Takedown Report

End of Season College Matches – part 1

Nittany Lion Wrestlers Defeat Rutgers 35-3 in 2024 BJC Dual
Barraclough and Cochran move up weights, take out ranked foes
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (10-0, 7-0 B1G) rolled to a 35-3 win over visiting Rutgers (10-5, 3-4 B1G) in the 2024 BJC Dual. Head coach Cael Sanderson‘s crew won nine of ten bouts, including two wrestlers who moved up weights to take down ranked Scarlet Knights.  
Senior Terrell Barraclough moved up to 174 and sophomore Lucas Cochran moved up to 285 to help Penn State notch the Big Ten victory. The win was the 1000^th dual meet victory in Penn State wrestling history. Action began at 125. Penn State true freshman Braeden Davis, ranked No. 2 at 125, used extra time to post a hard-fought 4-1 (sv) win over No. 19 Dean Peterson. Davis’ win gave Penn State an early 3-0 lead. Nittany Lion sophomore Aaron Nagao, ranked No. 6 at 133, battled No. 10 Dylan Shawver into extra time tied 6-6. Nagao took a low shot early in the extra period and Shawver countered for a takedown and a 9-6 (sv) win, tying the dual at 3-3. Senior Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 1 at 141, scored in the final seconds to break a 1-1 tie, downing Rutgers’ Max Hermes 4-1 to give Penn State a 6-3 lead. True freshman Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 10 at 149, … story at … GOpsusports.com/Nittany-lion-wrestlers-defeat-rutgers-35-3-in-2024-bjc-dual
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Why this version of Penn State wrestling might be the best team in program history
There is an air of confidence to the way Cael Sanderson watches his team compete. The Nittany Lions wrestling coach will adjust how he’s sitting — oscillating between sitting back with his arms folded across his chest and leaning forward with his elbows on his knees — but not much else changes. He’s clearly invested, but doesn’t show an urgency. His calm behavior is a contrast to opposing coaches. Monday night it was Rutgers’ coaches — in a 35-3 defeat at the hands of Penn State — who were shouting instructions to their wrestlers in every bout, much like other coaches around the country. But even when 141-pounder Beau Bartlett earned a victory over Max Hermes Monday night with a takedown in the final seconds of his bout, Sanderson remained stoic while the Bryce Jordan Center crowd around him erupted. That isn’t necessarily different from previous years of Sanderson — but this team might be. And that surely has to make it easier for the head coach to calmly watch on. Sanderson’s 2023-2024 team might be the best one he’s ever coached, even if he’s not looking that far ahead.
Read more at: https://www.centredaily.com/sports/college/penn-state-university/psu-wrestling/article285400997.html#storylink=cpy
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OSU Wrestling: Firmly at No. 2, Cowboys Have Beaten More Ranked Teams Than Anyone in the Country
A look at the Cowboys’ gauntlet.
The Cowboys have been upending ranked teams basically on a weekly basis this season.
Oklahoma State has beaten 11 ranked opponents this season — the most by any team in the country. Nine of those ranked victories have been in a row, as OSU hasn’t faced an unranked opponent since traveling to Wyoming on Dec. 19. OSU has wrestled only two unranked opponents this season in Wyoming and Bucknell in the season opener.
The Cowboys’ run against ranked foes will only continue until the end of the season with No. 25 Oklahoma and No. 4 Iowa left on the schedule. If the Hawkeyes stay put inside the top five, a victory over Iowa on Feb. 25 would also give OSU its fourth win over a top-five team, joining NC State, Iowa State and Missouri. Despite getting through maybe the most difficult schedule in the country unscathed so far, the Cowboys remained at No. 2 behind Penn State in the latest NWCA coaches poll released Tuesday after jumping up a spot last week. OSU and Penn State are the only undefeated teams left in the country. Nebraska is the only one-loss team left. … story at … Pistolsfiringblog.com/OSU-wrestling-firmly-at-no-2-cowboys-have-beaten-more-ranked-teams-than-anyone-in-the-country
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‘Gritty’ Freshmen Score Statement Wins For Nebraska Wrestling vs. Michigan
Freshmen Jacob Van Dee and Antrell Taylor knocked off top-10 opponents, helping the Nebraska wrestling team to a big win against Michigan
Against a tough Michigan team last weekend, Nebraska got some signature wins out of its redshirt freshmen on the way to a dominant 25-7 win over the Wolverines. Both Antrell Taylor and Jacob Van Dee scored Top-10 wins — the biggest of both of their young careers to date. In front of 4,958 fans, the third-largest crowd in program history, Nebraska won the first six matches, including a number of toss-ups. In the end, the Huskers won eight of 10 matches while even seeing some encouraging signs in their two losses — like when #20 Bubba Wilson fought hard in a 1-0 loss to #3 Shane Griffith.
“I saw consistency that we haven’t had,” Nebraska head coach Mark Manning said of the win over Michigan. “Bubba lost 1-0 but fought his butt off and gave himself a chance to win and wrestled really smart. I saw great poise and I saw confidence. A lot of guys have had confidence, I just saw a team full of confidence. “Great crowd. I was really grateful to our fans for coming out and supporting us. I think people realize we have a good team, so it’s really cool.”
Both Taylor and Van Dee have put together solid freshman years to date. Ranked #10 at 165 pounds, Taylor is 16-4 on the year and 5-2 in Big Ten duals. His only conference losses have come against #5 Dean Hamiti and #7 Michael Caliendo, both decisions. Van Dee is ranked #22 at 133 pounds with a 16-6 record on the year — he’s 5-1 in conference duals … story at … Flowrestling.org/Gritty-freshmen-score-statement-wins-for-nebraska-wrestling-vs-michigan
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Wolverines Roll in B1G Dual Finale at No. 23 Indiana
By: Leah Howard
» No. 10 Michigan claimed eight bouts, including the first four and three with bonus points, en route to a 30-7 win in its Big Ten dual finale at No. 23 Indiana.
» Nolan Wertanen (125 pounds) and Dylan Ragusin (133) set the tone with back-to-back first-period bonus wins; Jaden Bullock (184) also rallied from an initial deficit to earn a major decision.
» Joseph Walker used a late third-period takedown to edge No. 21 Donnell Washington, 4-3, at 174 pounds.
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Wilkinson Hall)
Score: #10 Michigan 30, #23 Indiana 6
Records: U-M (7-4, 5-3 Big Ten), IU (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 25 — at Central Michigan (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), 2 p.m.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team claimed eight bouts, including the first four and three with bonus points, to roll to a dominant 30-6 win against No. 23 Indiana in its final Big Ten Conference dual on Friday night (Feb. 16) at Wilkinson Hall.
Among its match wins were a pair of good ones from non-regular starters in sophomore/freshman Nolan Wertanen, who set the tone with a first-period fall at 125 pounds, and senior/junior Joseph Walker, who used a late takedown to earn an upset decision at 174 pounds. … story at … Mgoblue.com/Wolverines-roll-in-b1g-dual-finale-at-no-23-indiana
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No. 6 Ohio State Defeats Michigan State, 38-7
Buckeyes close dual meet season with a 15-2 record and a 7-1 record in the Big Ten Conference
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 6 Ohio State won eight of 10 matches and powered to a 38-7 victory over Michigan State to cap its dual meet season with a 15-2 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the Big Ten Conference.
How it Happened
125-No. 22 Brendan McCrone (OSU) def. Tristan Lujan (MSU) | D, 4-1
After a scoreless first, Lujan scored the first point on a locked hands call midway through the second. McCrone scored on an escape to tie it in the third and send the first match of the evening into overtime. McCrone won it with a three-point takedown with just 10 seconds remaining in OT. McCrone improved to 18-8 on the season. 
133-No. 10 Nic Bouzakis (OSU) def. Andy Hampton (MSU) | Fall, 1:58
Two quick takedowns by Bouzakis gave him a 6-1 early lead and he won the match over Hampton by fall, 9-2, with a pin at 1:02 of the first. The fall was Bouzakis’ ninth of the season and second consecutive. He improved to 21-7 with the win. Ohio State ‘s lead increased to 9-0.  
141-No. 3 Jesse Mendez (OSU) def. No. 27 Jordan Hamdan (MSU) | TF, 19-2
Mendez, now 22-2 on the season, led, 3-0, after a late takedown in the first. He followed with an escape in the second, another point on a stall call and then a takedown and near fall to increase his lead to 12-0 on his way to a tech fall win and a 14-0 lead for the Buckeyes. … story at … Ohiostatebuckeyes.com/No-6-ohio-state-defeats-michigan-state-38-7
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Marinopoulos Powers Illini Past Purdue, 19-18
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Illinois wrestling team won their dual over Purdue, 19-18, on Friday (Feb. 16). Redshirt freshman (285 lbs.) Peter Marinopoulos stepped up big time for Illinois; he defeated Hayden Filipovich (PUR), 8-6, to give the Fighting Illini their first Big Ten win of the season. “I thought our guys fought hard and showed a lot of grit out there on the mat tonight,” said head coach Mike Poeta. “Everyone was focused and responded when called upon. No one did this better tonight than Peter Marinopoulos. The way he was able to go out there as the last match and handle business with the dual on the line. To go get the win for himself and the team. That makes me excited to see where he can go as a wrestler as he continues to get better in our program.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
Graduate student No. 24 (133 lbs.) Tony Madrigal won his fifth straight match tonight and put the first dual points on the board for Illinois. He won via a decision over Dustin Norris (PUR), 7-2, and cut into the Purdue lead, 3-5. Redshirt sophomore No. 25 (141 lbs.) Danny Pucino pinned Christian White (PUR) in 6:10 to put the Illini up 9-5. This is his first fall of the year and only the second one all season for the Illini in dual action. … story at …  Fightingillini.com/Marinopoulos-powers-illini-past-purdue
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Cowboys Complete Bedlam Sweep, Improve to 14-0
STILLWATER – The second-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team downed No. 25 Oklahoma, 34-9, Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena for its 19th-straight Phillips 66 Bedlam Series dual win. The Cowboys maintained their perfect season at 14-0 with one dual remaining, while the Sooners ended their regular season at 5-7.
The win moved the all-time series record to 151-27-10 in favor of the Cowboys. Oklahoma State has defeated the Sooners in Gallagher-Iba Arena 24 times in a row, while its 19-dual winning streak is one shy of tying the all-time series record of 20 set between 1969 and 1978. In 33 years at the helm of his alma mater, head coach John Smith owns an impressive 58-6-3 advantage over OU.
Oklahoma State has now defeated a ranked opponent in 10 straight duals, tied for its longest streak since 1994, and leads the nation with a dozen ranked wins. With the win, coach Smith trails Harold Nichols by just two wins at 490 for second-most in Division I wrestling history. “I can’t even remember those first three matches they happened so fast,” coach Smith said. “It’s a great way to start, getting 10 minutes into the dual and you’re already three matches down. I thought we may get out of there in an hour, but credit their guys for fighting it out… The whistle blows and we’re scoring. That’s why we’re winning.” Like they have for most of the season, the Cowboys set the tone early with a pair of pins and technical fall to build a commanding 17-0 lead after three bouts. It marked the fifth-consecutive dual OSU has claimed the opening three matches. OSU ended the day with a season-high six bonus-point wins, its most in a Bedlam dual since December 9, 2018. Just over a minute into the afternoon’s first matchup, Troy Spratley put … story at … OKstate.com/Cowboys-complete-bedlam-sweep-improve-to-14-0

February 25, 2024 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized