Penn State outduels Lock Haven on the mats
By Andy Elder
UNIVERSITY PARK — As Senior Nights go, this one followed the script almost to a T.
No. 15 Penn State (9-8, 2-3 Big Ten) dispatched Lock Haven (4-6, 2-3 Eastern Wrestling League), 34-13, Tuesday at Rec Hall in front of 1,506 appreciative fans.
Of the five senior wrestlers who were recognized — Adam Smith, James Woodall, Jarrad Turner, Eric Bradley and Josh Walker — three won, one lost and one was forced to watch on crutches.
Smith (125) and Walker (heavyweight) each won the last match they will ever wrestle in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions’ final home dual meet — Feb. 18 against Ohio State — will be contested in the Bryce Jordan Center because the dance marathon will be held in Rec Hall that weekend.
“We didn’t get them all, “Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland said. “But especially Josh finishing the match with a pin was nice. We got the bookends. Adam Smith started off with a rematch of a close match at the Mat Town tournament. He turned it on.
“It’s one of those matches that maybe because of the closeness of the two universities, the Lock Haven kids always want to come in and knock off Penn State.”
Woodall, who is recovering from ACL surgery, and Bradley were honored but hope to receive a sixth year, or medical hardship, from the NCAA.
Of the eight contested matches — Penn State forfeited at 133, choosing to rest Bryan Heller, and Lock Haven forfeited to Jack Decker at 149 — Penn State won six. Of those six, four were major decisions and two were pins.
Smith started the night with a dominating 10-1 win over Obe Blanc.
“It’s so hard to believe it’s already been four years, “Smith said. “It was great going out for the last time wrestling in front of great fans who have been here for your whole career. It was kind of emotional.”
After the forfeit at 133, No. 12 DeWitt Driscoll rolled up a 16-2 major decision over Brian Ellis at 141.
Then, after Penn State received the forfeit at 149, Lock Haven picked up one of its two contested wins. And it was a shocker.
In a rematch of the 2002 PIAA Class AAA 152-pound final, Lock Haven’s Seth Martin edged Nate Galloway, 7-5, with a takedown 41 seconds into the one-minute overtime period.
In the first period, Galloway had used the same move — a cement job — to get a five-point move. It was the same move he had pinned Martin with in the first period of that PIAA final. On Tuesday, though, Martin rebounded with a first-period escape, second-period takedown and third-period escape and stalling point with nine seconds left in regulation.
Lock Haven followed that with another win at 165. Rory McCoy majored Turner, 16-5.
Penn State then finished with a flourish.
At 174, James Yonushonis scored a fall in 2:42 over Carlos Ponce. Coming on the heels of his major decision against Iowa on Friday, the Philipsburg sophomore admitted his confidence is soaring.
“It’s way up there right now. I’m on a roll, “Yonushonis said. “My body doesn’t feel that great, but once I get out there and I just react. I’m not really thinking about it anymore.”
Bradley (184) and Phil Davis (197) followed with 14-5 and 16-6 major decisions, respectively.
Finally, Walker capped the night with a second-period fall and the Ridge Riley Award to wrap the night in a celebrative bow.
“It felt great. I was excited all day. I was a little jumpy. It’s been about a month since I’ve wrestled. Your senior year just sitting there watching really isn’t too fun. I’ve been working toward this day, “said Walker, who had been sidelined with a herniated disc. “It feels good. We’re still disappointed. We expected to beat Iowa and we lost. This is one we don’t even really think about losing. We expect to win this match. We’re happy.”
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