No. 1 Penn State wrestling (16-0, Big Ten 8-0) took down No. 7 Nebraska (5-4, Big Ten 2-4) 21-13 to clinch the Big Ten regular season championship on Sunday afternoon in a packed Rec Hall.
Without three regular starters in the lineup, the Nittany Lions won six of 10 bouts. Though the Cornhuskers cut into the Penn State lead, Aaron Brooks and Greg Kerkvliet took care of business to finish the afternoon and seal the victory.
Penn State extended its dual meet win streak to 27, the best in the nation.
How It Happened
Starting the day at 125 pounds, No. 6 Drew Hildebrandt worked a low single for a takedown and a 2-0 first period lead against Nebraska’s Jeremiah Reno. Hildebrandt built his riding time to 2:49 with a second period rideout and then escaped early in the third to extend his lead to 3-0. The Nittany Lion’s riding time point gave him a 4-0 decision and put Penn State ahead 3-0 in the team score.
No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young was a takedown machine from the outset in the 133-pound bout against Nebraska’s Dominick Serrano. Bravo-Young built a comfortable 10-4 lead with 1:26 in riding time after the first period. After riding out the second period, Bravo-Young continued to pile on the points in the third with an escape, five more takedowns, a stall point and 4:02 in riding time to record a 23-8 technical fall. The bonus points extended Penn State’s lead to 8-0.
At 141 pounds, No. 1 Nick Lee had the Nittany Lions’ first ranked opponent from Nebraska on the day as he faced off with No. 8 Chad Red Jr. Lee emerged out of a scramble for a takedown and a 2-0 lead after one period. Up 3-0 after a second period escape, Lee pushed his riding time to 1:20 in the third before Red got on the board with an escape. Red’s point didn’t matter as Lee added the riding time point and took a 4-1 decision that increased Penn State’s lead to 11-0.
No. 18 Beau Bartlett nearly had a first period takedown against Nebraska’s No. 8-ranked Ridge Lovett in the 149-pound bout, but Lovett fought through and scored a takedown of his own to open up a 2-0 lead. After an escape to start the second, Lovett countered a Bartlett shot for a takedown and a 5-0 lead. The Husker controlled on top in the third to secure a riding time point and a 6-0 decision that gave Nebraska its first victory of the day. The Nittany Lions still led 11-3.
Terrell Barraclough took Nebraska’s No. 5-ranked Peyton Robb to the wire at 157 pounds. Barraclough held his own against Robb as he only trailed 2-1 after the initial period. The wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third, and with Robb ahead 3-2 late, Barraclough took a shot on a low double. The Nittany Lion nearly had a winning takedown, but time expired and Robb claimed a 3-2 decision. Penn State led Nebraska 11-6 into the intermission.
Stepping in again for Brady Berge at 165 pounds, Penn State’s Creighton Edsell tripped Nebraska’s Tahjae Jenkins-Harris to the mat after a low single for a takedown with 20 seconds left in the first period to take a 2-0 lead. After a rideout in the second period, Edsell escaped to start the third, then added two takedowns, a stall point and a riding time point for a 9-2 decision. The win extended Penn State’s lead 14-6.
With top-ranked Carter Starocci still recuperating from an injury, Penn State again sent out Mason Manville for the 174-pound bout against No. 5 Mikey Labriola. The Husker notched four takedowns through the first two periods for an 8-3 lead. An escape, two takedowns and a riding time point added up to a 14-4 major decision for Labriola. Nebraska was closing the gap as Penn State led only 14-10.
No. 1 Brooks looked to give Penn State some breathing room when he took on No. 9 Taylor Venz in a top-10 184-pound bout. Brooks took a 4-1 lead in the first period and continued to be aggressive in the second, tacking on three more takedowns, final five seconds of the period. Brooks got another takedown out of a scramble in the third, and with a stall point and 2:15 in riding time came away with a 14-4 major decision. Penn State extended its lead 18-10.
With No. 2 Max Dean sitting out a dual meet for the first time this season, Michael Beard took to the mat for Penn State in the 197-pound bout against No. 3 Eric Schultz. Beard held a 2-1 lead following a takedown late in the first period. Beard was hit with a second stall warning and Schultz rode out the second period to tie the bout at 2-2 heading into the third. Beard controlled on top to erase the Schultz’s riding time point at the start of the third before the Husker escaped for a 3-2 lead. With under a minute remaining, Beard converted on a low single for a 4-3 lead, but two quick, controversial stalling points against Beard and a Schultz escape led to the Husker’s 6-4 decision. Penn State still led Nebraska into the final match 18-13.
In the final bout at 285 pounds, No. 5 Greg Kerkvliet took on Nebraska’s No. 12-ranked Christian Lance. Kerkvliet took a 2-1 lead after one period. In the second, Kerkvliet got an escape and a takedown, then rode out the period, including beautiful mat return that got Rec Hall roaring, to take a 5-1 lead into the third. Kerkvliet added a late takedown in the third and a riding time point for an 8-2 decision to round out Penn State’s 21-13 win over Nebraska.
What’s Next?
The Nittany Lions will return to action at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20, at Rec Hall when they take on Rider University for the final dual meet of the season.
StateCollege.com’s Geoff Rushton contributed to this story.
