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Wrestling Postview: No. 1 Penn State 36, No. 2 Ohio State 5

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Luke Lilledahl celebrates victory over Ohio State’s Nick Bouzakis | Owen Rasmussen, Black Shoe Diaries

Dual Meets indeed do matter. In fact, there is no higher form of dual contest than the two remaining undefeated and top-ranked teams in the nation toeing the line to settle the struggle for top dog in the toughest wrestling conference in the land.

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Just ask a new indoor dual meet record 16,006 fans, who packed the Bryce Jordan Center to measure just how far ahead their #1 Nittany Lions were from the rest of the pack—notably against heated rival and clear #2 Ohio State, who unfortunately would lack 3 key starters as they aim to get #1 Brandon Cannon, #5 Carson Kharchla and #6 Ethan Stiles healthy for the postseason.

Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, the answer couldn’t have been made clearer, even if their full lineup would have been active; their school record win-streak of 17 now stalled under the shadow of Penn State’s run NCAA record run of 85 straight (and counting) victories.

Recap

125 lbs – #1 Luke Lilledahl, Penn State Dec. #2 Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State, 4-1 (sv)

1st

The two stood in the center and traded fakes, before Lilledahl shot a single leg, Bouzakis sitting the corner and nearly scoring before Luke returned action to neutral with a well-timed arm-dump. 0-0

2nd

Luke deferred and the Buckeye stood with hand control for an escape in the first quarter-minute. They pawed at each-other’s heads and deftly dodged attacks, always looking to spring for a counter score, but conceding nothing. 0-1

3rd

Lilledahl chose bottom and escaped in seconds. They continued to hold ground in the center and Luke peppered Bouzakis with safe ankle pick and swing-single attempts that didn’t find pay-dirt. In short time though, he committed, and fired a crisp high-crotch, doubling-off, but finishing the takedown a quarter-second after the buzzer. 1-1

OvertimeSudden Victory

They continued pawing each-others heads, and Luke hit the same shot as before, this time cracking down, keeping his hips back, and shelving the leg for the match-clinching takedown as the crowd erupted. 4-1 Decision.

Penn State 3, Ohio State 0

133 lbs – #4 Marcus Blaze, Penn State Dec. #2 Ben Davino, Ohio State, 3-2 (tb)

1st

Davino looked to match Blaze’s famously impeccable low stance, darting into momentary opportunities, once by pushing the Nittany Lion’s head laterally to shoot, but Blaze shut the door by returning to baseline position. In a portend of things to come, Blaze took a moment for an eye-poke before the pattern resumed. 0-0

2nd

Davino chose bottom and switched his hips away for a quick escape. Blaze worked a snap into a brief front-headlock, but couldn’t break the Buckeye down to the mat. 0-1

3rd

Marcus took bottom and stood for his own easy escape. Blaze stepped out for an outside ankle pick but Davino dodged it. The Buckeye then pushed Marcus’s head to the side again, and followed his first whiff to a single-leg, but Marcus guided the action out of bounds for a restart before he could finish. Blaze caught another front-headlock late, but ran out of time to use it. 1-1

OvertimeSudden Victory

They pushed heads and countered each-other’s counters before either opened up a real opportunity. 1-1

Tie-Breaker 1

Blaze deferred choice to the 2nd Tie-Breaker, and Davino chose bottom, switching his hips again for an escape in just nine seconds. Blaze stalked for an ankle-pick but couldn’t find it, and again got a finger in the eye, causing some blood time, and some valuable moments in the corner with the Penn State coaches.

Tie-Breaker 2

Marcus took bottom, moved to his hip as Davino put a leg in. Conjuring memories of Josh Barr vs Cardenas in the Michigan dual last season, Blaze grabbed that ankle and pressed backward, taking the Buckeye to his own hip and coming around for the reversal, turning riding time in his favor as the period expired. Marcus immediately pointed to his corner, seemingly to acknowledge good advice from their last exchange. 3-2 Decision.

Penn State 6, Ohio State 0

141 lbs – #1 Jesse Mendez, Ohio State Tech Fall #12 Braeden Davis, Penn State, 18-2

1st

Heavy-hands were out for both wrestlers as Davis push-pulled and moved his feet laterally quite and Mendez looked to set things up from an underhook. Braeden was able to dart in on a shot, but Mendez caught it, dictating mat position with his hook. Davis looked for a Russian-tie, then Mendez timed a head-outside single leg, shelving the leg, and driving for a takedown, riding out the period. 0-3

2nd

Davis deferred choice and Mendez took bottom, escaping easily. Davis stepped in to shoot, and Mendez countered, pancaking Braeden for the takedown and 3 near-fall points before he could belly out. The 2-time National Champ Buckeye cut Davis and soon powered into a double-leg takedown, planting Braeden on his back again for 2 more near-fall points, and taking riding advantage to 1:18. 2-15

3rd

Mendez went optional start, conceding an escape, and tossing Davis backward with his underhook, earning a stall warning on Braeden before finishing a single to ice the 2-18 Technical Fall.

Penn State 6, Ohio State 5

149 lbs – #1 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State Tech Fall Brogan Fielding, Ohio State, 20-5

Fielding got the nod over stater, #6 Ethan Stiles

1st

    Shayne stalked the Freshman, snapping and reaching for shots before misdirecting and arm-dragging into a double-leg for the score, riding with a leg in and looking for wrists and cross-faces, earning a stall warning on the Buckeye and closing the period with 1:14 in riding advantage. 3-0

    2nd

    Fielding chose bottom and Van Ness cut him, dropping into a double-leg for the easy takedown. Catch-and-release commenced and Shayne scored twice with a singles the edge, and tacked on a stall point through his aggression. 13-3

    3rd

    Van Ness chose down and escaped, dropping into another double-leg takedown, then climbed Fielding’s body seeking near-fall, but was dinged for a locked-hands penalty point. Shayne again cut Fielding on the restart and slid the Buckeye by for the takedown and 20-5 Technical Fall.

    Penn State 11, Ohio State 5

    157 lbs – #4 PJ Duke, Penn State Pinned Daxton Chase, Ohio State

    Chase was given the start, filling in for #1 Brandon Cannon

    1st

    PJ darted to a low-single and a quick score after the whistle. He released Chase for the escape and used his underhook to pounce on a low double and second takedown. Duke looked for an arm-bar before releasing the Buckeye again, then poured on the takedowns, scoring with a single-leg, an ankle-pick—picking up a stall warning on Chase—and countering a shot, riding out the period with 1:35 in advantage time. 15-4

    2nd

    Feeling it from his feet, PJ chose neutral and chased the corner from a front-headlock before locking up an assassin for the Fall in 3:28.

    Penn State 17, Ohio State 5

    165 lbs – #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State Maj. Dec. #16 Paddy Gallagher, Ohio State, 12-2

    1st

    Mitchell jumped to a low single on the whistle and scored a takedown, and went to work on top, breaking Gallagher down. He worked the Buckeye hard for wrists and to set up his arm-bar series, accumulating 2:47 in riding time, earning a both a warning and point for stalling, and summoning Tom Ryan to the center of the scorers table for his first case-making to the officials. 4-0

    2nd

    Mitchell took bottom and stood for an escape. Gallagher launched a clean high-crotch and Mitchell lost the far ankle and had to work a chest-lock position to eventually neutralize the threat off the mat, but not before burning a lot of time. The Buckeye shot a similar shot, but this time Mesenbrink kept the far ankle and hooked a leg for the counter-score in short time. 8-0

    3rd

    The Buckeye took bottom, and Mitchell resumed a hard ride: trying to line up a bow and arrow before releasing Gallagher on a restart, and scoring on a single-leg. He cut the Buckeye again with riding time locked, but couldn’t connect to score again. 12-2 Major Decision.

    Penn State 21, Ohio State 5

    174 lbs – #1 Levi Haines, Penn State Tech Fall PJ Schierl, Ohio State, 16-1

    Schierl was in for the dinged up #5 Carson Kharchla

    1st

    Schierl hit some strong clubs before Levi chased down a single-leg and scored a takedown, riding to 1:02 in advantage time before releasing. Hi missed a shot on one side, then connected his high-crotch to the other, doubling off low to finish the takedown and ran an arm-bar for 2 near-fall points before Schierl could belly out. 8-1

    2nd

    Levi chose bottom and stood for an escape, keeping forward pressure, hitting his go-to shot and hooking a turk, which he turned into an archery opportunity for 4 near-fall points; to the Buckeye’s credit, Levi couldn’t quite secure the Fall where us usually can, instead settling for the 16-1 Technical Fall.

    Penn State 26, Ohio State 5

    184 lbs – #1 Rocco Welsh, Penn State Dec. #8 Dylan Fishback, Ohio State, 7-6

    1st

    Rocco looked to keep space by moving his feet and throwing in some jabs and clubs to Fishback’s head before catching a finger to his eye, breaking the action briefly. On the restart, Welsh pressed forward, and the Buckeye gauged a low single attempt perfectly, standing and tripping Rocco for the takedown. Fishback proceeded to ride the former Buckeye actively, with multiple mat returns, but conceding a stall warning in an extended rear-standing position, but riding out the period with 1:32 in advantage time. 0-3

    2nd

    Fishback chose bottom and worked for a quick escape. Welsh returned to keeping space, and Fishback swept in for a single leg, which Rocco was able to neutralize with heavy baseline hips. 0-4

    3rd

    In the spirit of continuous improvement, Welsh heeded his corner’s indication to take bottom. Rocco stood early, but fell victim to a premature whistle at the boundary, forcing a restart. Fishback managed another mat return, before Rocco was finally able to seal hand control and get an escape. Welsh started stepping forward more, and again walked into a Fishback shot, but he managed to stuff the head and scoot behind for a takedown with 1:10 remaining. His coaches urged Rocco to cut the Buckeye and, with riding advantage locked for Fishback, he worked heavy snaps and fakes into a front-headlock before spinning behind for the go-ahead takedown, the thunderous roar of the largest indoor crowd in US dual meet history, and the 7-6 Decision.

    Penn State 29, Ohio State 5

    197 lbs – #1 Josh Barr, Penn State Maj. Dec. #10 Luke Geog, Ohio State, 11-2

    1st

    Both wrestlers worked collar ties and ties in the middle of the mat with Barr faking and then connecting on a shallow double, finishing the takedown in the middle of the mat and accruing 42 seconds in advantage time. 3-0

    2nd

    Barr stood for an escape and blasted an underhook, tossing Geog to his hip, just missing the knee pick, and running out of real estate to score on the ensuing front-headlock. Barr took ground and earned a stall warning on the Buckeye before again horsing an underhook, this time finishing a takedown low at the edge and building advantage time to 1:01. 7-0

    3rd

    Josh cut Geog and stalked but the Buckeye got to a single leg. Barr found the far ankle and methodically improved his position to eventually score the counter takedown. Josh hunted for his assassin, and Geog eventually hip-heisted for an escape, but Barr completed the 11-2 Major Decision.

    Penn State 33, Ohio State 5

    285 lbs – #12 Cole Mirasola, Penn State Dec. #3 Nick Feldman, Ohio State, 4-1 (sv)

    Shane Sparks reported that Feldman weighed in at 236 lbs vs. Cole’s 227 lbs.

    1st

    Feldman emerged on the platform early, and had to scoot off for the TV timeout. Cole cooly jogged to the mat and the two exchanged clubs before Mirasola poked Feldman in the eye, causing a break. For the rest of the period, Mirasola harassed Feldman’s head and peppered in fakes and shots, which seemed to visibly frustrate the Buckeye. 0-0

    2nd

    Feldman chose bottom and escaped easily, but Cole took ground and continued faking, earning a stall warning just as he sank to Feldman’s ankle, coming up with and shelving it, but he just missed the 2nd ankle and Feldman used his flexibility and strength to fight out of the position. Feldman dove on a double-leg, but Cole kept his composure, snared the far ankle, and scooted behind, momentarily reaching scoring position with Feldman’s weight on his hand—but Cael’s brick throw wasn’t enough to overturn the referee’s judgement of reaction time allowance. Looking confident and comfortable, Cole shuffled his feet and fired one more shot for an ankle, but couldn’t bring it in. 0-1

    3rd

    Cole stood quickly and escaped. Casey called for Cole continue the snaps, caught a Feldman shot, and the two traded counters as their feet movement slowed. 1-1

    OvertimeSudden Victory

    Feldman committed to a shot, but Cole stuffed it and re-attacked to the other side, doubling off and securing the 4-1 Decision.

    Afterward, Cole offered this when I asked him why he seemed so comfortable in this match:

    Our coaches get us ready for the biggest moments just like that. It was a lot of fun. We are just ready for the big moments and it is what we live for. I just live for that stuff.

    He went on to share:

    I felt like I was just wearing on him the whole time. I knew when we got to overtime, I had him. I just looked in his face, and he was done. I knew it. So when he shot, the attack was just easy. . . That environment, sold out Jordan Center—I wanted to do that my whole life. It was just like a full circle moment to be here at Penn State and do that.

    Penn State 36, Ohio State 5

    The Takery

    Cael made a notable remark about the worthy opponents they face throughout the season:

    We have a lot of respect for everyone we compete against. Every team we face, they want to win, they train hard, they have great coaches, and they have the same goals we do. We’re not the only ones working hard out there.

    He went on to praise Tom Ryan in particular:

    Tom Ryan is an incredible coach. Always has a great team. They always come to compete. He just does everything right. They recruit well, they train their guys well, they wrestle well in the big matches and they wrestle well in the postseason. So we have a ton of respect for them as a program and what they do.

    Despite a lot of similarity in approach, knowledge, desire, and resources with all these schools, Penn State continues to consistently demonstrate an unmatchable edge in terms of success. To wit, with one dual remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, the Lions have outscored their opponents 579-39. While facing the cream of the conference, and stout schools like Lehigh and Stanford, only Nebraska managed to muster double-digits (12) against them this year. Penn State is doing something right—and maybe some of it has to do with their cohesion as a team of individuals wrestling for one another. Even Cael said they have something special going this year on that front:

    …We have a great team. Our culture and just the friendship and the camaraderie is—I do not think it has ever been anything close to what we have right now. I think a lot of it has to do with just all the changes in college athletics and just the kids that are coming here because they want to be here and they want to be a part of something special.

    Event the biggest haters would have to agree on that “something special” bit. This team is another kind of dominant altogether.

    Ridge Riley Winner: Marcus Blaze, amongst a bevy of worthy candidates.

    Next Up: Penn State honors Levi Haines and other seniors, wrapping up the regular dual meet season at Rec Hall vs. Princeton on Friday, Feb 20 at 7 pm.

    Shameless Fatherhood Pride

    When the venerable Scott Pilutik informed us of his regret in not being available to shoot this dual meet, he offered the opportunity for my son teenaged Owen. It’s hard to compete with Scott’s experience and eye, but the great shots above are evidence a fantastic experience for him and in turn, his dad.

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