UNIVERSITY PARK– It was a little more interesting than some expected, but No. 1 Penn State wrestling took care of business against No. 7 Ohio State, 28-9.
Among the night’s highlights was No. 2 Beau Bartlett overcoming No. 3 Jesse Mendez in sudden victory.
There was a shocker at 165, with No. 5 Bernie Truax being pinned by Ryder Rogotzke, who is unranked, late in the second period.
Penn State wrestling bounced back in the next match, with No. 1 Carter Starocci fending off No. 11 Rocco Welsh– a true freshman– at 174. Starocci extended his national-best winning streak to 61.
Here’s how it all went down.
125 – Braeden Davis started off by going on his feet with Ohio State’s Vinny Kilkeary. Kilkeary got an escape point in the second, but Davis hit a slick takedown shortly later to take a 3-1 lead. Kilkeary got another escape with 20 seconds left to make it 3-2 going to the third period. Davis started the third period down, and picked up his escape point quick. Kilkeary looked to have a takedown at the buzzer against Davis, but the official whistled it came after the buzzer. After review, the no takedown call stood as Davis took a 4-3 win for Penn State wrestling.
133 – There was a lot of action in this one. PSU’s Aaron Nagao fell behind, 9-2, after one period to the Buckeyes’ Nic Bouzakis. Bouzakis got three takedowns in the opening period. Bouzakis still led 11-6 after two periods. Nagao turned it on in the third period, but it wasn’t enough as Bouzakis held on for a 12-10 win to tie the dual meet at 3.
141 – The most anticipated bout of the evening takes place here as PSU’s second-ranked Beau Bartlett takes on No. 3 Jesse Mendez. Both wrestlers got escape points in their respective periods with the match tied at 1 early in the third period. The match needed overtime, and Bartlett got the winning takedown. Ohio State challenged the takedown again, and lost again as Bartlett took the 4-1 win in overtime.
149 – Make it another video review in this bout as Ohio State challenged two back points by Tyler Kasak. It was ruled Kasak had two points on the Buckeyes’ Dylan D’Emilio. Kasak took a 2-1 lead to the third period and got an escape point to start the third. Kasak added a takedown and had more than two minutes of riding time to get a 6-2 victory.
157 – Levi Haines was also given one his toughest tests so far this season against Ohio State’s Isaac Wilcox. Haines had to get a pair of takedowns in the third period to get an 11-3 major decision.
Penn State leads 13-3 at intermission.
165 – Mitchell Mesenbrink is a takedown machine when he’s on his feet. The problem was he didn’t spend too much time on his feet outside of the first period. Mesenbrink got two takedowns on Ohio State’s Bryce Hepner, and picked up a pair of reverses on his way to a 10-4 win.
174 – Ohio State’s Rocco Welsh didn’t have a lot of interest in wrestling PSU’s Carter Starocci, but Starocci wasn’t exactly an aggressor in the bout either. Starocci got a takedown in the first period, and that was enough to take home a 4-2 win.
184 – Shockingly, Bernie Truax gave up a fall to Ohio State’s Ryder Rogotzke in 5:59. That took the air out of Rec Hall.
197 – Aaron Brooks got things going in the right direction in a big way with a 22-6 technical fall in 6:21 over Ohio State’s Luke Geog. Brooks got seven takedowns in the bout.
285 – PSU heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet ended the night with a dominating victory over the Buckeyes’ Brandon Feldman. Kerkvliet got a takedown in each period, and also racked up over three minutes of riding time to get a 12-0 major decision.
Penn State 28, Ohio State 9
125 – Braeden Davis (PSU) dec. Vinny Kilkeary (OSU), 4-3. (3-0)
133 – Nic Bouzakis (OSU) dec. Aaron Nagao (PSU), 12-10. (3-3)
141 – Beau Bartlett (PSU) dec. Jesse Mendez (OSU), 4-1 OT. (6-3)
149 – Tyler Kasak (PSU) dec. Dylan D’Emilio (OSU), 6-2. (9-3)
157 – Levi Haines (PSU) maj. dec. Isaac Wilcox (OSU), 11-3. (13-3)
165 – Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) dec. Bryce Hepner (OSU), 10-4. (16-3)
174 – Carter Starocci (PSU) dec. Rocco Welsh (OSU), 4-2. (19-3)
184 – Ryder Rogotzke (OSU) pinned Bernie Truax (PSU), 3:59. (19-9)
197 – Aaron Brooks (PSU) tech. fall Luke Geog (OSU), 22-6 6:21. (24-9)
285 – Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) maj. dec. Nick Feldman (OSU), 12-0. (28-9)
