Arizona State At Penn State: Match Notes

Arizona State At Penn State: Match Notes

Live updates of the Arizona State at Penn State wrestling dual meet from Friday, Dec.14, 2018.

Dec 14, 2018 by Andrew Spey
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The Sun Devils of Arizona State are in Happy Valley to take on the Nittany Lions of Penn State. And we're here to live blog it all for you, the smartest and wisest sports fans on earth.

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The Sun Devils of Arizona State are in Happy Valley to take on the Nittany Lions of Penn State. And we're here to live blog it all for you, the smartest and wisest sports fans on earth.

The Lions have entered the building!

You can watch live on the World Wide Leader's number two cable channel. You need a cable subscription though, which is why I am over at my man Kyle Bratke's humble abode, to enjoy some wrestling and fellowship. We are all so glad you've joined us here in our own little corner of online. 

Bratke's very decent 55'' television:

Our announcers, Jim Gibbons and a person with whom I am unfamiliar and whose name I did not catch [update: it's Shawn Kenney, and he's doing very well!] are running down the lineup. Looks like it will be Brady Berge for Penn State at 149. The dual will also start at 125. 

125: Brandon Courtney, ASU vs. Devin Schnupp, PSU

1st: Right away we get a curve ball from Sun Devil head coach Zeke Jones. It's redshirt freshman Courtney and not All-American Ryan Millhof. Courtney comes out firing and blast doubles Schnupp off the mat but drags toes for two. Catch and release already and a snap down go behind makes it 4-1. Now 4-2 with the escape. And there's a pancake for Courtney, already pouring it on. No backs though. Another escape and its 6-3 in favor of Courtney. Schnupp trying to get on his offense, but Courtney counters and collects two more. Plus a ride out and we go to the second 8-3. 

2nd: Schnupp starts on top and the crowd gets behind him as he gets a couple good mat returns and 35 seconds of riding. A sit out and escape makes it 9-3. Schnupp now in a deep shot. Courtney goes lat whip but they go out of bounds before either one can score. No other action and Courtney get's dinged for a stalled in short time. 

3rd: Schnupp escapes quickly to start the third. It's 9-4. Tricep pull and dump gives Courtney two more. Riding time not a factor. Courtney lets Schnupp up to try and work for a major. Courtney working a variety of ties, finally gets a two. Courtney needs to ride for about 20 seconds to secure the major. Schnupp working hard underneath, and he gets a reversal right as time runs out. Zeke doesn't want to challenge, perhaps saving it for 174, and Schnupp keeps it to a decision. 

ASU 3, PSU 0

133: #5 Ryan Millhof, ASU vs. Roman Bravo-Young, PSU

Millhof is ranked fifth at 125 pounds. RBY is famously unranked, for now. Could this be the match that sends Bravo-Young into the top 20? Millhof will have something to say about whether or not that happens. 

1st: RBY takes the first shot but Millhof catches him. Another shot from RBY and Millhof is in danger. Millhof works the pair to the edge of the mat, dives for an ankle and rolls through to avoid the takedown. Looks like Cael is asking for a review. It appears that Millhof avoided the takedown but it's close. Nope, the refs award RBY two and he takes the lead. Millhof now working from underneath. One stalemate gets Millhof a restart and he stands and is out. Then a double leg from RBY and Millhof is thinking gator-bacon but is not in good position and Roman almost gets back points. Its 4-1 now with RBY racking up RT. Millhof weighed in at 125 so RBY has a size advantage as he gets closer to a rideout. The first period ends RBY still on top and we start the second in neutral. 

2nd: RBY in on a shot but Millhof drops his hips and avoids the takedown. Millhof gets banged for a second stall call, the first came during the rideout. Bravo-Young now leads 5-1. Millhof gets poked in the eye, actually on replay it looks like RBY's forehead, and we have a break in action. Refs reviewing for hands to the face, I think. I didn't see one, and neither did the refs. 1:11 left in the 2nd. Millhof shoots a firemans but RBY defends and goes on the counter attack. Another shot by Millhof and RBY gives him the matador's Ole and spins around for two. We go to the third with RBY winning 7-1. 

3rd: Millhof will get a chance on top. RBY stands and escapes to run the score to 8-1. Millhof with gas still in the tank, fires off another shot but gets nothing but hips. Another shot is stuffed by RBY. RBY reattacks on an ankle and Millhof goes over the top and they scramble. Millhof on his back and RBY scrambles for a takedown and two. RBY face smushing Millhof into the mat as Millhof gets dinged again for stalling. Add one more for riding time as the match ends end the true freshman Nittany Lion wins 14-1. The major decision gives Penn State the team point lead. 

PSU 4, ASU 3

141: Cory Crooks, ASU vs. #4 Nick Lee, PSU

1st: No surprise to see Nick Lee on the attack early. Then on the escape from Crooks he goes Dresser dump for two and two. It's 6-1, Lee leading after just one minute of wrestling. Lee working with an arm bar on top. With the refs doling out stall calls liberally don't be surprised if Crooks starts getting hit. Lee won't give him the opportunity. He runs the bar over for a pinfall and Rec Hall erupts.

PSU 10, ASU 3

149: #13 Josh Maruca, ASU vs. Brady Berge, PSU

1st: Here's an opportunity for redshirt freshman Berge to pick up a ranked win to enter the top 20. He gets the nod over teammate Jarod Verkleeren. Maruca was a national qualifier in 2017 but got squeezed out of the starting Sun Devil lineup by Jason Tsirtsis last season. Not a lot of shots from either wrestler but Berge keeping the pressure on and Maruca gets hit for stalling as he backs away towards the out of bounds. Maruca on the attack on the restart and Berge defends and goes behind for two. Maruca escapes and its 2-1. Snatch single by Maruca in short time but Berge is too strong and fends him off. 

2nd: Maruca begins underneath and escapes quickly. 2-2. Maruca reaching for legs, gets a stall called on Berge, so we're knotted up there as well, one warning apiece. No scores the rest of the period and we go to the third same score. 

3rd: Berge will start on bottom. A mat return for Maruca but Berge pops right back up and eventually earns the escape. It's 3-2 now for Berge, a little over a minute to go. RT not a factor. Shot from Maruca, Berge nearly with the go behind, but no scores, back in neutral. Another shot from Maruca and this time Berge does get the go behind. Maruca with the escape, firing off more shots. Berge hit with a stall. 5-4 in short time. Maruca keeps attacking but can't solve Berge's head and hands defense, which is the difference maker for the redshirt freshman. He wins 5-4 and the Nittany Lions extend their lead. 

PSU 13, ASU 3

157: Christian Pagdilao, ASU vs. #1 Jason Nolf, PSU

1st: Two-time returning champ Jason Nolf on a single right off the whistle. Running the pike. Now has the foot in the air, horseshoe swings the foot down and up and Pagdilao gives up the two. Pags back up on his feet. Nolf in on another shot, scrambles for two. Another catch and release and its 6-3 with one minute left in the first. Double from space and Nolf has a single in the air again. Nolf finishes for two right on the boundary. It's 8-3 with 18 seconds left in the first. Nolf gets the rideout and we go to the second. 

2nd: Pagdilao starts on bottom. Nolf looking for that cross-face cradle. Pagdilao avoids giving that up and escapes. He fires off a shot and Nolf goes into a scramble mode. Looking either winn-dixie, now throws an arm bar in. Pagdilao doesn't give up back points but does give up the takedown. Its 10-4 and we'll go to the third. 

3rd. Nolf on bottom. He stands but gets brought down. Nolf grabs an ankle and they start scrambling. It's just an escape and it's 11-4. Nolf in on a shot and Pags tries for a switch. Nolf re-switches and collects two more. 30 seconds to go. Nolf lets him up and looks for the cement job. Doesn't land. Now the winn-dixie after a shot from Pags and Nolf gets swipes. The final is 18-5 and Nolf will "settle" for a major decision. 

PSU 17, ASU 3

Short break as we reach the halfway point. Rec Hall is packed. Check out the crowd!

165: #12 Josh Shields, ASU vs. #1 Vincenzo Joseph, PSU

1st: Two top-20 wrestlers and the warmup to the main event at 174. A cautious first minute or so until Shields lowers his level and gets to Cenzo's legs but Cenzo has hips of lead and Shields can't get anywhere with his attack. Joseph drops on a single leg, picks it up in the air, Shields dives for an ankle, Cenzo stays on his feet and stacks Shields up. Shields is trapped and gives up a danger count for two and then four more as Cenzo pounces. It's 6-0 and Shields will still be underneath on the restart. Except we're going to have an officials' review first. The call stands. Shields can't escape until a restart with just 7 seconds left in the period so it's 6-1 as we head to the second. 

2nd: Cenzo goes underneath and escapes after just a few seconds. Ankle pick by Shields but Cenzo is too sturdy. Inside trip for Cenzo is fought off bravely by Shields. A circle and sweep single by Shields gets Cenzo's leg but he can't finish in short time. We'll go to the third 7-1 in favor of Cenzo. 

3rd: Shields will start the period on bottom. A stand up gets Shields the ecape. Another misdirection on the restart but Cenzo's defense is too much. It's 7-2 and Shields gets hit for stalling as they go out of bounds. Another stall call on Shields, who has been active but not active enough I guess, gives Cenzo an 8-2 lead. RT now locked up for Joseph as well. Cenzo patiently waiting for Shields' back leg and slaps in a cradle in short time. Can't get any swipes but does get an 11-2 major decision. 

PSU 21, ASU 3

174: #1 Zahid Valencia, ASU vs. #2 Mark Hall, PSU

Two national champions, two two-time All-Americans. Zahid is 2-1 against Hall in college. Zahid won in the 2017 All-Star Classic and 2018 NCAA finals. Hall won in the 2017 NCAA semifinals. The dual meet is well out of reach for Arizona State, but Zahid still has plenty to wrestle for. 

1st: Some half-shots to start the match, not much beyond snaps and shrugs/slide bys. A couple more reaches but no level changes after the second minutes. It's still 0-0. Now they trade shots, not scores though. Outside single by Zahid and Hall sprawls out of it. Hall gets his hand on Zahid's foot but Valencia kicks away. Official warns about hands to the face but nothing is called. 

2nd: Hall starts on bottom. He stands up and escapes to draw first blood. Valencia shoots Hall out of bounds and we restart, no stall call despite Zeke Jones' pleas. Zahid in on a single, he's got his hands locked, heavy hip pressure from Hall. A hip thrust by Hall breaks Zahid's grip and Hall goes right in on his own attack. Single leg in the air, Hall looking for a trip, Zahid dives but Hall scrambles to cover for a massive takedown. Hall rides tough and takes a 3-0 lead into the third. 

3rd: Zahid starts underneath. Hall keeps him down for 30 seconds. RT creeping over a minute. Valencia stands and Hall walks him out of bounds. No stall call and Zahid goes back underneath. A big mat return from Mark and now Valencia is in trouble. Mark riding tough and it doesn't look like Zahid is getting out. Time rounds out and Mark Hall takes it 4-0! Hall strums and air guitar in celebration before getting his hand raised. The rivalry continues, to be continued in Pittsburgh!

PSU 24, ASU 3

The Nittany Lion faithful are most pleased. 

184: Kordell Norfleet, ASU vs. #6 Shakur Rasheed, PSU

1st: Low level shot by Norfleet to start things off but can't finish and we've got no scores after a minute. Single leg now for Rasheed. He works up and collects Norfleet's second leg, and it's 2-0 Shakur. Rasheed riding tough, blocking with his lead knee and making life tough for Kordell. No cross-face cradle from Rasheed yet but you have to think one is on the way. A peek over at the clock for Rasheed and the first period ends. 

2nd: Rasheed starts underneath but not for long. Gets the escape and then another takedown to make it 5-0. Now Rasheed starts working for the cross-face. Norfleet working to his base but can't work free. Rasheed gets the rideout and has over 3 minutes of riding time. 

3rd: Norfleet says he's had enough mat wrestling and chooses neutral, down 7-0. Reshot by Rasheed and it's 9-0. A simple two-on-one tilt and it's 14-0. RT long since locked up. Rasheed will work for the fall in the final minute. Rasheed gets the clean 15-0 technical fall at exactly 7:00. 

PSU 29, ASU 3

197: Austyn Harris, ASU vs. #1 Bo Nickal, PSU

1st: Nickal gets a takedown in about 5 seconds. An escape and another takedown makes it 4-1 in 21 seconds. Optional start and Nickal circles out front, slaps in a cement job and picks up a first period pin. Nickal keeps things moving right along by being Bo Nickal. 

PSU 35, ASU 3

285: Brady Daniel, ASU vs. #3 Anthony Cassar, PSU

1st: Tanner Hall is taking a redshirt so it'll be redshirt freshman Daniel for the Sun Devils. A blast double from Cassar (he's good at those) and it's 2-0 in a hurry. Cassar riding tough, works a suckback and he's getting swipes. No pin but the scores is 6-0, Cassar in command. Daniel able to work to his feet to cut the lead to 6-1. A flurry and Cassar saunters back to the center as time expires in the first. 

2nd: Cassar will be underneath. The New Jersey native escapes in a few seconds. He's in on a shot and scrambles for two more. A stall call for Daniel and then an escape makes it 9-2. A shot from Daniel but Cassar is too quick. He spins and covers for two, then rides out to make it 11-2 as we head to the third. 

3rd: Cassar freight trains through Daniel and almost sends him right out of Rec Hall. Daniel lands on his back and Cassar pounces for the pinfall. Ending the dual meet with authority is Anthony Cassar with six more team points. 

PSU 41, ASU 3

That'll do it for all of us here at chez Bratke. Coach Cael Sanderson and company rolled through the visiting Sun Devils. Mark Hall is the official Live Blog Man of the Meet. Thanks to all of you very cool and very intelligent wrestling fans for following along. Apologies for the typos, see you next time!