Wrestling: PSU crowns 5 All-Americans, holds lead in team race

ST LOUIS – It's with the team lead and five All-Americans that Penn State enters the semifinal round of the NCAA Wrestling Championships Friday night. Three more starters are still in contention, as the entirety of the Nittany Lions' eight-man contingent are alive heading into the fourth of six sessions in the Scottrade Center.

They do so in control of the team score with 74.0 points. In second place is Ohio State with 59.0 with four semifinalists. Iowa has four as well, but is in third with 58. Oklahoma State is in fourth with 47.5 and three semifinalists. Cornell has three semifinalists and sits in fifth with 47.0.

Zain Retherford (149 pounds), Jason Nolf (157), Vincenzo Joseph (165), Mark Hall (174) and Bo Nickal (184) were the first to claim All-America honors for Penn State. Retherford, a junior who is now a three-timer, secured his place in the semifinal with an 18-2 technical fall (5:13) over Alex Kocer of San Diego State. Friday night, Retherford draws Iowa's Brandon Sorensen, which is a rematch from last year's NCAA 149-pound final that Retherford won, 10-1.

Nolf pinned (4:06) his quarterfinal opponent, Bryant Clagon of Rider, in order to set up a match with Tyler Berger of Nebraska in the seminal. Nolf topped Berger in the January dual meet by major decision, 15-7.

Joseph secured All-America honors for the first time in his career wrestling against Missouri's Daniel Lewis, but it was Lewis who scored the first takedown. Then Joseph fought through.

"The more tired I got, I knew that he was more tired than I was, so I was just going," Joseph said. After giving up an escape to start the second period, Joseph went on to score three unanswered takedowns, including one in the final 8 seconds of the bout, to win 6-5.

"It's good," Joseph said about winning All-America honors for the first time in his career. "It's not what I'm shooting for, but it's good."

Joseph draws Logan Massa of Michigan in the seminal.

Hall also earned All-America honors for the first time in his college career, adding to an already decorated resume. His came by a 10-2 major decision over Virginia Tech All-American Zach Epperly.

"I'm an All-American," Hall said afterward. "Yeah, it feels good, but there is still some work to be done. That's the mindset I have. That's the mindset my coaches put upon me, so there's still some work to be done. It's awesome, but I'm going to keep going."

Hall faces top-seeded Zahid Valencia of Arizona State in the semifinal.

Nickal earned his second All-America citation with a fall (4:33) over TJ Dudley of Nebraska. In his seminal match he sees Iowa's Sammy Brooks, whom Nickal pinned in the first period during the January dual meet.

Penn State's two other quarterfinalists – Matt McCutcheon (197) and Nick Nevills (285) – fell short and must win their next match in the consolations before earning All-America honors for the first time in their careers.

After falling to Jared Haught of Virginia Tech, 7-3, McCutcheon faces Nebraska's Aaron Studebaker in the blood round Friday night. They are 1-1 against each other on the year.

Nevills dropped a 3-1 defeat to Duke's Jacob Kasper and wrestles Ryan Solomon of Pittsburgh with All-America honors on the line.

Senior Jimmy Gulibon (141) is also one match away from capturing All-America honors for a second time in his career. After falling in the championship bracket Thursday night, Gulibon won two matches in the consolation bracket Friday. His first came against Timmy Box of Northern Colorado by major decision, 14-5, before topping Ohio State's Luke Pletcher, 11-4. He'll see second-seeded Kevin Jack of North Carolina State in a fight to place among the top eight.

With the combination of bonus points and a 7-2 overall record in the third session, Penn State is up by 15 heading into Friday night's round.

"Each individual does the best that they can," Retherford said. "So yeah [the team race] kind of on my mind but if I worry about that too much then I'm worrying about how the other teams are scoring and stuff like that. All I've got to focus on and what all the other guys have to focus on is wrestling their best and then the team race will take care of itself, so that's kind how our focus has been. Each guy gives their all and that's all we can ask."

1. Penn State - 74.0

2. Ohio State - 59.0

3. Iowa - 58.0

4. Oklahoma State - 47.5

5. Cornell - 47.0

141: Jimmy Gulibon, Sr.

Rd. 1: vs. No. 13 Javier Gasca, Michigan State – W, 18-3 (TF; 7:00)

Rd. 2: vs. No. 4 Matt Kolodzik, Princeton – L, 3-6 dec.

Con 2: vs. Timmy Box, Northern Colorado - 14-5 maj. dec

Con 3: vs. No. 12 Luke Pletcher, Ohio State - 11-4 dec.

NEXT - Con 4: No. 2 Kevin Jack, North Carolina State

149: No. 1 Zain Retherford, Jr. - ALL-AMERICAN

Rd. 1: vs. Joshua Maruca, Arizona State – W, 18-2 (TF; 4:55)

Rd. 2: vs. No. 16 Jordan Laster, Princeton – W, 16-0 (TF; 5:43)

Qtrs: vs. Alex Kocer, South Dakota State - W, 18-2 (TF; 5:13)

NEXT - Semis: No. 5 Brandon Sorensen, Iowa

157: No. 1 Jason Nolf, So. - ALL-AMERICAN

Rd. 1: vs. Thomas Bullard, North Carolina St. – W, 22-7 (TF; 7:00)

Rd. 2: vs. No. 16 Victor Lopez, Bucknell – W, 24-9 (TF; 7:00)

Qtrs: vs. B.J. Clagon, Rider - WBF (4:06)

NEXT - Semis: No. 4 Tyler Berger, Nebraska

165: No. 3 Vincenzo Joseph, Fr. - ALL-AMERICAN

Rd. 1: vs. Keaton Subjeck, Stanford – W, 5-1 dec.

Rd. 2: vs. No. 14 Branson Ashworth, Wyoming – W, 12-4 maj. dec.

Qtrs: vs. No. 6 Daniel Lewis, Missouri - W, 6-5 dec

NEXT - Semis: No. 2 Logan Massa, Michigan

174: No. 5 Mark Hall, Fr.

Rd. 1: vs. David Kocer, South Dakota State – W, 8-2 dec.

Rd. 2: vs. Jadaen Bernstein, Navy – W, 16-0 (TF; 2:20)

Qtrs: vs. No. 4 Zach Epperly, Virginia Tech - W, 10-2 maj. dec.

NEXT - Semis: No. 1 Zahid Valencia, Arizona State

184: No. 2 Bo Nickal, So.

Rd. 1: vs. Mitch Sliga, Northwestern – W, 15-0 (TF; 3:20)

Rd. 2: vs. No. 15 Steven Schneider, Binghamton – WBF (5:33)

Qtrs: vs. No. 7 TJ Dudley, Nebraska - WBF (4:33)

NEXT - Semis: No. 3 Sammy Brooks, Iowa

197: No. 5 Matt McCutcheon, Jr.

Rd. 1: vs. Christian Brunner, Purdue – WBF (1:53)

Rd. 2: vs. No. 12 Frank Mattiace, Penn – W, 6-3 dec.

Qtrs: vs. No. 4 Jared Haught, Virginia Tech - L, 3-7 dec.

NEXT - Con. 4 - No. 7 Aaron Studebaker, Nebraska

285: No. 5 Nick Nevills, So.

Rd. 1: vs. Doug Vollaro, Lehigh – W, 4-2 dec.

Rd. 2: vs. No. 12 William Miller, Edinboro – W, 6-2 dec.

Qtrs: No. 4 Jacob Kasper, Duke - L, 1-3 dec.

NEXT - Con. 4 - No. 15 Ryan Solomon, Pitt