Here’s a bout-by-bout breakdown of No. 1 Penn State wrestling’s dual vs. No. 6 Ohio State
Penn State is slated to hold its ninth dual inside the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday night.
The No. 1 Nittany Lions host No. 6 Ohio State at 7 p.m. It will be the third matchup between the schools inside the BJC with Penn State winning all the duals. In fact, the Nittany Lions have won the last six duals against the Buckeyes.
Let’s take a look at how we think Friday’s dual will play out as we go bout by bout.
Note: Penn State’s wrestler is listed first in all matchups.
125 pounds: No. 6 Drew Hildebrandt vs. No. 10 Malik Heinselman
Nate Cobler: Assuming they start at the traditional weight class, what a way to open things up with a top-10 tilt. It will be a pair of veterans in what could be the two oldest wrestlers to hit the mat.
However, this won’t be the first time the pair has squared off.
Hildebrandt, who was in his sophomore year at Central Michigan, took on Heinselman, who was in his freshman season in 2019. The pair met up in the semifinals of the season-opening Michigan State Open. Hildebrandt was the No. 1 seed, and needed a takedown in sudden victory to edge Heinselman, who was the No. 4 seed, 7-5. Since then, the duo have matured and became three-time NCAA qualifiers, but Hildebrandt has done something that Heinselman hasn’t yet — place at the NCAA Championships.
Prediction: Hildebrandt by decision
Jon Sauber: Friday night should start with one of the best matchups of the dual and should prove why Penn State sought out Hildebrandt. The 125-pounder has admirably filled the gap the Nittany Lions have had for years at the lowest weight class and should be able to earn a top-10 victory in the Bryce Jordan Center.
Both wrestlers have faced the No. 1 wrestler in the class, Michigan’s Nick Suriano, and Hildebrandt fared much better, losing 2-1 by decision. Heinselman, on the other hand, struggled severely with Suriano, losing by major decision, 11-3, and never seeming to be in the matchup. That’s the story with all three of their common opponents this season and indicates that Hildebrandt should have an advantage Friday night. This will be close, but at the end of the day the environment and ability edge goes to the Nittany Lion.
Prediction: Hildebrandt by decision
133 pounds: No. 1 Roman Bravo Young vs. Dylan Koontz/Brady Koontz
Cobler: Bravo-Young is going to have a family affair on his hands. He’s either going to get the older twin brother, Dylan, or younger twin brother, Brady.
One thing is for sure, whichever Koontz twin hits the mat, he’s going to have his hands full.
RBY hasn’t suffered a loss since dropping to then-Northwestern’s Sebastian Rivera in the Big Ten finals in March of 2020. The Tucson, Ariz. native has won 25 straight bouts with the closest one coming last Friday against Iowa’s Austin DeSanto. In almost half of those 25 wins, the defending NCAA champ has earned bonus points. The Buckeyes might have had a chance in this one if both Koontz brothers were out there, so look for bonus here.
Prediction: Bravo-Young by technical fall
Sauber: This is one of the easier decisions in this dual — Bravo-Young has been dominant all season. He’s dismantled most of his opponents, despite winning by decision in his last three bouts. Those were all against ranked opponents and no matter which Koontz twin takes the mat, they are not that. The real question here is how many bonus points Bravo-Young is able to rack up against whichever Koontz he faces.
Brady has won more matches than Dylan, but he’s done so at 125 pounds. It would be a disappointment for the Lion to not get bonus points, and it isn’t often that Bravo-Young disappoints on the mat for Penn State.
Prediction: Bravo-Young by technical fall
141 pounds: No. 1 Nick Lee vs. No. 20 Dylan D’Emilio
Cobler: Lee has been in and out of Penn State’s lineup this season. When he’s been on the mat, Lee has scored bonus points in seven of his 11 victories this year. He’s coming off a thrilling 6-4 sudden-victory win over No. 2 Jaydin Eierman. With only three duals left, one would hope that Lee won’t miss any more time in preparation for the postseason.
D’Emilio is 14-5 this season, with four of those losses coming to ranked opponents. Two of losses just recently came as one was to Eierman, 4-0. When you compare D’Emilio to Lee when it comes to common opponents, it’s not even close — Lee holds a 20-3 mark to D’Emilio’s 8-9 record. Add in here that Lee has already beaten D’Emilio twice — both with bonus points — and things don’t get any better for Ohio State here.
Prediction: Lee by major decision
Sauber: It’ll be bonus points for two matches in a row in all likelihood thanks to the elite talents Penn State has on its roster and their ability to dominate opponents. Lee is one of the best wrestlers in the country and has dispatched every opponent in front of him this season. He’s earned bonus points in six of his last seven bouts with the only one he didn’t coming against No. 2 Jaydin Eierman.
Lee is a takedown machine and should be able to get D’Emilio behind early and force him to either stall to save team points or to get aggressive in search of a victory, allowing the Nittany Lion to score even more. It’s hard to envision anything other than a bonus point victory.
Prediction: Lee by major decision
149 pounds: No. 18 Beau Bartlett vs. No. 2 Sammy Sasso
Cobler: Remember when Ohio State’s Koontz twins would have their hands full at 133? The roles are reversed here with Penn State’s Bartlett taking on Sasso.
Bartlett has four losses on the season — three to ranked wrestlers. He took on No. 1 Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell earlier this year, and held his own in an 11-3 major decision loss. No one is like Diakomihalis, but Sasso also took on the No. 1 wrestler, and suffered just a 6-2 defeat. This should be where the Buckeyes finally get on the board.
Prediction: Sasso by decision
Sauber: This is one of the only bouts where the Nittany Lion is the clear underdog. Bartlett has plenty of talent, but he’s undersized for the weight class and hasn’t been aggressive offensively for Penn State. A loss is likely for Bartlett, but there’s still room for him to grow as a wrestler and show he can be more productive in the postseason for the Nittany Lions.
Even if he gives up bonus points, Penn State will be in great position to win this dual. What’s more important is showing that aggressiveness with his takedown attempts and trying to score. If he does that, it should be considered a success for him long-term.
Prediction: Sasso by major decision
157 pounds: Terrell Barraclough/Tony Negron vs. No. 33 Jashon Hubbard/Kevon Freeman
Cobler: Everyone knows this is the weakest part of the Nittany Lions’ lineup. They’ve gone back and forth with Barraclough and Negron getting the nod in duals. Earlier in the season, coach Cael Sanderson said they were rolling with Negron.
However, it has been Barraclough hitting the mat in Penn State’s last three duals. And he’s looked good in those bouts , suffering just decision losses to ranked wrestlers. Barraclough nearly pulled off an upset last week against Iowa’s Kaleb Young as he was in a scramble situation looking for a takedown, but ultimately fell 2-0.
Ohio State is uncertain on who they will throw out here as well. Should it be Hubbard, he should be on upset alert as Barraclough will be riding high after that match with Young, who has beaten Hubbard this season, 4-0.
Prediction: Barraclough by decision
Sauber: This is easily Penn State’s weakest weight class. Negron was taking the mat early in the season, but didn’t get the job done and has since given way to Barraclough. While it hasn’t turned into victories at the weight class, he’s still impressed in all three of his dual matchups. He lost by decision to three ranked opponents in Kaleb Young, who is currently No. 12, Will Lewan, who is currently No. 13, and Chase Saldate, who is currently No. 17.
His performances against those wrestlers have been promising but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to turn the corner just yet. That being said, if this is his match, it feels like a coin flip for either side. Hubbard also lost to Young, Lewan and Saldate by decision and there isn’t a great indicator for which way it’ll go.
Prediction: Hubbard by decision
165 pounds: No. 11 Brady Berge/Creighton Edsell vs. No. 4 Carson Kharchla
Cobler: Last week against Iowa, Berge looked like a wrestler just getting back on the mat and trying to get his conditioning back. The Hawkeyes’ Alex Marinelli seemed to just wear Berge down, forcing multiple stall calls and recording takedowns with ease in the third period of their bout, a 10-2 loss for Berge.
Berge is able to hang with the best in the country and he’s shown that in the past, but the time away as a coach really seemed to come in to play last week. He’ll get a shot to rebound against another top-five opponent in Kharchla.
It’ll be a tough task for Berge in this one as Kharchla has just one loss on the season, which was a 5-4 loss to defending NCAA Champion in Stanford’s Shane Griffth. Kharchla has 17 wins on the season with some of them coming against some tough competitors in Marinelli and NCAA runner up Jake Wentzel of Pittsburgh.
Prediction: Kharchla by decision
Sauber: Ohio State could pile up a little bit of momentum here if Berge wrestles like he did against Iowa’s Alex Marinelli. Berge has been a big help for the Nittany Lions since he rejoined the roster in early January after previously retiring at the end of last season. He’s been wrestling himself into shape and showed well in his first three matchups, including a win over Michigan’s No. 12 Cameron Amine, but took a step back against Marinelli, who Kharchla defeated, 3-2.
Berge didn’t push the action with the Hawkeye and was caught backpedaling, earning himself multiple stalling calls. He can’t afford to do that against Kharchla if he wants a chance at victory. With the way this dual should go, that should be his goal since it’s unlikely the team points will sway the outcome of the dual. Berge should look better than he did against Iowa, but a win is still unlikely.
Prediction: Kharchla by decision
174 pounds: No. 1 Carter Starocci vs. No. 7 Ethan Smith
Cobler: This bout will kick off a string of four straight pitting ranked wrestlers against one another. It will also be the second of three top-10 tilts to occur in the dual. To say Starocci is unstoppable isn’t far fetched. He hasn’t lost a match since falling to Iowa’s Michael Kemerer in the Big Ten finals last season.
The Erie native has won 19 straight bouts, with the closest coming last week against Kemerer. Starocci used a solid ride game to earn a 2-1 win in ultimate tie-breaker No. 1. Things all point to Starocci getting to 20 straight wins and his first dual win inside the Bryce Jordan Center, as Smith enters on a two-bout skid with losses to Kemerer and Michigan’s Logan Massa.
Prediction: Starocci by major decision
Sauber: Few wrestlers in the country have been as good as Starocci this season and none have been better at 174 pounds. The Nittany Lion is 14-0 on the season with bonus points in 71% of his matches. His resume includes a win over Michael Kemerer, the clear No. 2 wrestler at the class. Starocci is a bonus point machine for the Lions and presents problems for any style of wrestler he goes up against.
Smith hasn’t been especially impressive this season and has lost to most of the high-level opponents he’s faced this season. Like Starocci, his most recent bout was against Kemerer, but he lost 6-3. This should be the beginning of another run for Penn State to close out the dual.
Prediction: Starocci by major decision
184 pounds: No. 1 Aaron Brooks vs. No. 6 Kaleb Romero/Rocky Jordan
Cobler: Brooks has just one loss in his Penn State career. The loss came to Nebraska’s Taylor Venz back on Jan. 24, 2020. Yes, that means Brooks hasn’t lost a match in over two years. He’s riding a 24-match win streak, and is 12-0 with eight bonus point victories.
Romero has only been on the mat for two months as his first action came in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at the beginning of December, which he won the 184-pound title. The two-time NCAA qualifier comes in on a three-match winning streak with him picking up two in a dual against Maryland — one as part of the dual and one as an extra bout.
Prediction: Brooks by decision
Sauber: This is another that should go in Penn State’s direction. Romero has been good this season but not many wrestlers have challenged Brooks in his collegiate career. He’s 41-1 when wrestling for Penn State with his only loss coming as a freshman. He was undefeated last year on his way to a national title and is the prohibitive favorite to win another this season. Romero has only lost to Myles Amine, who seems to be the clear No. 2 wrestler in the class. Brooks defeated Amine, but it was a tight 3-1 decision.
If Romero wrestles like he did against Amine, when he lost 3-1, then he could hang tough with Brooks Friday night. At the end of the day, Brooks is still too good to lose, especially given the environment he’ll be in front of at the BJC.
Prediction: Brooks by decision
197 pounds: No. 2 Max Dean vs. No. 21 Gavin Hoffman
Cobler: Last week, Dean looked like he was on his way to suffering his second straight loss, as he trailed Iowa’s Jacob Warner late in the third period. Dean was able to use a late takedown and his bow and arrow to collect nearfall points to earn an 8-3 win.
Hoffman has had an up and down season. He started out by winning his first five bouts of the season, but over the last three weeks, he’s 1-2. His losses came from Warner and Michigan’s Patrick Brucki, who Dean edged 6-4 in sudden victory.
Prediction: Dean by decision
Sauber: Dean is going to have a chance to keep his momentum rolling against Hoffman, who has been inconsistent this season for the Buckeyes. Hoffman has struggled against the best wrestlers he’s faced this season and Dean should top that list. He hasn’t given up bonus points in any of those defeats, making it unlikely Dean is able to do that, even if he has the most ability of any of Hoffman’s opponents thus far.
Hoffman could even pull an upset, much like Michigan State’s Cameron Caffey did in January against Dean, so the Nittany Lion will have to be at his best to keep things rolling for Penn State late in the dual. That’s exactly how this should go Friday night.
Prediction: Dean by decision
285 pounds: No. 5 Greg Kerkvliet vs. No. 13 Tate Orndorff
Cobler: This weight class has been a grinder outside of Minnesota’s Gable Steveson, who just continues to prove it’s him and then everybody else. Kerkvliet has shown signs this season that he could be Steveson’s kryptonite, much like former Penn State wrestler Anthony Cassar was.
Two weeks ago, Kerkvliet had an impressive win over Michigan’s Mason Parris. The Nittany Lion looked poised to pull off another huge win over a Big Ten-foe in Iowa’s Tony Cassioppi last week, by scoring an early takedown. However, he seemed to get in his own way the rest of the bout and suffered a 7-2 defeat — his first loss of the season.
Orndorff hasn’t shown that he can keep up with the top guys in the weight class as he’s had bonus-point losses to Parris (pin) and Cassioppi (major decision). Let’s not forget that Kerkvliet finished Orndorff’s season last year with a 13-1 drubbing in the seventh-place match of the NCAA Championships.
Prediction: Kerkvliet by major decision
Sauber: Kerkvliet took a major step forward when he defeated Michigan’s Mason Parris in Ann Arbor in January, but then took a step back when he fell to Iowa’s Tony Cassioppi later in the month. This version of the Nittany Lion should look much more like the way in Ann Arbor than the one in Iowa City. He’s a better athlete than Orndorff and has added more strength than he had last year, when he defeated the Buckeye in the seventh-place match at NCAAs by major decision.
There’s a good opportunity for Kerkvliet to show his upside in this bout, which should close the dual and the victory for Penn State. He has a good opportunity to get bonus points and prove he’s in the highest tier of the weight class, and one of the best that isn’t named Gable Steveson.
Prediction: Kerkvliet by fall
Final score
Cobler: This dual could get out of hand really quickly if the jam packed stands of fans inside the Bryce Jordan Center have anything to say about it. Add in an upset — on paper — at either 149, 157 or 165 for Penn State, and this one could be over at the halftime break. This isn’t the usual strong team that the Buckeyes have had in years past. In the upperweights, where Ohio State is strongest, the Nittany Lions are stronger.
Prediction: Penn State 29, Ohio State 6
Sauber: Penn State is the clear favorite Friday night and the Nittany Lions should continue rounding into form for the time of year they usually peak, the postseason. Ohio State has almost no chance in several bouts and the Nittany Lions match up well where the Buckeyes are at their best. It’s hard to envision a world where Friday night’s dual at the BJC ends with an Ohio State victory.
Prediction: Penn State 28, Ohio State 10
No. 6 Ohio State (6-2, 2-2 Big Ten) at No. 1 Penn State (14-0, 6-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, Pa.
Radio: WRSC (93.3 FM) or WQWK (103.7 FM)
Online: Radio, Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com; TV, Big Ten Network
Twitter: @byncobler, @jonsauber, @lmuth1259, @pennstatewrest
| Nittany Lions | vs. | Buckeyes |
| 125: No. 6 Drew Hildebrandt (5-1) | vs. | No. 10 Malik Heinselman (2-2) |
| 133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young (11-0) | vs. | Dylan Koontz (3-8) OR Brady Koontz (9-6) |
| 141: No. 1 Nick Lee (11-0) | vs. | No. 20 Dylan D’Emilio (14-5) |
| 149: No. 18 Beau Bartlett (10-4) | vs. | No. 2 Sammy Sasso (15-1) |
| 157: Terrell Barraclough (6-7) OR Tony Negron (1-5) | vs. | No. 33 Jashon Hubbard (11-4) OR Kevon Freeman (2-4) |
| 165: No. 11 Brady Berge (3-1) OR Creighton Edsell (7-3) | vs. | No. 4 Carson Kharchla (17-1) |
| 174: No. 1 Carter Starocci (14-0) | vs. | No. 7 Ethan Smith (11-4) |
| 184: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (12-0) | vs. | No. 6 Kaleb Romero (9-1) OR Rocky Jordan (3-5) |
| 197: No. 2 Max Dean (13-1) | vs. | No. 21 Gavin Hoffman (8-5) |
| 285: No. 5 Greg Kerkvliet (11-1) | vs. | No. 13 Tate Orndorff (12-4) |
No. 8 Nebraska (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) at No. 1 Penn State (14-0, 6-0)
When: Noon Sunday
Where: Rec Hall, University Park, Pa.
Radio: WRSC (93.3 FM) or WQWK (103.7 FM)
Online: Radio, Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com; TV, Big Ten Network
Twitter: @byncobler, @pennstatewrest
Note: Nebraska wrestles Michigan on Friday
| Nittany Lions | vs. | Cornhuskers |
| 125: No. 6 Drew Hildebrandt (5-1) | vs. | Jeremiah Reno (3-9) |
| 133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young (11-0) | vs. | Alex Thomsen (2-5) OR Dominick Serrano (12-6) |
| 141: No. 1 Nick Lee (11-0) | vs. | No. 8 Chad Red Jr. (9-2) OR Tucker Sjomeling (2-3) |
| 149: No. 18 Beau Bartlett (10-4) | vs. | No. 8 Ridge Lovett (13-2) OR Jevon Parrish (5-1) |
| 157: Terrell Barraclough (6-7) OR Tony Negron (1-5) | vs. | No. 5 Peyton Robb (8-4) |
| 165: No. 11 Brady Berge (3-1) OR Creighton Edsell (7-3) | vs. | No. 29 Bubba Wilson (9-8) |
| 174: No. 1 Carter Starocci (14-0) | vs. | No. 5 Mikey Labriola (13-1) |
| 184: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (12-0) | vs. | No. 9 Taylor Venz (12-3) |
| 197: No. 2 Max Dean (13-1) | vs. | No. 3 Eric Schultz (10-1) |
| 285: No. 5 Greg Kerkvliet (11-1) | vs. | No. 12 Christian Lance (12-3) |
This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 8:44 AM.
