PA Goes Empty With 4 NCAA Runner-Ups – 13 Total All-Americans
Not since 2010 has the State of Pennsylvania gone without crowing a NCAA Champion. But when you are the best wrestling State in the Nation the expectations are always high. The Keystone State did not go empty handed or quietly for that matter advancing a total of four (4) wrestlers into the Championship finals and earning 13 total All-Americans.
The first finalist from Pennsylvania was probably the toughest to swallow for PA fans as Pittsburgh’s redshirt senior Tyler Wilps was defeated on a locked hands penalty. Wilps, a 2x PIAA State Medalist from Chartiers Valley, fought tooth and nail with Penn State leader Matt Brown. The senior #2 seed Brown was in his second career NCAA Finals while Wilps secured his second All-American finish. Tyler’s older brother Matt Wilps fell to Penn State’s Quentin Wright in the 2013 NCAA Semifinals and ended up finishing in third place.
Tyler entered the NCAA Finals seeded #8 and nearly completed his upset campaign against Matt Brown getting a late takedown to go ahead. After trailing most of the match Wilps secured a takedown near the edge of the mat and went up (4-3) with 0:20 seconds left in the third period. Wilps needed to ride Brown out for the remainder of the period to secure a victory but after dropping down on Brown’s leg he was hit with a stall warning. The stall warning was his second of the match which consequently tied the bout at (4-4) with 0:03 seconds left. The two appeared to be heading into overtime but after the restart Wilps attempted to keep Brown from escaping and in the last second appeared to lock his hands from the top position. Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson quickly protested to the refs and a challenge was made. The footage was reviewed and the head referee announced that a technical violation of locked hands had occurred and Matt Brown was awarded a point. After a challenge by Pitt on whether time and expired when the hands were locked the call stood and Brown’s hand was lifted with a (5-4) decision.
Next up at 184 lbs. featured Lehigh’s redshirt junior Nathaniel Brown a 2011 PIAA State Champion from Lewisburg Area. Brown earned his first All-American honors in his third NCAA National Tournament advancing into the finals as the #7 seed. There Brown faced one of the best college wrestlers of 2015 in Cornell’s Gabe Dean. The Big Red sophomore controlled the match capturing his first NCAA Championship with a (6-2) decision over Nathaniel Brown.
The most anticipated finalist in my opinion had to be true freshman Zeke Moisey of West Virginia. The 3x PIAA State Finalist and 1x State Champion was the talk of the town advancing into the NCAA Finals from an unseeded position at 125 lbs. On the big sage Moisey faced redshirt freshman #4 Nathan Tomasello of Ohio State. The aggressive Moisey pushed Tomasello but was unable to put the cherry on top of a historic NCAA Tournament run. Moisey appeared to tweak his leg during a scramble near the edge of the mat but that didn’t prevent him from attempting a cement mixer, ironically named after his hometown of Northampton, PA. It wasn’t enough as the Mountaineer fell short (9-5).
The final wrestler featured in the 2015 NCAA Finals was #2 seed Mitchell Port. Unfortuantly for Port he would have to overcome a monumental task in order to claim his first career NCAA Championship. The former PIAA State Champion from Bellefonte took on 3x NCAA Champion Logan Stieber of Ohio State. Steiber would not be denied a chance at history becoming just the fourth wrestler in NCAA History to become a 4x NCAA Champion. In the finals Stieber controlled an (11-5) decision to place his name firmly in the record books. Port ended his career as a 2x NCAA Finalist and 3x All-American for the Fighting Scots.
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]
Photo By John Sachs – Tech-Fall.com
Edinboro senior A.J. Schopp had the best NCAA Tournament of his four trips despite a leg injury nagging him the entire season. Schopp, a 3x PIAA State Finalist and 1x Champion for Tyrone Area, place fourth at the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons. After falling in the first round to an unseeded Caleb Richardson (UPenn) #9 Schopp completed a consolation run that very few in NCAA History have done before. Schopp rallied back to win seven (7) straight wins to claim third place. Not only was it his highest finish of his career Schopp did it in rare fashion winning four of seven matches by fall. En route to the third place finish Schopp took down four ranked wrestlers including a consolation semifinals win over fellow PA Native #7 Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State) before defeating the #1 seed Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) in the third place match (4-3). For his tremendous performance Schopp won the Manuel Gorrarian Award for most pins in the least time.
Of the 13 All-Americans from 2015 a total of eight will be eligible to return in 2016. Not to mention Pennsylvania has a handful of top notch wrestlers who redshirted in 2015.
Pennsylvania’s Medal Count:
Second Place: 4
Third Place: 2
Fifth Place: 2
Sixth Place: 2
Eighth Place: 3
125 lbs.
(11) Jordan Conaway (Penn State) – New Oxford – Eighth Place
Champ. Round 1
#11 Jordan Conaway (Penn St.) won by decision over Joaquin Marquez (Citadel) (Dec 12-7)
Champ. Round 2
#6 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) won in sudden victory over #11 Jordan Conaway (Penn St.) (SV-1 3-1)
Cons. Round 2
#11 Jordan Conaway (Penn St.) won by decision over Scott Parker (Lehigh) (Dec 4-3)
Cons. Round 3
#11 Jordan Conaway (Penn St.) won by decision over Ethan Lizak (Minnesota) (Dec 7-3)
Cons. Round 4
#11 Jordan Conaway (Penn St.) won by decision over David Terao (American) (Dec 8-5)
Cons. Round 5
#2 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) won by major decision over #11 Jordan Conaway (Penn St.) (MD 10-1)
7th Place Match
#7 Eddie Klimara (Oklahoma St.) won by decision over #11 Jordan Conaway (Penn St.) (Dec 5-4)
Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) – Bethlehem Catholic – Second Place
Champ. Round 1
Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) won by major decision over #15 Chasen Tolbert (Utah Valley) (MD 14-6)
Champ. Round 2
Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) won by decision over #2 Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) (Dec 5-2)
Quarterfinal
Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) won by decision over #7 Eddie Klimara (Oklahoma St.) (Dec 5-2)
Semifinal
Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) won by fall over #3 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) (Fall 0:52)
Championship Final
#4 Nathan Tomasello (Ohio St.) won by decision over Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) (Dec 9-5)
133 lbs.
(9) A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) – Tyrone Area – Third Place
Champ. Round 1
Caleb Richardson (Penn) won by decision over #9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) (Dec 4-2)
Cons. Round 1
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by decision over Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland) (Dec 2-1)
Cons. Round 2
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by fall over Jade Rauser (Utah Valley) (Fall 3:17)
Cons. Round 3
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by fall over Gary Wayne Harding (Oklahoma St.) (Fall 1:24)
Cons. Round 4
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by fall over #12 George DiCamillo (Virginia) (Fall 3:33)
Cons. Round 5
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by decision over #14 Rossi Bruno (Michigan) (Dec 7-2)
Cons. Semifinal
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by fall over #7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) (Fall 3:39)
3rd Place Match
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by decision over #1 Christopher Dardanes (Minnesota) (Dec 4-3)
(7) Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State) – Derry Area – Fifth Place
Champ. Round 1
#7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) won by major decision over Scott Delvecchio (Rutgers) (MD 11-3)
Champ. Round 2
#7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) won by decision over Jade Rauser (Utah Valley) (Dec 8-4)
Quarterfinal
#7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) won by decision over #2 Bradley Taylor (Wisconsin) (Dec 9-4)
Semifinal
#3 Cory Clark (Iowa) won by decision over #7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) (Dec 7-5)
Cons. Semifinal
#9 A.J. Schopp (Edinboro) won by fall over #7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) (Fall 3:39)
Fifth Place Match
#7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) won by decision over #10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) (9-5)
(10) Mason Beckman (Lehigh) – Reynolds – Sixth Place
Champ. Round 1
Jade Rauser (Utah Valley) won by decision over #10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Round 1
#10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) won by decision over Scott Delvecchio (Rutgers) (Dec 9-4)
Cons. Round 2
#10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) won in sudden victory over Caleb Richardson (Penn) (SV 3-1)
Cons. Round 3
#10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) won by major decision over #16 Mackenzie McGuire (Kent St.) (MD 12-3)
Cons. Round 4
#10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) won by decision over #6 Earl Hall (Iowa St.) (Dec 5-2)
Cons. Round 5
#10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) won by fall over #2 Bradley Taylor (Wisconsin) (Fall 6:59)
Cons. Semifinal
#1 Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) won by decision over #10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) (Dec 5-3)
Fifth Place Match
#7 James Gulibon (Penn St.) won by decision over #10 Mason Beckman (Lehigh) (9-5)
141 lbs.
(2) Mitchell Port (Edinboro) – Bellefonte Area – Second Place
Champ. Round 1
#2 Mitchell Port (Edinboro) won by major decision over Mitchell Bengtson (North Dakota St.) (MD 17-4)
Champ. Round 2
#2 Mitchell Port (Edinboro) won by injury default over #15 Jamel Hudson (Hofstra) (Inj. 0:56)
Quarterfinal
#2 Mitchell Port (Edinboro) won by decision over #7 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) (Dec 9-4)
Semifinal
#2 Mitchell Port (Edinboro) won by major decision over #11 Chris Mecate (Old Dominion) (MD 14-2)
Championship Final
#1 Logan Stieber (Ohio St.) won by decision over #2 Mitchell Port (Edinboro) (Dec 9-5)
149 lbs.
Dan Neff (Lock Haven) – Solanco – Eighth Place
Champ. Round 1
#1 Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) won by decision over Daniel Neff (Lock Haven) (Dec 8-2)
Cons. Round 1
Daniel Neff (Lock Haven) won by decision over Ryan Mosley (Gardner-Webb) (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Round 2
Daniel Neff (Lock Haven) won by major decision over Brandon Nelson (Purdue) (MD 10-2)
Cons. Round 3
Daniel Neff (Lock Haven) won by decision over Colin Heffernan (Central Mich.) (Dec 5-2)
Cons. Round 4
Daniel Neff (Lock Haven) won in tie breaker over #11 Tywan Claxton (Ohio) (TB-1 6-5)
Cons. Round 5
#4 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) won by decision over Daniel Neff (Lock Haven) (Dec 4-3)
Seventh Place Match
#8 Alexander Richardson (Old Dominion) won by fall over Daniel Neff (Lock Haven) (Fall 2:39)
157 lbs.
(12) Mitch Minotti (Lehigh) – Easton Area – Eighth Place
Champ. Round 1
#12 Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh) won by decision over Andrew Atkinson (Virginia (Dec 8-4)
Champ. Round 2
#12 Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh) won by decision over Louis Mascola (Maryland) (Dec 7-2)
Quarterfinal
#4 James Green (Nebraska) won by major decision over #12 Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh) (MD 12-4)
Cons. Round 4
#12 Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh) won in tie breaker over Anthony Collica (Oklahoma St.) (TB 6-3)
Cons. Round 5
Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech) won by major decision over #12 Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh) (MD 8-0)
Seventh Place Match
(11) Brian Murphy (Michigan) won by medical forfeit over #12 Mitchell Minotti (Lehigh) (Med. Forfeit)
174 lbs.
(8) Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh) – Chartiers Valley – Second Place
Champ. Round 1
#8 Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh) won by decision over Matt Reed (Oklahoma) (Dec 7-4)
Champ. Round 2
#8 Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh) won by decision over #9 Cody Walters (Ohio) (Dec 8-3)
Quarterfinal
#8 Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh) won by decision over #1 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) (Dec 3-2)
Semifinal
#8 Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh) won in sudden victory over Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma St.) (SV 3-1)
Championship Final
#2 Matthew Brown (Penn St.) won by decision over #8 Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh) (Dec 5-4)
(3) Mike Evans (Iowa) – Cumberland Valley/Blair Academy – Sixth Place
Champ. Round 1
#3 Michael Evans (Iowa) won by decision over Nathan Jackson (Indiana) (Dec 4-1)
Champ. Round 2
Michael Evans (Iowa) won by decision over #14 Andy McCulley (Wyoming) (Dec 4-0)
Quarterfinal
#3 Michael Evans (Iowa) won in tie breaker over #4 Logan Storley (Minnesota) (TB 2-1)
Semifinal
Matthew Brown (Penn St.) won by decision over #3 Michael Evans (Iowa) (Dec 1-0)
Cons. Semifinals
#1 Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) won in sudden victory over #3 Michael Evans (Iowa) (SV 6-4)
Fifth Place Match
#12 Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma St.) won in tiebreaker over #3 Michael Evans (Iowa) TB 2-1)
184 lbs.
Kenny Courts (Ohio State) – Central Dauphin – Fifth Place
Champ. Round 1
Kenny Courts (Ohio St.) won in sudden victory over #6 Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota St.) (SV 6-4)
Champ. Round 2
Kenny Courts (Ohio St.) won by decision over Scott Patrick (Davidson) (Dec 12-8)
Quarterfinal
Kenny Courts (Ohio St.) won in sudden victory over #14 Matthew McCutcheon (Penn St.) (SV 7-5)
Semifinal
#7 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) won by decision over Kenny Courts (Ohio St.) (Dec 4-0)
Cons. Semifinal
#3 Blake Stauffer (Arizona St.) won by decision over Kenny Courts (Ohio St.) (Dec. 6-2)
Fifth Place Match
Kenny Courts (Ohio St.) won by decision over #6 Hayden Zillmer (North Dakota St.) (Dec. 4-3)
(7) Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) – Lewisburg Area – Second Place
Champ. Round 1
#7 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) won by decision over Andrew Romanchik (Ohio) (Dec 2-0)
Champ. Round 2
#7 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) won by decision over Willie Miklus (Missouri) (Dec 5-4)
Quarterfinal
#7 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) won by decision over #2 Max Thomusseit (Pittsburgh) (Dec 7-4)
Semifinal
#7 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) won by decision over Kenny Courts (Ohio St.) (Dec 4-0)
Championship Final
#1 Gabriel Dean (Cornell) won by decision over #7 Nathaniel Brown (Lehigh) (Dec 6-2)
285 lbs.
(2) Mike McMullan (Northwestern) – Wyoming Seminary – Third Place
Champ. Round 1
#2 Michael McMullan (Northwestern) won by decision over Tanner Harms (Wyoming) (Dec 12-5)
Champ. Round 2
#2 Michael McMullan (Northwestern) won by major decision over #15 Ross Larson (Oklahoma) (MD 11-2)
Quarterfinal
#2 Michael McMullan (Northwestern) won by decision over #7 Blaize Cabell (Northern Iowa) (Dec 6-3)
Semifinal
#6 Adam Coon (Michigan) won in sudden victory over #2 Michael McMullan (Northwestern) (SV 3-1)
Cons. Semifinal
#2 Michael McMullan (Northwestern) won by major decision over #8 James Lawson (Penn St.) (MD 10-1)
Third Place Match
#2 Michael McMullan (Northwestern) won by decision over #5 Connor Medbery (Wisconsin)
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]