Is Penn State wrestler Brady Berge still the 149-pound starter? Here’s what Cael Sanderson said
Penn State coach Cael Sanderson couldn’t say for sure Friday night just who the 149-pound starter is.
A month ago, right after the Southern Scuffle, his answer was redshirt freshman Brady Berge. But Berge missed Friday’s 37-10 victory over Michigan State, and he’s now missed more duals than he’s taken part in this calendar year — for unknown reasons. Meanwhile, replacement Jarod Verkleeren walked off the mat to a standing ovation after a major decision against Sparty.
So is Verkleeren just holding Berge’s place until he gets back? Or is the starting spot up for grabs between the two?
“I don’t know,” Sanderson said. “That’s something we’ve got to evaluate as a staff probably, but he (Berge) is preparing to wrestle. Hopefully, we’ll see him on Sunday.
“But Verkleeren, he’s wrestling really well and I think his confidence is growing in each match. So we’ve got two quality options there.”
Berge (14-2) is currently ranked No. 11 nationally in his weight class, but he hasn’t wrestled for five straight duals. He hasn’t taken part since Jan. 20 in a 7-3 decision over Nebraska’s Jordan Shearer.
In the two previous weeks, Sanderson expressed optimism that Berge would wrestle. But he still hasn’t. And, although that may not mean Berge lost his job, it does raise questions about the wrestler’s status.
On Feb. 5, Sanderson said “nothing’s wrong with him at all” when referring to Berge. And reporters watched Berge practice on the mat from the hallway just outside the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex. He didn’t appear injured, but Sanderson deflected a question centered on message-board speculation about Berge’s weight.
Michigan State prepared for both wrestlers Friday night. But the 149-pound bout still ended in a win for the blue-and-white.
“We knew whether it was Berge or Verkleeren, it was going to be a tough match,” Spartans coach Roger Chandler said. “Both guys are talented enough to be in any program in the country.”
If Berge isn’t ready for the postseason, or his absence lingers a little longer, there’s no doubt that Verkleeren is the guy. He’s 15-6 this season and has struggled at times — such as the 7-5 loss to Michigan’s Malik Amine — but he’s also flashed potential.
On Friday night, the Keystone State product energized the crowd and gave Penn State its first lead of the night. After his 12-3 major decision over redshirt freshman Jaden Enriquez, the Nittany Lions took an 8-7 team lead and never trailed again.
Verkleeren stormed out to three takedowns in the first period to go along with 2:27 in riding time. After a stoppage between periods, Verkleeren casually chatted with Sanderson in his corner while Enriquez sucked down several long breaths and appeared fatigued.
The bout didn’t get any easier for Enriquez, as it was never in doubt. Verkleeren finished with 3:14 in total riding time and, after back-to-back bout losses against Ohio State and Michigan, the crowd offered Penn State’s own redshirt freshman standing ovation — as Zombie Nation blared in the background.
“I think he was wrestling a little bit more aggressive tonight, which is great to see,” Sanderson said. “Guys like Jason Nolf and (Anthony) Cassar, they’re going out there to score points. And if you’re waiting until you’re the best wrestler in the country to do that, it’s just never going to happen. Those are some of the things you have to do to become the best wrestler in the country.
“So it was good to see him pushing the pace and hustling. He kind of had that fire in his eyes to go score some points, and that was great to see tonight.”
And, if Berge can’t go again, fans might see it again Sunday — against Illinois and No. 10 Eric Barone.
This story was originally published February 15, 2019 at 10:23 PM.