Posts by Eric Knopsnyder
11th Heaven: Two Lehigh Valley Wrestlers to Meet for NCAA Title
ST. LOUIS – Pennsylvania is guaranteed to have a national champion at 125 pounds. So is District 11. Darian Cruz of Lehigh had the Scottrade Center rocking on Friday night with his 4-2 win over previously unbeaten Thomas Gilman of Iowa in sudden victory. Ethan Lizak of Minnesota’s path to the final was much less…
Read MorePreviewing Pennsylvania's Five NCAA National Semifinalists
Five Pennsylvania wrestlers will be competing in the NCAA semifinals on Friday night. Here’s a look at their matchups: 125 lbs. No. 4 Darrian Cruz, Lehigh (31-2) vs. No. 1 Thomas Gilman, Iowa (32-0) How they got here: Cruz – EIWA champion Pin (:52) over Dylan Peters of Northern Iowa 1-0 over No. 13 Shakur…
Read MorePennsylvania Studs Help Penn State Take lead at NCAA National Tournament
ST. LOUIS – The first day of the NCAA Tournament couldn’t have gone much better for Penn State. The Nittany Lions went a combined 15-1 on the day, including two wins apiece by Pennsylvania’s Zain Retherford, Jason Nolf, Vincenzo Joseph and Matt McCutcheon. Even Jimmy Gulibon, who had struggled in the Big Ten Championships, turned…
Read MoreCan Jimmy Gulibon Help Lift Nittany Lions to NCAA Title?
Jimmy Gulibon could be Penn State’s wild card at the NCAA Championships. Yes, the four-time PIAA champion from Derry Area earned an automatic bid by finishing eighth at 141 pounds in the Big Ten Tournament, but what the Nittany Lions will get from him in St. Louis is anybody’s guess. For his part, Cael Sanderson…
Read More14 Can't Miss Quarterfinals in Class 2A
It was a great opening day at the state tournament in Hershey, but Day 2 promises to be even better with quarterfinals and semifinals in Class AA. Even though the quarterfinal round begins at 9 a.m. Friday, you’ll want to have your popcorn ready for these matchups: 106 lbs. #3 Nathan Smith, Bishop McDevitt vs.…
Read MoreFreshman Takes out State's No. 3-Ranked Wrestler at Northwest Regional
Freshman Ed Scott of DuBois showed that experience isn’t always the biggest factor in a close match. The 12th-ranked 113-pounder staged an impressive third-period rally to beat No. 3 Geo Barzona of Central Mountain, 6-5, to win the Northwest Regional title in Class AAA on Saturday night in Altoona. Trailing 4-1 in the third, Scott…
Read MoreMatches to Watch in PA State Team AA Quarterfinals
The quarterfinals of the PIAA Class AA Team Wrestling Championships, which begin at noon, will feature more than just great dual meets – they also will bring some intriguing individual matches. While shifting lineups mean that we won’t get to see every one of these bouts, there should be plenty of highlight-reel-worthy matches. Here’s a…
Read MoreLive Updates from Brookville Ultimate Duals
We’ll be posting box scores after each round at the Brookville Ultimate duals, which features the top AA teams in Pennsylvania. No. 1 Reynolds, No. 2 Brookville, No. 5 Chestnut Ridge, #18 Burrell and Bishop McCort. The showcase between #1 Reynolds and #2 Brookville Area will be streamed live on PA Power Wrestling! Round…
Read MoreClash of The Young Guns: Nolf vs. Kemerer
Don’t expect Jody Strittmatter to be matside for Penn State’s Big Ten showdown at Iowa on Friday night. Or hosting a raucous watch party, for that matter. The Nation’s top club coach will be tuning in quietly – and nervously – from the comfort of his own home. While the dual could have more than…
Read MoreMurin's Win over Hoffman Highlights Sheetz Tournament
Sometimes, when a match is as highly anticipated as the Max Murin-Jimmy Hoffman final at the Sheetz Holiday Classic was, it’s tough to live up to they hype. Saturday’s showdown between the 2016 PIAA runners-up – Murin in AA and Hoffman in AAA – didn’t disappoint. Murin came from behind to beat Hoffman in a…
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