The dual began at 125 where Nittany Lion Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa.) mounted a late flurry but fell just shy in a 4-2 loss to Maryland's Brandon Cray. Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) put Penn State on top with by pinning Jhared Simmons at 133. Keener turned a big second period lead into a fall at the 3:48 mark. True freshman Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, then dominated Terrapin junior Ryan Diehl, collecting eight takedowns in a lopsided 22-10 major decision, giving Penn State a 10-6 lead.
Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, continued his torrid pace, pinning Alfred Bannister at the 1:19 mark to put Penn State up 16-3. The fall was Retherford's 15th of the year. Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, kept pace with Retherford, picking up his 15th pin of the year as well. Nolf turned a big first period lead into a cradle and a fall over Kyle Cochran at the 1:43 mark. The Nittany Lions carried a 22-3 lead into intermission off three pins and a major.
Penn State continued its pin parade to start the second half with three straight. Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, pinned Brendan Burnham in the first period, getting the fall at the 1:23 mark. Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, also notched a first period pin, getting the fall over Jahi Jones at the 2:44 mark.
Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, made it three straight to start the second half (and six for the dual) by pinning Nico Capello at the 3:32 mark in the second period to put Penn State up 40-3. Sophomore Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.) got the call at 197 for Penn State and dominated David-Brian Whisler, rolling to a 14-5 major decision to put Penn State up 44-3. Nevills, ranked No. 8 at 285, faced No. 6 Youssif Hemida of Maryland in the dual's marquee match-up. Nevills controlled the action from start to finish, using a first period takedown and a full third period rideout to roll to a 4-1 win with 2:20 in riding time. Nevills' strong performance put Penn State up 47-3 at dual's end.
Penn State notched a lopsided 36-1 takedown edge and, with its 28-0 edge against Purdue on Friday night, owned a 64-1 takedown advantage on the weekend. Penn State grabbed 20 bonus points off six pins (Keener, Retherford, Nolf, Joseph, Hall, and Nickal) and two majors (Lee and Cassar). The win moves Penn State's dual meet win streak to 40 straight, dating back to the 2014-15 season. Retherford now has 15 pins on the year and 51 for his career, just two shy of tying Penn State's all-time record of 53. Nolf also has 15 and 44 for his career, fifth all-time. Nickal has 11 this season and 36 for his career, seventh all-time. Penn State moves to 9-0, 5-0 in the Big Ten while Maryland falls to 5-8, 0-7 B1G.
The Nittany Lions return to Rec Hall on Friday, Jan. 26, against Minnesota. The 7 p.m. dual in Rec Hall will be a BTN live national telecast. With all home dual meets sold out, a limited number of Standing Room Only (SRO) tickets are available to select Rec Hall duals based on availability. Call 1-800-NITTANY for information or to purchase tickets.
The 2017-18 Penn State wrestling season is sponsored by The Family Clothesline. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
Results:
125: Brandon Cray MD dec. Devin Schnupp PSU, 4-2 / 0-3
133: Corey Keener PSU pinned Jhared Simmons, WBF (3:48) / 6-3
141: #7 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. Ryan Diehl MD, 22-10 / 10-3
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Alfred Bannister MD, WBF (1:19) / 16-3
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU pinned Kyle Cochran MD, WBF (1:43) / 22-3
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU pinned Brendan Burnham MD, WBF (1:23) / 28-3
174: #2 Mark Hall PSU pinned Jahi Jones MD, WBF (2:44) / 34-3
184: #1 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Nico Capello MD, WBF (2:23) / 40-3
197: Anthony Cassar PSU maj. dec. David-Brian Whisler MD, 14-5 / 44-3
285: #8 Nick Nevills PSU dec. #6 Youssif Hemida MD, 4-1 / 47-3
Records: Penn State 9-0, 5-0 B1G; Maryland 5-8, 0-7 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: Home vs. Minnesota, Friday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. in Rec Hall (BTN)
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Redshirt freshman Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa.) took on Brandon Cray at 125. The duo battled evenly for the first two minutes with neither wrestler finding an opening to score. Action took place in the middle of the mat with both men on their feet with Schnupp moving forward and Cray stepping back throughout the opening stanza. The first period ended scoreless and Cray chose down to start the second period. Cray rolled his way to a reversal and a 2-0 lead off the opening whistle. Cray maintained control long enough to build up over 1:00 in riding time and continued his ride for the entire period. Trailing 2-0, Schnupp chose neutral to start the third period. Schnupp worked for a takedown early but Cray was able to counter the shot and force a stalemate with 1:38 on the clock, returning action to neutral. Schnupp set the offensive takedown, got in on a head-inside single and finished off the takedown to tie the bout at 2-2 with :52 left. Schnupp cut Cray loose to a 3-2 deficit and began looking for a go-ahead takedown. With :17 left, Schnupp fought for a final takedown but could not pick up the takedown. With 1:34 in riding time, Cray posted a 4-2 win.
133: Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) took on Maryland's Jhared Simmons. Keener used a strong double leg takedown to open up a 2-0 lead just :39 into the bout. Keener used Simmons' arm to work him to his back for a four count and a 6-0 lead. Keener cut Simmons loose at the 1:30 mark and then turned a headlock into a throw and a near pin, picking up four more back points to up his lead to 12-1 with :46 on the clock. Keener dominated action on the top position, building up over 2:00 in riding time with a rideout to lead 12-2 with 2:04 in time after one period. Simmons chose neutral to start the second, took a slight shot that Keener countered and turned into another takedown to lead 14-1. He then locked up a cradle and picked up the pin at the 3:48 mark.
141: True freshman Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, battled Maryland junior Ryan Diehl. Lee quickly took Diehl down and cut him loose to a 2-1 lead with over 2:00 to wrestle in the opening period. Lee fought off a throw attempt by Diehl but gave up the takedown. He quickly escaped and took Diehl down but Diehl reversed him in a scramble to tie the bout 5-5. Lee escaped and then took Diehl down for an 8-5 lead in a furious opening two minutes. Lee finished off the rideout, forcing one stall, and led 8-5 with 1:48 in riding time after one period. Diehl chose down to start the second period and escaped to an 8-6 score. Lee used a low shot for a takedown and a 10-6 lead and then cut Diehl loose to a 10-7 score. Lee took Diehl down at the 1:00 mark, cut him again, and led 12-8 at the :40 mark. Lee added a third takedown in the period, picked up another point on a stall, and led 15-8 after two periods with 2:59 in riding time. Lee chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 16-8 lead. He used a low double and cut to up his lead to 18-9, then took him down one more time to lead 20-9. Lee clinched the riding time point, cut Diehl loose and picked up another stall point. Lee finished in control and, with 3:35 in riding time, posted the 22-10 major.
149: Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, met junior Alfred Bannister. Retherford took Bannister down quickly and opened up a 2-0 lead just :20 into the bout. Bannister scrambled to an escape at the 2:10 mark. Retherford quickly worked his way to shoulder control, turned Bannister to his back and picked up yet another pin, this one at the 1:19 mark.
157: Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, battled Kyle Cochran. Nolf wasted no time opening up an early lead. The Nittany Lion junior took Cochran down twice in the opening period to lead 4-2 and began working the edge of the mat for a third takedown, turning a low single into a scramble at the 1:32 mark. A potentially dangerous hold forced a reset and Nolf scored quickly off the whistle to lead 6-2. He then locked up the cradle and picked up Penn State's third pin, this one at the 1:43 mark.
165: Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, met Brendan Burnham. Joseph worked the middle of the mat to start the bout, working for shoulder control and then changing levels as he shot low at Burnham's ankles. Joseph turned a low single into a 2-0 lead with 2:14 on the clock and then went to work on top. Joseph adjusted and worked his way into control with a cradle and picked up the pin at the 1:23 mark.
174: Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, took on Jahi Jones. Hall got control of Jones' left leg and steadily worked his way to a takedown at the 2:15 mark to open up a 2-0 lead. Hall built up :38 in time before cutting Jones loose to a 2-1 score. The Lion sophomore stalked the edge of the mat with Jones circling and never coming back to the middle, picking up a stall warning. Hall scored quickly off a reset and led 4-1 at the 1:00 mark. He turned Jones for two back points, cut Jones loose and then took him down and worked arm control into another Penn State first period fall, this one at the 2:44 mark.
184: Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, faced off against freshman Nico Capello. Nickal worked on his takedown offense, picking up three takedowns in the opening minute to lead 6-3 less than a minute into the bout. In all, Nickal picked up a gaudy eight takedowns in the opening period to lead 16-7 with 1:44 in time after one. Capello chose down to start the second period and Nickal made him pay. The Lion scrambled his way into a turn and picked up the fall at the 3:23 mark.
197: Sophomore Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.) got the nod at 197 and battled David-Brian Whisler. Cassar notched the first takedown and opened up a 2-0 lead less than :30 into the bout. Cassar cut Whisler loose and worked a low shot into another takedown and a 4-1 lead with 1:23 left in the opening period. Whisler escaped late in the period but Cassar added to his lead with a third takedown and led 6-2 after the opening stanza. Whisler chose down to start the second period and Cassar added some time to his riding time edge before Whisler escaped to a 6-3 Cassar lead. The Nittany Lion sophomore steadily worked for another takedown and upped his lead to 8-3 with 2:40 in riding time before blood time stopped action briefly with :46 left in the second period. Leading 8-3 with over 3:00 in time, Cassar chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 9-3 lead. Cassar worked his way through a shot on the edge of the mat for another takedown to lead 11-3 with :45 left to wrestle. Whisler escaped at the :20 mark but Cassar quickly took the Terrapin down one more time for a final takedown and, with 4:15 in riding time, posted a strong 14-5 major.
285: Junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 8 at 285, took on No. 6 Youssif Hemida in the dual's marquee match-up. Each wrestler had chances in the opening period, getting in on single legs in the middle of the mat. But both men were able to step out of trouble and the bout remained scoreless as the clock moved under 2:00. Nevills turned a low single into leg control and then finished off the takedown with 1:20 on the clock to open up a 2-0 lead. Nevills maintained offensive control for :26 before Hemida escaped to a 2-1 Nevills lead. Nevills chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped for a 3-1 lead. He continued to try and stay on offense and the Lion junior forced Hemida into defense for the first minute of the second stanza. Nevills' offensive pressure led to a low single at the :40 mark and a scramble in the middle of the mat. Hemida fought off the move just long enough to kill the clock and Nevills led 3-1 after two. Trailing 3-1, Hemida chose down to start the third period and Nevills worked the Terrapin back to the mat off the opening whistle. The Lion junior worked his riding time edge up over 1:00 and continued control on top. Hemida got hit for a first stall warning at the 1:15 mark and Nevills began working for a chance to turn the Terrapin. With the riding time point clinched, Nevills broke Hemida down one more time and finished the period on top with a full third period rideout. A full 2:20 in riding time gave Nevills a strong 4-1 win.
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