Wrestling Postview: PSU 35, Rutgers 3

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When illnesses affected the lineups of both teams, Penn State’s depth showed out.

I’ve had the flu this season—it was not a fun experience, and required several weeks for a full recovery. I don’t know what bugs are infecting the PSU and Rutgers wrestling rooms of late, but by all accounts a good number of kids have been dealing with symptoms the last few weeks, and this Monday night showdown at the BJC wound up featuring several underweight backups from both squads giving a go against ranked opponents.

Lucky for Penn State fans, our backups are pretty great wrestlers, who relished their opportunity to compete under the high-production lights of Penn State’s annual big-arena dual.

125: #2 Braeden Davis, Penn State vs #19 Dean Peterson, Rutgers

Davis was looking to rebound from his first collegiate loss at Carver Hawkeye Arena, and Peterson possesses the talent to be legitimate hurdle to that goal.

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

1st

Braeden moved laterally, seeking angles to foil Peterson’s early strategy of staying low–even dropping to a knee once ala Iowa’s Drake Ayala. Peterson then looked like Ohio State’s Kilkeary, threatening a throw with double-unders, where Braeden seemed tentative, but effectively neutralized with his noggin planted in Peterson’s sternum for the remainder of the period. 0-0.

2nd

Davis rode tough before letting Peterson slip out with 51 seconds of riding time. Davis toyed with a slide-by attempt before a Peterson shot and a Davis sprawl. Braeden resumed his angle-seeking to close the period. 0-1.

3rd

Davis took bottom. It looked like Peterson was expecting Davis’ favored wide sit-out position, and tried to sneak a cradle on the far side. Braeden deftly trapped Peterson’s wrist and swung his legs out for the escape soon after the whistle. Davis stalked his way to one of his high doubles, but Peterson seemed comfortable enough in the ensuing scramble, neutralizing several favorable positions of Davis’ and earning the start of a danger count at the buzzer.

With Rutgers coach Scott Goodale tossing his brick on that count, it was revealed the video review system was not yet functioning, and (as relayed to media after the dual) by rule, there’d be no video review available after the end of the first full bout. I can understand the frustration that news must’ve created, but I gotta tell ya, I was lovin the idea of doing a dual old school. 1-1.

Sudden Victory

Peterson returned to the one-knee defense, and Braeden showed what he’d been working on in that position, going to his own knee and briefly tying up before executing a lovely slide-by to the double leg finish for a 4-1 Decision.

Takeaways

While Davis seemed to struggle early to find a way to score, some of that is inevitable as coaches get a chance to view tape of winnable positions and game-plan accordingly. The encouraging sign was Davis seemed to also be looking to improve in those positions, turning them to his favor to win the bout.

PSU 3, Rutgers 0

133: #6 Aaron Nagao, Penn State vs #10 Dylan Shawver, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

With several other ranked match-ups off the table due to illness, this proved to be the premiere bout of the evening as Shawver has really improved this year, and Nagao was looking to build positive momentum as the postseason approaches.

1st

Shawver started the action with a quick, but half-hearted, high-crotch shot. Nagao followed with level changes and quick snaps before Shawver executed the same shot with full-heart, finding a clean double-leg finish. Nagao worked his way out before the period’s midpoint. Nago continued to fake from space before a quick misdirection single, which he scrambled to a finish with a minute remaining. He then locked a cradle, but rolled it out of bounds before riding out the period with 59 seconds of riding time. 4-3.

2nd

Shawver chose neutral but let Nagao’s continued fakes and level changes concede a stall warning, just as Aaron shot another single that Shawver neutralized clutching Nagao’s ankle to a potentially dangerous position. Nagao shot a nice double-leg too close to the buzzer to finish. 4-3.

3rd

Aaron found an easy stand-up escape off the whistle before Shawver again fired his high-crotch and doubled off to score. Aaron equalized with another escape. Nagao then dove deep on a single and created another exciting scramble where Aaron seemed moments from a finish, but Shawver continued to wrestle through, forcing a potentially dangerous call. Nagao got one more late shot in, but ran out of time before finishing. 6-6.

Sudden Victory

Nagao once more fired from a lot of space, but telegraphed the shot, and Shawver was able to dodge and work behind for the match-clinching takedown just 20 seconds in. 6-9 Decision.

Takeaways

I’m sure Nagao felt more frustrated than anyone that he wasn’t able to win some of those key positions—especially in regulation. He’s certainly seemed lower energy his last three outings, so perhaps he’s also one of the kids fighting a bug. But Shawver showed real skill here and won with his own good shots and finishes, as well as some really tough scrambling. Nagao still has the tools necessary to flip the script on this one, should it happen in the postseason.

Penn State 3, Rutgers 3

141: #1 Beau Bartlett, Penn State vs Max Hermes, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

With Rutgers Senior starter Mitch Moore (11-3) out, Freshman Max Hermes (6-7) took the mat to face Bartlett. Hermes is on Rutgers’ roster as a 125lber, but Bartlett later said he weighed in heavier than Beau—so the kid must be growing.

1st

Both wrestlers started with heavy collar ties, and exchanged tentative high-crotch attempts. Halfway through the period, Beau secured a front-headlock on a Hermes shot, but was unable to break it down, causing the stalemate whistle. Bartlett again caught a front headlock with 30 seconds remaining, this time breaking it to the mat, but was unable to clear a Hermes elbow tie for the go-behind. 0-0.

2nd

With Beau’s choice of down, Hermes attempted a cradle, but wound up locking a head and arm hold, leading to a 5-count stall call by referee Jim Rivello. On the restart, Beau got hand control on the whistle and escaped. Beau continued to find a front-headlock, but continued to not be able to set up offense from that dominant position. 1-0.

3rd

Bartlett worked heavy forward pressure on top before conceding an escape with 1:20 left on the clock. Beau increased his lateral motion from space before working a heavy snap and almost finding an angle to the legs with 35 seconds remaining. Beau again found the front headlock, and tried two nearly effective knee-picks from that position, before scooting around for the go behind takedown at the buzzer. 4-1

Takeaways

We’ve seen this movie before. Beau Bartlett is just very comfortable keeping bouts close and winning them late in a match. It indeed is playing with fire, but some guys swallow flaming swords for a living, and Beau Knows Winning.

Penn State 6, Rutgers 3

149: #10 Tyler Kasak, Penn State vs #26 Michael Cetta, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

1st

After an exchange of fierce hand fighting, Kasak passed an elbow and went behind Cetta for a takedown. Tyler rode tough for 35 seconds before giving up the escape, which he followed with a single, finishing with a leg in and Cetta lying flat. Kasak tried to work an arm bar before Cetta turned out for an escape. The Rutgers 149lber shot immediately onto Kasak’s leg, but Tyler worked a shin whizzer back to his feet. 6-2.

2nd

Kasak stayed active on top, following granby rolls, seeking wrists, and building riding time to 2 minutes before he slipped his grip on an attempted mat return, and was reversed. Cetta then rode Kasak hard–and in one mat return–slammed Kasak’s left arm to the mat under his body; this deflated both Tyler’s efforts to escape in short time, and his riding time advantage to 54 seconds. 6-4.

3rd

Cetta yielded Kasak’s escape to the referee, and took a shot that Kasak easily down-blocked. Cetta continued to seek points on thwarted shots and throws, earning a stall warning before he was able to bring up a single leg with 30 seconds remaining before Kasak used the edge to avoid the takedown. Cetta kept up the pace, and earned a stall point just as Tyler got in on his own shot, which he used to milk the clock. 7-5 Decision.

Takeaways

Kasak continues to show flashes of real brilliance on the mat, as well as positions that could be called “learning curve” for a true frosh. He looks to be right where I’m sure the coaches want him to be as he prepares for perhaps the ultimate 2024 test in #1 Ridge Lovett on Sunday, and then on to the postseason.

Penn State 9, Rutgers 3

157: #1 Levi Haines, Penn State vs Dylan Weaver, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

1st

Levi stalked off the whistle to a single leg and quick finish, and quickly got to the arm bar and wrist. A tad too quick, as Weaver turned, stood, and nearly reversed, before Levi sunk his hip-anchors and then worked back behind. Haines then methodically locked up a cross-face cradle and stuck him to the mat. Fall 1:31.

Takeaways

Levi Haines will break you.

PSU 15, Rutgers 3

165: #7 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State vs Anthony White, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

1st

White somehow managed to be the first to shoot, but the ensuing scramble was all Mitch, who eventually got his leg free and scored the takedown. Mesenbrink then worked wrists with White’s belly on the mat until potentially dangerous was called with Mitch’s knee on White’s leg, to protests from Casey. Mesenbrink told Rivello he wanted to restart in neutral, giving White the escape before he quickly found 3 more with a head-outside single and quick double-leg finish. Mitchell then tried several turn combos (cross-face, wrist control, navy ride), earning a stall warning on White before the buzzer. 6-1.

2nd

With White’s choice of bottom, Mesenbrink continued to work wrists while riding more or less parallel for 30 seconds, yielding a stall warning, to the chagrin of the black-out crowd. Mesenbrink released on the restart and stepped into a perfect single and finish. Mesenbrink resumed with more cross-face attempts and an arm bar, earning a stall point as he secured riding time with over 3 minutes. 10-2

3rd

Mesenbrink escaped easily, and kept firing and moving until White attempted a shot with which Mitch found an easy go-behind. White then humorously grasped Mitchell’s leg to delay getting cut again, eliciting a surprisingly angry (and deeply amusing) “STALLING!!” scream from Casey. On the inevitable cut, Mesenbrink fired off a new barrage of attacks before: a) getting a final takedown, b) securing the tech with another stall point, c) throwing in a cross-wrist tilt for would-be 4 more points before the refs conferred on the early termination, and d) an ungodly sum of riding time that also proved irrelevant. 18-3 Technical Fall 6:52.

Takeaways

Mitchell was just beaming to get his hand raised in front of that wicked cool BJC crowd and setting, and I caught him pointing to his mother (who sat near me), with this giddy gleam in his eye. One thing is clear: the sport of wrestling is Mitchell Mesenbrink’s Valentine. When you sum his charming personality and endemic-level infectious enthusiasm for the sport—you have to wonder just how big of a star this kid will become in the national and world stages.

PSU 20, Rutgers 3

174: Terrell Barraclough, Penn State vs #13 Jackson Turley, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

1st

If there was any doubt, the opening handshake revealed Barraclough to be clearly a weight class or two smaller than Turley. Barraclough deftly down-blocked two Turley shots before getting to his own single-leg, but Turley’s added horsepower won him the scramble and initial takedown. Terrell found his feet on the restart and turned in for the escape midway through the period. Barraclough returned to working the head with collar ties, before down-blocking another couple of shots. 1-3.

2nd

Barraclough chose bottom. While Turley briefly turned Terrell for a one-count, the Nittany Lion stood, holding Turley’s foot, and easily got behind to tie the match with a reversal. Barraclough settled in to his very comfortable cross-body ride, earning both a stalemate and the ire of Goodale, who argued the figure-four was below the knee. Terrell continue to show superior balance and technique on top, riding out the period and accruing 49 seconds of riding time. 3-3.

3rd

Turley chose bottom and tried head-hunting on a granby, but Terrell seemed cool as a cucumber, keeping Turly flat and working wrists and cross-faces, resulting in a stalemate and some asked-for blood time from Turley with 53 seconds remaining. You could just tell that Barraclaugh owned this position from start to finish, locking down the riding time point. 4-3 Decision.

Takeaways

I dunno about you—but I just love Terrell Barraclough. I’m not sure anyone should choose bottom on him again. It just doesn’t seem wise. I think it’s so cool that the Sanderson effect has these Utah kids coming in unheralded, earning stellar grades in difficult majors, and winning the hearts of PSU fans with their tough as nails wrestlin’.

PSU 23, Rutgers 3

184: #6 Bernie Truax, Penn State vs Shane Cartagena-Walsh, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

With Rutgers Sophomore starter Brian Soldano (11-7) out, Freshman Shane Cartagena-Walsh bumped up from 174.

1st

Cartagena-Walsh wanted to dig underhooks early, but Bernie snatched a single before tripping him to the mat for the opening score. Bernie looked to set up a tilt with the Rutgers wrestler flat on his stomach, earning a stall warning. More turning attempts and another stall call for a point with 27 seconds remaining followed, with Bernie logging 2:08 of riding time. 4-1.

2nd

Truax stood for an escape off the whistle. Bernie attempted to reach for a similar single a couple of times, but Cartagena-Walsh blocked off. On the third shot, Bernie earned a second stall point before the end of the period. 6-0.

3rd

Cartagena-Walsh chose neutral, and the two wrestlers largely worked from space, as Bernie started to retreat a bit, which earned a stall warning with 50 seconds remaining. Casey plead for Truax to find the bonus-point, and he did increase his pace, but was was unable to set anything up. 7-0 Decision.

Takeaways

It would have been nice to see Bernie pushing for the major at the end without the pleading from the corner, but he’s a winner, and will continue to be one.

PSU 26, Rutgers 3

197: #1 Aaron Brooks, Penn State vs Michael Toranzo, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

With Rutgers’ starter #22 John Poznanski (12-2) still out of action since a recent concussion, Sophomore 184lber Michael Toranzo (4-7) was asked to compete against Brooks.

1st

Aaron worked heavy snaps from collar ties, dug an underhook or two, absorbed a heavy club that garnered the attention of Rivello, before hitting an outside step/scoot and finding quick finish. He got to an arm-bar, but then dealt with broken headgear—tossing it aside before pressing in hard to lock a cradle, before Rivello blew the whistle to replace the headgear. On the restart, Brooks got back to the arm bar and wrist, which he ran right on over for the pin. Fall 1:45.

Takeaways

As we have felt with many of our super studs in recent years, it was bittersweet to see Aaron compete in his last BJC dual. As with most of those studs, the bout could’ve been longer too! But you know, you have to pin, if you can!

PSU 32, Rutgers 3

285: Lucas Cochran, Penn State vs #8 Yara Slavikouski, Rutgers

Scott Pilutik, Black Shoe Diaries

For his 2nd dual at heavyweight (for 197lber)—and the 2nd Utah product starting this night—Lucas Cochran, his task was a tall one, as he faced 246lb and #8 wrestler in the nation, Yara Slavikouski.

1st

With Cochran clearly 80% of Slavikouski’s mass, he was happy to keep some space and work head taps with the occasional snap and head-pull. Slavikouski tried his own outside step single, but Cochran showed superior speed to sprawl away and re-attack to his own single-leg, which he worked actively before grabbing the far ankle at the edge for the takedown. Cochran managed to ride for 34 seconds before Slavikouski escaped. 3-1.

2nd

Cochran chose bottom and patiently waited for a window to turn and escape 22 seconds in and then snatched a single from a double-leg action at the edge, patiently worked for a finish before Slavikouski found himself in a splits that Rivello ruled potentially dangerous. Cochran settled in to head-pulls to close the period. 4-1.

3rd

Slavikouski worked his way out off the whistle and tried a lefty high-crotch, but Cochran down-blocked before running around to the ankle and worked his way behind for his 2nd takedown and the roar of the BJC crowd. Slavikouski’s body language changed on bottom, but still found an escape after Cochran logged 1:00 of riding time. 8-3 Decision.

Takeaways

Cochran showed he has a good toolkit to work—even when giving up so much mass, he never struggled, stayed active, and took calculated risks when opportunities to score surfaced. He’s a great wrestler, and I expect we’ll be seeing more of him in the years to come.

PSU 35, Rutgers 3

Executive Summary

Middle of February illnesses resulted in backups wrestling for Penn State at 174 and 285, and for Rutgers at 141, 184 and 197. Penn State won its two, and Rutgers lost its three.

Penn State takedowns (16) were below their season average of 24.3 per dual and their bout points were the lowest of the season (64), far below their average of 98.8.

Rutgers, led by Dylan Shawver’s 3 takedowns, finished with 5, just ahead of PSU opponents’ 4.8 average in duals this season. They finished with the third-fewest bout points scored against the Lions this year (25), just ahead of Indiana’s 23 and Maryland’s 24, and below opponents’ season average of 33.3.

Ridge Riley winner: Terrell Barraclough.

The Takery

For a Monday night dual after both the highly anticipated dual vs Iowa and the Super Bowl, with numerous starters missing action and others competing with symptoms, this could have been a dud of an event. But it sure wasn’t, thanks to some scrappy Utah boys, and a sustained level of general steam-rolling—this PSU team may just be unstoppable. You can point to areas you wish were better—a Nagao win would have secured him a much better seed at the conference tourney, and Beau was finally in “score early and often” mode against the #1 guy just a few days prior—but neither of those really raise alarm bells to my mind. Just part of the march to, uh, March. As will be a great showdown in Rec Hall on Sunday vs a very good Cornhusker team.

You can call me crazy if you want to—but I didn’t really miss the lack of video review. Sure, we didn’t lose a bout on a questionable call, so that’s easy to say. But the flow of a wrestling match is kinda THE thing, in my view, and I’ve never been comfortable with coaches being able to game that, and steal the attention for extended periods to boot.

If anyone is wondering why Penn State wore black and pink in this dual, let’s have Beau Bartlett illuminate:

Press Conference and Media Availability

I enjoyed my chance to film another post-dual presser, this time in the BJC, which featured not one, not two, but THREE tough Utah boys:

And about 16 hours later, Media Availability with Cael and Beau, in which Cael reflected on the legacy of 1,000 wins as a program, and belayed any concern of lingering effects from Kasak’s tough mat return, Beau complimented my microphone, and talked about his remaining year of eligibility, and what he’ll be thinking about when deciding whether to use it:

Next Up: Nebraska 4pm EST Sunday, 2/18, Rec Hall, State College, BTN, LionVision Audio

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By: Nathaniel.Rasmussen
Title: Wrestling Postview: PSU 35, Rutgers 3
Sourced From: www.blackshoediaries.com/2024/2/14/24071430/wrestling-postview-psu-35-rutgers-3
Published Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:35:14 +0000

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