Pennsylvania Guaranteed 12 All-Americans Put Three Into NCAA Finals
Of the 62 Pennsylvania wrestlers who began their journey in Madison Square Garden on Thursday afternoon 12 will leave as NCAA All-Americans with three having the chance to capture the ultimate prize of National Champion. Below is the updated bracket and Schedule of Events! Photo of Nico Megaludis (Penn State / Franklin Regional) by Marc Billet for PA Power Wrestling.
At 125 lbs. Penn State senior Nico Megaludis (Franklin Regional) will have his final shot at NCAA Gold. He will face the fourth seed Thomas Gillman of Iowa. These two met in the BIG10 Championship Semifinals will Megaman coming away with a (4-3 TB1) victory.
At 149 lbs. it will be a BIG10 Finals rematch with sophomore Zain Retherford (Benton Area) meeting #2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa). In the Championship finals Retherford controlled Sorensen in a (4-0) victory that was not as close as the score may indicate.
The third Pennsylvania NCAA Finalist is Penn State freshman Jason Nolf (Kitanning). The machine like grappler will get a rematch with returning National Champion Isaiah Martinez (Illinois). In the BIG10 finals IMar dealt Nolf his first defeat of the season in the second tiebreaker (3-3 TB2). The match went much different than their first meeting when Nolf controlled the bout scoring a fall off a Martinez funk roll.
NCAA Finalists – (3)
125 lbs.
#3 Nico Megaludis (Penn State / Franklin Regional)
Champ. Round 1 – Nico Megaludis (Penn State) won by major decision over Chasen Tolbert (Utah Valley) (MD 18-5)
Champ. Round 2 – Nico Megaludis (Penn State) won by decision over Joshua Rodriguez (North Dakota St.) (Dec 4-2)
Quarterfinal – Nico Megaludis (Penn State) won by decision over Conor Youtsey (Michigan) (Dec 4-0)
Semifinal – Nico Megaludis (Penn State) won by decision over David Terao (American) (Dec 8-2)
Finals – Nico Megaludis (Penn State) vs. #4 Thomas Gillman (Iowa)
149 lbs.
#1 Zain Retherford (Penn State / Benton Area)
Champ. Round 1 – Zain Retherford (Penn State) won by tech fall over Coleman Hammond (Bakersfield) (TF 5:47 / 21-6)
Champ. Round 2 – Zain Retherford (Penn State) won by fall over Patricio Lugo (Edinboro) (Fall 6:37)
Quarterfinals – Zain Retherford (Penn State) vs. #9 Justin Oliver (Central Michigan)
Quarterfinal – Zain Retherford (Penn State) won by fall over Justin Oliver (Central Michigan) (Fall 2:13)
Semifinal – Zain Retherford (Penn State) won by fall over Alec Pantaleo (Michigan) (Fall 4:49)
Finals – Zain Retherford (Penn State) vs. #2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa)
157 lbs.
#3 Jason Nolf (Penn State / Kittanning)
Champ. Round 1 – Jason Nolf (Penn State) won by fall over Kamaal Shakur (Chattanooga) (Fall 3:35)
Champ. Round 2 – Jason Nolf (Penn State) won by tech fall over May Bethea (Pennsylvania) (TF 6:36 / 25-10)
Quarterfinals – Jason Nolf (Penn State) vs. #6 Jo-Jo Smith (Oklahoma State)
Quarterfinal – Jason Nolf (Penn State) won by major decision over Joseph Smith (Oklahoma St.) (MD 11-3)
Semifinal – Jason Nolf (Penn State) won by tech fall over Chad Walsh (Rider) (TF 5:19/19-4)
Finals – Jason Nolf (Penn State) vs. #1 Isaiah Martinez (Illinois)
NCAA All-Americans (9)
125 lbs.
#10 Connor Schram (Standford / Canon-McMillan)
Champ. Round 1 – Connor Schram (Stanford) won by decision over Lorenzo Bentley (Pittsburgh) (Dec 5-2)
Champ. Round 2 – Connor Schram (Stanford) won by decision over Darian Cruz (Lehigh) (Dec 3-1)
Quarterfinal – David Terao (American) won by fall over Connor Schram (Stanford) (Fall 5:41)
Cons. Round 4 – Connor Schram (Stanford) won by decision over Ronnie Bresser (Oregon St.) (Dec 3-1)
Cons. Round 5 – Conor Youtsey (Michigan) won in tie breaker over Connor Schram (Stanford) (4-3 TB2)
133 lbs.
#5 Jordan Conaway (Penn State / New Oxford)
Champ. Round 1 – Jordan Conaway (Penn State) won by decision over Corey Keener (Central Michigan) (Dec 6-5)
Champ. Round 2 – Jordan Conaway (Penn State) won by decision over Ryan Taylor (Wisconsin) (Dec 8-5)
Quarterfinal – Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) 24-3 won by decision over Jordan Conaway (Penn State) 30-6 (Dec 8-4)
Cons. Round 4 – Jordan Conaway (Penn State) 30-6 won by decision over Mason Beckman (Lehigh) 19-12 (Dec 5-4)
Cons. Round 5 – Jordan Conaway (Penn State) 30-6 won by decision over Earl Hall (Iowa St.) 32-9 (Dec 7-2)
141 lbs.
#7 Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech / Canon-McMillan)
Champ. Round 1 – Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) won by decision over Mike Pongracz (Chattanooga) (Dec 9-3)
Champ. Round 2 – Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) won by tech fall over Logan Everett (Army) (TF 6:13 / 16-1)
Quarterfinals – Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) vs. #3 Joey McKenna (Sanford)
Quarterfinal – Joey McKenna (Stanford) 25-3 won by decision over Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) 30-5 (Dec 6-1)
Cons. Round 4 – Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) 30-5 won by decision over Seth Gross (South Dakota St.) 26-14 (Dec 10-3)
Cons. Round 5 – Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) 30-5 won by decision over Randy Cruz (Lehigh) 28-9 (Dec 7-0)
#16 Randy Cruz (Lehigh / Bethlehem Catholic)
Champ. Round 1 – Randy Cruz (Lehigh) won by decision over Jordan Laster (Princeton) (Dec 3-0)
Champ. Round 2 – Dean Heil (Oklahoma St.) 29-1 won by decision over Randy Cruz (Lehigh) 25-8 (Dec 4-1)
Cons. Round 2 – Randy Cruz (Lehigh) 28-9 won by fall over Tyler Smith (Bucknell) 23-13 (Fall 2:31)
Cons. Round 3 – Randy Cruz (Lehigh) 28-9 won by decision over Rick Durso (Frank. & Marsh.) 39-10 (Dec 4-0)
Cons. Round 4 – Randy Cruz (Lehigh) 28-9 won by decision over Micah Jordan (Ohio St.) 27-4 (Dec 6-2)
Cons. Round 5 – Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) 30-5 won by decision over Randy Cruz (Lehigh) 28-9 (Dec 7-0)
149 lbs.
#10 Mike DePalma (Kent State / Jeannette)
Champ. Round 1 – Mike DePalma (Kent St.) won by major decision over Alex Griffin (Purdue) (MD 10-1)
Champ. Round 2 – Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska) won by major decision over Mike DePalma (Kent St.) (MD 10-1)
Cons. Round 2 – Mike DePalma (Kent St.) 28-8 won by major decision over Clayton Ream (North Dakota St.) 22-18 (MD 12-3)
Cons. Round 3 – Mike DePalma (Kent St.) 28-8 won by decision over Victor Lopez (Bucknell) 30-14 (Dec 6-0)
Cons. Round 4 – Mike DePalma (Kent St.) 28-8 won by decision over Matthew Cimato (Drexel) 36-7 (Dec 7-4)
Cons. Round 5 – Mike DePalma (Kent St.) 28-8 won by decision over Justin Oliver (Central Michigan) 31-7 (Dec 8-6)
165 lbs.
Casey Kent (Penn / LaSalle College)
Champ. Round 1 Casey Kent (Pennsylvania) won by decision over Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech) (Dec 3-2)
Champ. Round 2 – Chandler Rogers (Oklahoma St.) won by fall over Casey Kent (Pennsylvania) (Fall 7:00)
Cons. Round 2 – Casey Kent (Pennsylvania) 31-8 won by major decision over David Kocer (South Dakota St.) 30-13 (MD 8-0)
Cons. Round 3 – Casey Kent (Pennsylvania) 31-8 won by fall over Micah Barnes (Nebraska) 22-12 (Fall 5:30)
Cons. Round 4 – Casey Kent (Pennsylvania) 31-8 won by fall over Matt Reed (Oklahoma) 21-11 (Fall 6:49)
Cons. Round 5 – Casey Kent (Pennsylvania) 31-8 won by fall over Cody Walters (Ohio) 29-6 (Fall 5:23)
184 lbs.
#10 Nate Brown (Lehigh / Lewisburg Area)
Champ. Round 1 – Nate Brown (Lehigh) won by decision over Ryan Christensen (Wisconsin) (Dec 7-4)
Champ. Round 2 – Timothy Dudley (Nebraska) won by decision over Nate Brown (Lehigh) (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 2 – Nate Brown (Lehigh) 25-6 won by major decision over Alex Utley (North Carolina) 26-10 (MD 15-4)
Cons. Round 3 – Nate Brown (Lehigh) 25-6 won by decision over Jack Dechow (Old Dominion) 21-5 (Dec 2-1)
Cons. Round 4 – Nate Brown (Lehigh) 25-6 won by decision over Zachary Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) 25-7 (Dec 2-1)
Cons. Round 5 – Nolan Boyd (Oklahoma St.) 32-7 won by decision over Nate Brown (Lehigh) 25-6 (Dec 6-4)
#13 Pete Renda (North Carolina State / Brandywine Heights Area)
Champ. Round 1 – Pete Renda (NC State) won by decision over Samson Imonode (Army) (Dec 4-2)
Champ. Round 2 – Pete Renda (NC State) won in sudden victory over Domenic Abounader (Michigan) (4-2 SV)
Quarterfinal – Pete Renda (NC State) 24-8 won by decision over Zachary Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) 25-7 (Dec 4-3)
Semifinal – Gabriel Dean (Cornell) 33-1 won by decision over Pete Renda (NC State) 24-8 (Dec 9-4)
197 lbs.
#7 Brett Harner (Princeton / Norristown Area)
Champ. Round 1 – Brett Harner (Princeton) won in sudden victory over Joshua Dasilveira (Arizona St.) (13-7 SV)
Champ. Round 2 – Brett Harner (Princeton) won by fall over Maxwell Huntley (Michigan) (Fall 2:16)
Quarterfinal – J`Den Cox (Missouri) 32-1 won by decision over Brett Harner (Princeton) 36-5 (Dec 6-0)
Cons. Round 4 – Brett Harner (Princeton) 36-5 won by fall over Preston Weigel (Oklahoma St.) 19-12 (Fall 6:38)
Cons. Round 5 – Patrick Downey (Iowa St.) 10-3 won by decision over Brett Harner (Princeton) 36-5 (Dec 3-2)
SATURDAY, MARCH 19
10 a.m. Doors Open, Madison Square Garden
11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Approx.) Fifth Session- Three Mats, *Wrestle-Back Semifinals on all three mats followed by third, fifth and seventh place medal round matches.
2:30 p.m. Doors Open- Theater at Madison Square Garden
3 – 4 p.m. Championship Preview Show/Weigh In, Theater at Madison Square Garden
4 p.m. AT&T Autograph Session, Theater at Madison Square Garden
7 p.m. Doors Open, Madison Square Garden
7:35- 7:50 p.m. Grand March Parade of All-Americans.
8 – 11 p.m. (Approx.) Sixth Session, One Mat, Individual weight class awards. Championship Finals.
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