Future of Penn State wrestling on full display in 2nd Nittany Lion Wrestling Club event
Building off the success of its first event last month, the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club hosted a second competition Tuesday evening, featuring several current and former Nittany Lion grapplers.
The future of Penn State was on full display, as some of the program’s most exciting up-and-comers impressed.
Held with no fans, the event was streamed live on Rokfin.
Current Nittany Lions Greg Kerkvliet, Terrell Barraclough, Jared Verkleeren, Carter Starocci, Michael Beard, Roman Bravo-Young and Beau Bartlett went 6-1 on the evening, while a battle between two former greats — Jason Nolf and Bubba Jenkins — was the main event.
Kerkvliet, like he did in his September match, rolled to a 10-0 technical fall over former two-time ACC champion Demetrius Thomas from Pittsburgh. This time around Kerkvliet was more dominant.
Thirty seconds into the bout, the sophomore held a 6-0 lead thanks to a takedown and two sets of back-exposure points. Sixteen seconds later, Kerkvliet picked up another takedown and gained more back-exposure points for the victory in 46 seconds.
Redshirt freshman Starocci took on Gopher Wrestling Club’s Devin Skatzka and controlled from start to finish in their 182-pound bout. Starocci snapped off four first period takedowns.
On the fourth takedown, Starocci cradled up Skatzka and earned the fall with one second left in the first period.
Juniors Verkleeren and Bravo-Young, veterans on what will be a young Penn State squad this upcoming season, each earned technical fall victories.
Verkleeren, who filled in for Nick Lee, took on Clarion Regional Training Center’s Brock Zacherl at 155 pounds. Zacherl led 3-1 after one period of wrestling, but it was all Verkleeren in the final frame.
The Nittany Lions wrestler had two takedowns in the second period. On the second takedown, Verkleeren locked up some leg laces and rolled Zacherl around the mat several times to earn the 15-4 technical fall in 5:58.
RBY looked like his usual self on the wrestling mat with consistent offensive attacks and scoring at will against Shelton Mack at 140 pounds. Three takedowns and a push-out point gave the junior a 7-0 lead after one period.
In the second period, Bravo-Young took just 48 seconds to go from feet-to-back for a four-point score and the 11-0 technical fall in 3:48.
Barraclough opened the night at 155 pounds and took on former Lock Haven wrestler Kyle Shoop. The duo had quite the debut by combining to score 24 points.
Barraclough, who is a redshirt freshman, had seven takedowns and held off a charging Shoop for a 15-9 victory.
Beard took on current Clarion wrestler Greg Bulsak at 205 pounds and rolled from the get go. Beard held an 8-2 lead after one period, but looked to be out of gas for the second period.
Bulsak kept pushing the pace by getting to within 8-7, but Beard earned one more takedown and hung on for a 10-9 win.
Bartlett, who is a true freshman, took on two-time NCAA finalist Bryce Meredith at 67 kilograms. Meredith scored the first points of the bout with a takedown, but Bartlett responded with a feet-to-back throw for a 4-2 lead.
Meredith tacked on two more takedowns to hold a 6-4 lead after one period. Bartlett got back-exposure points in the second, but Meredith earned one more takedown for an 8-6 victory.
Not so Happy Valley return for Jenkins
Jenkins made a return to State College for the first time since he transferred to Arizona State for his senior season in 2011. The current mixed martial arts fighter won a NCAA title that year by pinning Nittany Lions’ great David Taylor.
Taylor was broadcasting the bouts with Jeff Byers, and may have cracked a grin after watching Nolf take down Jenkins at 167 pounds.
Nolf was his normal self, applying constant offensive pressure and looking to score right away. On his third takedown of the bout, Nolf locked up a cradle on Jenkins, but couldn’t get the fall.
Instead, Nolf picked up his fourth takedown of the bout and earned a 10-0 technical fall in 3:00.
Women get another shot
Women’s and girls’ wrestling is on the rise across the country. Just like in the first event, women got to take part on this card.
Jane Valencia and Alejandra Romero each represented the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, and each were victorious.
Valencia had a dominant 13-2 technical fall victory over Vayle-Rae Baker at 60 kilograms in 5:02. Romero earned a 3-0 win over Alexis Potter at 68 kilograms.
International stars go 1-1
The NLWC has several international wrestlers who train in State College.
Jaime Espinal and Bekzod Abdurakhmonov each competed on their second NLWC card. Abdurakhmonov was the lone winner.
Abdurakhmonov rebounded from a loss in his NLWC debut with a 12-2 technical fall over Nestor Taffur in 3:25 at 77 kilograms.
Espinal, who filled in late for Penn State sophomore Aaron Brooks, suffered a 10-0 technical fall loss to Gopher Wrestling Club’s Brett Pfarr at 196 pounds.
Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Event No. 2
Tuesday at State College
Men’s 155 lb: Terrell Barraclough dec. Kyle Shoop, 15-9
Men’s 155 lb: Jarod Verkleeren tech. fall Brock Zacherl, 15-4 (5:58)
Men’s 196 lb: Brett Pfarr tech. fall Jaime Espinal, 10-0 (5:31)
Men’s 77 kg: Bekzod Abdurakhmonov tech. fall Nestor Taffur, 12-2 (3:25)
Women’s 60 kg: Jane Valencia tech. fall Vayle-Rae Baker, 13-2 (5:02)
Men’s 182 lb: Carter Starocci fall Devin Skatzka, 2:59
Men’s 205 lb: Michael Beard dec. Greg Bulsak, 10-9
Men’s HWT: Greg Kerkvliet tech. fall Demetrius Thomas, 10-0 (:46)
Women’s 68 kg: Alejandra Romero dec. Alexis Potter, 3-0
Men’s 67 kg: Bryce Meredith dec. Beau Bartlett, 8-6
Men’s 140 lb: Roman Bravo-Young tech. fall Shelton Mack, 11-0 (3:48)
Men’s 167 lb: Jason Nolf tech. fall Bubba Jenkins, 10-0 (3:00)
This story was originally published October 20, 2020 at 11:04 PM.
