No. 1 Penn State Blanks Indiana in Big Ten Wrestling Season Opener
The No. 1 Penn State wrestling team harbored perhaps two minor concerns this season. As usual, who would wrestle at 125 pounds, and then who might replace injured All-American Shayne Van Ness at 149 points? The Nittany Lions appear to have answered both questions with a pair of true freshmen.
Braeden Davis (125) and Tyler Kasak (149) continued their rise during the 2023-24 college wrestling season, putting on impressive shows at Rec Hall in Penn State's 46-0 shutout win over Indiana. The Nittany Lions (4-0) swept their first Big Ten opponent of the season to win their 48th consecutive dual match. The shutout was the 33rd in Penn State history. Of course Penn State's highly ranked wrestlers showed out, but the freshmen were the story. Here's the recap.
Penn State's Davis, Kasak win big
Davis (125) has been a critical find of Penn State's young season, taking control of a weight class that has been a program blind spot for several years. And Davis wrestles just like a young Cael Sanderson product. Leading Indiana's Michael Spangler 8-3 in the final minute, Davis rolled through a late move for a takedown and near-fall in a 15-3 major decision. Davis, a four-time state high school champion in Michigan, should enter the national rankings soon.
Kasak, a fellow true freshman, took a unique route to Penn State's starting lineup. The Pennsylvania state champ from Bethlehem Catholic High followed the path of teammate Levi Haines, who skipped his senior year of high school to train in State College. Kasak trained with the Nittany Lions Club's regional training center, learning with the program and wrestling against eliter competition. Haines turned that decision into an appearance in the 2023 NCAA finals. Now Kasak is off to his own impressive start.
Kasak (6-1) appears to have seized the roster spot at 149, which became open when Van Ness ended his season due to injury. Kasak, who has moved up from 141 to 149, earned his second consecutive win over a ranked wrestler, dominating Indiana's 14th-ranked Graham Rooks in a technical fall. Kasak battered Rooks in the first period, putting Rooks on his back twice for an 11-0 lead. Fittingly, Kasak finished the tech 17-0 with a 2-point near fall at the third-period buzzer. And instructively, Kasak's only loss of the season was to a teammate: Beau Bartlett, No. 2 nationally at 141, defeated Kasak 4-1 at the Army Black Knight Invite in November.
Another freshman wins big
True freshman Josh Barr shined in his Rec Hall debut, filling in for Bernie Truax at 184. Barr, a four-time Michigan high school state champ, was 7-0 in tournament competition this season with a title at the Army Black Knight Invite. He scored four takedowns in a 12-4 major decision over Indiana's Roman Rogotzke that signaled a bright future at the weight class.
The Nittany Lions dominate Indiana
Penn State has dominated opponents this season, but not quite like this. The Lions won nine of 10 bouts with bonus points, five by technical fall. The only result they lacked was a pin.
Among Penn State's top-ranked wrestlers, Haines made an important statement. Haines (No. 1 at 157) scored an 18-0 technical fall over Indiana's Nico Bolivar. Previously, Haines (7-0) had appeared tested in a few bouts, notably a 10-8 win at Oregon State. But Haines could not have looked much better in scoring his second technical fall of the season.
Top-ranked Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (197) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) dominated as expected, all scoring bonus-point victories. Starocci, Brooks and Kerkvliet are a combined 19-0 this season. No. 4 Aaron Nagao (133) also had a technical fall. Bartlett (No. 2 at 141) wrestled the afternoon's closest bout, scoring an 8-1 decision over No. 23 Dan Fongaro.
Tenth-ranked Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) took a 10-1 lead vs. the Hoosiers' Tyler Lillard with a first-period takedown, which ultimately ended the bout. Lillard took a medical default and had to be helped off the mat.
Up next
Penn State visits Michigan for a pair of matches next weekend. The Lions face Michigan on Friday and Michigan State on Sunday. Friday's match against No. 13 Michigan is scheduled for a 6 p.m. ET start on Big Ten Network.
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