By Andy Elder
For the CDT
When St. Vincent St. Mary High School plays Walsh Jesuit High School tonight in an Ohio high school football game, Penn State assistant wrestling coach Matt Dernlan will be focused on No. 22.
Both of them.
That’s because No. 22 for St. Vincent St. Mary, senior Josh Rohler, is a future Penn State 157-pound wrestler and No. 22 for Walsh Jesuit, senior David Rella, is a future Penn State 165-pounder.
Rella then Rohler gave verbal commitments to coach Troy Sunderland’s team on successive nights this week.
The two Ohio standouts, who live just 10 minutes apart in the Akron suburbs, have known each other since seventh grade and competed together on a traveling team in eighth grade.
Rella and Rohler are nationally ranked Nos. 6 and 7, respectively, on InterMat’s Top 100 2005-2006 recruits list. Both possess an impressive wrestling resumé.
Rella is the top-ranked senior in the country by Wrestling USA Magazine. He was a FILA Junior National Freestyle runner-up and has twice been named an Asics Junior National Freestyle All-American.
Rohler has placed second and third in the past two Ohio State championship tournaments. During the 2004-05 season, he handed Penn State freshman David Erwin his only defeat, moving up a weight class to do so, and he twice defeated Rella.
“Penn State has a great thing going, “Rella said. “They have a lot of good guys coming in. I think if people see I committed and Garrett Scott committed, then more good guys will want to go to Penn State, too.”
Rohler’s father, Scott, said his son’s decision was partly influenced by last year’s recruiting class and this year’s so far.
“He’ll have Nathan Galloway for a workout partner for a year, “he said. “And with the addition of Erwin and Rella, they have the makings for a run at the national title.”
Rella said he picked Penn State over Northwestern, Purdue, Virginia Tech, Minnesota and Michigan.
“I am convinced that Penn State has everything that I need to reach my goals of earning a degree from an outstanding academic university, winning NCAA individual titles, winning NCAA team titles and eventually having a successful international wrestling career, “Rella said.
“The coaching staff, workout partners and facilities at Penn State are second to none. I am extremely excited to become a part of Penn State’s unmatched wrestling tradition. I was very impressed with how important Penn State wrestling is not only to those directly involved with the program, but to the entire university, student body and community.”
One of Rella’s coaches at Walsh Jesuit is a familiar name to Nittany Lion fans — former NCAA runner-up Clint Musser.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete and extremely powerful, “Musser said of Rella. “He’s really aggressive in his style of wrestling. When he goes on the mat, no matter who he’s wrestling he wants to dominate his opponent.
“His upside potential is phenomenal. He’s just now coming into his own. In the last year-and-a-half he has just learned how to wrestle. He’s now winning tough matches against top competition. He dominates kids on his feet and no one can really ride him.”
Rohler’s father said the turning point for Josh came when the Rohler family took an unofficial visit to University Park in May.
“Everything clicked right off the bat. It was good geographically. And, with the direction Penn State is headed, it seemed like a good fit, “Scott Rohler said.
And with Rella having committed the night before, the time seemed right for Rohler to take the plunge, too.
“Everything was a perfect fit. He said there was no sense putting if off, “the elder Rohler said. “He’s 100 percent committed to Penn State.”
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