Rosenthal and Maestas have been one-two in GymInfo’s rankings since Jan. 30, based on their highest three-score averages, and they didn’t disappoint the fans, with the difference boiling down to the Nittany Lion’s 6.8 degree of difficulty, one-tenth higher than his opponent.
Both received 8.8 scores from the judges for the execution of their routines, giving Rosenthal a 15.600 and Maestas a 15.500.
After his fourth rings title of the season, Rosenthal received the Gene Wettstone Award that goes to the most outstanding gymnast for each Penn State home meet.
Rosenthal was one of only two Nittany Lion winners, but Penn State did come out on top in four of the six events for its third victory in four dual meets.
Penn State lived up to its No. 1 ranking on the still rings, outscoring Illinois 59.000-58.700 with Felix Aronovich and Miguel Pineda contributing 14.6s and Nihir Kothan adding a 14.2.
Maestas was named Big 10 Conference Freshman of the Week for the third time for a season-high all-around score of 88.10, highlighted by his first career win on the high bar and another second on the parallel bars.
Penn State and Illinois (4-1) are off to identical 2-1 starts in the Big 10.
The Big 10 Television Network taped the meet for showing on Saturday at 3 p.m.
* * * * * * * * * *
MEN’S SWIMMING MECHANICSBURG – Junior Mark Krchnak of Clearfield accounted for 52 points in three individual and two relay events for Clarion at the 54th annual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships in the Cumberland Valley High School pool last week.Krchnak placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke with an NCAA Division II B cut time of 56.83 seconds Saturday after setting a personal record with the fastest time of the prelims, 56.76.
On Sunday, he capped his effort with a fifth in the 200 breaststroke in the NCAA D-II B cut time of 2:06.99 after taking fourth in the prelims with a 2:06.23.
Krchnak placed 12th in the 200 individual medley Friday with a 1:58.74, improving on his 15th place finish in the prelims in 2:00.8.
Later that day, he swam the fastest breaststroke split, 55.91 seconds, of the 400 medley relay to help the Golden Eagles claim second place in an NCAA D-II B cut time of 3:26.61. Joe Ward, Joe Welch and Ben Appleby swam the other legs.
Clarion’s 200 medley relay quartet also placed second Thursday when Ward, Krchnak, Welch and Matt Bojalad of DuBois combined for a 1:33.22, also an NCAA D-II B cut time. Krchnak’s breaststroke leg time was 23.01 seconds.
Clarion had to settle for fourth place with 439.5 points, beaten out for third by Edinboro (445).
West Chester easily won its 14th consecutive PSAC title, and 25th overall, with 749.5 points. Gannon was far back in second place with 472.
* * * * * * * * * *
WOMEN’S SWIMMING LINCOLN, Ill. – Junior Brandi Centi of Clearfield earned 36 points with seventh-place finishes in three events and also swam the fastest split for a third-place relay team as Lincoln College successfully defended its championship in the second annual Midwest Cup at Scully Natatorium Friday and Saturday.Centi was clocked at 27 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle, 1:00.69 in the 100 free and a season-best 2:16.85 in the 200 free.
She turned in a 26.69-second third leg for the Lynx ‘B’ 200 free relay foursome that posted a 1:47.98.
The Lynx amassed 895 points to outdistance Iowa Central Community College (522). Trailing were Robert Morris University-Illinois (141) and Iowa Lakes Community College (99).