BlueWhiteIllustrated.com - Lions roar past Lock Haven

December 14, 2012

Tim Owen
BlueWhiteIllustrated.com Staff Writer

Head coach Cael Sanderson said Lock Haven "pushed us around" at the beginning of Saturday's dual meet - even if the Nittany Lions won nine of the 10 bouts en route to a 42-3 victory in front of 6,297 fans in Rec Hall.

By most standards Penn State was the team that did most of the pushing. But since Lock Haven won its only match at 141 pounds and Penn State was warned for stalling at 141, 149 and 157, Sanderson wasn't completely satisfied with the opening of the dual meet.

"They pushed us around in a few weights and it's not something that we like to see," he said. "[Lock Haven] had a little more attitude, a little more fire and fight, so you really have to give them credit for coming into our house and pushing us around a little bit."

As a result, Sanderson shared a couple words with his squad at the intermission. Or as Ed Ruth said, Sanderson "personally puts a couple of words of hate into our ears, and fires us up a little bit."

The Lions won the final five bouts, including three wins by fall and one by technical fall.

Best Performance - 174-pound Matt Brown was honored with the Ridge Riley Award after the meet, which goes to the match's most outstanding wrestler. Brown dominated Zach Heffner, picking up two first-period takedowns before he covered Heffner for the fall in just 1:56.

Most Anticipated Match - Former Nittany Lion starter Jake Kemerer made his first dual meet return to Rec Hall after transferring to Lock Haven two years ago. He drew sophomore Dylan Alton at 157 pounds, and while Kemerer flashed an improved and more aggressive style, it was Alton who emerged victorious. The All-American from Mill Hall (Pa.) used a first and third period takedown to hang on for the 5-2 win.

Best Move - Trailing 15-2, Fred Garcia connected on a deep double leg, hoping to tighten the gap that Ed Ruth built during the first four and a half minutes of action. But Garcia's last-ditch takedown attempt wasn't successful. Instead, Ruth rolled Garcia overtop himself using a version of the cement job and planted Garcia on his back for the final takedown of the technical fall victory.

Biggest Surprise - Penn State got hit with more stall warnings than Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles only accumulated two, while the Nittany Lions picked up three, which came in consecutive matches from 141 to 157. Perhaps the reason why Sanderson thought Lock Haven "pushed" the Lions around at first.

"It is not something we're too excited about," Sanderson in reference to the three stall warnings, "but [Lock Haven] earned it."

Did you notice? - Penn State honored four wounded soldiers at intermission as part of the Wounded Warrior Project. It was also Military Appreciation Day in Rec Hall, so the Nittany Lions were clad in blue/gray/white digital camouflage singlets. Brown, who is a member of the ROTC program at Penn State, said the appreciation day was especially significant for him.

"I though it was special," said Brown. "The Wounded Warrior Project is an awesome program and a great charity. It was special to be part of it and to wear the camouflage singlets."

No. 1 Penn State 42, Lock Haven 3

December 15, 2012 - University Park, Pa. - Rec Hall

125: No. 2 Nico Megaludis PSU, WBF Bobby Rehm LHU (4:10) 6-0

133: Jordan Conaway PSU, 13-3 maj. dec. Matt Bryer LHU 10-0

141: Dan Neff LHU 4-9 dec. Bryan Pearsall PSU 10-3

149: No. 5 Andrew Alton PSU, 10-6 dec. Mac Maldarelli LHU 13-3

157: No. 5 Dylan Alton PSU, 5-2 dec. Jake Kemerer LHU 16-3

165: No. 2 David Taylor PSU, WBF Aaron McKinney LHU (4:41) 22-3

174: No. 3 Matt Brown PSU, WBF Zach Heffner LHU (1:37) 28-3

184: No. 1 Ed Ruth PSU, 17-2 tech fall Fred Garcia LHU (TF; 4:55) 33-3

197: No. 3 Quentin Wright PSU, WBF Phil Sprenkle LHU (6:10) 39-3

285: No. 15 Jimmy Lawson PSU, 5-1 dec. Harry Turner LHU 42-3

Attendance: 6,292

Records: Penn State 4-0, 1-0 Big Ten; Lock Haven 1-2

Up Next for Penn State: At 2013 Southern Scuffle, Jan. 1-2, 2013, Chattanooga, Tenn.

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