UNIVERSITY — PARK Quentin Wright likened the Penn State wrestling team and its progress so far this season to a snowball that starts rolling downward from the top of a mountain.
That snowball gets bigger, more powerful and rolls faster and faster, gobbling up everything in its path.
“Now it’s really starting to pick up speed and really gain momentum. That’s how I look at it,” Wright said. “The lightweights, they’re starting to come on board. Now, even me myself, I’m starting to come on board and really, the pieces are starting to fall together and everything is just connecting and it’s really exciting to see that.”
The defending national champions welcomed back talented 133-pounder Frank Martellotti — who is still undefeated in duals for Penn State — last week. Junior Bryan Pearsall has given the Lions a boost at 141, posting a 3-1 record in his last four appearances and the Nittany Lions as a team have won 33 dual meet bouts to their opponents’ seven over the last four duals.
Now, the snowball is approaching a fissure in the mountainside, one where three talented Big Ten squads are waiting. The first stop is tonight in Evanston, Ill., where the Lions (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten) will square off with the Northwestern Wildcats (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten) at 8 p.m.
“Northwestern’s really done a great job with their recruiting the last couple of years and we’re starting to see those kids trickle into the lineup,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said. “We’ve got to be at our best.”
For the first time in more than a month, the Nittany Lions will wrestle Friday-Sunday duals back-to-back.
While Wisconsin (5-3, 0-2 Big Ten) awaits in Madison on Sunday and a home dual with No. 2 Iowa looms when Penn State returns home to Rec Hall on Jan. 22, Penn State wrestlers insist they can’t overlook a team as solid as Northwestern.
“It’s time to really get in a groove,” sophomore David Taylor said. “This is kind of a simulation for (the Big Ten Tournament).
“We have two pretty good opponents in one weekend so it’s time to get down the home stretch and guys have to take one match at a time.”
The Wildcats’ projected starters have combined to go 120-60 so far this season. Northwestern will likely send four ranked wrestlers to the mat at 125, 157, 174 and 285 pounds, respectively, while Penn State’s contingent of eight ranked grapplers will all likely be in action.
At 125, Levi Mele is the Wildcats’ big-point-getter. The junior has scored 29 points in six dual matches thus far and has pinned opponents eight times on the season.
Ranked No. 7 in the country, Mele will likely draw Penn State freshman, No. 10 Nico Megaludis.
At the Lions’ practice on Tuesday, Megaludis, fresh off a disqualification loss to Michigan State’s Brandon Fifield in which Megaludis was dominating the bout, said he’s watched a few of Mele’s bouts online to prepare for tonight’s tilt.
Megaludis said he will be wary of Mele’s experience. Mele spent 2006-08 on a Mormon mission trip and didn’t join the Wildcats for his freshman year until the 2009-10 season.
“I feel I’ve been improving and he’s obviously, probably 24 years old, and he’s strong, he’s built like a brick,” Megaludis, a true freshman, said. “So it’ll be fun. It’ll be a good test.”
At 157, the Wildcats will likely send No. 3 Jason Welch to the mat to face Penn State redshirt freshman, No. 9 Dylan Alton.
Welch is undefeated at 13-0 on the season while Alton has lost just three times, all of those coming to highly ranked wrestlers. In his last bout against a highly ranked opponent, Alton lost, 3-0 to No. 1 Kyle Dake of Cornell in the Southern Scuffle.
“Jason Welch, that’ll be a very good test for Dylan Alton,” Sanderson said. “They’ve got a real solid heavyweight and … Their 174-pounder won the Midlands.”
At 174, Penn State’s No. 2 Ed Ruth is projected to face No. 9 Lee Munster. At 15-5 on the year, Munster could provide Ruth with his toughest test yet. So far, no opponent has really threatened Ruth’s undefeated mark.
At heavyweight, Penn State’s No. 6 Cameron Wade will likely matchup with No. 19 Mike McMullen.
“We have to go out there and control the pace. We have to wrestle our match more than worry about what they’re going to do,” Wright said. “Once we take control, in our own minds, that this is what we’re going to do to go our there and make that happen, that’s what we can control and that’s what we can focus on.”
Travis Johnson can be reached at 231-4629.
