InterMat Staff

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Bucknell wrestling team topped Bloomsburg, 24-13, on Thursday night in its home opener at Davis Gym. The Bison (1-2, 0-0 EIWA) used a first-period pin by Matthew Kolonia (149) and decisions by six other wrestlers to power past the Huskies (0-1, 0-0 MAC). Senior Garrett Hoffman (285) put an exclamation mark on the victory, scoring a 9-2 decision in his return from an injury suffered in January of his sophomore year. Brandon Seidman (125) staked Bucknell an early advantage, using a third-period escape to top Christian Gannone, 3-2. After a loss by major decision at 133 pounds put Bloomsburg up by a point, Noah Levett (141) rallied to score a 10-5 decision over Aaron Coleman; Levett took the lead by picking up a takedown and two back points in quick succession and never looked back. Kolonia made quick work of Gavin Hale, bringing the Davis Gym crowd to its feet. After a loss by major decision at 157 pounds, the Hartman brothers won back-to-back bouts to extend the Bison's lead to 18-8. Zach Hartman, who is ranked as high as 15th nationally at 165 pounds, used two takedowns and a 4:06 riding time advantage to down Alex Carida, 5-1. Mitch Hartman, making his first dual appearance since 2017, edged Anthony Vetrano, 3-0, in a physical 174-pound bout. Bolstered by No. 14 Trevor Allard's technical fall at 184 pounds, Bloomsburg cut Bucknell's lead down to 18-13. Drew Phipps ultimately clinched the Bison's victory with a 4-0 decision over Kyle Murphy; Phipps rode out Murphy for the majority of the second period before picking up three points in the final frame. With his decision over Murphy, Phipps also stretched his dual winning streak to 15 bouts; he was last defeated in dual action on Jan. 5, 2018 at Navy. Davis Gym was electric when Hoffman, a 2017 NCAA qualifier at 184 pounds, took the mat for the first time since the 2018 Virginia Duals. Hoffman, who spent the past year and a half working back from an injury, looked strong in his victory over Jarrett Walters. While Walters scored the first takedown of the bout, Hoffman responded by netting eight unanswered points; he picked up an additional point for building a 2:15 edge in riding time. Following the exam break, the Bison travel to Long Island University, the EIWA's newest member, for a 7 p.m. dual on Friday, Dec. 20. They then attend the prestigious Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on Dec. 29-30. Results: 125: Brandon Seidman (BU) dec. over Christian Gannone (BLOOM) 3-2 133: Josh Mason (BLOOM) maj. dec. over Darren Miller (BU) 14-3 141: Noah Levett (BU) dec. over Aaron Coleman (BLOOM) 10-5 149: Matthew Kolonia (BU) fall over Gavin Hale (BLOOM) 2:01 157: Nate Newberry (BLOOM) maj. dec. over Jaden Fisher (BU) 15-5 165: #17 Zach Hartman (BU) dec. over Alex Carida (BLOOM) 5-1 174: Mitch Hartman (BU) dec. over Anthony Vetrano (BLOOM) 3-0 184: #14 Trevor Allard (BLOOM) tech fall over Kyle Inlander (BU) 18-3 (7:00) 197: Drew Phipps (BU) dec. over Kyle Murphy (BLOOM) 4-0 285: Garrett Hoffman (BU) dec. over Jarrett Walters (BLOOM) 9-2

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The 10th-ranked University of Pittsburgh wrestling team recorded eight wins en route to a 29-6 win over rival West Virginia Thursday night at WVU Coliseum. With the win, the Panthers improve to 3-1 on the year, while the Mountaineers drop to 0-3. The win was the 38th over West Virginia in program history as Pitt moves to 38-25-2 all-time. "We wrestled well," said head coach Keith Gavin. "The goal is continual improvement and our guys are buying into that mindset. We are on the right track." Bonus points played a major factor in the dominant win with three Panthers recording major decisions and one with a technical fall. Redshirt freshman Louis Newell got things started for the Panthers, recording an 11-1 major decision over WVU's Joey Thomas at 125 pounds. Newell jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first after scoring a takedown and four nearfall. He collected his remaining points via penalty point, an escape, takedown and added his final point with riding time. The major decision gave Pitt a 4-0 lead in the dual. Moving to 133 pounds, fifth-ranked redshirt sophomore Micky Phillippi improved to 8-0 on the year after recording his third career technical fall. Phillippi downed Lucas Seibert, 20-5, in 4:31. He scored five takedowns, back-to-back four nearfalls and two escapes to give the Panthers a 9-0 lead after two bouts. Redshirt freshman Cole Matthews continued Pitt's winning ways at 141 pounds, recording a 4-0 decision over Caleb Rea. The 19th-ranked Panther used a takedown, escape and riding time to secure his fifth win of the year. Redshirt freshman Luke Kemerer returned to the win column Thursday night with an 11-9 decision over Liam Lush at 149 pounds. Kemerer got off to a solid start, leading 6-3 at the end of the first. He built on his lead in the second, escaping off bottom and scoring a takedown to lead 9-3 entering the final frame. In the third, WVU's Liam Lusher escaped off bottom and scored a takedown to bring the score to 9-6. Kemerer escaped but was hit with a second stall warning, awarding a point to Lush. Lush then scored a takedown but it wouldn't be enough as Kemerer added his final point with riding time. The win improved the team score to 15-0 in favor of the Panthers. At 157 pounds, redshirt senior Taleb Rahmani held off Alex Hornfeck in a 7-6 decision. The 12th-ranked Panther was quickly taken down, but scored a reversal to tie it, 2-2. Rahmani started the second on top and Hornfeck escaped, but was taken down. Hornfeck then reversed Rahmani who then escaped. In the third, Rahmani started on bottom and reversed Hornfeck who then escaped but it wouldn't be enough. Rahmani's win gave the Panthers an 18-0 lead through the first five bouts. Following the break, redshirt junior Jake Wentzel improved to 7-0 after recording an 11-0 major decision over Brock Godzin. The 11th-ranked 165-pounder struck first in the opening frame and remained on top for the rest of the first. He started the second on bottom and picked up six points off a reversal and four nearfall. In the third, the two started neutral. Wentzel scored a takedown and added his final point with riding time, giving Pitt a 22-0 lead. Moving to 174 pounds, redshirt junior Gregg Harvey outlasted Scott Joll in a 6-2 decision. Harvey used two takedowns, an escape and riding time to secure the win. Pitt's final win of the day came at 184 pounds as redshirt freshman Nino Bonaccorsi picked up a 13-3 major decision over Jackson Moomau. Bonaccorsi recorded five takedowns, an escape, penalty point and riding time to improve to 7-1 on the year. The Mountaineers won the final two bouts, bringing the final score to 29-6. The Panthers continue action Sunday, Dec. 8 when they travel to Philadelphia to take on Drexel at 1 p.m. Results: 125: Louis Newell (UP) maj. dec. Joey Thomas (WVU), 11-1 – Pitt leads 4-0 133: #5 Micky Phillippi (UP) tech. fall Lucas Seibert (WVU), 20-5, 4:31 – Pitt leads 9-0 141: #19 Cole Matthews (UP) dec. Caleb Rea (WVU), 4-0 – Pitt leads 12-0 149: Luke Kemerer (UP) dec. Liam Lusher (WVU), 11-9 – Pitt leads 15-0 157: #12 Taleb Rahmani (UP) dec. Alex Hornfeck (WVU), 7-6 – Pitt leads 18-0 165: #11 Jake Wentzel (UP) maj. dec. Brock Godzin (WVU), 11-0 – Pitt leads 22-0 174: Gregg Harvey (UP) dec. Scott Joll (WVU), 6-2 – Pitt leads 25-0 184: #8 Nino Bonaccorsi (UP) maj. dec. Jackson Moomau (WVU), 13-3 – Pitt leads 29-0 197: #11 Noah Adams (WVU) dec. Kellan Stout (UP), 8-6 – Pitt leads 29-3 285: Brandon Ngati (WVU) dec. Cole Rickert (UP), 10-3 – Pitt wins 29-6

Greg Kerkvliet gets his hand raised after a win at the U23 World Championships (Photo/Kadir Caliskan, United World Wrestling) Greg Kerkvliet, the nation's No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2019, is headed to Penn State. He made the announcement Thursday on Instagram. After originally committing to Minnesota and then Oklahoma State in high school, Kerkvliet signed with Ohio State. A true freshman, Kerkvliet had yet to wrestle a single match for the Buckeyes. Earlier this year, Kerkvliet had indicated he would take a redshirt this season. However, in a radio interview this summer with Steelwood Radio, Kerkvliet said he planned to participate in Ohio State's wrestle-offs this past week to challenge Chase Singletary, the team's starter at 285 pounds. However, both Buckeye big men were in Budapest, Hungary to participate in the U23 Freestyle World Championships, where Kerkvliet eventually placed fifth at 125 kilograms. Kerkvliet was a four-time state champion in Minnesota. He reached the finals of the Cadet World Championships in freestyle twice, winning a gold medal in 2017 and a silver in 2018.

Allen's Anthony Ferrari is one of nine nationally ranked wrestlers expected to compete (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Fourteen teams from six states will assemble Saturday for the Gardner Edgerton (Kansas) Invitational. The field features three nationally ranked teams: No. 12 Allen (Texas), No. 19 Southeast Polk (Iowa), and No. 40 Broken Arrow (Okla.). Additional notable teams include Goddard (Kansas), Lincoln East (Neb.), and Staley (Mo.); though Staley is likely to be without national No. 1 at 195 pounds Rocky Elam, as he is training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center first semester. Nine nationally ranked wrestlers are slated to compete in the event, including the nation's best overall wrestler, A.J. Ferrari (Allen, Texas) at 220 pounds. Joining Ferrari in that weight will be another nationally ranked competitor in No. 6 Cade Lautt (St. James Academy, Kansas). Also in this weight class are expected to be state champion Ethan Kremer (Mill Valley, Kansas) along with returning state tournament participants Kalob Runyon (Southeast Polk, Iowa) and Hayden Gregg (Staley). Seven other weight classes are projected to feature a nationally ranked wrestler, three of whom are in the top ten nationally at their weight class. No. 7 Braxton Brown (Allen, Texas) anchors the 113-pound weight class, which also features state placers in Bryce Cockrell (Broken Arrow, Okla.) and Brandon Baustert (Lincoln East, Neb.). No. 8 Maxx Mayfield (Lincoln East, Neb.) is featured at 152 pounds. Joining him in that field are state champion Mario Danzi (Allen, Texas); multi-time state placers Jace Fisher (Goddard, Kansas), Micah Lugafet (Deer Creek, Okla.), and Joseph Irwin (Lansing, Kansas); as well as previous state qualifier Camden Baarda (Southeast Polk, Iowa). No. 6 Gabe Christenson (Southeast Polk, Iowa) is expected at 195 pounds, as are state champions Emmanuel Skillings (Broken Arrow, Okla.) and Eli Jansen (Skutt Catholic, Neb.), along with state placer Zane Davis (Allen, Texas) and state participant Noah Spreick (Lincoln East, Neb.) Below is a weight-by-weight listing of key wrestlers for the rest of the field. 106: No. 18. Nathan Jesuroga (Southeast Polk, Iowa), Keith Smith (Lincoln East, Neb.), and Logan Burks (Staley, Mo.) 120: No. 16 Jackson Cockrell (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Jason Henschel (Goddard, Kansas), Kade Moore (Allen, Texas), Jason Gilbert (Deer Creek, Okla.), Camden Maestas (Lansing, Kansas) 126: Keegan Slyter (Olathe North, Kansas), Khyler Brewer (Staley, Mo.), Eli Rocha (Platte County, Mo.), Blazik Perez (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Easton Taylor (Manhattan, Kansas) 132: Jordan Cullors (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Rance Waigand (Allen, Texas), Joel Jesuroga (Southeast Polk, Iowa), Zachary Keal (Mill Valley, Kansas), Cade Manion (Deer Creek, Kansas), Jerrdon Fisher (Goddard, Kansas) 138: Jared Hill (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Caleb Lazure (Skutt Catholic, Neb.), Carter Martinson (Southeast Polk, Iowa), Cade Coons (Staley, Mo.) 145: No. 13 Anthony Ferrari (Allen, Texas), Nicholas Stoltenberg (Skutt Catholic, Neb.), David Brooks (Staley, Mo.), Logan Davidson (Goddard, Kansas), Carson Martinson (Southeast Polka, Iowa) 160: No. 19 Elise Brown Ton (Allen, Texas), Aidan Johnson (Staley, Mo.), Cayleb Atkins (Goddard, Kansas), Deveyon Montgomery (Southeast Polk, Iowa), Tye Rozell (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 170: Bryce Mattioda (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Grant Lyman (Lincoln East, Neb.), Nolan Craine (Goddard, Kansas), Brodie Scott (Mill Valley, Kansas) 182: Trevor Dopps (Goddard, Kansas), Justin Brindley (Southeast Polk, Iowa) 285: Jared Neel (Staley, Mo.), Ge'Auvieon Crayton (Lincoln East, Neb.), Connor Brown (Southeast Polk, Iowa), Kobi Lawrence (Lansing, Kansas)

Mark Hall has three wins over Jordan Kutler over the last two seasons (Photo/Lehigh Athletics) After many teams took a bit of a holiday break last weekend, the season is back in full force this weekend. There are several top duals as well as the annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The following are some of the best potential matches at each weight. 125: No. 1 Spencer Lee (Iowa) vs No. 4 Patrick Glory (Princeton) When/Where: Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. ET: Iowa at Princeton (ESPN+) The series between Lee and Glory has been rather interesting so far. Last year, during Glory's true freshman season, the two faced off twice. In the first meeting, Lee got out to a big lead as he is want to do, and he ended up finishing the match in the second period via 18-2 technical fall. The rematch was much more interesting. Once again Lee got out to a big lead, and he had the advantage 12-0 after the first. However, Glory rode him well in the latter two periods and put up six straight points. Lee still took the bout via a 12-6 score, but he looked extremely vulnerable at points. Despite the tough second and third periods against Glory, Lee got back on track and ended up picking up his second NCAA title last season. This year he has gotten off to yet another hot start. He has won all three of his match by a combined score of 49-7. Glory went on to finish sixth at the NCAA tournament to become an All-American in his first season of collegiate wrestling. This season he has defeated all five of his opponents. Glory ran through the field at the Princeton Open with three technical falls and a pin. In his last outing, he went to sudden victory against No. 11 Brandon Paetzell (Lehigh) but still pulled out the win. Considering that Lee holds two wins over Glory, it is not a stretch to call him the favorite in this bout. However, Glory gave him fits in their second meeting, which makes the rematch interesting. The competitive level of this match should serve as a barometer to see where both of these wrestlers are at this point in the season. Prediction: Lee (Iowa) major decision over Glory (Princeton) 133: No. 7 Chas Tucker (Cornell) vs. No. 8 Montorie Bridges (Wyoming) When/Where: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 6-7: Cliff Keen Las Vegas (FloWrestling) Tucker got a bit of a late start to the season as he was representing the U.S. at the U23 World Championships. However, he has certainly made up for lost time with seven straight victories to start the year. Tucker knocked off Ohio State' Dylan Koontz last weekend. Bridges quest to get back on the podium this year hit a bit of a speed bump early in the season. He dropped a one-point match against true freshman Theorius Robinson (Northern Colorado). However, other than that he has been perfect. In his last action, he scored a major decision victory over Zak Hensley (Nebraska) to improve to 6-1 on the year. These two met last year. It was a close bout, and Bridges ended up taking the 2-1 victory in tie breakers. Neither wrestler has really faced that toughest competition this year, so if they meet at CKLV it will be a really good test. Bridges has always been hard to score on, and that should help him pull out another close victory over Tucker. Prediction: Bridges (Wyoming) decision over Tucker (Cornell) 141: No. 1 Luke Pletcher (Ohio State) vs. No. 2 Dom Demas (Oklahoma) When/Where: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 6-7: Cliff Keen Las Vegas (FloWrestling) One of the biggest results of the early part of the season was Pletcher's upset over Demas at the Michigan State Open. At the time, Demas was the No. 1-ranked wrestler at the weight. After defeating him in tie breakers, Pletcher took over that spot and has held onto it since. Pletcher not only won that match, but he has dispatched all nine of his opponents so far this year. Another highlight of the young season for the Buckeye was his sudden victory win over No. 14 Real Woods (Stanford). After back-to-back fourth-place finishes at the NCAA tournament at 133 pounds, Pletcher is a clear title contender this year at 141. Demas burst onto the scene last year with his throwing and pinning ability. He ended up finishing fourth at this weight to become an All-American for the first time. Demas began the year ranked No. 1, but he has had some head-scratching results. He already went to overtime with two unranked wrestlers, including Ohio's Kyran Hagan, who is 1-4 on the season. On the other hand, he remains overly dangerous and pinned No. 6 Chad Red (Nebraska) in a little over a minute last month. This match really represents a contrast in styles. Demas will go for the big move and occasionally makes quick work of solid wrestlers. On the other hand, Pletcher chooses to slow down the match and win close against top competitions. The first round went to Pletcher, and that will likely happen again here. However, one big move from Demas could result in a change at the top of the rankings. Prediction: Pletcher (Ohio State) decision over Demas (Oklahoma) 149: No. 5 Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa) vs. No. 12 Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) When/Where: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 6-7: Cliff Keen Las Vegas (FloWrestling) After becoming an All-American in his first year in the lineup for UNI, Thomsen has seen his last two seasons end in the round of 12. He returns this year as one of the favorites to reach the podium. Things looked great at the start of the year as he won the Cyclone Open and knocked off No. 6 Jarrett Degen (Iowa State) before defeating No. 19 Yahya Thomas (Northwestern). Thomsen then hit a bit of a snag and dropped a decision against No. 13 Collin Purinton (Nebraska) his last time out. Things do not get an easier here against Sasso. After a strong redshirt season last year, many are expecting a breakout performance from Sasso this year. Much like Thomsen he started the year with a lot of momentum. He won the Michigan State Open with wins over Nate Limmex (Purdue) and Kanen Storr (Michigan). The only blemish on his season was a surprising defeat via fall against Brent Moore (Virginia Tech). The expectations around Sasso are huge, and he gets a chance to prove the believers true at the CKLV Invitational. Thomsen will likely be his toughest opponent if they meet. Sasso has let some wrestlers stick around with him, but he should be the one getting his hand raised at the end of the day. Prediction: Sasso (Ohio State) decision over Thomsen (Northern Iowa) 157: No. 1 Hayden Hidlay (NC State) vs. No. 3 David Carr (Iowa State) When/Where: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 6-7: Cliff Keen Las Vegas (FloWrestling) By all accounts, Hidlay appears to be the man to beat at 157 pounds this year. After a second and fourth-place finishes as well as the graduation of Jason Nolf, the junior could find himself at the very top of the podium at the end of the year. Hidlay has been perfect so far this year through eight matches, and he has picked up five bonus-point victories along the way. He has already bested No. 5 Larry Early (ODU), who holds a win over him. After a gold medal performance at the Junior World Championships in the offseason, it looked like the time was now for Carr. However, there were still some lingering concerns about the transferability of his freestyle success to the folkstyle mats. Carr answered those questions in his last outing as he scored a 6-1 victory over No. 4 Kaleb Young (Iowa). Young's noted defense held early, but Carr was persistent and pulled out the win with third-period scoring. If this match happens at CKLV Invitational it will likely draw the most eyeballs of any match this weekend. Carr is clearly one of the next big things in college wrestling. However, it is entirely possible that he will struggle to put points on the board against Hidlay. The NC State wrestler is extremely hard to move out of position and has shown he can get to his offense when needed. Prediction: Hidlay (NC State) decision over Carr (Iowa State) 165: No. 6 David McFadden (Virginia Tech) vs. No. 12 Ethan Smith (Ohio State) When/Where: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 6-7: Cliff Keen Las Vegas (FloWrestling) Earlier this season Virginia Tech picked up an epic dual victory over Ohio state. However, in that match, Smith picked up one of his biggest wins to date as he knocked off McFadden. The match was somewhat controversial as Smith benefited from two penalty points, and there was a meaningful video review. The two could easily meet at the CKLV Invitational to settle the score. Outside of his loss against Smith, McFadden has been perfect on the season. He won the Navy Classic, and his run through the field included a win over No. 17 Zach Hartman (Bucknell). McFadden also knocked off former top prospect Peyton Mocco (Missouri). Last season Smith had 13 losses, but he still managed to reach the round of 16 at the NCAA tournament. The Ohio State faithfuls were looking for him to take a big step forward this year. The victory over McFadden was big for him, but his season record still stands at 7-3. Another win and a strong performance at the CKLV Invitational would do wonders for his confidence going forward. McFadden would have won the first match if the review went his way, but at the same time the referees probably got the call correct. This will likely be another close match. McFadden was the favorite in the first bout, and he remains the favorite here. Prediction: McFadden (Virginia Tech) decision over Smith (Ohio State) 174: No. 1 Mark Hall (Penn State) vs. No. 2 Jordan Kutler (Lehigh) When/Where: Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. ET: Penn State at Lehigh (ESPN+) With Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) moving up to 184 pounds, Hall became the prohibitive favorite at 174 pounds. He has annihilated his competition so far this year. The three-time NCAA finalist has won all five of his matches with two major decisions and three falls. Kutler has also benefited from Valencia's move out of the weight. He finds himself in the No. 2 spot. He has nearly been as dominant as Hall this year. The two-time All-American is riding a seven-match winning streak that includes three major decisions and two falls. Kutler also knocked off No. 5 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) at the Journeyman Collegiate Classic earlier this year. On one hand, Hall owns three victories over Kutler over the last two seasons. On the other hand, none of the matches have been blowouts. Their first meeting was a one-point win and the other two each had a four-point differential. Obviously Hall is the favorite, but Kutler could almost certainly pull off the upset. Hall likes to play it close, and that almost always works out for him. Kutler would need to greatly increase his volume on the feet and that seems unlikely to happen. Prediction: Hall (Penn State) decision over Kutler (Lehigh) 184: No. 1 Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) vs. No. 4 Trent Hidlay (NC State) When/Where: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 6-7: Cliff Keen Las Vegas (FloWrestling) Valencia is probably itching to get back on the mats. Even though his squad stopped Penn State's long winning streak in their last dual, he did not get a chance to compete as the Nittany Lions forfeited to him. The two-time NCAA champion is 8-0 on the year with all of his wins coming with bonus points save for his one-point win over No. 6 Taylor Venz (Nebraska). Hidlay has started off his first season as a starter with a bang. He has won all six of his matches, and he has already picked up a pair of signature wins. First he bested No. 7 Ben Darmstadt (Cornell). Hidlay then returned in the same weekend and defeated No. 6 Lou DePrez (Binghamton). The competition gets much tougher for Hidlay here, but he has passed every test so far. Valencia is going to be the favorite in every match he wrestles this year, so he will almost certainly walk away as the champion of the CKLV Invitational. However, it is always interesting to see if the up and coming prospect can take out a returning champion. Prediction: Valencia (Arizona State) decision over Hidlay (NC State) 197: No. 2 Patrick Brucki (Princeton) vs. No. 3 Jacob Warner (Iowa) When/Where: Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. ET: Iowa at Princeton (ESPN+) Brucki finished third at the NCAA tournament last year and all three of his losses came against wrestlers who have since graduated. He starts the season as the second-ranked wrestler, and he could very easily make it to the NCAA finals. He defaulted out of his first competition of the season. However, he was back on the mat last weekend and picked up a 7-4 decision over No. 15 Jake Jakobsen (Lehigh). This season has been a bit of a mixed bag for Warner so far. He has won all three of his matches and climbed into the top three in the country. However, he has had some difficulty distancing himself from lesser competition. For example, in his last match he scored a 5-2 decision over Taylor Watkins (Wisconsin). Watkins came into the match with an 0-5 record and a 21-26 career record against Division I competition. If Brucki is healthy he should be able to control this match on the feet and do enough to win. Warner has struggled to get out on bottom against higher level competition and struggles to score too often in his matches. This match might happen against at tournament time, so it should provide some much needed experience for Warner. Prediction: Brucki (Princeton) decision over Warner (Iowa) 285: No. 1 Anthony Cassar (Penn State) vs. No. 10 Jordan Wood (Lehigh) When/Where: Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. ET: Penn State at Lehigh (ESPN+) The returning NCAA champion has wrestled only two matches so far this season. He also did not compete in freestyle at the Bill Farrell like some of his Penn State teammates. Regardless, he is 2-0, and he knocked off All-American No. 6 Tanner Hall (Arizona State). Wood was one of the top returning placers at the start of this season. However, he has fallen somewhat down the rankings due to a pair of losses. He dropped a match against No. 5 Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley) and another against No. 9 Demetrius Thomas (Pittsburgh). Despite those losses he remains a top heavyweight and will likely return to the podium at the end of the season. Last year Cassar's heavyweight coming-out party really came against Wood. After moving up from 197 pounds, his first real heavyweight test was against Wood, and he passed it with a major decision. This could be an interesting match again this year. Wood really needs to get back his momentum, but that could be a tough task against the NCAA champion. Prediction: Cassar (Penn State) decision over Wood (Lehigh)

Joe Johnston (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Joe Johnston has the unique distinction of knocking off two top seeds at an NCAA wrestling championship in consecutive years. The Kansas native and past Iowa Hawkeye joins Chad Dennis on The MatBoss Podcast to talk about his wrestling career, coaching at Missouri and now his new post, coaching at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Johnston talks about the unique situation service academies bring to the world of wrestling and the student-athletes who have unique educational experiences along the way. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Podcasts | RSS

Returning CKLV Invitational champion Isaiah White is pre-seeded No. 1 at 165 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) LAS VEGAS -- The pre-seeds have been released for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, which takes place Friday and Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Notes: Final seeds are subject to change following weigh-ins on Friday. InterMat national ranking listed to the right. 125: 1. Jack Mueller (Virginia) -- No. 2 2. Alex Mackall (Iowa State) -- No. 6 3. Devin Schroeder (Purdue) -- No. 9 4. Jakob Camacho (NC State) -- No. 15 5. Jacob Schwarm (Northern Iowa) -- No. 16 6. Brandon Courtney (Arizona State) -- No. 19 7. Jace Koelzer (Northern Colorado) 8. Cole Verner (Wyoming) 9. Patrick McKee (Minnesota) 10. Alex Thomsen (Nebraska) 133: 1. Chas Tucker (Cornell) -- No. 7 2. Montorie Bridges (Wyoming) -- No. 8 3. Taylor Lamont (Utah Valley) -- No. 9 4. Jarrett Trombley (NC State) -- No. 13 5. Josh Kramer (Arizona State) -- No. 14 6. Anthony Madrigal (Oklahoma) -- No. 15 7. Tim Rooney (Kent State) -- No. 20 8. Chance Rich (CSU Bakersfield) 9. Collin Gerardi (Virginia Tech) 10. Quinn Kinner (Ohio State) 11. Tye Varndell (Edinboro) 12. Louie Hayes (Virginia) 141: 1. Luke Pletcher (Ohio State) -- No. 1 2. Dom Demas (Oklahoma) -- No. 2 3. Mitch McKee (Minnesota) -- No. 4 4. Chad Red (Nebraska) -- No. 6 5. Tariq Wilson (NC State) -- No. 12 6. Ian Parker (Iowa State) -- No. 13 7. Mitch Moore (Virginia Tech) -- No. 18 8. Cole Mattin (Michigan) 9. Durbin Lloren (Fresno State) 149: 1. Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa) -- No. 5 2. Jarrett Degen (Iowa State) -- No. 6 3. Griffin Parriott (Purdue) -- No. 7 4. Brock Zacherl (Clarion) -- No. 8 5. Brayton Lee (Minnesota) -- No. 9 6. Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) -- No. 12 7. Collin Purinton (Nebraska) -- No. 13 8. Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) -- No. 19 9. Denton Spencer (Virginia) -- No. 20 10. Henry Pohlmeyer (South Dakota State) 11. Russell Rohlfing (CSU Bakersfield) 12. Brent Moore (Virginia Tech) 13. Josh Maruca (Arizona State) 157: 1. Hayden Hidlay (NC State) -- No. 1 2. Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) -- No. 2 3. David Carr (Iowa State) -- No. 3 4. Kendall Coleman (Purdue) -- No. 8 5. Will Lewan (Michigan) -- No. 11 6. Justin Thomas (Oklahoma) -- No. 14 7. Ke-Shawn Hayes (Ohio State) 8. Jacori Teemer (Arizona State) 9. Peyton Robb (Nebraska) 165: 1. Isaiah White (Nebraska) -- No. 4 2. Josh Shields (Arizona State) -- No. 5 3. David McFadden (Virginia Tech) -- No. 6 4. Andrew Fogarty (North Dakota State) -- No. 8 5. Ethan Smith (Ohio State) -- No. 12 6. Thomas Bullard (NC State) -- No. 13 7. Phillip Conigliaro (Harvard) -- No. 14 8. Emil Soehnlen (Purdue) 9. Ricky Stamm (Hofstra) 10. Cam Coy (Virginia) 174: 1. Bryce Steiert (Northern Iowa) -- No. 4 2. Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) -- No. 5 3. Dylan Lydy (Purdue) -- No. 7 4. Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) -- No. 8 5. Devin Skatzka (Minnesota) -- No. 9 6. Daniel Bullard (NC State) -- No. 13 7. Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) -- No. 14 8. Brandon Womack (Cornell) -- No. 15 9. Jackson Hemauer (Fresno State) -- No. 16 10. Hayden Hastings (Wyoming) -- No. 19 11. Anthony Mantanona (Oklahoma) 12. Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) 13. Jacob Oliver (Edinboro) 14. Kimball Bastian (Utah Valley) 184: 1. Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) -- No. 1 2. Taylor Lujan (Northern Iowa) -- No. 3 3. Trent Hidlay (NC State) -- No. 4 4. Lou DePrez (Binghamton) -- No. 5 5. Taylor Venz (Nebraska) -- No. 6 6. Ben Darmstadt (Cornell) -- No. 7 7. Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) -- No. 9 8. Sammy Colbray (Iowa State) -- No. 11 9. Jelani Embree (Michigan) -- No. 15 10. Zach Carlson (South Dakota State) -- No. 18 11. Owen Webster (Minnesota) -- No. 19 12. Max Lyon (Purdue) 13. Alan Clothier (Northern Colorado) 14. Tate Samuelson (Wyoming) 197: 1. Kollin Moore (Ohio State) -- No. 1 2. Jay Aiello (Virginia) -- No. 7 3. Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State) -- No. 8 4. Eric Shultz (Nebraska) -- No. 10 5. Thomas Lane (Cal Poly) -- No. 12 6. Jake Woodley (Oklahoma) -- No. 16 7. Christian Brunner (Purdue) -- No. 17 8. Tanner Orndorff (Utah Valley) -- No. 18 9. Kordell Norfleet (Arizona State) -- No. 19 10. Lucas Davison (Northwestern) 285: 1. Mason Parris (Michigan) -- No. 2 2. Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley) -- No. 5 3. Tanner Hall (Arizona State) -- No. 6 4. Chase Singletary (Ohio State) -- No. 7 5. Christian Lance (Nebraska) -- No. 13 6. Brian Andrews (Wyoming) -- No. 14 7. Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State) -- No. 16 8. Brandon Metz (North Dakota State) -- No. 19 9. Carter Isley (Northern Iowa) -- No. 20 10. John Borst (Virginia Tech) 11. Jon Spaulding (Edinboro) 12. Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard)

Lourdes University just outside Toledo will be adding a women's intercollegiate wrestling program starting in the 2020-21 school year, according to a report at TransitionWrestling.com, a website devoted to covering women's collegiate wrestling. The website also reports that Lourdes will be the first NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) school in Ohio to offer women's wrestling. "Women's wrestling is moving quickly and growing fast on the NAIA scene," Janet Eaton, Lourdes Athletic Director, told TransitionWrestling.com. "Lourdes athletics is a place where all can be successful. We welcome diversity and inclusion while being the first to break down barriers with stereotypes in a healthy environment. The addition of the sport aligns with the goal and mission of both athletics and the university as a whole." Lourdes University in the process of seeking a head coach for the new women's wrestling program. Candidates who wish to be considered may send their resume, cover letter and contact information for three references direct to the school at resume@lourdes.edu. Located in Sylvania, Ohio just outside Toledo, Lourdes University is a four-year, private university affiliated with the Roman Catholic church. Founded in 1958, Lourdes has an enrollment of approximately 1,500 students. The new women's wrestling program -- along with the existing men's mat program, and all other intercollegiate sports -- will compete in NAIA.

Ed Ruth gets his hand raised after beating Jason Jackson (Photo/Bellator) Ed Ruth is taking another significant step in his successful MMA career. Three years after his first MMA bout, the former Penn State wrestling champ will be appearing in his first main event. Ruth will headline Bellator 239 at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackervile, Oklahoma on February 21 where he'll face undefeated Yaroslav Amosov in the welterweight (170-pound) match. The 29-year-old Ruth, who launched his pro MMA career in November 2016 with the Bellator organization, is now 8-1. That one loss was to Neiman Gracie at the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix earlier this year. Since then, Ruth has notched two consecutive victories ... and signed a new contract with Bellator this summer. Yaroslav Amosov, 26, will also be making his first appearance in a main event. The Russian is 22-0 overall, with three wins in Bellator bouts. Among his more impressive opponents: Erick Silva, Gerald Harris and David Rickels. Prior to entering MMA competition, Ed Ruth made a name for himself in wrestling. The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native was a three-time NCAA champ for Penn State.

Drake Ayala (Fort Dodge, Iowa) is ranked No. 3 at 120 pounds (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) Thirty-three schools will convene for the season-opening Cliff Keen Independence (Iowa) Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The event will start off with preliminary pool competition, and then break down into flighted eight-man brackets based on placement in the preliminary pool round. Three Fab 50 teams anchor the field: No. 25 Simley (Minn.), No. 45 Christian Brothers College (Mo.), and No. 47 Fort Dodge. Christian Brothers College won the event last year, but likely will be without the services of Joshua Saunders, who is ranked No. 3 nationally at 145 pounds, this weekend since he is at the USOTC through first semester. Three additional Iowa teams will also be among those in contention: Iowa City West, Lisbon, and Osage. The 138-pound weight class is absolutely loaded, with three of the nation's top ten wrestlers: No. 6 Cael Happel (Lisbon), No. 7 Ryan Sokol (Simley, Minn.) and No. 9 Caleb Rathjen (Ankeny). Additional contenders include Christian Stanek (Cedar Rapids Xavier), Aidan Nutter (Fennimore, Wis.), Dreyzon Phillips (Fort Dodge), Kendall Norfleet (Marian Catholic, Ill.), Devan Lewis (Smithville, Mo.), and Hudson Taylor (Solon). Drake Ayala (Fort Dodge), who is ranked No. 3 nationally at 120 pounds, is the lone additional ranked wrestler expected to compete in the tournament. Other notables in that weight class include Austin Kegley (Cedar Rapids Prairie) and Jacob Fryer (Christian Brothers College, Mo.). Below is a summary of other notable wrestlers across the weight classes: 106: Kolby Warren (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), Grant O'Dell (Iowa City West), Brandon O'Brien (Linn-Mar), and Quincy Happel (Lisbon) 113: Trevor Anderson (Ankeny), Carter Fousek (Crestwood), Lane Cowell (Fort Dodge), Cade Siebrecht (Lisbon), and Reid Nelson (Simley, Minn.) 126: Alex Flerlage (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), Mason Lull (Fennimore, Wis.), Carson Taylor (Fort Dodge), Isaiah Weber (Independence), Bryce Parke (Linn-Mar), and Joe Sullivan (Osage) 132: Brooks Cowell (Fort Dodge), Hunter Garvin (Iowa City West), Robert Avila (Lisbon), Averee Abben (Osage), and Chase DeBlaere (Simley, Minn.) 145: Sam Kallem (Ankeny) and Cael Berg (Simley) 152: Vincent Zerban (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), Kody Cook (Fort Dodge), Graham Gambrall (Iowa City West), Eli Loyd (Pleasant Valley), Ryan Hampton (Smithville, Mo.), and Zeb Gnida (Solon) 160: Zach Williams (Osage) 170: Lucas White (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), Micky Griffith (Des Moines Lincoln), Matthew Doyle (Independence), Ashton Barker (Iowa City West), Spencer Mooberry (Osage), and Nolan Wanzek (Simley, Minn.) 182: Cole Davis (Independence), Will Hoeft (Iowa City West), and Gavin Nelson (Simley, Minn.) 195: Jack Darrah (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), Ashton Stoner-DeGroot (Cedar Rapids Prairie), Levi Egli (Fort Dodge), Cole Clark (Lisbon), Evan Rosonke (New Hampton), and Quayin Short (Simley, Minn.) 220: Bennett Tabor (Simley, Minn.) 285: Danen Settles (Fort Madison), Brant Baltes (Lisbon), and Taven Rich (Maquoketa)

This first full week of December begins the scholastic wrestling season in earnest for most parts of the country. Below is a listing of scheduled competitions during the week of Dec. 4-10 for teams that appear in the InterMat Fab 50 national high school team rankings. No. 1 Blair Academy, N.J. Competes in the Germantown Academy (Pa.) Tournament on Saturday No. 2 Wyoming Seminary, Pa. Travels to South Huntington, N.Y. for a tri-meet against St. Anthony's (N.Y.) and Chaminade (N.Y.) on Saturday No. 3 Buchanan, Calif. Competes in the Chuckchansi Invitational at Madera South (Calif.) on Friday and Saturday No. 4 St. Edward, Ohio Hosts quad meet on Saturday with Beavercreek (Ohio), Massillon Perry (Ohio), and Westerville North (Ohio) No. 8 Montini Catholic, Ill. Hosts tri-meet on Friday with Marist (Ill.) and Moline (Ill.); travel to No. 21 Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel on Saturday for quad meet along with Providence Catholic (Ill.) and Wheaton North (Ill.) No. 9 Tuttle, Okla. Hosts dual meet against Deer Creek (Okla.) on Tuesday 12/10 No. 11 Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio Competes in the Indianapolis (Ind.) Cathedral Six-Way on Saturday No. 12 Allen, Texas Competes in the Gardner Edgerton (Kansas) Invitational on Saturday No. 13 Poway, Calif. Competes in the Marauder Invitational at Mira Mesa (Calif.) on Friday and Saturday No. 15 Elyria, Ohio Hosts double dual on Saturday with Tiffin (Ohio) Columbian and Ashtabula (Ohio) St. John No. 18 St. John Bosco, Calif. Competes in the Cossarek Classic at Westminster (Calif.) on Friday and Saturday No. 19 Southeast Polk, Iowa Hosts dual meet against Ames (Iowa) on Thursday, competes in the Gardner Edgerton (Kansas) Invitational on Saturday No. 20 Shakopee, Minn. Travels to Farmington (Minn.) for a dual meet on Thursday, travels to Bemidji (Minn.) for a tri-meet on Tuesday 12/10 along with Detroit Lakes (Minn.) No. 21 Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel Hosts multi-team dual meet event on Saturday, which also includes No. 8 Montini Catholic (Ill.) No. 24 Stillwater, Minn. Travels to East Ridge (Minn.) for quad meet on Thursday along with Roseville (Minn.) and White Bear Lake (Minn.) No. 25 Simley, Minn. Competes in the Independence (Iowa) Invitational on Friday and Saturday No. 26 Liberty, Mo. Competes in the Leavenworth (Kansas) Tournament on Saturday, travels to Kearney (Mo.) for dual meet on Tuesday 12/10 No. 27 Malvern Prep, Pa. Competes in the Ephrata (Pa.) Duals on Saturday No. 28 Selma, Calif. Competes in the La Costa Canyon (Calif.) Classic on Friday and Saturday No. 29 Mt. St. Joseph, Md. Competes in the Washington (W.Va.) Elite Opener Tournament on Saturday No. 30 Millard South, Neb. Competes in the Sergeant Bluff-Luton (Iowa) Tournament on Saturday, travels to Elkhorn South (Neb.) for dual meet on Tuesday 12/10 No. 32 Wadsworth, Ohio Hosts tri-meet on Friday with Streetsboro (Ohio) and Mansfield Madison (Ohio) No. 33 Clovis, Calif. Competes in the Newberry Park (Calif.) Invitational on Saturday, hosts dual meet against Bakersfield (Calif.) on Tuedsay 12/10 No. 35 Brownsburg, Ind. Hosts dual meet against Westfield (Ind.) tonight, competes in the Harrison (Ohio) Duals on Saturday No. 36 Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa Travels to West Delaware (Iowa) for dual meet on Thurdsday, competes in the Keith Young Invitational at Cedar Falls (Iowa) on Saturday No. 37 Clovis North, Calif. Split squad on Friday and Saturday between the Vacaville (Calif.) Duals and the Chuckchansi Invitational at Madera South (Calif.) No. 38 Mustang, Okla. Travels to Shawnee (Okla.) for dual meet on Thursday, travels to Yukon (Okla.) for dual meet on Friday No. 39 St. Paris Graham, Ohio Competes in the Marysville (Ohio) Duals on Saturday No. 40 Broken Arrow, Okla. Hosts dual meet against Owasso (Okla.) on Thurdsay, travels to No. 41 Park Hill (Mo.) for dual meet on Friday, competes in the Gardner Edgerton (Kansas) Invitational on Saturday No. 41 Park Hill, Mo. Hosts dual meet against No. 40 Broken Arrow (Okla.) on Friday, hosts the Park Hill (Mo.) Duals on Saturday No. 42 DeKalb, Ill. Hosts dual meet against Neuqua Valley (Ill.) on Friday, competes in the Washington (Ill.) Duals on Saturday No. 43 Nazareth, Pa. Competes in the Cumberland Valley (Pa.) Kickoff Classic on Friday and Saturday No. 44 Stoughton, Wis. Travels to McFarland (Wis.) for tri-meet on Friday along with Monona Grove (Wis.), hosts the Pieper Duals on Saturday No. 45 Christian Brothers College, Mo. Competes in the Independence (Iowa) Invitational on Friday and Saturday No. 47 Fort Dodge, Iowa Hosts dual meet against Ankeny Centennial (Iowa) on Thursday, competes in the Independence (Iowa) Invitational on Saturday No. 48 Crescent Valley, Ore. Competes in the Perry Burlison Classic at Cascade (Ore.) on Saturday No. 49 Pomona, Colo. Travels to Bear Creek (Colo.) for dual meet tonight, competes in the Battle for the Belt at Pine Creek (Colo.) on Friday and Saturday Off this week: No. 5 Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), No. 6 Bergen Catholic (N.J.), No. 7 Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), No. 10 Gilroy (Calif.), No. 14 Davison (Mich.), No. 16 Delbarton (N.J.), No. 17 Brighton (Mich.), No. 22 Brecksville (Ohio), No. 23 Southern Columbia (Pa.), No. 31 St. Joseph Montvale (N.J.), No. 34 Lowell (Mich.), No. 46 Dundee (Mich.) and No. 50 Bethlehem Catholic (Pa.)

Alex Marinelli gets in on a shot against Iowa State (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) It's not as if the Iowa Hawkeye wrestling program doesn't have an illustrious history built on tradition, swagger and championships -- it does. In fact, Iowa has 23 NCAA team championships, 11 Big Ten dual championships, and more than 80 individual titles by more than 50 different wrestlers. That said, the recent dominance of Penn State since 2011, one year after Iowa captured its last team title has been unparalleled -- winning eight of the last nine team titles. The one exception being the 2014-15 year when Nico Megaludis, Zain Retherford, Jason Nolf, and Bo Nickal all redshirted simultaneously. These four earned 10 individual championships between them. In totality, 12 Nittany Lion grapplers have brought 23 individual championships to State College since their run began in 2011. Quite frankly, Penn State wrestling is the most dominant active dynasty in all of sports. Thus, Penn State's recent 19-18 dual meet loss to then No. 6 Arizona State in Tempe, in front of what was a record-setting Sun Devil-laden crowd, sent shockwaves across the NCAA. After all, it's not every day that a 60-match dual meet winning-streak is brought to an end, even if by the smallest of margins. In all fairness to Penn State, injuries forced Cael Sanderson's squad to travel to the desert short-handed. Starters Brady Berge and Shakur Rasheed, both consensus top-10 wrestlers by every major ranking site, were out of action due to injury. This, coupled with Penn State's decision to forfeit at 184-pounds proved too much to overcome. Despite winning five bouts, the Nittany Lions were downed for the first time since 2015, prompting over 8,000 upset-minded fans to storm the mat at Desert Financial Arena. Penn State has yet to take to the mat since their Nov. 22 defeat. Iowa on the other hand has wrestled twice since then. First, the Hawkeyes took to the road for the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series with rival Iowa State. To say that their performance was dominant would be an understatement. The Brands brothers watched as their beloved Hawkeyes won 8-of-10 bouts, recording a 28-4 edge in takedowns and a 90-38 advantage in match points. Iowa's Spencer Lee is ranked No. 1 at 125 pounds (Photo/HawkeyeSports.com) Spencer Lee (125), Austin DeSanto (133), Michael Kemerer (174) and Jacob Warner (197) all recorded bonus-point victories. Alex Marinelli (165), and what looks to be a dangerous freshman duo in Nelson Brands (184), and Tony Cassioppi (285) all secured wins against ranked opponents. Additionally, Pat Lugo (149) extracted revenge on a ranked opponent of his own, Jarrett Degen, winning for the first time in three meetings against Degen. Iowa only faltered at 141 where backup Carter Happel fell to Ian Parker, a ranked Iowa State Cyclone in sudden victory. The other Hawkeye loss and at 157, an upset where Iowa All-American Kaleb Young was bested by David Carr, son of ISU great and three-time Cyclone national champion Nate Carr. Early indications show that the former Carr could be a chip off the old block, poised to be a freshman phenom. Iowa followed up their rivalry match in Ames with a near-perfect showing in a Big Ten opener in front of more than 10,000 at the always rowdy and passionate Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Black & Gold were downright scary -- winning 9-of-10 bouts escaping with the 32-3 trouncing over a talented No. 6 Badgers squad. Picking a marquee match for Sunday's conference showdown is an impossible task -- there were several. Austin DeSanto upset No. 1 Seth Gross at 133, handing the former national champion his first NCAA loss at 133 pounds since former Iowa star Cory Clark beat him, 4-3, in the 2017 NCAA finals. Tony Cassioppi topped No. 2 Trent Hillger at 285, and Alex Marinelli defeated No. 3 Evan Wick at 165 in what is sure to be the first of their many epic battles this season. While DeSanto, Cassioppi, and Marinelli may have drawn the biggest cheers from the Iowa City faithful, Kemerer's pin and Lee's technical fall cannot be overlooked. Max Murin, Pat Lugo, Kaleb Young and Jacob Warner all showed the ability to battle and win the close match at their respective weights too. Even in defeat, backup Cash Wilcke, in the lineup at 184 for a sick Nelson Brands showed grit in a tough sudden-victory loss. Iowa is off to a ferocious 3-0 start with two wins over quality, ranked opponents and a 39-0 shutout over Tennessee-Chattanooga, complete with five bonus-point wins. They have won 27-of-30 individual meets and are winning by an average dual score of better than 33-3. Not to mention, the Hawks are probably as deep as they have been since the 2010 title run. They have seven returning All-Americans, plus a very capable Cash Wilcke who is a three-time Big Ten placer who has finished one round shy of All-American. Plus, some might forget Gavin Teasdale, a four-time PIAA state champion with 162 high school wins to his name. Teasdale adds additional depth to what is the most talented group of lightweights in the country. The season is still young. There is plenty of time for injuries to heal. The team race is more open than it has been in recent memory as some of the nation's best prep for Tokyo 2020. But this is Iowa's year to reclaim their spot atop the proverbial mountain. And, maybe even string together a title streak of their own. Looking ahead to next year, Iowa looks to return eight of the ten athletes currently in the starting lineup. Penn State will have a bit more rebuilding to do. The Nittany Lions will say goodbye to quite the accomplished group of seniors in Vincenzo Joseph, Mark Hall, Shakur Rasheed and Kyle Conel. Anthony Cassar has one more year of eligibility remaining, but his international wrestling aspiration could draw him away from State College as well. Penn State is a good team, but this year and the next, Iowa is looking to be great, with an offensive juggernaut capable of scoring in a hurry. The Hawks are very deserving of their No. 1 ranking -- one they likely won't be relinquishing any time soon.

Brandon Sorensen wrestling Ryan Deakin at the Big Ten Championships (Photo/HawkeyeSports.com) IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Four-time All-American and current Hawkeye Wrestling Club member Brandon Sorensen has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Testing began Friday, Nov. 29, and Brandon started treatment Tuesday, Dec. 3. He is being treated at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. "I am prepared to beat this disease, and there is no wait. The challenge is right in front of me and I am all-in. I know I am not alone in this fight. I have the very best doctors, resources, and family you could possibly hope for, and I know that we will beat this cancer together. There is no choice. We will move forward with success," Sorensen said. "Brandon Sorensen is not fighting this alone. I can guarantee everyone of that. We are with him lock-step, and by 'we' I mean this entire program, from his teammates and coaches to the alumni, fans, and administration. Brandon is as solid of a person as you will ever meet; personally, professionally, athletically, and socially. He has never backed away from an opponent and he will not back down from this," said Iowa head coach Tom Brands. A native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and a four-time Iowa high school state champion, Sorensen was a four-time All-American for the Hawkeyes from 2015-18. He was a 2016 NCAA finalist and a two-time NWCA All-American. He graduated in 2018 with 127 career wins and a bachelor of science in Sport & Recreation Promotion. He has been a member of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club since 2018. A GoFundMe page is being created in Brandon's name to provide financial support for his medical expenses.

Kaori Icho is a four-time Olympic champion (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) It appears that Kaori Icho's bid for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in wrestling is over. The 35-year-old Icho was not listed among the entries in women's wrestling for the upcoming All Japan Championships released by the Japan Wrestling Federation this weekend. The Championships -- the last event for Japanese wrestlers to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics -- are scheduled for December 19-22 in Tokyo. As InterMat reported in July, Icho, the legendary Japanese wrestler who is the only female athlete to have won four Olympic championships in any individual competition in any sport, lost in her bid to represent her country at the 2019 World Championships at 57 kilograms/125 pounds, falling to fellow 2016 Rio Olympic gold medalist Risako Kawai. In light of that loss this past summer, Icho had only two options to earn a place on Japan's women's freestyle team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics: drop down to 50 kilograms/110 pounds, or move up to 68 kilograms/149.6 pounds. She was not listed among the names in either weight class on the roster released by the Japanese Wrestling Federation. Icho is one of the all-time greats in international freestyle wrestling, having won 14 gold medals in global competition. In addition to her four Olympic gold medals from the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Games, Icho has earned gold at 10 World Championships going back to 2002.

The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational is the premier regular season event in college wrestling. This year's event takes place Friday and Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Fourteen of the nation's top 25 tournament teams will be in Las Vegas, headlined by No. 3 Ohio State. The Buckeyes are the three-time defending Las Vegas champions. As many as 90 ranked wrestlers could be competing this weekend in Las Vegas. Let's examine 10 questions heading into the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Zahid Valencia celebrates after winning the NCAA title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Is Zahid Valencia the Hodge Trophy frontrunner? Valencia, a two-time returning NCAA champion, has lost just two matches in the regular season in his entire NCAA wrestling career. Valencia was a silver medalist at the Junior World Championships in 2017 and remains an outside threat to contend for an Olympic spot at 86 kilograms. With all four of last year's Hodge Trophy finalists gone (three graduated, one Olympic redshirting), Valencia is one of the favorites to win this year's Hodge. One of this year's preseason Hodge Trophy favorites, Seth Gross of Wisconsin, fell to Iowa's Austin DeSanto on Sunday night. Valencia is 8-0 and has had only one competitive match, an 8-7 victory over Nebraska's Taylor Venz. Venz will be in Las Vegas, along with several other ranked 184-pounders. Will Valencia dominate the field and lay claim to being the Hodge Trophy favorite? Or will this weekend hinder his Hodge Trophy chances? Sammy Sasso gets his hand raised after a win over Stanford's Requir van der Merwe (Photo/Sam Janicki,SJanickiPhoto.com) Is freshman Sammy Sasso a national title threat at 149 pounds? Sasso, a top-10 recruit in the Class of 2018, entered the season with a lot of hype after a strong redshirt season. Last season, Sasso compiled a 19-2 record as a redshirt and had multiple wins over All-Americans. He started this season by winning the Michigan State Open, earning bonus points in every match. He followed it up with a close win (3-1) over Stanford's Requir van der Merwe. Two matches later, Sasso was pinned in the first period by Virginia Tech's Brent Moore. On Sunday, Sasso looked strong early against Cornell's Hunter Richard. He led 5-2 after the opening period and 7-3 after the second. He extended his lead to 10-5 in the third period before fading late and holding on to win 12-9. Eleven ranked 149-pounders will be in Las Vegas, including six ranked above Sasso. Purdue freshman Kendall Coleman won the Michigan State Open at 157 pounds (Photo/Sam Janicki,SJanickiPhoto.com) Who are potential freshman All-Americans? The aforementioned Sasso is one of 11 ranked freshmen competing in Las Vegas this weekend. While Vegas might not reveal the nation's No. 1 freshman (since several will not be in Las Vegas), it will reveal potential freshman All-Americans. Last year, Minnesota's Gable Steveson claimed a Vegas title as a freshman at heavyweight and went on to become an All-American with a third-place finish at the NCAAs. Virginia Tech's Mekhi Lewis reached the Vegas finals last year as a freshman before going on to win a national title a few months later. In addition to Sasso, other freshmen ranked in the top 10 competing in Las Vegas include Minnesota's Brayton Lee (149), Iowa State's David Carr (157), Purdue's Kendall Coleman (157) and NC State's Trent Hidlay (184). No. 4 Mitch McKee of Minnesota after getting a pin against Rider (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Where does Minnesota stand this season? With All-American and Olympic hopeful Gable Steveson still suspended, Minnesota has struggled to a 1-2 in dual meet record and No. 19 ranking in both the tournament and dual meet rankings. The Gophers have four ranked wrestlers, with Mitch McKee (141) being the highest ranked Minnesota wrestler at No. 4. What's Minnesota's ceiling this season? That will largely depend on whether Steveson returns to the Gopher lineup. This weekend will help shed some light into the potential ceiling for a Gable-less Gopher team. Is Arizona State more than a one-hit wonder? Coach Zeke Jones and the Arizona State Sun Devils sent shock waves through the wrestling world when they knocked off Penn State in a home dual meet on Nov. 22, ending the Nittany Lions' 60-match dual meet win streak. ASU enters Las Vegas ranked No. 6 in the tournament rankings rankings and No. 4 in the dual meet rankings. Was the Sun Devils' victory over the Nittany Lions an aberration? Or did it signal that ASU could be a force to be reckoned with this season? With six of the nation's top 10 tournament teams in Las Vegas, this weekend will provide a good test for the red-hot Sun Devils. Ohio State's Luke Pletcher lifts Oklahoma's Dom Demas in the finals of the Michigan State Open (Photo/Sam Janicki,SJanickiPhoto.com) Who is the nation's top 141-pounder? Three of the nation's top four 141-pounders are expected to be in Las Vegas: No. 1 Luke Pletcher of Ohio State, No. 2 Dom Demas of Oklahoma and No. 4 Mitch McKee of Minnesota. Pletcher, a two-time All-American, moved up from 133 pounds this season and is undefeated. Preseason No. 1 Demas has just one loss, which came to Pletcher, 2-1, at the Michigan State Open. McKee, a returning All-American, enters this weekend undefeated at 11-0 but has not faced a ranked wrestler. If the expected seeds hold, McKee will face No. 2 Demas in the semifinals and No. 1 Pletcher in the finals. The 141-pound weight class in Las Vegas is also expected to include two-time All-American Chad Red of Nebraska and 2018 All-American Tariq Wilson of NC State, as well as ranked wrestlers Ian Parker of Iowa State and Mitch Moore of Virginia Tech. Who is the nation's top 157-pounder? The 157-pound weight class in Las Vegas will likely decide the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the nation at 157 pounds with the nation's top three 157-pounders expected to compete. Two-time All-American Hayden Hidlay of NC State is ranked No. 1. He is a perfect 8-0 but has been pushed in a couple matches this season. He scored a two-point win over ODU's Larry Early and a one-point victory over Appalachian State's Matt Zovistoski. Northwestern All-American Ryan Deakin, ranked No. 2, is a returning Las Vegas champion. He has wrestled just three matches this season, going 3-0 with one ranked win. Iowa State freshman David Carr climbed to No. 3 last week after beating previous No. 2 Kaleb Young of Iowa. Carr, the son of Cyclone great Nate Carr, won gold at the Junior World Championships this past summer. Purdue's Kendall Coleman is another wrestler who could contend for the title in Vegas. He is undefeated and ranked No. 8. Who is the nation's top 184-pounder? Like 141 pounds and 157 pounds, 184 pounds in Las Vegas is loaded with high-end talent and will likely decide who is No. 1 in the nation next Tuesday. Six of the top seven 184-pounders could be competing in Las Vegas. Two-time NCAA champion Zahid Valencia of Arizona State is the prohibitive favorite, but there are several highly ranked wrestlers looking to claim the No. 1 spot. No. 3 Taylor Lujan of Northern Iowa is undefeated and recently earned a 15-6 major decision over Nebraska's Taylor Venz, who will also be in Las Vegas. Venz gave Valencia his closest match this season, losing 8-7 at the Journeyman Collegiate Classic. The weight class also includes undefeated freshman Trent Hidlay of NC State, No. 5 Lou DePrez of Binghamton, 2018 All-American Ben Darmstadt of Cornell and No. 9 Hunter Bolen of Virginia Tech. Michigan's Mason Parris is 3-0 against Central Michigan's Matt Stencel this season (Photo/Sam Janicki,SJanickiPhoto.com) Will Mason Parris continue his dominance at heavyweight? Mason Parris won gold at the Junior World Championships in dominant fashion this past summer. He outscored his opposition 36-2. In the finals of Junior Worlds, Parris earned a first-period fall over Iran's Amir Zare, who recently defeated three-time reigning world champion Geno Petriashvili of Georgia. Parris has started this season with a perfect 10-0 record, which includes three wins over Central Michigan's Matt Stencel, a wrestler who pinned him twice last season. He outscored Stencel 17-3 in those matches. In addition, he dominated No. 8 Demetrius Thomas of Pitt, 14-3. In Las Vegas, Parris could see three other top-eight heavyweights: No. 5 Tate Orndorff Utah Valley, No. 6 Tanner Hall of Arizona State and No. 8 Chase Singletary of Ohio State. Will Parris continue his dominance and solidify his No. 2 ranking? Or will he suffer his first loss of the season? Which unranked wrestlers will surprise in Las Vegas? Every year there are unranked wrestlers who shine in Las Vegas and break into the rankings. Last year, 15 unranked wrestlers placed, with two reaching the finals, Purdue's Griffin Parriott and Nebraska's Eric Schultz. There will undoubtedly be some unranked wrestlers who make noise this year in Las Vegas and get on the national radar. Who will they be?

Wrestling with what to give the wrestlers, coaches and fans on your holiday gift list? No need to go into overtime at the mall or online ... thanks to this list of some gift ideas that'll score big points. (To learn more about an item -- and place your order -- simply click on the title.) Hot off the press: New books for 2019 From Compton to Cleveland by Edward Gallo with Joey Davis Joey Davis has made a name for himself in college wrestling ... and in mixed martial arts. Born and raised in Compton, California in greater Los Angeles, Joey Davis headed east to Cleveland to wrestle at Notre Dame College of Ohio. In four years, Davis won four NCAA Division II individual titles -- and he did it without a single loss. With his 133-0 record, Davis became the first undefeated, four-time champ in D2 wrestling. Now fighting for Bellator MMA -- one of the nation's top pro MMA organizations -- Davis is maintaining that flawless performance, with a 5-0 record. This engaging book takes readers on a journey from the tough streets of Compton to the super-competitive world of college wrestling ... and beyond. Believe & Achieve: Overcoming Obstacles to Excel by Adam Wheeler with Craig Sesker Olympic medalist Adam Wheeler's life is the very definition of the term "overcoming adversity." He grew up in a single-parent home with serious economic struggles -- not to mention a couple major medical challenges -- to become an Olympic bronze medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at 96 kilograms/211 pounds at the 2008 Beijing Games. In the past decade, Wheeler has since served as a police officer, then as a firefighter. Wheeler shares his inspirational real-life story in his new book, written along with respected wrestling writer Craig Sesker. Giant Killer: The Carlton Haselrig Story by Carlton Haselrig and Kevin Emily The nation's first -- and only -- six-time NCAA wrestling champion. Pennsylvania high school state champ (despite being from a school without a wrestling program). NFL All-Pro offensive guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. One of just fifteen named to the NCAA 75th Anniversary team as one of the greatest college wrestlers since 1928. All of these accomplishments just scratch the surface of the life and career of Carlton Haselrig. Now the all-time great amateur wrestler/pro football star shares his story -- the good and the bad -- in this new book from Haselrig and Kevin Emily, author of "Pathfinder I" and "Pathfinder II"" which told the stories of pioneering African-Americans in wrestling. Tough Street: From Osage to London to Lehigh, the Remarkable Life of Gerald "Germ" Leeman by James Drew Gerald Leeman lived the American Dream. He earned a place in amateur wrestling history as a three-time Iowa high school state champ ... an NCAA titlewinner (and Outstanding Wrestler honoree) for what is now University of Northern Iowa ... a silver medal at the 1948 London Olympics ... and a storied career as head coach at Lehigh University. The son of an alcoholic father, Leeman battled the disease later in life with grace and dignity, and became a glowing example of the power of recovery and redemption. "Tough Street" tells Leeman's life story by sharing the stories of those who knew him best, gathered by author James Drew, who grew up in Leeman's hometown of Osage, Iowa. OOOSSS: Mike Denney: 50 Years of Coaching Excellence by Craig Sesker Mike Denney is one of the most successful college wrestling coaches of the past half-century ... guiding mat programs to titles -- and national recognition -- first at University of Nebraska-Omaha, then at Maryville University near St. Louis. This new book from award-winning wrestling writer Craig Sesker sets the stage in the opening chapter by talking about Denney's upbringing on a small farm in rural Nebraska, attending a one-room schoolhouse, in a situation that sounds more "Little House of the Prairie" than future coaching legend. The rest of the book tells the story of Denney's coaching successes, year by year, of the man Sesker describes as "one of my all-time favorite coaches and people." A Wrestler's Curse by Dr. Bill Welker Written by Dr. Bill Welker -- a former wrestler/coach/official who shares his knowledge and love of wrestling in books, an instructional DVD, a magazine column, and radio show -- "A Wrestler's Curse" is his first work of fiction. This young adult novel takes the reader along the journey of Jacob Christian's life in wrestling and in the classroom as a youngster, high school student, and in college ... taking on the "coming of age" challenges that just about anyone can relate to in their own lives. The outcomes are sometimes amusing, sometimes heartbreaking ... but always genuine, and seemingly true to the main character's strong moral character that makes this book appropriate for most junior high and high school-age readers. Dawn of a New Era: Penn State Wrestling 2009-2018 by the Penn State Wrestling Club The past decade of Penn State wrestling has been an incredible one. In April 2009, Cael Sanderson became head wrestling coach of the Nittany Lions ... and it was a complete reversal of fortune for the program that had just completed its first century. In his first decade at the helm (2009-2018), Sanderson led Penn State wrestling to seven NCAA team titles, 20 NCAA individual champions, 51 NCAA All-American honorees, and four Hodge Trophy winners. To commemorate the past decade's success, the Penn State Wrestling Club put together this brand-new book. It's the sequel -- and supplement -- to the first Penn State wrestling book, A Century of Penn State Wrestling also from the Penn State Wrestling Club. Pennsylvania Wrestling Handbook: 2019-20 by Tom Elling Compiled by award-winning wrestling writer Tom Elling and updated each year, "Pennsylvania Wrestling Handbook" is the go-to source for the sport in the Keystone State. Updated each year -- and now weighing in at just over 400 pages -- this handbook lists every returning wrestler who was either in PIAA series or who had at least one win. PAIST wrestler information is also included. In addition to statistical information not readily available anywhere else, it also features concise articles by some of the most respected wrestling writers in Pennsylvania. It's the up-to-date, go-to resource for coaches, media professionals, and dedicated fans. Hall-of-Fame-worthy gifts It's the ultimate dream for a wrestler to aspire to be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. Until that happens, the next best thing is to receive a unique gift from these wrestling institutions. There are books to appeal to all ages, including The History of Collegiate Wrestling-A Century Of Wrestling Excellence by Jay Hammond... and, The Wrestling Presidents from Pins to Patriots which is especially appealing to young readers. The Hall also has items that let you wear your love of "the oldest and greatest sport" for all to see, with a variety of shirts (including a National Wrestling Hall of Fame Logo T-shirt) ... and National Wrestling Hall of Fame Lightweight Mesh Back Hat. Envision "Vision Quest" presents under the tree ... "Vision Quest" -- the 1985 movie and the original novel by Terry Davis -- remain favorites of generations of wrestlers. Frank Jasper -- the young actor who brought the character of undefeated state champ Brian Shute to life in the film -- now has the website ShuteShirts.com which offers a range of unique gifts, including a signed 8" x 10" photo of Shute autographed by Jasper ($20) ... the versatile, color-saturated Thompson Backpack ($49) ... and, no surprise, a selection of wearables, including the classic Red Shute Shirt ($25). Want more unbeatable gift ideas? Take a look at InterMat's 2018 Holiday Gift Guide … and the 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Tony Cassioppi edged Trent Hillger at 285 pounds (Photo/HawkeyeSports.com) IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Three University of Iowa wrestlers defeated top-three opponents to lead the No. 1 Hawkeyes past No. 6 Wisconsin, 32-3, on Sunday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Austin DeSanto upset No. 1 Seth Gross at 133. Tony Cassioppi topped No. 2 Trent Hillger at 285, and Alex Marinelli defeated No. 3 Evan Wick at 165. In a battle of one versus two, DeSanto prevailed, 6-2, behind the strength of three takedowns; one in the first period and two more in the second. Marinelli is ranked No. 2 and won his fourth straight against Wick, this time by 4-2 decision. Cassioppi, ranked No. 12 at 285, used a first-period takedown to win the dual's final match, 3-2. "When you look at 133, 165, and heavyweight, that's a lot of fun for a lot of fans in here," said Iowa head coach Tom Brands. The dual featured five ranked matchups and the Hawkeyes won them all. Ninth-ranked Max Murin made his season debut at 141, defeating No. 10 Tristan Moran, 3-2. At 149 pounds, No. 3 Pat Lugo used a pair of takedowns to defeat No. 17 Cole Martin, 5-3. The Hawkeyes won nine-of-10 bouts overall and outscored the Badgers 76-32 in match points, holding a 22-3 advantage in takedowns. Wisconsin held a match lead for only 46 seconds of the entire dual. Spencer Lee opened the dual with a 16-0 technical fall at 125. Lee scored a takedown 70 seconds into the match and added three sets of four-point tilts to build a 14-0 lead after one. He reversed Michael Cullen 14 seconds into the second period to terminate the match. At 174, Michael Kemerer scored five takedowns to build a 17-6 lead before flattening Jared Krattinger in five minutes, 47 seconds. "Kemerer, really efficient offense. Hits the high crotch, brings his hips with you, drives him down. No scramble, no ankles. That's what we need, we need more of that on this team," said Brands. Kemerer and Lee are a combined 6-0 with six bonus-point wins this season. QUOTING THE HAWKEYES Austin DeSanto on scoring points and facing big challenges: "Scoring points is good, that's what you plan to do. The big thing is with Terry telling me to stay on my attack be ready for anything and just go out there let loose and be calm. That's what I did, and it worked." "We prepare for each match like it's the next best thing. The next best thing is Princeton, so we are heading to Princeton on Sunday. We have to prepare for that really hard. I just went out and wrestled. I know he is a professional, he is an adult, and he is going to come back harder. He is the man, but I just wrestled." Alex Marinelli on a statement win: "It doesn't matter if its December 1 or if it is March 1. You go out there and you compete the same way. You have all these competitiosn and dual meets but every match counts, every match matters. It makes the season fun when you have got No. 6 ranked Wisconsin coming in, that was a good crowd out there." NOTABLES DeSanto handed Gross his first NCAA loss at 133 pounds since Cory Clark beat him, 4-3, in the 2017 NCAA finals. The win was the 100th Big Ten Conference win of Tom Brands' career (100-10). Iowa has won 22 straight conference openers, including 14 in a row under Tom Brands. Spencer Lee (13-0), Alex Marinelli (14-0), and Jacob Warner (6-0) remain undefeated at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. UP NEXT Iowa wrestles at No. 12 Princeton on Dec. 8 in Princeton, New Jersey. Results: 125 -- #1 Spencer Lee (IA) tech. fall Michael Cullen (WIS), 16-0; 5-0 133 -- #2 Austin DeSanto (IA) dec. #1 Seth Gross (WIS), 6-2; 8-0 141 -- #9 Max Murin (IA) dec. #10 Tristan Moran (WIS), 3-2; 11-0 149 -- #3 Pat Lugo (IA) dec. #17 Cole Martin (WIS), 5-3; 14-0 157 -- #4 Kaleb Young (IA) dec. Garrett Model (WIS), 12-6; 17-0 165 -- #2 Alex Marinelli (IA) dec. #3 Evan Wick (WIS), 4-2; 20-0 174 -- #3 Michael Kemerer (IA) pinned Jared Krattinger (WIS), 5:47; 26-0 184 -- Johnny Sebastian (WIS) dec. Cash Wilcke (IA), 7-5 SV2; 26-3 197 -- #3 Jacob Warner (IA) dec. Taylor Watkins (WIS), 5-2; 29-3 285 -- #12 Tony Cassioppi (IA) dec. #2 Trent Hillger (WIS), 3-2; 32-3 Records: Iowa (3-0, 1-0), Wisconsin (6-1, 0-1) Attendance: 10,603

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The No. 8/5 Ohio State University wrestling team (3-1) supplied a packed house assembled at the Covelli Center with cheering opportunities aplenty, taking seven of 10 bouts to top Cornell (0-2), 23-9, Sunday afternoon. The latest triumph pushes Ohio State ahead in the all-time series, improving to 8-7-1 all-time when facing the Big Red. The day started at 141 pounds and Luke Pletcher pushed Ohio State ahead for good with a hard-fought 8-6 win. He tallied three takedowns and maintained an unblemished season mark of 9-0. Sammy Sasso tacked up on three more team points in the subsequent bout, holding on for a 12-9 decision. He carried a 7-3 edge into the third period and fended off a late flurry to come away victorious. Sasso came out on the right end of a wild scramble in the first period. Following a setback at 157 pounds, Ohio State snatched the next two matches to pull ahead 13-3. Ethan Smith rattled off four first-period takedowns, racing out an 8-3 edge through three minutes. The redshirt sophomore kept it coming and ultimately notched a 12-4 major decision. Classmate Kaleb Romero entered at 7-0 but several social media doubters pointed to his strength of schedule. Romero put that unsubstantiated knock to rest though, earning a 6-5 decision over 14th-ranked and All-American Brandon Womack. Ben Darmstadt, slotted seventh nationally at 184 pounds, then got the Big Red back on track with a 5-0 win. The nation's top 197-pounder, Kollin Moore, quickly flipped the momentum back in favor of the Scarlet & Gray, however. True freshman Jonathan Loew packed a 10-1 record in his suitcase and jumped out ahead 2-0 with an early takedown of Moore. The excitement was short-lived though as Moore responded by corralling a half dozen takedowns and turning Loew for two near-fall points en route to an 18-6 major decision. It represents Moore's eighth bonus-point-worthy performance (5 MD, 2 TF, pin) during a 9-0 start to the season. He is averaging 16.75 points per bout (not counting his pin). No moment was louder than the conclusion at heavyweight. Gary Traub, who electrified the Buckeye faithful with a late win vs. Stanford (Nov. 10), did it again. Trailing by a point, Traub grinded his way to a bout-clinching takedown with just four seconds left on the clock. The team triumph was now guaranteed as Traub extended Ohio State's lead to 20-6 with just two bouts remaining. Malik Heinselman surrendered no offensive points at 125 pounds, allowing only four escapes in an 8-4 besting of Dom LaJoie. Results: 141 lbs | No. 1 Luke Pletcher (OSU) def. Noah Baughman (CU) | D, 8-6; Team Score: 3-0 149 lbs | No. 12 Sammy Sasso (OSU) def. Hunter Richard (CU) | D, 12-9; TS: 6-0 157 lbs | Colton Yapoujian (CU) def. Elijah Cleary (OSU) | TB-1, 3-2; TB: 6-3 165 lbs | No. 12 Ethan Smith (OSU) def. Milik Dawkins (CU) | MD, 12-4; TS: 10-3 174 lbs | No. 19 Kaleb Romero (OSU) def. No. 14 Brandon Womack (CU); D, 6-5; TS: 13-3 184 lbs | No. 7 Ben Darmstadt (CU) def. Gavin Hoffman (OSU) | D, 5-0; TS: 13-6 197 lbs | No. 1 Kollin Moore (OSU) def. Jonathan Loew (CU) | MD, 18-6; TS: 17-6 285 lbs | Gary Traub (OSU) def. Brendan Furman (CU) | D, 4-3; TS: 20-6 125 lbs | Malik Heinselman (OSU) def. Dom LaJoie (CU) | D, 8-4; TS: 23-6 133 lbs | No. 7 Chas Tucker (CU) def. Dylan Koontz (OSU) | D, 12-5; TS: 23-9

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State won eight bouts including a pair of tech falls and four major decisions to defeat Augustana University 32-9 in a non-conference dual on Sunday, Dec. 1, in Scheels Center. It was the first meeting between the two former North Central Conference combatants since Feb. 1, 2004. North Dakota State (3-2, 0-0 Big12) is scheduled to send wrestlers to compete in the Cliff Keen Collegiate Invitational on Dec. 6-7 in Las Vegas. Augustana (0-2, 0-0 NSIC) jumped to an early 9-0 lead thanks to a forfeit at 125 pounds and Brandon Carroll's 10-6 over freshman Tyler Jones at 133. NDSU then reeled off eight straight wins. Dylan Droegemueller led 3-2 in the third period, but used a pair of 4-point near falls to put together a 14-2 major decision. Droegemueller notched his first collegiate dual win and improved to 5-2 overall. Jaden Van Maanen (1-4, 1-4) broke a four-match losing streak to start the season with a hard-fought 4-0 decision over Keaten Schorr at 149 pounds, while 157 Jared Franek (7-2, 3-2) muscled his way to a 16-5 major decision to put the Bison ahead for the first time at 11-9. Bonus point wins continued as No. 8-ranked 165-pounder Andrew Fogarty (9-0, 5-0) recorded his third tech fall of the season, 15-0 at 4:41, while 174 Lorenzo De La Riva (1-1, 1-1) and 184 Noah Cressell (3-3, 2-1) followed with major decisions. Turning in the afternoon's most impressive performance was 197-pound redshirt junior Cole Witzig (6-4, 1-0), who tilted his way to a 16-1 tech fall in 2:17. He led 10-0 in the first minute. It was the first tech fall for Witzig since his freshman year, who also picked up his first collegiate dual win. NDSU redshirt senior 285-pounder Dan Stibral (3-2, 1-0) closed out the dual with a 2-0 decision over Steven Hajas. Stibral gained an escape early in the second period and held the top position for the entire third period for the win. Results: 125: Ethan Cota (AUG), Forfeit 133: Brandon Carroll (AUG) dec Tyler Jones (NDSU), 10-6 141: Dylan Droegemueller (NDSU) major dec Hunter Burnett (AUG), MD 14-2 149: Jaden Van Maanen (NDSU) dec Keaten Schorr (AUG), 4-0 157: Jared Franek (NDSU) major dec Jacob Tvinnereim (AUG), MD 16-5 165: #8 Andrew Fogarty (NDSU) tech fall Dylan Schuck (AUG), TF 15-0 4:41 174: Lorenzo De La Riva (NDSU) major dec Ben Kelvington (AUG), MD 12-4 184: Noah Cressell (NDSU) major dec Tanner Brengle (AUG), MD 13-4 197: Cole Witzig (NDSU) tech fall Jarret Haglund (AUG), TF 16-1 2:17 285: Dan Stibral (NDSU) dec Steven Hajas (AUG), 2-0

CHAPEL HILL -- Zach Sherman's major decision win and Joey Mazzara's first dual meet win at UNC helped No. 18 North Carolina to a 19-13 win over Appalachian State Sunday at Carmichael Arena. After the Mountaineers won at 149 pounds with a major decision to begin the afternoon, the Tar Heels rattled off five straight wins to take command of Sunday's dual. A.C. Headlee began the momentum with a 3-2 upset win over No. 13 Matt Zovistoski. He used a first-period takedown and strong defense throughout the seven minutes to pick up the decision, his second over a top-15 opponent this season. No. 19 Kennedy Monday and Clay Lautt kept pushing the team score in UNC's favor with a pair of wins via decision before Joey Mazzara won his first dual meet match as a Tar Heel. The redshirt freshman was trailing App State freshman Julian Gorring after two periods, 1-0, but a late takedown earned Mazzara a 3-2 decision to spark the Carmichael Arena crowd. Brandon Whitman was tied, 1-1, with App State's Paul Carson after the third period but earned a key win for Carolina on a scramble in sudden victory. He scored a takedown with neutral danger points and locked down four more back points, good for a 7-1 win that advanced UNC's lead in the team score to 15-4. The Mountaineers followed Whitman's performance with three straight wins at heavyweight, 125 pounds and 133 pounds, tightening the score to 15-13. But Zach Sherman's 14-4 major decision – his second-straight bonus-point win – wrapped up the afternoon and gave Carolina a 19-13 win. The Tar Heels next hit the mat December 20 when the team travels to Arkansas to battle Little Rock in the program's inaugural season. Carolina will face off against former assistant Neil Erisman and the Trojans at 8:00 p.m. EST. Results: 149: Jonathan Millner (APP) maj. dec. Michael Goldfeder (UNC), 17-5 – App State leads, 4-0 157: A.C. Headlee (UNC) dec. No. 13 Matt Zovistoski (APP), 3-2 – App State leads, 4-3 165: No. 19 Kennedy Monday (UNC) dec. Will Formato (APP), 6-2 – UNC leads, 6-4 174: Clay Lautt (UNC) dec. Thomas Flitz (APP), 8-5 – UNC leads, 9-4 184: Joey Mazzara (UNC) dec. Julian Gorring, 3-2 – UNC leads, 12-4 197: Brandon Whitman (UNC) dec. Paul Carson (APP), 7-1 (SV-1) – UNC leads, 15-4 285: No. 17 Cary Miller (APP) dec. Andrew Gunning (UNC), 4-0 – UNC leads, 15-7 125: Sean Carter (APP) dec. Joey Melendez (UNC), 9-3 – UNC leads, 15-10 133: Codi Russell (APP) dec. Jaime Hernandez (UNC), 9-7 – UNC leads, 15-13 141: Zach Sherman (UNC) maj. dec. Bradley Irwin (APP), 14-4 – UNC wins, 19-13

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team won a tight 19-15 dual over Ohio in Maclellan Gym this afternoon. The Mocs took six of the 10 matches to improve to 3-4 overall. "It is a good win," stated UTC head coach Kyle Ruschell. "We beat two of their top guys at 133 and 149, so those were two good quality wins that our guys needed. "That is what this year has been about, giving our guys lots of opportunities. Today, a couple guys capitalized on that." Junior Fabian Gutierrez opened with a 15-4 major decision over Trevor Giallombardo at 125. That was followed by sophomore Franco Valdes' big win over Mario Guillen at 133. Valdes' match was tied at 1-1 after regulation and the first overtime period. Both wrestlers escaped in the tiebreakers, but Valdes scored a takedown and two back points in the second frame for the 6-2 win. Ohio cut into the lead with a major decision by Shakur Laney over sophomore Aidan Murphy at 141. Murphy battled hard and did a good job of fighting off a pin and a tech fall, despite the loss. Sophomore Tanner Smith used a late takedown to secure a 4-0 win over Alec Hagan at 149. That win put the Mocs up 10-4 in the team race. Ohio would trim that advantage with a tech fall at 157, but it easily could have been tied had sophomore Tyler Shilson not fought off a close near-fall early in the match. "At '41 and '57, we might have been out-gunned a little bit and the match got out of hand a little early," added Ruschell. "But our guys kept fighting off their back and saved team points. We talk about doing that more for each other than just themselves." UTC went back up 13-9 with sophomore Drew Nicholson's 6-1 decision over Joseph Terry at 165. Ohio cut it back to a one-point, 13-12 lead with a decision at 174. Sophomore Matthew Waddell kept the pressure on with a 5-2 decision of his own over Mason Kroening at 184. That gave UTC a 16-12 lead with two matches left. Senior Rodney Jones took the mat at 197 against Jake Walker with a chance to clinch the team win. Walker came out early with a takedown, but Jones quickly countered with a reversal. The same thing happened in the second period and the score was tied at 4-4 with two minutes left. Walker had built up over two minutes of riding time, so Jones started the third period by conceding an escape. "It was tough because that guy is a tough wrestler," stated Jones. "I knew that he was going to be stingy when it came to finishing takedowns on him. I got two reversals and those reversals really kept me in the match. I kept my motion and kept trying to fire off shots when I could and it ended up working out for me." With Walker holding the riding time point, Jones was essentially trailing 6-4. He got the tying takedown, but there was still 30 seconds on the clock. He was able to keep Walker down and force overtime. Walker shot first in the extra frame, but Jones countered and got the dual-clinching score. "I work on re-attacks with Coach Hatcher all of the time," explained Jones after the win. "When he took that shot, I knew immediately I had to get the angle to get around and get two. It was more muscle memory and something I have done a thousand times in the room. When I saw it in the match, I just went for it." Ohio would take the heavyweight match, but sophomore Grayson Walthall showed a lot of toughness in a 3-2 loss. He was in on a single late in the third period, but could not get the go-ahead score. "Rodney did a good job," said Ruschell. "Sometimes he can struggle on bottom, but he got two reversals. That is showing that he is getting better in some of his weakest areas. Ultimately, what won the match is he got the guy tired and Rodney had a lot of offense left in him." Up next for the Mocs are final exams next week, followed by a Dec. 14 road trip to No. 11 Iowa State. The next home action is the 2020 Southern Scuffle, presented by Compound Sportswear, on Jan. 1-2 in McKenzie Arena. Be sure to click the tickets tab at the top of the page to get your tickets today. Results: 125: Fabian Gutierrez (UTC) over Trevor Giallombardo (Ohio) (MD 15-4) 133: Franco Valdes (UTC) over Mario Guillen (Ohio) (TB-1 6-2) 141: Shakur Laney (Ohio) over Aidan Murphy (UTC) (MD 15-4) 149: Tanner Smith (UTC) over Alec Hagan (Ohio) (Dec 4-0) 157: Zac Carson (Ohio) over Tyler Shilson (UTC) (TF 20-5 6:01) 165: Andrew Nicholson (UTC) over Joseph Terry (Ohio) (Dec 6-1) 174: Logan Stanley (Ohio) over Hunter Fortner (UTC) (Dec 5-2) 184: Matthew Waddell (UTC) over Mason Kroening (Ohio) (Dec 5-2) 197: Rodney Jones (UTC) over Jake Walker (Ohio) (SV-1 8-6) 285: Jordan Earnest (Ohio) over Grayson Walthall (UTC) (Dec 3-2)

FRESNO, Calif. -- After more than a two-hour delay to start to the match, the Fresno State Wrestling team won six of 10 matches on Saturday evening to defeat Northern Colorado, 25-15 at the Save Mart Center in its Big 12 opener. Opening Big 12 action with a victory over the Bears for the second year in a row, Fresno State (1-4, 1-0 B12) got four bonus point wins in the dual as redshirt sophomore 174-pounder Jackson Hemauer recorded a fall, redshirt sophomore 125-pounder Jeremy Trinh received a forfeit and redshirt senior 165-pounder Ricky Padilla and redshirt sophomore 157-pounder Jacob Wright each tallied major decisions. The 'Dogs also got decisions from redshirt junior DJ Lloren at 141 pounds and redshirt junior Greg Gaxiola at 149 pounds. Northern Colorado (1-1, 1-1 B12) countered with four wins getting a fall along with three decisions. How It Happened With the dual starting at 165 pounds, Padilla saw his first dual meet action of the season and went to work quickly taking a 5-4 lead after the opening period over No. 33 Austin Matthews. With Matthews opening the second period with an escape and takedown, Padilla countered with an escape and takedown of his own for a 8-7 lead and added an escape, takedown and four-point near fall for a 15-7 lead. With a point for riding time, the fifth-year senior downed Matthews, 16-7 to give the 'Dogs a 4-0 lead. Hemauer kept the Bulldogs rolling at 174 pounds with fall over Billy Higgins in 4:43 as the No. 13 wrestler in the nation built a 8-3 lead before he was able to turn Higgins to his back to push the 'Dogs lead to 10-0. After back-to-back decisions by UNCO at 184 and 197 pounds, the Bears took their only lead of the match after heavyweight as Northern Colorado's Dalton Robertson was able to turn the 'Dogs Randy Gonzalez to push UNCO's lead to 12-10. A forfeit by the Bears to the 'Dogs Jeremy Trinh at 125 pounds gave the 'Dogs back the lead at 16-12. With a four-point lead and four matches remaining, Fresno State was able to win three of the final four matches as they overcame a tough 3-2 loss by No. 27 Gary Joint at 133 pounds to Mosha Schwartz that brought UNCO within one at 16-15. The 'Dogs closed out the dual with decisions by Lloren, 10-8 in sudden victory and Gaxiola, 6-1 to take a 21-15 lead as Fresno State lost a team point during the course of Lloren's match. With the Bears needing a pin at 157 pounds to tie the dual, Wright had other plans as he used five takedowns, an escape and a point for riding time for a 12-2 major decision over Jimmy Fate to seal the 'Dogs win. Notables Fresno State won its Big 12 opener for the second straight season as both wins have come against Northern Colorado. The 'Dogs move to 4-3 all-time against Northern Colorado and have won each of the last four meetings. Padilla earns his first dual win of the season and improves to 3-2 overall on the season. Hemauer moves to 8-1 overall on the season and tallied his second fall. Lloren won his seventh straight match and fifth by decision. Gaxiola goes to 7-2 with his sixth decision of the season. Wright won his team-leading ninth match of the season and picks up his third major decision on the year. Attendance for Saturday's dual was 2,136. Up next The 'Dogs travel to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite on Dec. 6-7 hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Results: 165: Ricky Padilla (FS) maj. dec. No. -/33 Austin Matthews (UNCO), 16-7 | FS 4, UNCO 0 174: No. 15/13 Jackson Hemauer (FS) won by fall over Billy Higgins (UNCO), 4:43 | FS 10, UNCO 0 184: No. -/23 Alan Clothier (UNCO) dec. Hunter Cruz (FS), 3-0 | FS 10, UNCO 3 197: No. -/27 Jacob Seely (UNCO) dec. Ryan Reyes (FS), 6-0 | FS 10, UNCO 6 HWT: Dalton Robertson (UNCO) won by fall over Randy Gonzalez (FS), 2:52 | UNCO 12, FS 10 125: Jeremy Trinh (FS) won by forfeit | FS 16, UNCO 12 133: Mosha Schwartz (UNCO) dec. No. -/27 Gary Joint (FS), 3-2 | FS 16, UNCO 15 141: DJ Lloren (FS) dec. Brody Lamb (UNCO), 10-8 SV1 | FS 18, UNCO 15 *Fresno State lost a team point during the match 149: No. -/26 Greg Gaxiola (FS) dec. Nathan Moore (UNCO), 6-1 | FS 21, UNCO 15 157: No. -/27 Jacob Wright (FS) maj. dec. Jimmy Fate (UNCO), 12-2 | FS 25, UNCO 15 - Rankings by InterMat/Trackwrestling

Brian Keck A GoFundMe page has been established for Brian Keck whose death in Mexico was announced earlier this week. He was 48. The family initially set up the fundraiser to help bring the former wrestler's body back to the U.S. with additional funds intended to help cover his funeral expenses. Brian Keck started his long wrestling career as a high school freshman, yet managed to win an Ohio state title. Keck continued his mat career in college, becoming a Junior College National Champion for Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, then headed east to Pennsylvania where he was a starter at Bloomsburg University. In his InterMat Tribute to the late wrestler, award-winning wrestling writer Craig Sesker wrote, "Keck made great contributions to the sport of wrestling. He excelled at the collegiate level and became a top American heavyweight at the international level. He was a strong, physical wrestler who was difficult to score on." "He was a tough guy on the mat, but a big teddy bear off it," according to Sesker. "He was one of the nicest guys in the sport. And he had a big heart. He would help anyone who needed it."

Wrestling fans take in an Oklahoma State dual meet at Gallagher-Iba Arena (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Takedown Report -- the blog which has been providing analyses of various aspects of college wrestling over the past couple months -- has taken the same detailed approach to tallying dual wins, and revealed the results at their website this past week. At the very top of the dual meet wins list is Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have racked up an all-time record of 1,120 wins in that storied program's 100 seasons of competition. "There are four other schools with more than 1,000 wins," according to Takedown Report editor Martin K. Fleming. "Iowa State and then Oregon State are next in line with 1,075 and 1,034 respectively. The fourth-place team overall, and the top Division III (D-III) program, with 1,029 wins is Springfield College (of Massachusetts). University of Iowa passed the 1,000-win mark this season to become the fifth-place team." What are mat programs that rank sixth through tenth in terms of dual victories? All of them compete in NCAA Division I, starting with University of Minnesota (sixth place), then Penn State, Lehigh, the U.S. Naval Academy and, in tenth place, University of Oklahoma. Takedown Report's analysis of top dual-meet wins also includes programs in other divisions. For example, at the top of the list of Division II wrestling programs are Minnesota-Mankato State and East Stroudsburg State with 624 and 621 wins respectively, putting them at 46th and 47th overall. To see the entire list, visit the Takedown Report blog. Questions? Comments? Contact TDR editor Martin Fleming directly at martinkfleming@gmail.com.

As many readers noted, last week's mailbag was the first in 10 years it has been Platinum content. Good ride. Let's keep it going. Sports fans and content consumers have long paid for content and while I was happy for my thoughts to be free, I think that the current model is more representative of the work put into the column (and all the other awesome InterMat content). And since you're reading this, you've made the jump and are along for the ride for at least another year. As before, I'll do my best to provide a fresh perspective on the people, places and institutions that impact the direction of our sports and community. I'm grateful for your readership. I hope you and your families had a wonderful thanksgiving and enjoy the weekend together. To your questions … Trent Hidlay is undefeated and ranked No. 4 at 184 pounds (Photo/NC State Athletics) Q: Hayden Hidlay and Trent Hidlay are doing some great things at their weight classes. They could potentially both make the NCAA finals. Were the Brands brothers the last to do it? -- D.D. Foley: The Hidlays are awesome to watch and I agree that it's great to see brothers perform at a high level, on the same team, in the same year. Their mother and father must be pretty proud. I would be. Also, they are both ACC wrestlers which is nice to see. The last finalist brothers are the Brands brothers, but the Williams brothers (Joe and T.J.) were only a year apart. Q: Iowa vs. Wisconsin on Sunday. Some fun matchups. Who ya got at 133, 165, and 285?! -- Mike C. Foley: See below. Seth Gross (Wisconsin) vs. Austin DeSanto (Iowa) at 133: You have to favor Gross. He's been wrestling well since taking a year off and just won the Bill Farrell down at 57 kilograms. DeSanto seems to be wrestling with increased focus in 2019-2020 and could challenge Gross in spots, but Gross' length, top wrestling, and ability to match DeSanto's intensity should make it Gross -3. Evan Wick (Wisconsin) vs. Alex Marinelli (Iowa) at 165: The Bull is ready for another season of aggressive attacks, bully double legs, and Hawkeye intensity. His 2-1 win over Wick at Big Tens stands as the pair's last meeting. Marinelli -0.5 Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) vs. Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) at 285: Cassioppi -2. Iowa State's David Carr recently knocked off previous No. 2 Kaleb Young of Iowa (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Q: The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational is expected to have the top three 157 wrestlers, Hayden Hidlay (NCAA finalist), Ryan Deakin (returning Vegas champ) and David Carr (Junior world champ), as well as Kendall Coleman (undefeated freshman). How do you see it playing out? Who are you picking to win it? -- Mike C. Foley: Were it freestyle I'd have a tough time choosing between David Carr and Ryan Deakin. Since it's early-season folkstyle I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to experience, then to momentum, and finally to matchup advantages. On almost all accounts Hayden Hidlay should be in good position to take top billing. He's tough to score on and wins big matches. The only one I think that can knock him off is David Carr who is having himself a month. Q: What big-time Division I school do you think will be the first to add women's wrestling? -- @Jonesy4473 Foley: Lock Haven? If you mean a traditional powerhouse, I'd guess it would be a brand-new program. However, as that doesn't meet the criteria, I think we might see Missouri, Oklahoma State, or Iowa jump into the game. When they are properly incentivized by money, attention, or results there will be change. I think the incentives exist, but it'll largely depend on the growth of the sport and what schools are offering future women wrestlers. By the way, is there any connection between Iowa's recruiting success, on-the-mat improvements, and general better-ness with the fact that they now have women in the room training to win the Olympics? (I think yes!) Question of the Week (InterMat T-shirt winner): We go to quite a few youth wrestling tournaments. My boys are competitive and hate to lose. I never wrestled (soccer player) but I try to emphasize getting better, not how big the trophy is or what color medal they get. But often times it falls on deaf ears! When do results really matter? -- Sonny R. Foley: High school? And even then, the results can always be understood to be something else. A lifetime ago now, but I started wrestling at age 14 and ended up forcing my way into a lineup. I think that a coachable, athletic, and smart athlete will find a plethora of opportunities in college wrestling. And while it's goal dependent there really isn't a limit to what you can achieve on the mats with the right support system. A non-wrestling example of this is Nicky Rodriguez, who started competing in jiu-jitsu two years ago and has already become one of the top five in the world at his weight category. His secret seems to be full and complete dedication as well as a training partner and coaching staff that perfectly aligns to his needs. Finding that symmetry as a college athlete is rare, but it is key to anyone who is looking to create a successful collegiate career. You have the right tact. Youth is for teaching someone how to analyze their position on the field and give them the habits that translate to improvement. Fight like hell to win, but don't get down about losses because those are the best learning lessons. There is nothing less productive than a wrestling accomplishment that comes to a young person based solely on their physical advantages. Technique, enjoyment, and clarity of purpose is key! Q: What do you think of private lessons for wrestling? I'm thinking about having my sons do them (wonderful coach/teacher, Division III All-American), but wondering if it's worth it? Pros? Cons? -- Sonny R. Foley: I think that if there is real potential, or a need to quickly catch up on the technical level (late middle school and above), then it can be a worthwhile venture. The pros are technical improvement, match management, and dedicated oversight of conditioning and strategies. The cons could be burnout or injury, but if your son or daughter is dedicated to the sport I doubt the extra boost will feel much like a yolk. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Freestyle highlights from the World Championships OUTRAGEOUS video on last-second wins Snyder vs. Sadualev (Paris 2017) Link: Iowa vs. Iowa State Q: I think it has something to do with the amount of top-level talent taking the Olympic redshirt, but there seems to be a lot more parity in Division I this year. Penn State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, and Lehigh have all been upset already. Which team should be concerned about their loss (two for Lehigh)? Which of the winning teams has the best chance of maintaining that success throughout the year? -- Matt W. Foley: The Lehigh losses weren't devastating, but I'm sure that Coach Santoro would rather have seen them be W's. The biggest worry is that one of Lehigh's losses came to Pittsburgh, in-state competitor for both athletes and attention (read: dollars). Also, it was the second straight season with a loss to Pitt. The Oklahoma State loss came to Lehigh, so that probably makes the Valley faithful feel better about the start of their season (skin check debacle aside). The parity is a little better than in past years and the Olympic redshirt probably does have some impact, but more so I think we are coming into an era where the second tier of schools -- those not named Penn State, Ohio State, Okie State, or Iowa -- are finding it easier to compete in dual meets where the balance of the outcome can hang on the actions of 1-2 wrestlers (a GREAT thing for the sport). Q: Was ASU's dual against PSU a make or break for the Zeke Jones experiment? Some in the media picked lower ranked PSU wrestlers over higher ranked ASU wrestlers suggesting PSU develops guys better. Has that been debunked? And just to clarify, I don't think it was make or break. I think ASU had just never had their full lineup of top recruits on the mat all at once until last Friday. The first time they had all their guys in, they were obviously top notch. -- @JBKolat Foley: I don't think beating Penn State will be the deciding factor in a coach's immediate career. However, I do agree that there are measuring posts for any coaching career, and the ability to be competitive with the top team of the decade is certainly the highest of posts. Coach Jones has done a wonderful job rebuilding his program and while ASU didn't succeed a three-year-to-championship trajectory, they are producing several All-Americans and a two-time national champion. The win over Penn State was momentous for several reasons; boosters can fundraise against the win, Coach Jones can recruit against the top four schools with proven outcomes, and it gives his wrestlers the (additional) belief that they are on the same level as those aforementioned top programs. Or put another way, he and his coaching staff are developing the best athletes. The system works. Was Nelson Brands named after a half nelson? (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Q: Was curious if Terry Brands' son Nelson was named after the half nelson wrestling move? -- Mike C. Foley: Goodness, hadn't crossed my mind, but I hope so. I really, really hope so. Q: Does Tom Brands like pickles? Did the question put him in a pickle? Is Terry's behavior sour pickles? -- @CoachCard11 Foley: We are all better for having learned the many uses of the word pickle. Tom Brands has a passion for wrestling and unique usage of the English language. May he never again shy away from the microphone. Q: Does it go: turkey, gravy, mashed potato; or mashed potato, gravy, turkey? Also, if I have apple pie AND almond cake, which Port should I serve with that? -- @Tony_Rotundo Foley: The best cycle is the one that brings the most joy to your face and/or the cycle that allows for the best imagery. Remember, as much as Thanksgiving is about family, it's all about boasting about something on social media, so protect your creations and ensure that you angles are popping off. That said, you're reading this on Friday so best of luck on your own! As for the Port wine -- an intoxicant most undervalued by the general American public -- I'd recommend a Barros 20 Year Old Tawny Port for your almond cake, or fruit cake pairing. Go get yourself a bottle of that sweet, sugary goodness. COMMENT OF THE WEEK By Bob M. Why would a team forfeit a weight class when they have healthy, able-bodied wrestlers in the lineup? Of course, I am talking about Shakur Rasheed ducking Zahid Valencia. If he is injured, then I must apologize, but not to the PSU coaching staff! It makes no sense and it really angers us wrestling fans. Wouldn't you want to know where you stand against the best? That just does not follow with the wrestlers' culture, which is to have the guts to step on the mat, man-to-man and compete. All this BS just pushes me to lose respect (coaching staffs) for the sport that I love so dearly. It is part of who I am. Therefore, to forfeit to me is unconscionable!