The country is searching for a new No. 2 in college wrestling because Iowa, the current team in that position, on Friday showed it couldn’t stand up to No. 1 Penn State.
A 1 vs. 2 in athletics typically denotes a competitive atmosphere. While it was an entertaining atmosphere for a sellout Jordan Center crowd of 15,998, it was pure agony for Iowa as the Nittany Lions (10-0/4-0) won eight of 10 bouts — four that earned bonus points — and cruised to a 30-8 victory on a 24-8 advantage in takedowns.
Penn State vs Iowa wrestling
This was a match that most people didn’t want to see end … except for the Hawkeyes. This one had six top-10 bouts and Penn State — now winners of 66 straight matches — won five of them, including back-to-back wins by No. 3 Tyler Kasak over Iowa’s top-ranked Jacori Teemer at 157 and No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink’s 19-4 tech fall over Iowa’s second-ranked Michael Caliendo.
Kasak equaled Teemer’s quickness and strength during his 5-2 victory. Teemer wrestled Penn State’s Levi Haines in last year’s 157-pound NCAA final — won by Haines, 5-0 — and Kasak was asked if Haines helped with a scouting report.
“I mean, honestly, he didn’t really tell me anything. He just told me ‘go smash him,’” Kasak said post-match. “I think I did a pretty good job of that.”
So good that while countering a late Teemer shot, Kasak ducked behind Teemer, lifted him up and kept him airborne as the clock wound down. If the crowd wasn’t already jacked, Kasak was able to keep Teemer in the air with one arm while thrusting a celebratory fist with the other.
“As far as the celebration and that stuff, I mean I kind of just blacked out. I have no idea what I really did, just enjoying the moment and grateful for the opportunity to wrestle a team like Iowa,” Kasak said.
It was a statement bout in a statement match. “I feel like we kind of already knew or felt like this team was pretty special,” said Kasak, who was sporting post-match stitches over his right eye. “I think when you go against the No. 2 team in the country and you kind of handle them pretty well … not even the scoreboard but as far as the effort and the attitude, everyone was pumped up.”
Penn State coach Cael Sanderson agreed. “We’re just trying to be our best in big moments, right?” he said. “That’s a statement that’s just consistency and consistency is the name of the game. It’s more fun to just keep challenging yourself and try to get better all the time.”
That’s Tom Brands’ challenge now. The Iowa coach was not pleased with the higher rated Parco and Teemer dropping their bouts. “You’ve got to be ready to go when things don’t go your way and you’ve got to be ready to go if things are going your way and then all of a sudden there’s a shift. We did not handle those shifts very well,” Brands said.
Luke Lilledahl opened with a splash for the Nittany Lions, opening a 7-1 lead on Iowa’s Joey Cruz at 125 before fashioning a five-takedown third period with a flurry of single-legs that gave him a 22-6 technical fall in 6:43.
Without Braeden Davis in the lineup at 133 because of injury, Iowa quickly was able to get those five team points back, as second-ranked Drake Ayala, last year’s NCAA runner-up, dominated on his feet against Kurt McHenry, a former Michigan wrestler who transferred in last season. Ayala had his way in the neutral position as well, ringing up six three-pointers for a 19-4 tech in just 3:42 to tie the score at 5-5.
Penn State’s Beau Bartlett defeats Iowa’s Cullen Schriever 7-3. Joe Hermitt | [email protected] Hermitt | [email protected]
Penn State’s Beau Bartlett connected on a pair of first-period takedowns at 141 and settled for a 7-3 win over Cullan Schriever to give Penn State an 8-5 lead.
Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink techs out Iowa’s Mikey Caliendo 19-4 at 165. Joe Hermitt | [email protected] Hermitt | [email protected]
The rest of the match was pretty much must-see, big-time bouts and Van Ness, Kasak and Mesenbrink responded. Van Ness stopped No. 2 Kyle Parco 17-6 and Mesenbrink rang up five takedowns in his tech out of Caliendo.
Just like most of the other Nittany Lion, Levi Haines kept applying pressure on No. 6 Patrick Kennedy and it paid off in the final period with a pair of takedowns and a 10-3 win to effectively seal the match for the Lions.
While Carter Starocci’s match with Gabe Arnold match didn’t materialize at 184, freshman Angelo Ferrari was a worthy foe, losing just 3-1 at 184. Starocci didn’t score a takedown but did manage a time point in his 3-1 victory.
Iowa broke a six-bout losing streak at 197 when No. 1 Stephen Buchanan had a bit too much strength and slicks for No. 4 Josh Barr. Buchanan earned a time point and his escape and late takedown gave him a 5-1 win.
Greg Kerkvliet finished things off with a 12-2 major over Ben Keuter at heavyweight.
Penn State has won six of the last eight matches against Iowa and Sanderson said it was because the Lions stuck to their style of moving forward and applying constant pressure. “We’re gonna move forward and look to score points and I think with very few exceptions that was the case,” he said.
NOTES: Nittany Lions Wrestling Club Olympians were honored at the break and Aaron Brooks, Zain Retherford, Kyle Dake and Kyle Snyder got a standing ovation.
PENN STATE 30, IOWA 8
125: Luke Lilledahl, PS tech fall over Joey Cruz 6:43 (22-6).
133: Drake Ayala, I tech fall over Kurt McHenry 3:42 (19-4).
141: Beau Bartlett, PS dec Cullan Schriever 7-3.
149: Shayne Van Ness, PS major dec Kyle Parco 17-6.
157: Tyler Kasak dec Jacori Teemer 5-2.
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink, PS tech fall over Michael Caliendo 6:36 (19-4).
174: Levi Haines, PS dec Patrick Kennedy 10-3.
184: Carter Starocci PS dec Angelo Ferrari 3-1
197: Stephen Buchanan, I dec Josh Barr 5-1
285: Greg Kerkvliet, PS major dec Ben Kueter 12-2.
