The 2019 Bryce Jordan Center Dual featured one of the best meets of the NCAA season with #1 Penn State taking on #5 Michigan. The Big Ten dual featured a total of fourteen Nationally ranked wrestlers between the two teams in front of a packed BJC.

At 125 pounds Penn State’s Devin Schnupp (Warwick) got things started against Michigan’s #15 Drew Mattin. Schnupp fought hard for three periods and held Mattin to a (6-0) decision giving Michigan the early lead. Without the services of #15 Roman Bravo-Young at 133 pounds for Penn State, head coach Cael Sanderson gave the nod to senior Scott Stossel (North Allegheny). The walk-on made his career start against Michigan’s #1 Stevan Micic. Stossel got the crowd into a stir when he brought up a single leg but the Wolverine fought it off and got his offense rolling. Stossel did his job and only gave up the tech-fall against the Nation’s #1 wrestler.

#7 Nick Lee got Penn State on the board with an impressive (10-4) decision over #5 Kanen Storr of Michigan. Lee pushed the pace for all seven minutes nearly scoring a takedown in the last ten seconds and racking up (2:22) of riding time. The third Pennsylvania native to compete for Penn State was 149 pounder Jared Verkleeren (Hempfield Area) who filled in for #11 Brady Berge. He faced unranked senior Malik Amine of Michigan and, despite looking great for two periods, faded in the third period dropping a (7-5) bout. Verkleeren went into the third up (5-3) but he gave up an escape, takedown, and riding-time point to Amine all in the third.

With Michigan up (11-3) after four matches, 2-time NCAA Champion #1 Jason Nolf (Kittanning) took on #5 Alec Pantaleo of Michigan. Nolf bullied his way to a (7-0) advantage after two periods picking up a takedown and a set of back points. In the third period he gave up a takedown but escaped and added a point for riding time winning (9-2) and cutting Michigan’s lead to (11-6) in the dual. 

After intermission #1 Vincenzo Joseph (Central Catholic) looked to rebound in the BJC after falling to Iowa’s Alex Marinelli here last season. The 2-time National Champion had his hands full with #7 Logan Massa. Joseph was (3-0) all-time against Massa but needed sudden victory to get his hand raised this time. Each wrestler gave up an escape and hands-to-the-face penalty making it (2-2) after three periods. In the first sudden victory Joseph pushed the action with quick fakes and shot attempts. The Pennsylvania native was able to go behind Massa on their feet and as time expired back tripped him down the winning takedown. The call was confirmed and Joseph put Penn State within two of Michigan (11-9).

National Champion #1 Mark Hall took on an always tough #3 Myles Amine of Michigan. Hall owned two wins against Amine going into the match winning (4-3) and (6-5) in their past two meetings. The match played out as expected with Hall scoring a takedown and holding on for a (3-2) win and putting Penn State out in front for the first time (12-11) over Michigan. The “Cradle King” #2 Shakur Rasheed of Penn State took on unranked freshman Jelani Embree. It was certainly not Shak’s best performance, going up (4-1) in the first but gave up a point for roughness and nearly back points to win it (5-3). With Penn State now in control (15-11) 2-time National Champion #1 Bo Nickal faced unranked junior Jackson Striggow. The Wolverine had not given up bonus points yet this season but that changed against Nickal, Up (12-3) Nickal slapped on a cradle and stuck Striggow in (5:50) giving the Nittany Lions a (21-11) advantage heading into heavyweight.

One of the more intriguing matches of the evening took place at heavyweight with Michigan’s true freshman #8 Mason Parris facing Penn State’s #4 Anthony Cassar. The two heavyweights got into a scrappy scramble to start things off with Cassar planting Parris for a takedown and two backs. The two put up a total of 27 points with Cassar coming away with a massive (19-8) major over Parris to close out the dual (25-11).

 

#1 Penn State 25, #5 Michigan 11

 

125: #15 Drew Mattin MICH dec. Devin Schnupp PSU, 6-0

133: #1 Stevan Micic MICH tech fall Scott Stossel PSU, 20-5 (TF; 7:00) 

141: #7 Nick Lee PSU dec. #5 Kanen Storr MICH, 10-4

149: Malik Amine MICH dec. Jarod Verkleeren MICH, 7-5

157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU dec. #5 Alec Pantaleo MICH, 9-2

165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU dec. #7 Logan Massa MICH, 4-2 (SV) 

174: #1 Mark Hall PSU dec. #3 Myles Amine MICH, 3-2

184: #2 Shakur Rasheed PSU dec. Jelani Embree MICH, 5-3

197: #1 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Jackson Striggow MICH, WBF (5:50)

285: #4 Anthony Cassar PSU maj. dec. #8 Mason Marris MICH, 19-8