WEST POINT, N.Y. — The folks in West Point, New York, know a thing or two about firepower, so after Penn State’s performance on Sunday, Nov. 24, in the Black Knight Invitational, it would have been appropriate for a few generals to recruit the Nittany Lions.
Penn State won or shared titles at nine of 10 weights and easily outdistanced host Army West Point, 185.5 to 130.5, at Christl Arena in West Point.
In total, 22 Nittany Lions compiled a combined 61-15 record, recording bonus points in 47 of 76 matches wrestled (62%), including 15 pins, 20 technical falls and 12 major decisions. A new NCAA guideline this year states that results against teammates do not count as wins, losses or toward NCAA metrics.
Luke Lilledahl (125), Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Tyler Kasak (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) and Josh Barr (197) won undisputed titles.
Levi Haines and Matt Lee shared the title at 174 after making the finals and that bout being declared a no-contest. The same thing happened at 184, where Carter Starocci and true freshman Zack Ryder made the finals but did not wrestle. The same scenario played out at 285 pounds, where Greg Kerkvliet and true freshman Cole Mirasola advanced to the finals and then didn’t compete.
Lilledahl, after receiving a forfeit in the season-opening dual meet against Drexel, was finally able to compete. He did not disappoint. The true freshman rolled up two 19-4 technical falls, sandwiched around an 8-2 win over teammate Kurt McHenry, seemingly further solidifying his hold on the spot. McHenry bounced back with a 13-1 major decision in the third-place bout.
Bartlett was dominant with the exception of his quarterfinal bout, where he had to score a takedown in sudden victory to post a 4-1 decision. In his other three bouts, he won 16-1 and 18-3 before scoring a third period fall in the finals.
Van Ness continued his torrid start to the season, going 4-0 on the day and outscoring his opponents 57-7. His four wins came by scores of 18-1, 15-2, 5-0 and 19-4.
Kasak met teammate Alex Facundo in the final and earned a 5-2 decision. It would seem that the sophomore has taken the upper hand in his battle for the spot with Facundo. Each Nittany Lion was dominant in his run to the finals. Kasak reeled off a pair of tech falls (19-4 and 19-3) and an 18-5 major decision. Facundo was a scoring machine in his four wins heading into the finals, piling up 19-4, 21-6, 17-2 and 24-8 technical falls.
Mesenbrink, as he usually does, scored in bunches in compiling a 4-0 record with four tech falls. He outscored his four opponents 72-10, winning by 18-3, 18-1, 19-4 and 17-2 scores.
Haines, too, was dominant in his three wins on the way to the finals. He posted two falls and a 17-1 tech fall. Lee had a 17-2 tech fall and decision to make the finals.
Starocci was on the mat for nine minutes out of a possible 21 in winning three matches before the finals. He sandwiched two falls around a 20-3 tech fall in three minutes. Ryder started with a fall, upset No. 21 Brian Soldano of Rutgers 4-2 in the quarters and then earned a 4-1 win in the semifinals.
There may be another changing of the guard, this time at 197, after Barr and Cochran went on a collision course to the finals. Barr scored two falls and an 11-0 major over freshman teammate Connor Mirasola in the semifinals before majoring Cochran 10-1 in the final. Cochran scored a fall, a 15-0 tech fall and an 11-1 major decision on his way to the finals. Mirasola bounced back with an 8-4 win over No. 27 Remy Cotton of Michigan State to claim third place.
Kerkvliet spent just 9:10 on the mat in three wins on his way to the finals no contest. He posted falls in 2:31 and 1:29 and then rolled up a 15-0 tech fall in 5:10. Cole Mirasola posted a 19-4 tech fall in 3:28 and a 32-second fall in reaching the final.
Other placers for Penn State included Timothy Levine (5th at 133) and Kyison Garcia (6th at 133). Starting 133-pounder Braeden Davis, who appeared to injure his right knee against Drexel, didn’t compete.
Penn State returns to action at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, at the PPL Center in Allentown against Lehigh.
