Recap
The No. 1 Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0, 0-0 B1G) traveled west and up to 7,200 feet for their first-ever dual meet in Laramie to take on the No. 18 Wyoming Cowboys (2-2) on Saturday. The Nittany Lions largely dominated en route to their 75th consecutive dual meet win.
125 #2 Luke Lilledahl, Penn State Tech vs Sefton Douglass, Wyoming, 18-3
1st
Luke worked angles to a swing single and quick takedown. After a short ride, Luke released the Cowboy and the two faked and fought for position in the center, with Douglass firing a good shot that Lilledahl matadored. Luke dodged a second
good Douglass shot and scored a second takedown on the counter shot riding out the period. 6-1
2nd
Luke released Douglass from his choice of bottom, then worked a collar tie to another single leg and quick takedown before going to work on top: first with a leg-in half nelson for 4 near-fall points and then a cheap tilt for 2 near-fall points followed by a powerful mat return. Proving mastery from top, Lilledahl released Douglass and pounced on the punctuating single-leg takedown to lock up the 18-3 Technical Fall.
Penn State 5, Wyoming 0
133 #10 Marcus Blaze, Penn State Pinned #22 Luke Willochell, Wyoming
1st
Marcus came out aggressively working snaps, and Willochell capitalized by passing by Blaze’s arms for the quick (after a lengthy Wyoming bench’s brick-induced video review) takedown and subsequent Penn State escape to start the scoring. Marcus measured his motion forward some until hitting one of his powerful snaps, threatening a nearside cradle for the takedown. He looked for a wrist on top before deciding to go back to work in neutral, conceding the escape. Blaze returned to his heavy snaps, running behind his right-side underhook to snare the far ankle and close the period with a takedown. 7-4
2nd
Blaze deferred, yielding the escape to Willochell before firing off a single-leg, hooking the bottom-leg navy ride, and folding the Cowboy in half—as if he had a cradle—for the Fall in 3:39.
Penn State 11, Wyoming 0
141 Nate Desmond, Penn State Dec vs John Alden, Wyoming 11-4
Fan speculation that 125 lb Black Knight Invite champ Desmond might be on the table for 141 lb during Cael’s press availability on Monday was confirmed, with Byers reporting Nate weighing in at 138 lbs.
1st
The undersized Desmond moved his feet laterally and used hands to snap and keep space before darting into a head-inside single, but seemed to lack the leverage to finish the ensuing stale-mated scramble. He kept the pressure on with a collar tie staying low after snaring the low single and doubling off for the takedown. Nate worked good leg riding and forward pressure to take riding time to 1:11 to close the period. 3-0
2nd
Desmond chose bottom upon Alden’s deferral, and hooked a leg for the reversal following with strong mat return before the Cowboy worked for an escape. While Desmond seemed to be sucking some extra air, Alden hit a clean blast double takedown to close the period. 5-4
3rd
Alden chose neutral, and got to a shelved-single leg before Desmond rolled under and came up with a neutralizing leg for the stalemate. Alden shot again, but Nate stuffed his head and hopped behind for the go-behind takedown. Desmond worked his leg-ride for 2 near fall points to close the 11-4 Decision.
Note: the score depicted in the tweet above was a takedown, not a reversal
Penn State 14, Wyoming 0
149 #1 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State Pinned #30 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming
From time to time, Van Ness has shown trouble with long 149 pounders (the Cowboy certainly fits that body type), but had also dispatched Willochell twice previously by Fall.
1st
Shayne stalked off the whistle, nearly scoring on the edge. On the restart, Willochell dropped to a single-leg and fought through Van Ness’s whizzer, getting behind for the takedown. Van Ness escaped quickly and down-blocked Willochell’s aggressive shot, patiently improving his grip on a nearside cradle and eventually securing the Fall in 2:54.
Penn State 20, Wyoming 0
157 #8 PJ Duke, Penn State Pinned #23 Jared Hill, Wyoming
1st
Hill, a 5th-year graduate student, revealed a strategy of strong clubs to true freshman Duke’s ear early and repeatedly. PJ don’t mess, though, and bull-rushed off a fake for the easy go-behind takedown. Duke conceded the escape on an optional start, and after exchanging more heavy clubs and collar ties, snatched an ankle for another easy takedown and a strong ride, taking riding time to 59 seconds. 6-1
2nd
Duke gave an escape on optional start again, looked for his foot-sweep off the 2 on 1. Referee Eric Boucher finally chose to warn Hill for his pugilistic predilections before Duke again got a single, threatened a pancake, scored the easy takedown, and released Hill again to neutral. The Cowboy showed aggression in reaching for a single and was nearly shaken out of his shoes on Duke’s counter, but temporarily evaded. PJ then snagged Hill’s left leg and right elbow simultaneously, flattening him for the Fall in 4:09.
Note: the rest of the individual matches can be seen on the Big 12 Network’s Youtube Channel.
Penn State 26, Wyoming 0
165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State Pinned Sloan Swan, Wyoming
1st
To his credit, Swan shot first, but Mitchell down-blocked for the quick go-behind takedown. After a short stint working for a turn, Mesenbrink released Swan for the escape and faked his way under to a shallow single and, pinning Swan’s arm around his neck, used his active feet to leverage the Cowboy toward his back for 4 near-fall points. Mesenbrink then tried a 2 on 1 tilt before putting that arm on the back for the hammerlock, and then barring it, running it over, and securing the Fall in 2:00.
Penn State 32, Wyoming 0
174 #1 Levi Haines, Penn State Tech vs. #28 Riley Davis, Wyoming, 18-1
1st
Levi hand-fought, faked, and stalked his way to a stall warning before firing a right-hand high crotch for the takedown. He worked several turning holds before Davis slipped out of a suck-back attempt for the escape. Haines threatened the same shot, slipped behind and took Davis down with authority. 6-1
2nd
Davis deferred and Haines stood and escaped easily. He worked into a single and got behind for the takedown before slipping a leg in and working the half for four near-fall points, then the hammerlock and half for a second set of four near fall points and the 18-1 Technical Fall in 4:50.
Penn State 37, Wyoming 0
184 #4 Rocco Welsh, Penn State Dec vs #12 Eddie Neitenbach, Wyoming, 4-1
1st
Rocco worked heavy hands and held center, but Neitenbach held his ground well enough and peppered in fakes. With a minute left, Welsh swam an arm for a single leg and tripped Neitenbach to the mat for the takedown, riding out the period. 3 -0
2nd
Welsh chose down and earned a quick escape. He kept the Cowboy‘s back to the edge but couldn’t connect with any offense. 4-0
3rd
Neitenbach escaped and fed off the crowd’s energy, nearly connecting on a couple of good shots before Welsh snagged his own single leg, and was content to use it to milk the clock for the 4-1 Decision.
Penn State 40, Wyoming 0
197: #4 Joey Novak, Wyoming Major Dec vs. #8 Connor Mirasola, Penn State, 10-2
Featuring the two highest-ranked opponents of the evening, this bout promised a good measuring stick of Mirasola’s place in the upper echelons of 197 pounders.
1st
Connor worked a collar tie as Novak faked and took ground. Mirasola stepped outside for a single leg, but Novak’s considerable length and good balance was just enough to avoid the takedown. 0-0
2nd
Novak deferred and Connor chose neutral, being close on a reattack before he swung to a leg momentarily, but Novak sprawled and hipped out of danger. Mirasola stepped across for another single late in the period but ran out of time before he could find a finish. 0-0
3rd
Novak chose bottom and earned a quick escape. Mirasola went to the left-side step shot one too many times and Novak drove into him for the takedown, seemingly injuring Mirasola’s ankle on the finish. Connor executed a nifty granby to his own single-leg position, but seemed to lack the ability to drive off of the injured leg and bellied out. By this point, the coaches asked for injury time, and Dan Monthley came out to evaluate. Novak received an escape point after electing bottom and Connor chose optional on the restart. Mirasola very nearly got a takedown off of a wrist-snap at the edge, but the finish was just out of bounds. Novak hit his own blast double off the restart, scoring quickly. Connor hipped in and scored a reversal, before conceding one himself, yielding the 10-2 Major Decision.
Penn State 40, Wyoming 4
285 #10 Christian Carroll, Wyoming Dec vs #11 Cole Mirasola, Penn State
1st
Carroll moved his feet well as Cole looked to pull the head and reached for ankles; he snagged one, but Carroll scrambled to a stalemate. The two exchanged clubs and head taps to close the period. 0-0
2nd
Cole chose bottom and stood for an escape, but appeared fatigued. Carrolll capitalized, swimming for a single and chasing down the takedown at full speed. Cole escaped again and pawed at Carroll’s head and feigned ankle shots. 3-2
3rd
The Cowboy escaped easily and Cole snatched an ankle, but Carroll worked his leg-pass to score the counter takedown. Cole again escaped, but Carroll was feeling the high-altitude atmosphere, and swam for another single and quick takedown finish. Cole was able to escape before the buzzer. 10-4 Decision
Penn State 40, Wyoming 7
The Takery
The altitude may have been a factor in the Nittany Lions’ two losses, but I’m more inclined to give those Cowboys the nod as the better wrestlers (in December, anyway). Carroll moved and wrestled like a lightweight and Novak showed his run to AA last year was just a start. I see pathways to victory for both twins in any future rematches though—cleaning and speeding up finishes will surely be a point of emphasis for both in the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex.
Desmond may have just missed bonus—and it showed that he’s not a full-sized 141 pounder—but his technique and toughness cannot be questioned, and it was fun to see him in the lineup, and scoring for the Blue and White. Time will tell how long we might enjoy him in this slot, but he won’t be an easy out for most.
For the rest of the squad, we continue to see the Sanderson Way: Domination. Our fiery true freshmen continue to sculpt a new era in Penn State Wrestling even as our savvy vets continue to tie a ribbon on their own brand.
Ernie Lucas Award Winner: Shayne Van Ness
Next Up: Collegiate Duals
The Nittany Lions travel to Nashville, TN, for the 2025 Collegiate Duals on Saturday, Dec. 20, where they will face two opponents:
- 5pm EST: vs. North Dakota State
- 7pm EST: vs. Stanford
FloWrestling / LionVison
