Here’s how Nick & Joe Lee, David Taylor did in their Nittany Lion Wrestling Club event debuts
Tuesday marked the third freestyle wrestling event that the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club has put on during this unusual year for sports.
It also was the debuts for Nick Lee, Joe Lee and David Taylor on a card that featured 11 matches — 10 men’s and one women’s. The Lee brothers and Taylor all collected victories.
Former Nittany Lion great and World Champ Taylor was part of the main event, where he took on former NCAA champ from Cornell Gabe Dean at 86 kilograms. Taylor led 4-0 after one period thanks to a takedown, push-out point and a shot clock point.
Dean made things interesting late.
He picked up a takedown on Taylor to make it 4-2. Dean got in deep on another takedown attempt, but Taylor pulled some magic out of his hat for a counter takedown and a 6-2 win.
Penn State senior Nick Lee started the event off by taking on Brandon Wright at 67 kilograms. Lee looks liked he is locked in and focused on winning a NCAA championship in his final season.
Lee led 8-0 after one period thanks to three takedowns and back-exposure points. It took Lee just 25 seconds into the second period to finish off Wright in a 10-0 technical fall.
Freshman Joe Lee took on current Bucknell junior Zach Hartman at 165 pounds. Lee made short work of Hartman, too.
Lee tallied a takedown eight seconds into the match, put Hartman into a bow-and-arrow and pinned him in 21 seconds.
Current, former Nittany Lions go 3-1
Current Nittany Lions wrestlers Michael Beard and Carter Starocci each competed on their second straight Nittany Lion Wrestling Club card. They went a combined 1-1.
Starocci was the winner of the two. He took on former Lock Haven wrestler Chance Marsteller at 79 kilograms. It was a matchup of two Pennsylvania studs.
Marsteller scored the first points of the match with a first-period takedown, which was the lone score of the period. But Starocci didn’t go away.
He tallied two takedowns in the second period to rally past Marsteller 4-2.
Beard took on Nate Jackson at 196 pounds, and it was all Jackson as he showed off his speed.
Jackson earned a push-out point on Beard in the first period. He tacked on two takedowns to lead Beard 5-0 after one period.
In the second period, Jackson added one more takedown for the 7-0 win.
Former Nittany Lions Nick Nevills and Zain Retherford took part in their second card for the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. They each were on the inaugural card in September.
Both earned technical fall victories on Tuesday.
Nevills trailed 2-0 late against Mauro Correnti at 125 kilograms. Nevills earned a takedown with 16 seconds remaining in the match. On the way down, Nevills locked up a tight leg lace and rolled to a 12-2 win in 5:58.
Retherford took on the boisterous Reece Humphrey, who came out of retirement for the match. The Ohio State alum playfully tweeted that he was going to throw Retherford on his head, at 65 kilograms. Retherford had the last laugh.
Retherford tallied two takedowns in the first period for a 4-0 lead at the break. In the second period, Retherford tacked on three more takedowns for the 10-0 win in 5:48.
Olympians collide
Puerto Rican Franklin Gomez took on Bulgarian Boris Novachkov at 74 kilograms. Each represented their respective countries at the 2016 Olympics.
Ironically, Gomez took on Novachkov during those games and earned a 3-1 win. On Tuesday, the result was the same — a Gomez victory.
Novachkov held a 4-1 lead after one period of wrestling. However, Gomez scored six unanswered points, thanks to two takedowns and back exposure, to rally for a 7-4 win.
Notes: Thomas Gilman recorded four takedowns and two sets of back exposure points to earn a 12-0 technical fall over Frank Perrelli in 2:23 at 57 kilograms. ... Jennifer Page topped Lauren Mason 10-4 in the lone women’s match at 59 kilograms. ... Max Dean, younger brother of Gabe Dean, scored 12 unanswered points to rally past CJ Brucki, 13-4, at 86 kilograms.
Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Event No. 3
Tuesday at State College
Men’s 67 kg: Nick Lee tech. fall Brandon Wright, 10-0, 3:25
Men’s 125 kg: Nick Nevills tech. fall Mauro Correnti, 12-2, 5:58
Men’s 165 lbs: Joe Lee pinned Zach Hartman, :21
Men’s 74 kg: Franklin Gomez dec. Boris Novachkov, 7-4
Men’s 86 kg: Max Dean dec. CJ Brucki, 13-4
Men’s 176 lbs: Nate Jackson dec. Michael Beard, 7-0
Men’s 79 kg: Carter Starocci dec. Chance Marsteller, 4-2
Women’s 59 kg: Jennifer Page dec. Lauren Mason, 10-4
Men’s 57 kg: Thomas Gilman tech. fall Frank Perrelli, 12-0, 2:23
Men’s 65 kg: Zain Retherford tec. fall Reece Humphry, 10-0, 5:48
Men’s 86 kg: David Taylor dec. Gabe Dean, 6-2
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 10:59 PM.
