Takedown Report

O’Connor Set To Return This Weekend At Cleveland State Open

CHAPEL HILL — No. 1 Austin O’Connor (149 pounds) will return to the mat this weekend at the Cleveland State Open, North Carolina announced Tuesday.  O’Connor will wrestle in the tournament and is expected to make his dual meet debut on December 20 at Little Rock.
O’Connor has not seen time on the mat since last season, when he finished third at the 2019 NCAA Championships.
North Carolina Tar Heel stories at https://goheels.com/sports/wrestling

December 14, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Quant Wrestling Dual of the Week Preview: Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State travels Sunday to Oklahoma for the 178th edition of the Bedlam Dual. The Cowboys have owned a huge advantage in the series — Oklahoma State leads 141-27-10 — and posted a 41-2 win last year.  This year’s dual, however, looks a lot more even, both in terms of rankings and after a dive into the analytics.  Quant Wrestling has analyzed matches and compiled data on the probable starters for both programs.  Quant Wrestling combines the discipline of big data and analytics with the sport of wrestling. They track and time every activity in a wrestling match and produce more than 400 statistics. They’ve selected the stats with the highest correlation to match results and created three metrics: Offensive Activity Rating (OAR), Defensive Activity Rating (DAR) and Total Activity Rating (TAR). Rest of the story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1576351514636&twSessionId=gvnidojndl&postId=1873679132

December 14, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NC STATE Wolfpack Wins 7 of 10 Bouts in 24-12 Win at Appalachian State

After a split of first two matches, Pack wins five straight to secure road win
BOONE, N.C. – The sixth ranked NC State Wolfpack went on the road and claimed a 24-12 road win at Appalachian State Friday night. NC State has now won 21 of its last 23 road duals. After the teams split the first two bouts, the Pack (7-0) went on to win five win a row and finished with three bonus points wins overall. The dual started at 141 pounds, and #13 R-Jr. Tariq Wilson scored a 6-2 win. Wilson used a takedown in both the first and second periods and added in 3:45 of ride time. The Mountaineers evened the dual after two bouts after #20 Jonathan Millner downed A.J. Leitten 5-0. NC State then reeled off three straight wins to take a 13-3 lead into the break.
#2 R-Jr. Hayden Hidlay started off with a 16-3 major decision #20 Matt Zovistoski. With a 7-2 lead started the third, Hidlay tacked on another takedown then got a four-point near fall followed with a two-point near fall to open the scoring. #8 Thomas Bullard scored a 6-2 decision then #17 Daniel Bullard followed up with a 6-4 win.
#2 R-Fr. Trent Hidlay scored the second bonus point win, 17-5 at 184 pounds. Hidlay got a pair of takedowns and a two-point near fall in the second, then tacked on three takedowns in the third. Making his season debut, #4 R-Jr. Nick Reenan used a takedown with six seconds left and scored a 4-3 in his first match up at 197 pounds. Rest of the story and results at https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/13/wrestling-6-packwrestle-wins-7-of-10-bouts-in-24-12-win-at-appalachian-state.aspx

December 13, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

28th College News, Notes and Results

Pinning Combination College Edition Podcast 12/09/2019

By KJ Pilcher, Dick Briggs, G. Wyatt Schultz
Rehash past weeks college results
Check out this video podcast at https://www.thepredicament.com/2019/12/pinning-combination-college-edition-podcast-12-09-2019/?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

THIRD SEASON COLUMN 15: A MIDWEST LOVE-FEST AT THE CKLV; A PORTAL OR A FUNNEL; SOCON NEWS; AND A THANK YOU
Andy Williams said it best: it IS the most wonderful time of the year. The weather brings friends and family closer together. The comfort foods, upbeat music and general goodwill of the Holiday season help to make the season bright. Tiny tots-Oops, sorry, Nat King Cole, AND Mel Torme’.(a) So, wrestling….
CKLV SEES CREAM, AND SCARLET, RISE TO THE TOP
Those would be the colors celebrated in a fight song for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who topped a tough field to take the title at the 38th Cliff Keen Las Vegas. The Huskers had a Champ, 165LB Isaiah White, defend his crown, and Nebraska led every round to pick up their 3rd Team CKLV Gold. The Huskers scored early and often. The whole team made the quarter finals and 5 won there to advance to the semis. While only White made the championships, 3 of the 4 Huskers who suffered semi-final losses fell to their weight classes eventual champion. Finishing 2nd, and almost doing the Saturday double-dip Championship Dance, Ohio State. The Buckeyes were the 3X defending champs, and their Silver showing in Vegas was just a few hours after Ohio State won yet another BIG10 football title. The Buckeyes found themselves one step and a few points back of their conference foe both days, but ahead in titlists as 141LB Luke Pletcher and 197LB Kollin Moore wore crowns(b) for Ohio State. It was Moores 3rd CKLV title. Also picking up a 3rd Vegas crown, undefeated 2X National Champ 184LB Zahid Valencia. Z_money97 blitzed the toughest weight class at the tournament with 2 pins, a tech fall and 2 majors. He wasn’t exactly flipping flounders around either, as Valencias victims included Top 10 wrestlers Sammy Colbray of Iowa State, Lou Deprez of Binghamton, and previously unbeaten Trent Hidlay of NC State. Valencia earned Most Outstanding Wrestler honors and the Sun Devils took the Bronze team trophy. AA’s 165LB Josh Shields and 285LB Tanner Hall both took 2nd, and 3 more Sun Devils finished top 8. Hopefully, 133LB Josh Kramer and 197LB Kordell Norfleets injury defaults won’t keep them off the mat long. Fully healthy, this Arizona State team could seriously challenge for a Top 4 spot at Nationals. While UNIs 4th place CKLV finish featured no champs, it was a championship level showing by the SchwabMob. 6 Panthers placed, led by AA174LB Bryce Steierts silver. Both Steiert and 184LB Taylor Lujan, who finished 4th, are looking good at their new, heavier weights. Fellow CKLV placewinner 149LB AA Max Thomsen is another stellar Panther redshirt senior starter, as is pinning machine 125LB Jakob Schwarm. Schwarm took the Gorarrian award (most pins, least amount of time) home from Vegas. If and when UNI gets the Hog, AA197LB Jacob Holschlag, back, the Panthers will have 5 wrestlers in the starting lineup with a combined 30 years of being SchwabMob coached. The Big 12 Conference will be looking for a vaccine for that stuff. They will want better results than with that Rabbit Proof fence they tried to install in 2017.  Rest of the story at https://morewrestlingplease.wordpress.com/2019/12/10/third-season-column-15-a-midwest-love-fest-at-the-cklv-a-portal-or-a-funnel-socon-news-and-a-thank-you/?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Tanner Cole Named MIAA Athlete of the Week
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced Tuesday that University of Central Oklahoma sophomore Tanner Cole is this week’s Co-Athlete of the Week.
READ THE MIAA RELEASE HERE
Cole went 5-0 last week, knocking off a ranked opponent in a dual and then winning the Bob Smith Open at Fort Hays State. The Edmond, Okla. native and 125-pounder cruised to a 7-1 win over sixth-ranked Montana Moon in UCO’s 32-6 dual win over Oklahoma City before taking the Bob Smith Open title. Cole went 4-0 on the tournament, earning a fall and two major decisions beating Oklahoma State’s Dallas Wilson 11-7 in the finals. Rest of the story at https://bronchosports.com/news/2019/12/10/wrestling-tanner-cole-named-miaa-athlete-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Hayden and Trent Hidlay Place Second at Cliff Keen Invite
LAS VEGAS, NEV. – The NC State wrestling team brought home a pair of second place finishes and four podium placements overall at the 2019 Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas. R-Jr. Hayden Hidlay (157) and his brother R-Fr. Trent Hidlay (184) both were runner-ups in their weight class. R-Jr. Thomas Bullard (165) scored a pin in his final bout to bring home a third place finish, while classmate Tariq Wilson (141) was seventh. Hayden Hidlay fell in the finals to #2 Ryan Deakin of Northwestern. Deakin scored takedowns in both the first and the second periods and scored a 6-2 win.
In his semifinal bout, Hayden Hidlay dominated in an 8-0 major decision over #8 Coleman of Purdue. Rest of the story at https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/7/wrestling-hayden-and-trent-hidlay-place-second-at-cliff-keen-invite.aspx

Ruggiero Picks Up MEC Wrestler of the Week Accolades
BRIDGEPORT, W. Va. – After rolling through the bracket to win the 2019 Bob Quade Cyclone Open at 157 pounds last weekend, Clifton Ruggiero was tabbed as the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Wrestler of the Week. The award marks the first for a Davis & Elkins wrestling athlete in its inaugural season. Ruggiero was one of several Senators to perform well at the Cyclone Open on December 8 in New Jersey. He picked up a win over Anthony Ulaszek (Navy) in the first-place bout, defeating the DI opponent by fall at 6:16. Ruggiero, a sophomore from Brick, N.J., began the day with a quick fall against Charlie Burke (Scranton) in the round of 16. He followed it up with a major decision win against Joseph Hatcher (Middlesex County College), which included a riding time bonus in the 16-5 win. Rest of the story at https://senatornation.com/news/2019/12/10/wrestling-ruggiero-picks-up-mec-wrestler-of-the-week-accolades.aspx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Johnston Named NSIC Wrestler of the Week
MANKATO, Minn. – Senior Zach Johnston earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week honors after wresting his way to a 5-0 record en route to winning the 174-pound bracket at the Buena Vista Open on Saturday. Johnston now holds a 7-3 record on the year. The Waukee, Iowa native defeated St. Cloud State’s Luke Clark 4-1 in the quarterfinals before defeating Northern Iowa’s Keegan Moore 2-1 in semifinals. In the championship match, Johnston defeated St. Cloud State’s Devin Donovan by a 5-2 decision. Rest of the story at

Caniglia Named Mid-South Wrestler of the Week
(COLUMBIA, Ky.) – Thomas More University senior wrestler James Caniglia (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) was named the Mid-South Conference Wrestler of the Week on Monday (December 9, 2019).
Caniglia earned a 6-2 decision in the Saints’ dual against Kentucky Wesleyan on Tuesday, December 3, then went 4-0 at the Indiana Little States Open to win at 197. He outscored his opponents 34-15 with one major decision and three decision wins over the week. Thomas More’s wrestling team will return to action at the Warrior Duals in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Saturday, December 14. Rest of the story at https://www.thomasmoresaints.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20191209lczi0k?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Reno Tournament of Champions begins Friday for 25th anniversary
More than 1,000 wrestlers will converge on Reno this week for the 25th anniversary of the Reno Tournament of Champions. The tournament, at the Reno Events Center, includes several Nevada high school teams as well as top prep and college wrestlers from around the country. New this year is a college dual meet, between Eastern Oregon and Montana State Northern. That dual will be at 7 p.m. Friday after the high school competition. In addition to the first day of competition for the high school tournament streaming live on Flo, the college dual will also be streamed live. “On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Reno Tournament of Champions, we are extremely proud and honored that both Coach Azure and Coach Thivierge and the administrations of each school were agreeable in moving the dual to Reno,” Jack Dolan, president of the RTOC, said in a news release.  Rest of the story and photos at https://www.rgj.com/story/sports/2019/12/11/wrestling-reno-tournament-champions-begins-friday-25th-anniversary/4392125002/?mc_cid=ccc735817e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Fifth-Ranked Wildcats Beat #14 Coast Guard Academy
NEW LONDON, Conn. – A battle of ranked teams came down to a tiebreaker and the fifth-ranked Johnson & Wales University wrestling team came out on top. The Wildcats and No. 14 Coast Guard Academy were tied 16-16 after the last bout with JWU winning on criteria. The tiebreaker was decided on total points won, which JWU had the 63-58 advantage. Johnson & Wales improved to 5-1 with its 23^rd-straight win over the Bears. Coast Guard dropped its opening dual meet. The Wildcats trailed 16-5 after seven matches. Justin Lopez got the comeback started with his 5-3 overtime win at 125 pounds. Fifth-ranked Hayden Brown produced an 11-1 major decision versus Liam Logue at 133 pounds. Another major decision, this time a 15-4 triumph by Jordan Robinson at 141 pounds tied the team contest at 16-16. Rest of the story at https://providence.jwuathletics.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20191211yr5hm8?mc_cid=ccc735817e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Lashuay Named MIAA Wrestling Athlete of the Week
Freeland, Mich. – Sophomore Trent Lashuay (Saint Johns, Mich. / Saint Johns) has been named the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Wrestling Athlete of the Week on Monday (Dec. 9). Trent Lashuay won the 133-pound weight class at the Ohio Northern Invitational Dec. 7. Lashuay went 4-0, with two technical falls and a major decision along the way.  Rest of the story at http://almascots.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20191209ose9vl

December 13, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

#6 N.C. State Wolfpack Travels to In-State Foe Appalachian State

Dual will be streamed for free on AppStateSports.com
RALEIGH, N.C. – The sixth ranked NC State wrestling team will make the drive over to Boone, N.C., and face the Appalachian State Mountaineers Friday night at 7 p.m.

QUICK TAKEDOWNS
• NC State and Appalachian State will be meeting for the seventh straight season. The Wolfpack has won all previous six matchups in this stretch by a combined score of 171-52.
• NC State won last year’s matchup in Raleigh 29-9. The Pack won the first eight bouts, three for bonus points.
• Over the last five seasons, NC State has won 20 of its 22 road duals. Combining in neutral site duals, the Pack is 30-4 in duals outside of Raleigh since the 2016 season.
• NC State is ranked #6 for the second straight week in the NWCA Coaches Poll. The Pack has now been ranked in the top-10 for 64 straight polls dating back over the last five seasons.
• Four NC State wrestlers have combined for seven top-10 wins this season, four top-five wins. NC State’s 10 starters are a combined 12-9 against ranked foes this season.
PROBABLE LINEUPS:
#6 NC State Wolfpack (6-0)
125: R-Fr. Jakob Camacho (8-3)
133: R-Fr. Jarrett Trombley (12-5)
141: #13 R-Jr. Tariq Wilson (13-2)
149: R-So. A.J. Leitten (11-5)
157: #2 R-Jr. Hayden Hidlay (12-1)
165: #8 R-Jr. Thomas Bullard (13-2)
174: #17 R-Jr. Daniel Bullard (9-3)
184: #2 R-Fr. Trent Hidlay (10-1)
197: #4 R-Jr. Nick Reenan (0-0)
285: So. Deonte Wilson (7-4) –OR- So. Colin Lawler (10-4)
Appalachian State Mountaineers (0-1)
125: Fr. Sean Carter (5-4)
133: Jr. Codi Russell (11-5)
141: Sr. Bradley Irwin (11-6)
149: #20 So. Jonathan Millner (13-1)
157: #20 Fr. Matt Zovistoski (9-4)
165: R-Fr. Will Formato (9-6)
174: Jr. Thomas Flitz (11-7)
184: Fr. Julian Gorring (9-6)
197: So. Paul Carson (7-6)
285: #19 Sr. Cary Miller (12-1)
FEATURED MATCHUP
157: #2 Hayden Hidlay vs. #20 Matt Zovistoski
In a rematch of a semifinals bout at the Wolfpack Wrestling Club Open back in November, #20 Hidlay will face #20 Zovistoski. That match featured just one takedown, but Hidlay in the third period for a 3-2 win.
Coming off a loss in the finals at the Cliff Keen Invite, Hidlay now has only lost six collegiate matches. In the three previous that happened in-season, he is 3-0, with two bonus point wins, outscoring those foes 39-10.
REENAN SCHEUDLED TO RETURN
NC State is about to get back the services of a top-five wrestler, as R-Jr. Nick Reenan is set to make his season debut at Appalachian State. Moving up from 184 pounds, Reenan sits at #4 in the InterMat rankings this week at 197 pounds.
Reenan has missed the first month of the 2019-20 season, as he recovered from offseason ACL surgery. Reenan tore his ACL last December, but finished the season. He was ranked as high as #2 nationally at 184 pounds when the injury happened.
Rest of the press release and story at https://gopack.com/news/2019/12/12/wrestling-6-packwrestle-travels-to-in-state-foe-appalachian-state.aspx

December 12, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

27th College News, Notes and Results

IOWA-PENN STATE DUAL MEET, SEASON TICKETS SOLD OUT
The hype for Iowa wrestling this season has been at a level unseen in years — and for good reason. Iowa has the best team they’ve had since they last won a national championship, in 2010. They’re the consensus #1 team in the nation right now. They also have the best home dual meet schedule they’ve had in ages, with visits from Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, and Oklahoma State to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Those are the teams currently ranked #8, #2, #7, #3, #16, and #9 right now.  So it doesn’t come as a huge surprise that Iowa announced that season tickets are sold out — and that all tickets for the massive Iowa-Penn State dual on 1/31/20 are also sold out. 
Ranked #1 in the country.
The #1 fans in the world.
Season tickets are SOLD OUT. https://t.co/7c04btmgbe pic.twitter.com/1ZNep6VUhk— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) December 6, 2019
And yet… this is still a really big deal. Iowa says they’ve sold a school-record 7,715 season tickets for this season. To put that into perspective, that figure alone would rank #2 in last season’s average attendance rankings — and, again, that’s only season tickets. It doesn’t include any tickets sold for individual dual meets. Iowa has led the nation in attendance for 13 straight years and it’s a virtual certainty that they’ll be able to extend that streak to 14 straight years this season.  The better questions are perhaps whether Iowa can top 100,000 fans in total attendance for their dual meet slate this year — or whether they can average over 10,000 fans per dual. The latter seems very plausible, while the former will be impossible. Iowa’s already had 10,000+ in attendance for each of their first two home duals — 10,466 at the UT-Chattanooga dual and 10,603 at the Wisconsin dual. They have five duals remaining against Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, and Oklahoma State.  Rest of the story at https://www.goiowaawesome.com/iowa-hawkeyes-wrestling/2019/12/4446/iowa-penn-state-dual-meet-season-tickets-sold-out?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Grand View’s win streak, Kaleb Young, Iowa’s 2010 team vs. this year, Iowa State
The Grand View wrestling team’s last dual loss came 2,224 days ago, a thrilling, 22-18 defeat to then-16th-ranked Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones took six of 10 matches that day — Nov. 7, 2013 — but four were decision victories. Isaiah Tatum and Eric Thompson both scored pins for the Vikings to keep the score close. Since then, Grand View has rattled off 81 straight dual victories, their latest a 27-15 win over Baker last week. It is the nation’s longest active dual winning streak and the second-longest for any college at any level. The record is 92, by State University of New York Delhi, from 1979-1983. The Vikings’ win streak gained a little notoriety after Arizona State beat Penn State 19-18 a couple of weeks back, snapping the Nittany Lions’ 60-match winning streak. And looking back, it’s truly incredible just how dominant Grand View has been during this run. The streak has now spanned seven seasons and counting. The Vikings have posted 26 shutouts during the run and have held another 30 teams to six points or less. Only 11 opposing teams have scored double digits on Grand View. That’s a little ridiculous, but that tells you how good Grand View has been. The dual winning streak has coincided with the Vikings’ run of eight straight NAIA national titles. A ninth would tie Iowa for the longest championship streak at any level of college wrestling. Rest of the story at https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/2019/12/10/wrestling-mailbag-grand-views-win-streak-kaleb-young-iowas-2010-team-vs-year-iowa-state-cyclones/4387734002/?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Ferrum Beats Southern Virginia 39-9
FERRUM, Va. – Ferrum College picked up a non-conference wrestling win tonight at home over Southern Virginia University, winning 39-9 in front of a crowd of 400+ fans at Swartz Gym.
RECORDS
Ferrum (3-1)
Southern Virginia (2-5)THE BASICS
JD McMillin (125 lbs) accepted a forfeit to open the match. Levi Englman (133), currently ranked #1 in the nation, posted a 3-0 win over Aaron Friedhof to remain unbeaten this season and put the Panthers out in front 9-0. Southern Virginia’s Aldair Moran beat Hayden Funk 6-4 at 141 pounds to trim the lead to 9-3, but that’s as close as the Knights would get. Austin Smith (149), Elijah Martin (157) and Galilee Kissell (165) posted back-to-back-to-back pins, to extend the Panther lead to 27-3. Smith went out in front 12-0 over Southern Virginia’s Nicolas Korhonen before posting the pin at 2:19. Martin barely broke a sweat, taking the Knights’ Matt Rosson down directly to his back and getting the fall in just 13 seconds. Kissell recorded a first-period pin over Kyle York in just under two minutes. Rest of the story at https://www.ferrumpanthers.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20191210wg97nx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Ben Stahlman named GLVC Wrestler of the Week
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– Drury University wrestler Ben Stahlman was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Wrestler of the Week for his dominating performance in the Drury Open last weekend.
Stahlman won twice by Fall, won two Major Decisions, and did not allow a point to any of his opponents as part of his 4-0 day en route to winning the 157-pound division in Saturday’s event. The junior from House Springs, Missouri, won his opening round match with a pin of his opponent in just 20 seconds. He then earned a 9-0 Major Decision in the quarterfinals against Scott Radke of Northeastern Oklahoma and won by Fall in 1:26 over Dallas Boone of Neosho County in the semis. Stahlman took the 157-pound division tournament championship with a 10-0 Major Decision against Anthony Michaels of Lindenwood. Rest of the story at https://drurypanthers.com/news/2019/12/10/wrestling-ben-stahlman-named-glvc-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Central Michigan tops two ranked conference opponents, moves into Top 25
Manheim, Pennsylvania – A weekend trip out east to face new conference foes was beneficial for coach Tom Borrelli’s Central Michigan squad as the Chippewas downed ranked opponents Rider 28-10 and Lock Haven 24-12 to enter this week’s NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll at No. 24. The Chippewas (2-1) faced off with both schools for the first time as conference mates as the Mid-American Conference absorbed the Eastern Wrestling League, creating a 15-team conference alignment. Central Michigan reappears in the Top 25 for the first time since February of 2018. A large portion of Division I competition centered around tournaments, with the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational highlighting the action and shaking up the individual rankings. The team rankings were largely unaffected. Top-ranked Iowa improved to 4-0 after beating host Princeton 30-9 on Sunday. It capped off a monster travel and competition weekend for the No. 12 Tigers, who went on the road to Stillwater, Oklahoma and split 10 matches with ninth-ranked Oklahoma State, but fell 18-15. No. 3 Penn State (3-1) picked up a pair of wins over in-state opponents from the EIWA. First, before a Stabler Arena record crowd of 6,047, the visiting Nittany Lions topped then-No. 13 Lehigh 23-10. Penn State followed with a 33-7 win at home against Penn. The only other ranked team in dual action was No. 10 Pittsburgh, which improved to 4-1 after topping West Virginia 29-6 and shutting out Drexel 33-0. Rest of the story, team rankings and records at http://www.nwcaonline.com/central-michigan-tops-two-ranked-conference-opponents-moves-into-top-25/?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Wuest named CC Wrestler of the Week
LANCASTER, Pa. – Tony Wuest (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna), a sophomore on the McDaniel wrestling team, has been named the Centennial Conference (CC) Wrestler of the Week for the week of Dec. 2-8. It is the third time this season that he has earned the honor. Wuest won the 197-pound individual title at the Petrofes Invitational, leading the Green Terror to a sixth-place team finish at the 19-team event. The sophomore remained undefeated on the season with a 5-0 record and three pins.  Rest of the story at https://www.mcdanielathletics.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20191210_wuestaow?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Mueller Named ACC Wrestler Of The Week
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Senior Jack Mueller (Dallas, Texas) has been named the ACC Wrestler of the Week by the league office after claiming the 125-pound title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this past weekend it was announced on Tuesday (Dec. 10). Mueller improved to 6-0 on the season with his run at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational that saw him pick up five victories at the two-day event. The senior won three bonus-point victories on the opening day of competition, including a first-period win by fall over Malik Heinselman of seventh-ranked Ohio State and a major decision against ninth-seeded Patrick McKee of 15th-ranked Minnesota. On day two of action, Mueller posted a shutout decision of Michael DeAugostino of 14th-ranked Northwestern before taking a 6-2 decision from ninth-ranked Devin Schroder of No. 23 Purdue in the finals. Rest of the story at https://virginiasports.com/news/2019/12/10/wrestling-mueller-named-acc-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Lydy Takes Home 2nd B1G Weekly Honor
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After taking home the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational 174-pound title Saturday, Purdue senior Dylan Lydy kept adding awards being named Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week on Tuesday by the conference office. Lydy knocked off four straight ranked wrestlers on his way to the top of the podium and remains undefeated at 14-0 this season, earning his second weekly conference honor of 2019.
After opening his tournament with a 15-5 major decision over Michigan’s Max Maylor, Lydy went a full 11 minutes with Utah Valley’s Kimball Bastian, earning an escape and a takedown in the final tie-break period to secure a 5-3 win, and defeating Bastian for the second time this season.
Lydy followed up with a 5-3 decision over Oklahoma’s Anthony Mantanona, scoring takedowns in the second and third periods in the quarterfinal win before needing overtime to earn his wins in the semifinals and finals. Lydy took down No. 5 Michael Labriola of Nebraska in the semifinals, scoring a 3-1 win with a sudden-victory takedown, and then repeated the feat with an overtime takedown against No. 4 Bryce Steiert of Northern Iowa. Rest of the story at https://purduesports.com/news/2019/12/10/wrestling-lydy-takes-home-2nd-b1g-weekly-honor.aspx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Brayton Lee Earns First Big Ten Award
Redshirt freshman Brayton Lee earned his first Big Ten Wrestler of the Week award after claiming the 149-pound Cliff Keen Las Vegas title, the conference announced on Tuesday. Lee, who shares this week’s award with Purdue’s Dylan Lydy, went 5-0 on the weekend including his final three victories over top-ten opponents. As the five-seed Lee was the lowest seeded wrestler to win the title as well as the youngest wrestler to accomplish the feat this weekend. After reaching the semifinals, Lee fell behind to then-No.5 Max Thomsen of Northern Iowa. Still, Lee showed off his conditioning with a late takedown to force sudden victory before he finished another leg attack early in the extra period. Lee then took care of business against Ohio State’s Sammy Sasso with a pair of takedowns in the championship bout for a 6-4 decision victory.  Rest of the story at https://gophersports.com/news/2019/12/10/wrestling-brayton-lee-earns-first-big-ten-award.aspx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Steiert Named BIG 12 Wrestler of the Week
IRVING, Texas – Bryce Steiert has been named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for Week six after going 4-1 for the week and leading UNI to a fourth-place finish at the prestigious Cliff Keen Invite. This serves as the first Conference honor of the senior’s career. Steiert was one of just two Big 12 wrestlers to make the finals in Las Vegas. He took down a pair of ranked opponents on the path to the championship, including a major decision over No. 8 Anthony Valencia from Arizona State in the semifinals. His lone loss came in overtime of the championship match.  Rest of the story at https://unipanthers.com/news/2019/12/10/wrestling-steiert-named-big-12-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=0fa14e78f4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

December 11, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

TDR Editor’s Notes

The Dec. 15th, 2019 issue of Wrestling USA (www.WrestlingUSA.com) includes the TDR’s article on Division II Championship Coaches. The issue also includes a Division II Preview and Rankings by Dan Fickel and Mat Thoughts by Bill Welker. Well worth the subscription. The address below is a picture of the page with the TDR article.

https://cloud.3dissue.com/6856/7747/152403/4-vol55dec15-preview/index.html?r=34

December 11, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2nd Women’s Wrestling Notes, Results & News

Utah High School Athletics Assoc. sanctions girls’ wrestling in Utah
By Mark Palmer, InterMat Wrestling
Add the state of Utah to the growing list of states to officially sanction girls’ wrestling. The Board of Trustees of the Utah High School Athletics Association — governing body for prep sports within the state — has approved girls’ wrestling beginning in the 2020-21 school year, the Standard-Examiner newspaper has reported. The Ogden, Utah-based newspaper added that the inaugural official girls wrestling state tournament could be anticipated to take place sometime in February or March 2021. “There’s much to figure out in the meantime,” the Standard-Examiner continued. “The Board of Trustees’ approval simply approved sanctioning and nothing else at the moment. “Details like how many classifications, weight classes, regions, state tournament logistics and many more have yet to be figured out,” UHSAA assistant director Jon Oglesby said. The National Federation of State High School Associations reports that Utah high schools added 23 participants in girls wrestling for a total of 124 when comparing the 2017-18 school year to 2018-19. Girls’ high school wrestling has enjoyed tremendous growth in the past couple years. By InterMat’s count, Utah becomes the 20th state to officially add girls’ wrestling to the list of officially sanctioned high school sports. In calendar year 2019, five states have sanctioned girls’ wrestling, including New Mexico, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas and Maryland.  Rest of the story at http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/22682?fbclid=IwAR3Mk35h6mDN-7iv4wS-Nqlw7kvtPVyLX7XM4eAbFNqJy3X3n7SSDW_d7iw

Presbyterian College PC pulls out all the stops on its women’s wrestling program
Women’s wrestling made its first home mark on Presbyterian College on Saturday, and it was just as clear that PC wants to make a mark on wrestling. It was a big deal, publicized weeks in advance. The Blue Hose, the only such sports program at the moment in NCAA Division I, split matches against Limestone and Life University of Marietta, Ga. Women’s wrestling is on the fast track to championship status by the governing body of intercollegiate athletics. College president Bob Staton and athletics director Robert Acunto aim to make PC prominent in wrestling. The program handed out at the door had printed on its cover: “Witness History in the Making.” It drew a crowd. A good portion wandered off after the grand entrance, a 38-11 win over Limestone, but when Cassandra Lopez, Jaslynn Gallegos and Rita Morales – freshmen all – pinned their opponents in the first three matches, the roars in Templeton Center were reminiscent of District 6 playoff basketball games in the 1980s. Scott Casbar came from Iowa to describe the action. He dressed in black tie, describing the action as if he was on national TV instead of public address. He led into the matches with a Michael Buffer-like delivery of “let’s do this thing!” Mike Moyer of Lancaster, Pa., was there in his capacity as director of the National Wresting Coaches Association. He seemed vitally interested and thoroughly impressed. Casbar’s expert function was to produce a roaring crowd consisting largely of people whose roars concerned something they knew relatively little about. Adding to the theatrics was an inserted exhibition between two little girls, and the most disapponted loser of the whole afternoon was one of those girls, who looked as if she had just discovered, much to her shock, that she wasn’t the greatest wrestler in the world. If this reads as judgmental, it isn’t meant that way. Her tender feelings were quite heartwarming. Out in the lobby, spectators perused plans for a wrestling arena. The possible site is near the baseball and softball fields, possibly servicing those sports with restrooms and concessions, as well as providing needed office space for a variety of sports. VIPs and board members watched the new women’s sport from close range. They all seemed delighted. Rest of the story at http://www.golaurens.com/goclinton/pc-pulls-out-all-the-stops-on-its-women-s/article_e8fc3150-192f-11ea-978b-97a41a55c156.html?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

PELAYO WINS HER FIRST MSC WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Bowling Green, KY – Freshman, Cynthia Pelayo, wins the Mid-South Conference Wrestler of the Week honor, announced by the conference office on Monday. Pelayo competed in her first collegiate match on Friday against conference rival, third-ranked Campbellsville. She was able to defeat fifth-ranked Charlotte Fowler by pin fall after 2:06. This is the first time that Fowler, a redshirt senior, has lost by pin fall this season. Unranked Pelayo was one of just two wrestlers on either team to defeat an opposition ranked higher than them and she was the only wrestler to upset her opponent by pin fall. The Bakersfield, CA native is the first freshman to win MSC Wrestler of the Week this year and only the second freshman to win the award since its inception. This is the second time this season a UC women’s wrestler has taken home the MSC Wrestler of the Week award. Junior, Bridgette Duty won the award to open the season last month. The Patriots will return to action starting on December 19 for the two-day tournament, The U.S. Open, in Dallas, TX. Rest of the story at https://cumberlandspatriots.com/news/2019/12/9/womens-wrestling-pelayo-wins-her-first-msc-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Oklahoma City University’s Freund takes first SAC women’s wrestler of week
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University’s Sydney Freund became the first Sooner Athletic Conference women’s wrestler of the week. Freund, a junior from San Tan Valley, Ariz., captured the 143-pound title in the Wayland Baptist Invitational on Saturday at the Laney Center in Plainview, Texas. Freund won all four of her matches by fall to match the most pins in the tournament. Freund pinned Jessica Carbajal from Richland (Texas) in 20 seconds in the championship final. Freund began her day by defeating Texas Wesleyan’s Elizabeth Harris, ranked 17th in the NAIA at 143 pounds, in a 49-second fall. She has a 6-2 record this season with five falls for the Stars, ranked seventh in the NAIA. Rest of the story at https://www.ocusports.com/news/2019/12/9/womens-wrestling-ocus-freund-takes-first-sac-womens-wrestler-of-week.aspx?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Sooner Athletic Conference SPONSORS WOMEN’S WRESTLING AS LEAGUE SPORT
Courtesy of the SAC – Link

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Sooner Athletic Conference will offer a women’s wrestling championship in the upcoming year as part of the league’s continued growth. Four full-time conference member institutions – Central Christian, Oklahoma City University, Texas Wesleyan and Wayland Baptist – field women’s wrestling teams. Lyon will compete with those schools as a per-sport SAC member in the inaugural SAC women’s wrestling championships Feb. 29, 2020 in Plainview, Texas. The SAC could include more schools competing in women’s wrestling before the championship meet in February. Presidents of the SAC member institutions approved the league’s sponsorship of women’s wrestling in June. In more than 40 years of existence, the Sooner Athletic Conference has set itself apart by winning more NAIA championships than any other conference (109). The league will now award 14 team championships. “Women’s wrestling is really gaining momentum in the collegiate ranks, and the SAC is eager to continue that upward swing,” SAC Commissioner Stan Wagnon said. “We are starting with a solid group of teams and hope to add more quality members in the not too distant future. It’s an exciting opportunity to come alongside these programs for the purpose of providing well deserved support and recognition.” The SAC Championships figure to be a competitive meet. All five competing teams received votes in the most recent NAIA poll with Wayland Baptist garnering the No. 6 spot. Oklahoma City stood seventh, while Lyon held the 10th slot. Texas Wesleyan was 19th in the rankings. The SAC will award women’s wrestlers of the week. Women’s wrestling is the fastest growing sport in the NAIA. The sport has grown tremendously from just a handful of institutions that sponsored it to 28 member schools in 2019-20. Continued growth at this rate could signal the sport’s movement from invitational to championship status in the future. The SAC will join the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and the Mid-South Conference as NAIA leagues sponsoring women’s wrestling. Rest of the story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/SAC-SPONSORS-WOMEN-S-WRESTLING-AS-10-12-2019

December 11, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

26th College News, Notes and Results

Iowa Hawkeyes Top Princeton, 30-9
PRINCETON, New Jersey — University of Iowa sophomore Jacob Warner scored a takedown with three seconds on the clock to top No. 2 Pat Brucki, 5-4, and lead the top-ranked Hawkeyes past No. 12 Princeton on Sunday.

Warner, ranked No. 3 at 197, entered the third period tied, 3-3. He trailed 4-3 following a Brucki escaped, but grabbed his first and only lead of the match with three seconds on the clock. “As the match went on I felt stronger and stronger,” Warner said. “I got that takedown and I was a dog on a bone. I got to that leg, and I need to get there more, but when I got to that leg I wasn’t letting go.” Iowa won four of five matches after intermission to put the dual out of reach. Alex Marinelli won by fall in 6:20. Michael Kemerer won by 19-4 technical fall at 174, and Tony Cassioppi closed the dual with a 10-2 major decision at 285.
Iowa led 12-6 at the break, getting wins from No. 1 DeSanto at 133, No. 9 Murin at 141, and No. 3 Lugo at 149. Rest of the story at https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2019/12/8/wrestling-hawkeyes.aspx?mc_cid=69462118ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

#10 PITT BLANKS DREXEL, 33-0
PHILADELPHIA – The 10^th-ranked University of Pittsburgh wrestling team shutout Drexel, 33-0, Sunday afternoon at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
With the win, the Panthers improve to 4-1 on the year, while the Dragons move to 2-2 overall. “We saw a lot of good wrestling out of our guys today,” said head coach Keith Gavin. “I think in some weight classes we needed to do a better job of building our lead and finishing the match strong. But, overall, we continue to make progress and that was nice to see.”
The last time Pitt shutout an opponent was Jan. 13, 2019 when the Panthers defeated South Dakota State, 34-0, in Brookings.
Redshirt sophomore Nino Bonaccorsi recorded his fourth major decision of the year at 184 pounds to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead in the dual. Bonaccorsi scored seven takedowns, an escape, penalty point and riding time to defeat Owen Brooks, 17-5. The double-digit win was his seventh of the year. At 197 pounds, redshirt senior Kellan Stout returned to the win column after earning a 6-1 decision over Drexel’s Bryan McLaughlin. After a scoreless first period, Stout began the second on top and would remain there for the entire frame. Working with two minutes of riding time, Stout escaped off bottom to start the third and scored a takedown for a 3-0 lead. McLaughlin escaped but it wouldn’t be enough as Stout then took him down and added his final point with riding time. Moving to heavyweight, senior Demetrius Thomas improved to 7-2 on the year after defeating Sean O’Malley in an 11-3 major decision. Thomas scored three takedowns in the first period to lead 6-2 and added five more points via penalty point, escape, takedown and riding time en route to the major decision. Thomas’ win gave the Panthers an 11-0 lead through the first three bouts. Rest of the story at https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2019/12/8/wrestling-10-pitt-blanks-drexel-33-0.aspx?mc_cid=69462118ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Rider Wrestling Falls to Central Michigan, 28-10
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The nationally-ranked No. 20 Rider University wrestling team won three of the first four matches, but fell to MAC foe Central Michigan, 28-10, Sunday afternoon at Alumni Gym. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 3-1 (2-1 MAC), while the Chippewas are now 2-1 (2-0 MAC). With the match starting at 165, the Chippewas took a 3-2 decision on the strength of riding time, giving them the 3-0 match lead. Rider fought back with three-straight wins at 174, 184 and 197 to take a 10-3 lead. Dean Sherry (Brick, NJ/Brick Township) defeated Jake Lowell, 8-3, while George Walton (Franklin, NJ/Bound Brook) dominated Ben Cushman for a 20-7 major decision. Ethan Laird (Waterford, PA/General McLane) also held off Landon Pelham at 197, 3-2. However, Central Michigan would win the next two bouts by fall and the final six overall to clinch the win. Fourth-ranked heavyweight Matt Stencel pulled the Chippewas to within a point at 10-9 with a fall. Another fall from No. 8 Drew Hildebrandt at 125 made it 15-10, while a decision at 133 and a major decision at 141 pushed the Chippewas to a 22-10 lead. A last-second takedown at 149 made it 25-10, while a 5-3 decision closed out the Central Michigan win.  Rest of the story at https://gobroncs.com/news/2019/12/8/wrestling-falls-to-central-michigan-28-10.aspx?mc_cid=69462118ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Forty Years Ago: Cal Poly Upsets No. 1-Ranked Iowa, 27-12
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Forty years ago, on Dec. 8, 1979, Cal Poly set the collegiate wrestling world abuzz. The University of Iowa, ranked No. 1 in the country and defending NCAA Division I national champion, arrived at Mott Athletics Center with a 34-match winning streak and a plethora of nationally ranked wrestlers coached by Dan Gable, the legendary Olympian. Cal Poly, however, was not fazed that evening, as Leonard Branzuela and David Jack earned wins by fall and Gary Fischer, Scott Heaton and Rick Worel won by decisions in a 27-12 Mustang victory before 1,547 fans. Gable, a two-time NCAA champion, world gold medalist and Olympic gold medalist, was 182-1 combined in his high school and University of Iowa careers. His only defeat came in the NCAA finals in his senior year. Iowa would go on to claim the third of nine consecutive national team championships while injuries and illness to several key wrestlers kept Cal Poly from making a legitimate run at the title. But on that night, 40 years ago today, Coach Vaughan Hitchcock’s Mustangs parlayed three decisions, two falls and a forfeit into an historic victory. Cal Poly, actually ranked No. 1 for a couple weeks that year, had a pair of top-ranked wrestlers in the lineup that evening — Heaton at 167 pounds and Worel at 177. Heaton earned a 6-1 decision over Mark Stevenson and Worel was an 8-5 winner over Ed Banach, giving Cal Poly a 21-9 lead with two bouts remaining. After an Iowa win at 190, Jack put the exclamation point on the Mustang victory with a fall in 6 minutes, 3 seconds, over Dean Phinney. Cal Poly won the first two bouts of the dual meet and never looked back. Fischer was a 7-6 winner over Dan Glenn at 118 and Branzuela’s fall in 3:31 over Jeff Kerber gave the Mustangs a 9-0 advantage. Randy Fleury picked up the forfeit win at 150 and Cal Poly won three of the final five matches to win going away. Rest of the story and some more history at https://www.gopoly.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20191208x86m7j?mc_cid=69462118ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

‘Wrestle’ named one of top documentaries of 2019
The documentary “Wrestle” which tells the stories of a handful of high school wrestlers from Alabama has been named one of the five best documentaries of 2019 by the National Board of Review, AL.com reported.

Here’s how InterMat opened its February 2019 article about the film’s New York City premiere: “Get ready to get to know Jailen, Jamario, Teague and Jaquan … four high school wrestlers from Huntsville, Alabama whose stories on and off the mat are the focus of a brand-new documentary titled ‘Wrestle’ which debuted in New York City this weekend…”
The official website for “Wrestle” refers to an award-winning documentary about high school basketball in its description of its own film, stating, “‘Hoop Dreams’ goes to the mat in this intimate, coming-of-age documentary about four members of a high-school wrestling team at Huntsville’s J.O. Johnson High School…” “Wrestle” is a multi-dimensional film which goes beyond the wrestling mat to focus on various issues, including struggles of life with a low income, racial profiling, the intense pressure of trying for a college scholarship, and the challenges of being a single parent. Rest of the story at http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/22678?fbclid=IwAR2vHDQaStj1BkDmsaNcOEoU6Mna2OAQ5sDGWwy2O5_m-UmYZ2BVDfmgQ9c

Corey’s Stories: Wrestling film pioneer Ernst changed the sport forever
Donn Ernst was a teacher making less than $6,500 a year in 1973 when he dropped nearly 20 percent of his annual salary to fuel an idea that changed wrestling forever.  Ernst had heard the late legendary Granby (Va.) High School coach Billy Martin tout the necessity of watching and learning from the best. It sparked a concept in Ernst’s mind.  He spent $1,200 on equipment. With his reel-to-reel and 15mm cameras in tow, Ernst started filming. “I looked for the greatest, the best technicians in the world,” said the 75-year-old New Jersey native who now lives in Easton, Pa. Ernst became the godfather of wrestling footage in the United States — “one of wrestling’s unsung heroes,” according to three-time World champion Lee Kemp — and a friend to many of the sport’s most decorated athletes and coaches.  “He’s 100-percent dedicated to the sport,” Kemp said. “He’s given so much, and never wanted anything in return.” To know Donn Ernst requires some background. His parents divorced when he was 9. It was an event Ernst would cite as pivotal for years to come. “Divorce wasn’t common then — nothing like today,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t normal or ideal. As a little boy, I felt different.” One result of his parents’ split: Heat and food became sparse. “I learned to breathe into my shirt at night when it would get cold,” Ernst said. “Dad didn’t send money, (so) mom worked two jobs.  “She did her best.” At the age of 16, he joined the wrestling team. He found comfort being with teammates in the practice room.  “The people in wrestling — then and now — became another family for me,” Ernst said. Delayed by a learning disability, Ernst graduated from high school at the age of 20. Undeterred, he eventually graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to teach and coach for 33 years. In the early-1970s, Ernst brought his sport-changing idea to life — or perhaps more accurate, to film.  He was invited to the 1975 World Championships in Minsk on a recommendation from 1972 USA Olympic freestyle coach Bill Farrell, then the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Ernst filmed subsequent World Championships, World Cups, Olympics and an array of tournaments and clinics around the world, perpetually targeting each era’s best.  Rest of the story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1575862885284&twSessionId=dhqouaxfah&postId=1840220132&mc_cid=69462118ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Penn State wrestling’s Aaron Brooks impresses during debut weekend and quickly proves himself
Cael Sanderson has assessed a lot of talent over his 14 seasons as a head coach. Usually he knows what he has talent-wise and can reasonably predict a wrestler’s trajectory and future impact on Penn State’s lineup. Every once in a while though, Sanderson gets it wrong, and wrestlers exceed his expectations — it happened with Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal, but now it’s seemingly happening with one of Penn State’s rising stars, freshman Aaron Brooks. Brooks is a four-time Maryland state champion and won a Cadet gold and Junior World silver medal before ever arriving in Happy Valley, establishing his wrestling bona fides early. Still, when Sanderson opted to pull Brooks’ redshirt on Friday prior to Penn State’s dual with Lehigh, he wasn’t sure how that would bode for someone who hadn’t wrestled in a dual meet since high school and was now being thrust into the nation’s top starting lineup at 184 pounds. Brooks managed a 10-5 decision over Lehigh’s NCAA qualifier Chris Weiler in his dual debut, and established he belongs in the lineup in the future for Penn State as he suited up in favor of All-American Shakur Rasheed, who has yet to compete for the Nittany Lions this year. Rest of the story at https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/wrestling/article_7ee64fde-1a16-11ea-b246-cb951a0f2d9f.html?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

What We Learned at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, except for CKLV results – those will come back with you. As always, the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational was a wild weekend full of incredible wrestling, crazy upsets, and lessons to be learned for the remainder of the season. I’ll dive into some of the lessons that stood out to me at CKLV and what they mean for all parties involved as we move toward the heart of this NCAA season.
Northwestern could have All Americans at 125 and 133
Coming into this season, pretty much everyone in the wrestling world fully expected Northwestern to have an All American at 125…but we all thought it would be Sebastian Rivera. With Rivera having moved up to 133 seemingly for good, the 125 job was won by Michael DeAugustino and he has made the most of his opportunity thus far. The Florida native knocked off UNI’s Jay Schwarm in the round of 16 and followed that up with a win over Michigan’s Jack Medley in the quarterfinals. He fell to Jack Mueller in the semifinals but responded with a pair of wins to finish third and above a few wrestlers ranked in the top 12 nationally. After DeAugustino’s performance this weekend, it is a very real possibility for Northwestern to have All Americans at both of the first two weights this season. It’s still early and outlier performances do happen, but DeAugustino looked like an AA contender in Vegas.
Ridge Lovett is an All American threat
Ridge Lovett come to Nebraska with a lot of promise, having wrestled in the Fargo finals more times than almost anyone in the history of the event. He stepped right into the lineup as a true freshman and looked like a seasoned veteran on his way to a third place finish in Las Vegas. Lovett’s lone loss came to Wyoming All American Montorie Bridges in the semifinals, but even in that match he showed the ability to compete with one of the nation’s best. Finishing third at an event like CKLV, especially as a first semester true freshman, puts you squarely in thick of the All American conversation. Rest of the story at http://www.hmawrestling.com/article/what-we-learned-at-cklv/?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

After Strong Weekend, Cornell Named MAC Wrestler of the Week
ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Middle Atlantic Conference announced their weekly awards this morning for the week ending Dec. 8. Among the honorees was freshman Garret Cornell of Messiah’s wrestling team being named MAC Wrestler of the Week. Cornell won an individual title this past weekend at the Messiah Petrofes Invitational in the 141 pound weight class after defeating Gregory Baum of Muhlenberg by way of a pin in the finals. He was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. This is Cornell’s first MAC Wrestler of the Week award in his career as a Falcon.
Rest of the story at https://gomessiah.com/news/2019/12/9/wrestling-after-strong-weekend-cornell-named-mac-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Mount Union’s Conner Homan Named OAC Wrestler of the Week
AUSTINTOWN — Mount Union senior Conner Homan (Loveland) has been named Ohio Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week. Homan went 5-0, won the 174-pound title and helped lead the Purple Raiders to a team title at the Messiah Petrofes Invitational last week in Grantham, Pa. Homan had three pins, a tech fall and a major decision in his five wins and was given the sportsmanship award at the tournament. On the season, Homan is 6-4 and has a fourth place finish at the Adrian Invite. Rest of the story at http://athletics.mountunion.edu/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20191209m6nscg?mc_cid=4692e6bf0d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

December 10, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Nebraska Cornhuskers Claim Cliff Keen Team Title

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Isaiah White (165) won his second consecutive individual title and the No. 2 Nebraska wrestling team won their third Cliff Keen Invitational team title in program history on Saturday night at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. White was one of nine Huskers who placed as NU amassed 118 team points, the most among the 32 schools competing. The team title is Nebraska’s first since 2008; the Huskers also took home the title in 2003. In both seasons, Nebraska went on to record Top-5 finishes at the NCAA Championships. 
Semifinals
The day began with semifinals matches. Ridge Lovett (133) was the first of five Huskers to wrestle in the semifinals. Lovett matched up against #8 Montorie Bridges of Wyoming. The Huskers and Cowboys squared off against one another in Lincoln on Nov. 22, but Lovett did not wrestle. Bridges got the best of the NU freshman, defeating him 5-1. 
#6 Chad Red Jr. (141) then went up against #1 Luke Pletcher of Ohio State, who placed fourth at the 2019 NCAA Championships. Pletcher did not allow a takedown and won by major decision, 11-3. 
#6 Mikey Labriola (174) and #7 Dylan Lydy (Purdue) went to sudden victory tied 1-1, but Lydy scored a takedown to win the match by a final score of 3-1.  Rest of the story at https://huskers.com/news/2019/12/7/wrestling-cliff-keen-day-2.aspx

December 10, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment