Penns Valley grad Baylor Shunk makes history in his Penn State wrestling dual debut
Saturday night “was a dream come true” for Penns Valley graduate Baylor Shunk.
Shunk got the starting nod for Penn State at 125 pounds during the Nittany Lions’ season-opening duals with Sacred Heart and Oregon State as part of the Journeymen Duals at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex.
“I remember sitting at home watching Penn State matches when I was younger,” Shunk said, “and just dreaming one day of taking the mat for Coach Cael and these guys. Every night before I go to bed, I think about it. It was definitely something that I’ve been looking forward to, and it met my expectations for sure. It was fun, having fans and to have my family here, it’s pretty special, so that’s definitely how I envisioned it.”
Shunk became the first Centre County wrestler to don the Blue and White singlet since Bald Eagle Area graduate Jon Gingrich competed for Penn State in the 2013-14 season.
On Saturday night, Shunk became the first Penns Valley wrestler to ever compete for the Nittany Lions in a dual. It was a feat he didn’t realize.
“That’s pretty awesome. I love my community back home,” the sophomore said. “I love my high school. I love my support system. I get texts all the time from people wishing me best of luck, and encouraging me, so my support system is unbelievable. Penns Valley is an awesome place, and I love it there.”
Shunk kicked things off Saturday night by taking on Sacred Heart’s Kyle Randall. While Shunk admitted to having some nerves as he stepped onto the mat, he tried to follow coach Cael Sanderson’s advice about “turning the nerves into positive energy.”
It’s safe to say that Shunk took that advice, as he didn’t give up a single point to Randall. When the whistle blew, Shunk tallied a takedown 23 seconds into the match with a single leg takedown.
He went to work immediately on top. Shunk locked up a 2-on-1 tilt and rolled Randall over for two near-fall points. He then tilted Randall again for another four near-fall points. Shunk led 8-0 after one period of wrestling.
In the second period, Shunk started in the bottom position. He slowly worked his way into a reversal of Randall, and again went to work on his top game.
Shunk tilted Randall two more times for two sets of near-fall points. It made the score 18-0, and the match was over in 4:15 as Shunk collected a technical fall in his dual debut.
“I was really excited to see Baylor. He just didn’t get a chance last year, the way things worked out,” Sanderson said. “The timing was bad, and he was off the mat for a little while. He did a great. Even the second match ... that kid is pretty good and caught him with a suck back and kind of out of position twice, outside of that he wrestled really well.”
Shunk’s second match of the night didn’t go as planned. However, he never quit and that effort helped not only himself, but also his teammates.
Just like the first match, Shunk scored the first points with another slick single leg takedown on Oregon State’s Brandon Kaylor. Kaylor escaped quickly, tallied a takedown of his own, and scored some near-fall points.
Kaylor caught Shunk in a suck back that scored four near-fall points. Kaylor nearly pinned the Penn State wrestler, but Shunk fought off his back. Kaylor again picked up four near-fall points on that suck back attempt, giving him an 11-2 lead after one period.
In the second period, Kaylor tacked on another takedown as Shunk had an escape and it was 13-3 to start the final period. Shunk’s gas tank seemed it was higher than Kaylor’s in the third period.
Shunk rattled off three third-period takedowns, and had there have been more time, he may have come back and won the match. In the end though, Kaylor was able to earn a 16-9 decision.
“I’m proud of my effort and my fight. I’m never going to stop fighting,” Shunk said, “no matter who I’m wrestling, no matter what position I’m in. I’m just gonna think about scoring the next point, and that’s all I did. I just tried to keep working on my feet. I felt good on my feet, so I went to work, and it paid off, getting those last couple of takedowns and saving the team points.”
Shunk’s performance in his second match left a mark on Sanderson, too.
“He kept fighting, I mean that’s what it’s all about,” Sanderson said. “It’s just continuing to compete, regardless whether you’re winning or losing or what the score might be. (You) just have to keep wrestling and just do the best that you can, like he did. He didn’t give up.
“He just battled back and saved the team a point by getting those takedowns at the end. He was tight, too, and he fought off his back. You want to win national titles and all this, but fight is fight, regardless of where you’re at. That’s just stuff like we like to see right there.”
