Over 4,000 fans watch Lions defeat Huskies in Cael Sanderson\’s coaching debut
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 15 in the initial NWCA Coaches Poll, downed Bloomsburg 23-15 in the home opener for head coach Cael Sanderson\’s squad. Over 4,000 Penn State faithful watched as Penn State\’s young line-up won six of ten bouts for the win. Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), ranked No. 5 at 157, downed No. 2 Matt Moley of Bloomsburg in the day\’s signature bout.
Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), ranked No. 8 nationally, put Penn State up 4-0 early with a four-point tech fall at 125, downing BU\’s Jason Guffey 22-7. Lion freshman Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) was up 11-5 at 133 in his Penn State debut but got caught with a quick pin at 133 as BU\’s Dan Gaylord got the fall at the 5:28 mark to put the Huskies up 6-4. Bloom\’s Frank Hickman picked up a win at 141 and BU quieted the Nittany Lion fans and led 9-4 after three bouts.
But two Nittany Lion All-Americans sent the Penn State faithful into a frenzy in the next two bouts. Sophomore Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) posted a 12-3 major over BU\’s Josh Roosa a 149, setting up the dual\’s marquee match-up at 157. Penn State senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) thrilled the Lion crowd with a superb 3-2 win over Bloomsburg\’s Matt Moley. Sanderson was ranked No. 5 at 157 while Moley entered the bout ranked No. 2. The decision gave Penn State an 11-9 lead heading into intermission.
All-American Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 9 at 165, pushed Penn State out to a 14-9 lead with a 2-1 win over No. 19 Rick Schmelyun. Bloomsburg, however, was not done. The Huskies countered with an 11-5 win from Nate Graham at 174 and a 4-0 win from Derek Coffey at 184 to give BU a 15-14 lead with just two bouts left to wrestle. Sophomore Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.) was re-ignited the Penn State fans, however, with a thrilling late takedown in a 3-1 win over Bloomsburg\’s Jake Dabashinky, putting Penn State back on top 17-15. Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 20 at HWT, put the exclamation point on the win by pinning Bloomsburg\’s Zach Walsh at the 4:42 mark, giving Penn State a 23-15 win.
Penn State won six of the ten bouts and notched 20 takedowns to Bloomsburg\’s 11. Penn State had five bonus point in the bout while Bloomsburg picked up three on the quick pin at 133.
Penn State is now 1-1 on the year while Bloomsburg falls to 2-1. The Nittany Lions trek to Binghamton, N.Y., to take part in the Sprawl and Brawl Duals on Sunday, Nov. 22. Penn State will face Rutgers (9:45 a.m.), Harvard (11:30 a.m.) and Edinboro (3 p.m.) at Binghamton University. Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $5 in advance and $6 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting\’s WRSC (1390 AM) or 3WZ (95.3 FM) and on www.GoPSUsports.com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#15 Penn State 23, Bloomsburg 15
State College, Pa. – Rec Hall – November 15, 2009
125: #8 Brad Pataky PSU tech. fall Jason Guffey BU, 22-7 (7:00, 4-pt) 4-0
133: Dan Gaylord BU pinned Bryan Pearsall PSU, WBF (5:28) 4-6
141: Frank Hickman BU dec. Colby Pisani PSU, 19-12 4-9
149: #6 Frank Molinaro PSU maj. dec. Josh Roosa, 12-3 8-9
157: #5 Cyler Sanderson PSU dec. #2 Matt Moley BU, 3-2 11-9
165: #9 Dan Vallimont PSU dec. #19 Rick Schmelyun, 2-1 14-9
174: Nate Graham BU dec. Nick Fischer PSU, 11-5 14-12
184: Derek Coffey BU dec. Justin Ortega PSU, 4-0 14-15
197: Clay Steadman PSU dec. Jake Dabashinky BU, 3-1 17-15
HWT: #20 Cameron Wade PSU pinned Zach Walsh BU, WBF (4:42) 23-15
Attendance: 4,063
Records: Penn State 1-1, Bloomsburg 2-1
Up Next for Penn State: At Sprawl and Brawl Duals, Binghamton, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Nittany Lion junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), ranked No. 8 at 125, took on Bloomsburg\’s Jason Guffey. Pataky, as is his norm, wasted no time in getting in deep on his opponent\’s leg. But Guffey was able to fight off the move and force a stalemate. Pataky shot again and got his first two points at the 1:57 mark, using another low single to score and take the lead. He then put together a strong ride, building up :50 in riding time before cutting the Huskie loose at the 1:00 mark. Pataky then gained control of the Huskie\’s shoulders and worked his way around behind Guffey to up his lead to 4-1 with 1:34 in riding time, after the first period. Pataky chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 5-1 lead. The Lion junior used a strong high double for a third takedown and a 7-2 lead after cutting the Huskie loose with 1:30 left. Guffey took a lunging shot that Pataky countered, with a nice side step takedown. Pataky quickly cut Guffey loose and added another takedown and cut to lead 11-4 with :32 left in the period. Pataky was relentless, adding two more takedowns in the final :30 to lead 15-5 with 2:29 in riding time heading into the third period. Guffey chose down to start the third period. Pataky controlled Guffey long enough to secure the riding time point and pick up a stall point before cutting him to a 16-6 lead. Another Guffey stall gave Pataky a 17-6 lead and Pataky quick scored with a low double off the reset to up his lead to 19-6 with :33 left. With :15 left, Pataky cut Guffey loose and quickly added a final takedown to post a 22-7 tech fall. With no back points scored, Pataky\’s tech fall put the Lions up 4-0.
133: Freshman Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) took to the mat at 133 to face BU\’s Dan Gaylord. Pearsall, making his Penn State dual meet debut, was fierce out of the gates, taking a quick shot that he looked to turn into a quick takedown. But Gaylord deftly countered the move to take Pearsall down. He then quickly completed a cradle for two quick back points and was up 4-0 just :40 into the bout. Pearsall, however, quickly escaped to cut into the lead and then used a solid low shot to notch his first collegiate dual meet takedown and cut Gaylord\’s lead to 4-3. He then turned the Huskie to his back for three near fall points and then rode him out to lead 6-4 at the end of a furious first period. Pearsall chose down to start the second period and quickly worked his way out from underneath Gaylord for a reversal. A nice turn gave the Lion freshman two more near fall points and with 1:00 left in the middle stanza, Pearsall led 10-4. Another ride out allowed the Lion to secure the riding time point and lead 10-4 heading into the final period. Gaylord chose down to start the third period and was cut loose by Pearsall. Pearsall shot quickly, looking to work for team bonus points, but Gaylord stunned the Lion freshman, turning into the shot, rolling him to his back for a quick pin. The swift move, at the 5:28 mark, put the Huskies up 6-4 after two bouts.
141: Colby Pisani (Ridgway, Pa.) to meet Husky Frank Hickman at 141. Pisani quickly broke out to a 4-0 lead, turning a two point takedown into two nearfall points and a 4-0 lead. The Lion sophomore continued his dominant ride, letting the Huskie reset himself and then turning him for two more back points and a 6-0 lead with 1:05 left. Hickman then escaped with just :15 left and added a critical takedown as the period ended. Pisani led 6-3 with 2:40 in riding time heading into the second period. Hickman chose down to start the stanza, but Pisani quickly began looking to complete a cradle on the Huskie. Hickman worked his way out of trouble and quickly escaped to a 6-4 deficit. He pressured Pisani into a quick takedown and added three near fall points. Allowing the Lion sophomore to reset, Hickman picked up another three point near fall to lead 14-7 after two periods. Pisani chose down to start the third period and was allowed up by Hickman. Trailing 14-8, the Nittany Lion sophomore gave up another takedown and fell behind 16-9. The Huskie freshman added another takedown with 1:20 left to move out to an 18-9 lead. Pisani managed a reversal to cut into the lead, trailing 19-11 with :30 left. Pisani nearly added another late shot by Pisani nearly led to another score, but time wound out and Hickman escaped with a 19-12 lead (Pisani picked up a riding time point to avoid the major). Bloomsburg led 9-4 after three bouts.
149: All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 6 at 141, met Bloomsburg\’s Josh Roosa at 149. Molinaro quickly opened up a 2-1 lead with a takedown at the 2:18 mark. The Nittany Lion sophomore was relentless, adding another quick high double to lead 4-2 with 1:30 left in the opening period. The same move just a minute later led to the same result as Molinaro worked his way to a 6-2 lead after the ride out on the third takedown. Trailing by four, Roosa chose down to start the second stanza. Molinaro put together a dominant ride, working the Huskie hard while looking for a chance to turn him. The Lion cut Roosa with :50 left and quickly gained control of his right thigh off the reset, lifting him high off the ground and taking him down for another takedown and an 8-3 lead. A ride out gave the Lion sophomore an 8-3 lead heading into the third. Molinaro chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 9-3 lead (with 2:38 in riding time). Molinaro continued to pressure Roosa and picked up a critical takedown with :55 left to up his lead to 11-3. With the riding time point secured, Molinaro continued to work the Huskie head into the mat, looking for a chance to turn him for back points. Roosa managed to stay off his back and keep damage to a minimum. Molinaro\’s 12-3 major cut the Huskie lead to 9-8.
157: Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), ranked No. 5 at 157, met Bloomsburg\’s Matt Moley, ranked No. 2, in the marquee match-up of the day. Sanderson took the first shots of the bout, looking to get in on the Huskie All-American\’s upper legs. But Moley was able to step back and stay out of trouble and keep the bout scoreless halfway through the opening period. Neither wrestler managed to get on the scoreboard through the first three minutes and action moved to the second period tied at 0-0. Sanderson chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Moley took an early shot off a reset, but Sanderson was able to step out of trouble and maintain his 1-0 lead with 1:35 left in the period. Sanderson took a shot at a high single that Moley nearly countered and turned into two points. But Sanderson was able to avoid trouble and still led 1-0 with :50 left. Sanderson shot high at the :30 mark, but this time Moley was able to step back and stay off the mat. Trailing 1-0, Moley chose down to start the third period. A quick escape tied the bout at 1-1 with 1:57 left in the hotly contested bout. Sanderson got in deep on a high single right away, but Moley was able to break free of the hold and keep the bout tied. Sanderson then took a quick low shot and then fought off a scrambling effort by Moley on the edge of the mat, lifting the Huskie high in the air and taking him down to the mat for a 3-1 lead with :55 left in the bout. Moley escaped to a 3-2 deficit with :35 left, but Sanderson continued to pressure the Huskie back on his heels, forcing action to the edge of the mat. Sanderson then scrambled away from a late Moley shot on the edge of the mat and secured a thrilling 3-2 win over the second-ranked Huskie. The win put Penn State up 11-9 heading into intermission.
165: Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 9 at 165, took on No. 19 Rick Schmelyun of Bloomsburg. Vallimont shot low off a reset with 2:10 left, gaining control of the ranked Huskie\’s right ankle. But Schmelyun was able to step over the Lion All-American and force a reset with 1:38 left in the first period. Vallimont took another low shot and spent the next minute-plus working for a takedown. Schmelyun, however, was able to fight off the move and the clock wound down to zero with the grapplers still tied up in the center of the mat. Vallimont chose down to start the second period and steadily worked his way to a reversal at the 1:12 mark to lead 2-0. The senior then put together a strong ride, gaining control of Schmelyun\’s wrist and looking to turn the Huskie for near fall points. While the BU senior was able to stay parallel, the ride out allowed Vallimont to lead 2-0 with :34 in riding time heading into the final period. Schmelyun chose top to start the final period, hoping to turn the Lion for back points. But Vallimont did not panic, fighting off every Huskie effort and forcing a reset with 1:00 left. Schmelyun managed to ride Vallimont out, but the Lion was never in any danger and walked away with a solid 2-1 win. The victory put Penn State up 14-9.
174: Freshman 165-pounder Nick Fischer (Unionville, Pa.) took to the mat at 174 for Penn State to face Bloomsburg\’s Nathan Graham. Graham notched a quick takedown of Fischer, bolting out to an early 2-0 lead. Fischer escaped to a 2-1 deficit at the 1:00 mark and then shot low on Graham. But Graham countered the move, stepping behind the Lion freshman for a 4-1 lead. A ride out allowed the Huskie to hold that lead heading into the second period. Graham chose down to start the middle stanza and worked his way to a reversal and a 6-1 lead just :10 in. Fischer nearly got his own reversal, but Graham was able to work his way out of bounds with 1:10 left. The escape cut the BU lead to 6-2. Trailing by four, Fischer chose down to start the third period. Graham rode the Lion freshman long enough to secure the riding time point before Fischer escaped to a 6-3 deficit. The Loin freshman then looked to score on a high single, but Graham was able to step behind the shot and get a takedown of his own to up his lead to 8-4. Fischer shot again but could not break through the Huskie\’s defense. Graham added another takedown with :15 left to post an 11-5 win and cut Penn State\’s lead to 14-12.
184: Nittany Lion Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) met Bloomsburg\’s Derek Coffey at 184. Coffey took a couple early shots that Ortega was able to easily step away from. The Lion sophomore then began looking for his own offense after a reset in the middle of the mat with :30 left. But Coffey was able to work his way out of bounds as Ortega worked his upper body and the bout was scoreless after one period. Coffey chose down to start the second period and worked his way to a 1-0 lead after the escape at the 1:52 mark. The duo traded shots over the next minute, with neither grappler finding a solid opening to move into. Ortega finished a low single with :15 left, but action moved out of bounds and the second period ended with the Lion sophomore trailing 1-0. Ortega chose down to start the final period but Coffey was able to turn the Lion for two nearfall points and a 3-0 lead. Coffey then continued to pressure Ortega, securing the riding time point and ended the bout on top. The ride out allowed the Huskie to post a 4-0 win and put BU up 15-14 with two bouts to wrestle.
197: Sophomore Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.) battled Bloom\’s Jake Dabashinky at 197. The duo spent the first minute-plus looking for a scoring opportunity, but defense ruled the opening period. Steadman picked up the offensive pressure as the first period wound down under the one minute mark. While Steadman forced the Huskie backwards, he could not find a way to score and the bout moved to the second stanza tied 0-0. Dabashinky chose down to start the period and maintained control of the Huskie long enough to build up a 1:28 riding time edge before the Huskie escaped to a 1-0 lead. Trailing 1-0, Steadman chose down to start the third period, needing to escape in :28 to maintain his time advantage. But Dabashinky was able to keep control long enough to erase the advantage. Now Steadman needed the escape to tie the bout. A tie-up forced a reset with 1:12 left. Dabashinky got hit with a stall for hanging onto Steadman\’s ankle with :59 left. Steadman finally escaped to a 1-1 tie with :45 left and immediately used a quick high single to take Dabashinsky down and take a 3-1 lead with just :28 left. The Lion sophomore then rode the Huskie out to post a thrilling 3-1 win and give the Nittany Lions a 17-15 lead.
HWT: Sophomore heavyweight Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 20 nationally, met Zach Walsh. Steadman got the first takedown at the 2:09 mark, taking a 2-0 lead. He then began looking to turn the Huskie sophomore and build up a riding time advantage. Walsh escaped to a 2-1 deficit as Wade built up a 1:00 time edge. Wade carried the 2-1 lead into the second period. Walsh chose down to start the middle frame, but Wade spent the bulk of the period looking for a chance to turn the Huskie for back points. With :45 left, Wade picked up two near fall points to up his lead to 4-1. He then reset the Huskie and turned him once more and this time, pinned the Huskie at the 4:42 mark. The quick fall gave Penn State a 23-15 victory.