on Friday, February 15 and head to Illinois Sunday, February 17.
BOUT BY BOUT
133: PSU No. 15 Roman Bravo-Young dec. OSU No. 6 Luke Pletcher, 2-1
141: PSU No. 7 Nick Lee dec. OSU No. 2 Joey McKenna, 7-6
149: OSU No. 3 Micah Jordan dec. PSU Jarod Verkleeren, 10-8
157: PSU No. 1 Jason Nolf tech fall OSU No. 6 Ke-Shawn Hayes, 21-6 (TF; 5:51)
165: PSU No. 1 Vincenzo Joseph maj. dec. OSU No. 12 Te'Shawn Campbell 11-2
174: PSU No. 1 Mark Hall maj. dec. OSU No. 18 Ethan Smith, 12-4
184: OSU No. 1 Myles Martin maj. dec. PSU Mason Manville, 18-6
197: PSU No. 1 Bo Nickal pinned OSU No. 2 Kollin Moore, WBF (1:38)
285: PSU No. 4 Anthony Cassar PSU maj. dec. OSU No. 19 Chase Singletary, 18-8
125: OSU Malik Heinselman dec. PSU Devin Schnupp, 7-4
