Pennsylvania's Elite Four Win NCAA National Championships in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS – Pennsylvania Wrestling was guaranteed at least one National Champion coming into the Saturday night finals but left with the maximum number. The four Keystone State wrestlers all accomplished the feat in their own unique ways.
It started at 125 lbs. when District XI foes Darian Cruz (BECHAI) and Ethan Lizak (Parkland) clashed in the National Finals. Cruz was able to collect on a takedown on the edge of the mat in the third period to take command of the bout. Lizak was unable to get his offense going from the top position choosing bottom in the second while Cruz stayed on his feet in the third.
Darian Cruz has competed on many different stages but the NCAA Finals was different beast. “I was mentally and physically ready for it. And I was more nervous, to be honest, with my semis match. But this National Championship brings a whole different type of nerves. There’s so many people and they’re all watching literally just you and some other kid fight for the title.”
District XI Wrestling is a special brotherhood and one where steel sharpens steel.
“We don’t stay away from each other because we’re competitors. We work out — I mean, me and Lizak worked out plenty of times in the Lehigh Wrestling Club, for Coach Weaver, Bobby and my dad.”
The Zain Train continued to roll through St. Louis despite giving up the first takedown of the match. “I’ve been taken down before. I was feeling kind of nervous a little bit, but more excited nervous. So that’s the signal it’s go time. It’s national finals, let’s go. So, yeah, just focusing on keep scoring after that point, doesn’t matter.” Retherford never looked back scoring 18 unanswered points to earn his second straight NCAA National Championship at 149 lbs. with an (18-2) Tech-Fall.
Returning NCAA National finalist Jason Nolf would not be denied in 2017 as he continued to dominate in his sophomore campaign by collecting a (14-6) major decision. Nolf scored six takedowns including four in the final period and remained undefeated on the season.
And then Vincenzo Joseph shocked the Wrestling World.
In addition to the four NCAA National Champions from Pennsylvania, four other grapplers left the Scottrade Center with hardware. Cruz was runner-up at 125 lbs., Scotty Parker was eighth at 133 lbs., Solomon Chishko was sixth at 149 lbs., and Michael Kemerer was third at 157 lbs.
Final brackets and Pennsylvania medal matches are below.
125 lbs.
1st Place – Darian Cruz of Lehigh
2nd Place – Ethan Lizak of Minnesota
3rd Place – Thomas Gilman of Iowa
4th Place – Nicholas Piccininni of Oklahoma State
5th Place – Joey Dance of Virginia Tech
6th Place – Jack Mueller of Virginia
7th Place – Sean Russell of Edinboro
8th Place – Nathan Kraisser of Campbell
1st Place Match
Darian Cruz (Lehigh) 31-2, Jr. over Ethan Lizak (Minnesota) 30-7, So. (Dec 6-3)
3rd Place Match
Thomas Gilman (Iowa) 32-1, Sr. over Nicholas Piccininni (Oklahoma State) 27-8, So. (Dec 13-6)
5th Place Match
Joey Dance (Virginia Tech) 30-3, Sr. over Jack Mueller (Virginia) 27-7, Fr. (M. For.)
7th Place Match
Sean Russell (Edinboro) 37-8, Jr. over Nathan Kraisser (Campbell) 29-10, Sr. (Dec 10-3)
133 lbs.
1st Place – Cory Clark of Iowa
2nd Place – Seth Gross of South Dakota State
3rd Place – Nathan Tomasello of Ohio State
4th Place – Stevan Micic of Michigan
5th Place – Kaid Brock of Oklahoma State
6th Place – Eric Montoya of Nebraska
7th Place – Zane Richards of Illinois
8th Place – Scotty Parker of Lehigh
1st Place Match
Cory Clark (Iowa) 20-3, Sr. over Seth Gross (South Dakota State) 34-2, So. (Dec 4-3)
3rd Place Match
Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) 24-1, Jr. over Stevan Micic (Michigan) 29-7, Fr. (Dec 5-2)
5th Place Match
Kaid Brock (Oklahoma State) 29-4, So. over Eric Montoya (Nebraska) 30-7, . (Dec 5-3)
7th Place Match
Zane Richards (Illinois) 29-6, Sr. over Scotty Parker (Lehigh) 20-5, So. (MD 14-4)
141 Results
1st Place – Dean Heil of Oklahoma State
2nd Place – George DiCamillo of Virginia
3rd Place – Kevin Jack of NC State
4th Place – Bryce Meredith of Wyoming
5th Place – Jaydin Eierman of Missouri
6th Place – Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers
7th Place – Matthew Kolodzik of Princeton
8th Place – Thomas Thorn of Minnesota
1st Place Match
Dean Heil (Oklahoma State) 32-0, Jr. over George DiCamillo (Virginia) 24-5, Sr. (Dec 6-3)
3rd Place Match
Kevin Jack (NC State) 35-2, Jr. over Bryce Meredith (Wyoming) 32-8, Jr. (Fall 6:20)
5th Place Match
Jaydin Eierman (Missouri) 29-7, Fr. over Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) 30-6, Jr. (Dec 4-2)
7th Place Match
Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) 30-4, Fr. over Thomas Thorn (Minnesota) 20-10, So. (Dec 3-1)
149 Results
1st Place – Zain Retherford of Penn State
2nd Place – Lavion Mayes of Missouri
3rd Place – Brandon Sorensen of Iowa
4th Place – Micah Jordan of Ohio State
5th Place – Max Thomsen of Northern Iowa
6th Place – Solomon Chishko of Virginia Tech
7th Place – Kenny Theobold of Rutgers
8th Place – Alex Kocer of South Dakota State
1st Place Match
Zain Retherford (Penn State) 28-0, Jr. over Lavion Mayes (Missouri) 23-3, Sr. (TF-1.5 6:43 (18-2))
3rd Place Match
Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) 31-5, Jr. over Micah Jordan (Ohio State) 33-5, So. (Dec 4-0)
5th Place Match
Max Thomsen (Northern Iowa) 31-7, So. over Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) 25-6, Jr. (Dec 10-4)
7th Place Match
Kenny Theobold (Rutgers) 26-11, Sr. over Alex Kocer (South Dakota State) 30-11, Sr. (Fall 1:37)
157 lbs.
1st Place – Jason Nolf of Penn State
2nd Place – Joey Lavallee of Missouri
3rd Place – Michael Kemerer of Iowa
4th Place – Joseph Smith of Oklahoma State
5th Place – Tyler Berger of Nebraska
6th Place – Dylan Palacio of Cornell
7th Place – Paul Fox of Stanford
8th Place – Sal Mastriani of Virginia Tech
1st Place Match
Jason Nolf (Penn State) 27-0, So. over Joey Lavallee (Missouri) 29-2, Jr. (MD 14-6)
3rd Place Match
Michael Kemerer (Iowa) 33-3, Fr. over Joseph Smith (Oklahoma State) 16-6, So. (SV-1 7-1)
5th Place Match
Tyler Berger (Nebraska) 36-6, Jr. over Dylan Palacio (Cornell) 11-4, Sr. (Dec 6-3)
7th Place Match
Paul Fox (Stanford) 29-15, Jr. over Sal Mastriani (Virginia Tech) 20-9, Sr. (Fall 5:00)
165 lbs.
1st Place – Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State
2nd Place – Isaiah Martinez of Illinois
3rd Place – Logan Massa of Michigan
4th Place – Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin
5th Place – Chandler Rogers of Oklahoma State
6th Place – Daniel Lewis of Missouri
7th Place – Chad Walsh of Rider
8th Place – Brandon Womack of Cornell
1st Place Match
Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) 22-4, So. over Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) 31-1, Sr. (Fall 5:26)
3rd Place Match
Logan Massa (Michigan) 32-3, Fr. over Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) 28-6, Sr. (MD 11-2)
5th Place Match
Chandler Rogers (Oklahoma State) 25-8, So. over Daniel Lewis (Missouri) 28-6, So. (Dec 9-6)
7th Place Match
Chad Walsh (Rider) 33-4, Jr. over Brandon Womack (Cornell) 34-11, So. (Dec 8-5)
174 lbs.
1st Place – Mark Hall of Penn State
2nd Place – Bo Jordan of Ohio State
3rd Place – Zahid Valencia of Arizona State
4th Place – Myles Amine of Michigan
5th Place – Brian Realbuto of Cornell
6th Place – Zac Brunson of Illinois
7th Place – Kyle Crutchmer of Oklahoma State
8th Place – Jake Residori of SIUE
1st Place Match
Mark Hall (Penn State) 31-3, Fr. over Bo Jordan (Ohio State) 18-2, Jr. (Dec 5-2)
3rd Place Match
Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) 38-1, So. over Myles Amine (Michigan) 31-7, Fr. (MD 15-5)
5th Place Match
Brian Realbuto (Cornell) 27-3, Sr. over Zac Brunson (Illinois) 32-11, Sr. (Fall 1:15)
7th Place Match
Kyle Crutchmer (Oklahoma State) 23-7, Sr. over Jake Residori (SIUE) 24-14, Sr. (Dec 9-4)
184 lbs.
1st Place – Bo Nickal of Penn State
2nd Place – Gabe Dean of Cornell
3rd Place – TJ Dudley of Nebraska
4th Place – Sammy Brooks of Iowa
5th Place – Myles Martin of Ohio State
6th Place – Nolan Boyd of Oklahoma State
7th Place – Drew Foster of Northern Iowa
8th Place – Nathan Jackson of Indiana
1st Place Match
Bo Nickal (Penn State) 26-1, So. over Gabe Dean (Cornell) 34-1, Sr. (Dec 4-3)
3rd Place Match
TJ Dudley (Nebraska) 33-5, Sr. over Sammy Brooks (Iowa) 28-4, Sr. (Fall 2:38)
5th Place Match
Myles Martin (Ohio State) 32-9, So. over Nolan Boyd (Oklahoma State) 24-7, Sr. (Dec 10-6)
7th Place Match
Drew Foster (Northern Iowa) 26-6, Jr. over Nathan Jackson (Indiana) 33-6, Jr. (Dec 11-7)
197 lbs.
1st Place – J`den Cox of Missouri
2nd Place – Brett Pfarr of Minnesota
3rd Place – Kollin Moore of Ohio State
4th Place – Jared Haught of Virginia Tech
5th Place – Aaron Studebaker of Nebraska
6th Place – Preston Weigel of Oklahoma State
7th Place – Ryan Wolfe of Rider
8th Place – Kevin Beazley of Old Dominion
1st Place Match
J`den Cox (Missouri) 28-0, Sr. over Brett Pfarr (Minnesota) 31-3, Sr. (Dec 8-2)
3rd Place Match
Kollin Moore (Ohio State) 33-4, Fr. over Jared Haught (Virginia Tech) 28-4, Jr. (Fall 2:27)
5th Place Match
Aaron Studebaker (Nebraska) 33-10, Sr. over Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) 22-8, So. (MD 9-0)
7th Place Match
Ryan Wolfe (Rider) 24-6, Sr. over Kevin Beazley (Old Dominion) 25-8, Jr. (Dec 2-1)
285 lbs.
1st Place – Kyle Snyder of Ohio State
2nd Place – Connor Medbery of Wisconsin
3rd Place – Tanner Hall of Arizona State
4th Place – Ty Walz of Virginia Tech
5th Place – Nick Nevills of Penn State
6th Place – Jacob Kasper of Duke
7th Place – Michael Kroells of Minnesota
8th Place – Denzel Dejournette of Appalachian State
1st Place Match
Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) 17-0, Jr. over Connor Medbery (Wisconsin) 29-2, Sr. (Dec 6-3)
3rd Place Match
Tanner Hall (Arizona State) 35-6, So. over Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) 26-4, Sr. (TB-1 5-4)
5th Place Match
Nick Nevills (Penn State) 25-5, So. over Jacob Kasper (Duke) 30-6, Jr. (SV-1 4-3)
7th Place Match
Michael Kroells (Minnesota) 31-11, Sr. over Denzel Dejournette (Appalachian State) 30-9, Sr. (TF-1.5 7:00 (17-2))
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