PENN STATE 26 CLARION UNIVERSITY 9
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2001
Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium, Clarion, PA

**DUAL MATCH STARTED AT FIRST WEIGHT CLASS LISTED

WT. WRESTLERS SCORE
174- Todd Brennan (PSU) maj dec Ryan Pataky (C) 15-2;          4-0
184- Mark Becks (PSU) tech fall Marcus Surin (C) 22-7, 6:35       9-0
197- Eric Mausser (C) dec. Ryan Cummins (PSU) 1-0            9-3
285- Pat Cummins (PSU) dec. John Testa (C) 4-6                 12-3
125- Justin Kast (PSU) dec. Starlin Jimenez (C) 6-1               15-3
133- Rad Martinez (C) dec. Marat Tomaev (PSU) 8-1             15-6
141- Scott Moore (PSU) dec. Jared Moss (C) 10-6               18-6
149- Dom Surra (C) dec. Nate Wachter (PSU) 3-1               18-9
157- Dan Waters (PSU) maj. dec. Jim Perry (C) 14-6              22-9
165- Doc Vecchio (PSU) maj. dec. Jamie Durkin (C) 22-7          26-9

[Surra - D9 alum, Mausser, Moss, D10 alums]

The Nittany Lions came to town to put a whoopin' on the Golden Eagles and that's pretty much what happened. The Lions may not be ready to contend with Iowa just yet, but they have a solid team. Throughout the night, PSU looked - if not razor-sharp - at least intensely focused.

The crowd was - sparse, I guess is a good word. Clarion has a Pin Club that gets the preferential seats on the East side of the gym. Way too many empty seats up there for a Penn State match! Over in the cheap seats, there was a mighty crowd of St. Mary's, Sharon, locals, and PSU folk,

With the draw, the match started at 174 pounds. Todd Brennan, Fr, PSU ran a front headlock into a far cradle attempt and settled for a spin-behind for the takedown. Ryan Pataky, Fr, CUP, got out on a standup and took a couple of single-leg shots, both of which went out of bounds (OB). Brennan took a couple of shots of his own, both of which Pataky sprawled out of. 2-1 at the period.

Brennan took down, got his 1 with a 4 second stand/ cut-spin. Scoring a T2 with single-to-a-double, he hooked in the leg turk and proceed to turn Pataky. once for 2 pts., again for 3. Slipping the turk, he ran and bar and wrist to the buzzer. 10-1 at the 2nd.

Pataky took down, which might have been an error. Brennan hooked in a near cradle for 3, and was attempting to lace a hammerlock from the front when Pataky finally made it to his feet. Slipping behind on a single attempt, Brennan notched another 2, then cut Pataky loose. There was a stall call on Clarion, PSU took a single shot that went OB and the buzzer mercifully rang, 15-3; 16-3 with substantial riding time, and PSU goes up 4-0.

Mark Becks, Jr, PSU, notched a Tech Fall over Marcus Surin, Fr, CUP. Becks scored four T2s in the first period - a single, an ankle pick, a spin behind off a very bad shrug, and another walkaround off a broken single. 8-3 at the period, with three cut-loose escapes.

Second period was more of the same. Surin took down, got cut, Beck scored off a bad fireman's attempt, cut, and scored off a single attempt - this time putting Surin on his back with a half-nelson and an arm that kinda appeared in a scramble. 15-5 at the buzzer.

Becks elects down in the third, pops out in 17 seconds, then runs three more takedowns for a 22-17 Tech fall. The second of those was a sweet sit-through duck-under kind of thing off a low-single situation. Pretty. 9-0 PSU

197 was a battle. Eric Mausser, Jr. CUP, out of Sharon, PA - which makes him a local boy, had a brutal match with Ryan Cummins, Jr. PSU. Mausser was in deep on a single early, but Cummins was able to kick out. The rest of the first three minutes was a lot of intense upper body work, over-and-under pummeling, face-beating kind of stuff. 0-0. Maussser takes down in the second, gets cut loose. Mausser spends a lot of time working for the standing headlock in the 2nd, putting a lot of pressure on Cummins, who finally draws a stall call. 1-0 at the buzzer.

Now, bet this. Cummins has been working on his feet for FIVE minutes and has never gotten anywhere NEAR a takedown. And he elects NEUTRAL in the 3rd?? Go figure. Mausser draws a stall call about 30 sec into the third; each guy takes one decent single-leg shot, and it's over. 1-0 Mausser. 9-3; PSU on the board.

285 was probably ruled an upset. John Testa, Jr. CUP was facing Pat Cummins, So, PSU, who has not wrestled a match yet this year. Josh Walker, PSU is 11-3 on the year. But Cummins goes in. Testa hits a beautiful double early in, Cummins stands and it's 2-1. Cummins elects down in the 2nd, finally gets out after a long fight with several breakdowns. Testa is not giving him a cheap point. Testa makes a good single shot, but in the scramble, Cummins comes out on top, Testa gets out and it's 4-3 Penn State. And these guys are Heavyweights!!!

Testa takes down in the third. Eats a caution for a false start; not harm down. Gets his 1 with a neat little sit, cut and stand. Tied 4-4 Testa hits another good double to a single chain scramble - no points. Tries a front headlock, no points. Hits a Kurt Angle style duck-under single - and gets countered for two - actually goes straight to his back; everything but the takedown is ruled "after the buzzer." Cummins wins 6-4. Sigh. PSU is up 12-3.

Swoosh, we're down into the lightweights. This change of order takes some getting used to. Starlin Jiminez, So, CUP is facing James Kast, Jr, PSU (out of Easton). Jiminez gets in on a high single early - I mean he's got him off the mat with it. No score. Kast scores 2 with a single of his own. Jiminez stands for one and gets in deep on another single, but can't finish it. 2-1 PSU.

Jiminez takes down in the 2nd and Kast puts on a riding clinic. grapevine. Power-half. Cross-arm ride, spiral ride.. Attempts a tilt on a cross-arm, then back to the grapevine. He's Jiminez (and the ref) lots of looks, so no stall call. To the buzzer.

Kast elects down in the third and Jiminez is riding well - legs, spiral ride, etc. - then he just seemed to forget what he was doing and let Kast out. Eh? Jiminez takes one more single shot, Kast walks around it for the T2 and runs a high bar - but not back pts. With riding time, it's 6-1 and PSU goes to 15-3.

133 is Clarion's chance to get back on the board. Rad Martinez, Jr. CUP is 10-1 and is TOUGH! But he is facing Marat Tomaev, So, who is also 10-1, out of Vladikavkaz, Russia. This guy beat Josh Moore for the starting spot. And Moore is TOUGH!

Both guys are very tentative early in the first. for quite some time... but Martinez finally shoots a single, Tomaev locks in his crotch to block, Martinez slips an arm out for a double and T2!! It goes OB, so no chance at back. Tomaev stands, Martinez takes him back to the mat. Five times, maybe more. NO cheap points!! 2-0 at the buzzer.

Tomaev takes down. Maybe not such a good choice. He stands, goes down. Martinez rides this tight waist from hell. Tomaev finally is able to stand, cut and sprawl for one. Martinez takes a single shot - OB. Tomaev tries a front headlock, Martinez sits up into it for a single, changes to a double and T2 again!! He's HOT!

4-1 at the buzzer.

Clarion takes down in the 3rd. He gets cut loose - and Tomaev eats a stall call for backing off. Martinez tries another single, gets cut off with a front headlock. Tomaev tries a couple of bad shots, then Martinez gets in on him again with a single-to-a-double chain. This is textbook stuff. 7-1. With 2:37 in riding time, 8-1, and Clarion bounces back a little. 15-6.

At 147, Jared Moss, So, CUP, out of Sharon (another local boy - teammate of Mausser - Coach Ciafre was there!) is facing Scott Moore, So, PSU,out of Franklin. One of the Masters of Disaster, as he and brother Josh were called in HS. And, oh boy...

Out of the initial scramble, Moore locks up a LEG cradle. That is NASTY! And half the people in that gym would probably argue that Moss was pinned in there somewhere. It stands for five points T2+N3, and Moore rides out the period. 5-0.

Moore elects down, Moss eats a caution for a deep elbow hook on the start. Moore is out for quick escape and Moss tries an inside trip to a bear hug and scores! T2. Great stuff! Nice move! Moore scores one of the few reversals of the night on a low single/ lift situation, hooks in double legs and rides out the period. 8-2.

Moss takes neutral; probably a good choice in the 3rd. Makes one good shot that goes OB, Coach Nellis goes to the table. No points. Moss shoots a single-double chain that is stalemated. And again. Then he gets in deep on another bearhug, scoring both a T2 and an N2, despite Moore's rolling back an forth.

Moore gets out and tries a tight headlock off Moss's at the buzzer - but it's AT the buzzer. No pts. 10-6 with 2:37 riding time for Moore. good match, but 18-6 PSU.

Dom Surra, Sr. CUP (out of St, Mary's - D9 guy!!) faced Nate Wachter, Jr, PSU. There is one single-double scramble that stalemates in the 1st. There must have been a penalty point somewhere, because the period end 1-0 PSU, but I didn't see it. Anybody want to help here?

Surra takes down, gets out, 2nd period ends 1-1.

Wachter elects neutral in the 3rd. Gotta wonder about that. After a lot of not much, Surra hits a nice single-to-a-double at the buzzer to go up 3-1 for the win. 18-9 PSU.

The last two weights do not go well for Clarion.

Jim Perry, Jr, CUP, faces Dan Waters, Fr, PSU and gives up a major decision. Waters scores the initial T2 and then runs the riding clinic, Pt 2. attempted tilt, cross-wrist, spiral ride, pump-handle, the works. He finally cuts Perry loose and scores five on an odd situation that had Coach Nellis back at the table.

Perry was in on a single, Waters underhooks his outside arm and throws it across. Perry ends up on his elbows and the ref starts counting. Nellis is yelling that he never indicated the TD. Ref says, oh, yeah, you're right- and tells the table to add two more points. Perry reverses, Waters get out for one and scores another T2 on a slide behind - cuts Perry loose one more time and is up 10-4 at the buzzer. Busy period.

Perry elects down in the 2nd. Waters attempts a cradle, Perry sits through and is out for one. Waters hits a high single for no points. Then Perry comes in on another single and Waters almost catches him in the same trap as in the first period. No points this time, and it's 10-5.

Waters takes down, gets out easily, Perry shoots a single, is blocked, Shoots again and is trapped for the third time - only a T2 this time, no back. Two more single attempts from Perry with no score and it ends 14-6, with the point for 2:34 in riding time. Another Major decision and it's 22-9.

Last match is Jamie Durkin, Fr., CUP against Doc Vecchio, Jr., PSU. [Gotta worry about a wrestler named Doc.] Doc puts on a takedown clinic. He slides by Durkin's single-leg attempt for T2 and tries to run a hammerlock. It slips. Two more single-slide-behind combos and it is 6-2.

Doc takes down, gets out and scores off a high single-leg lift. Three cut-'im-loose, spin-behind off-the-shot combos and it is 13-4. Durkin takes down and we do it twice more before Durkin finally tries an arm-drag instead of a single. Vecchio scores twice more, tacks on a riding point for 2:25 accumulated time and it ends 22-8. No tech fall, but the score goes to 26-9 PSU before everybody heads home.

Conclusion: Maybe Clarion ought to recruit more local guys! Mausser and Surra brought home wins and Moss gave Moore one heck of an exciting match!

It was a weekend of highs and lows for former Franklin High wrestling standouts Josh Moore, Scott Moore and Cory Ace ... a.k.a. the Masters of Disaster.

It began at 7 p.m. Saturday at Clarion's University's Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium and ended Sunday afternoon at Edinboro University's McComb Fieldhouse. And, it included the much-anticipated bout between Ace and Josh Moore.

Ace, a PIAA state champion in 1998 at 135 pounds for Franklin, entered Sunday's match between Edinboro and Penn State ranked 11th in the nation at 133 pounds. Josh Moore, who was a three-time state medalist for the Knights, was ranked 13th. Ace, who is a redshirt junior for the Fighting Scots, carried a 10-3 record into the bout while Moore, a redshirt sophomore, was 19-2 for the Nittany Lions.

Many of the same area fans that traveled to Clarion Saturday were in attendance Sunday and they got their money's worth as the 14th-ranked Scots edged 23rd-ranked Penn State, 20-16.

The 133-pound bout came seventh in the order of matches determined by a draw prior to the dual meet and featured plenty of action-packed excitement early as Ace parlayed a pair of takedowns and an escape into a 5-4 lead after one period. Moore, recognized as an excellent technician on the mat, scored his points on a pair of reversals.

Moore rode Ace the entire second period to build some time advantage, but trailed 5-4 entering the third period when Ace released him for an escape to knot the bout at 5-5.

Ace narrowly missed a takedown which Moore countered with a sprawl midway through the period before Moore used a counter for a late takedown to lock up the bout. He also had a point for riding time for an 8-5 win.

"It was a little weird to wrestle a friend and former teammate," Moore said following the bout. "But, when you go out on the mat you go looking to win."

Moore felt his two-minute ride in the second period might have been a key factor in the outcome. "(Cory) was worn out at the end," he added.

Penn State coach Troy Sunderland may have provided the recipe for Moore's success by taking both him and teammate Marat Tomaev on the two-day trip. Sunderland elected to use Tomaev Saturday against Clarion's fifth-ranked Rad Martinez and the Nittany Lion lost an 8-1 decision.

"It was nothing real specific," Sunderland said of the decision. "We just knew the matchups and felt (Josh) would know Ace's style."

Moore and Tomeav have wrestled twice this season and each owns a win.

Scott Moore, who entered Saturday's match with Clarion ranked seventh in the nation at 141 pounds, scored a 10-7 decision over sophomore Jared Moss to help Penn State roll to a 26-9 victory over the Golden Eagles.

However, he wasn't completely satisfied with his performance after bolting to an 8-2 lead after two periods. Moore, 17-5 on the season, opened the bout by countering a takedown shot by Moss and applying a leg cradle on the Eagle's head and shoulder. Moore was awarded a takedown and three near-fall points for the maneuver and built his lead to 8-2 with an escape and reversal in the second period.

Moss selected the neutral position to open the third period and struck for a double-leg takedown and two near-fall points to cut the margin to 8-6 before Moore escaped. Moore was then penalized one point for stalling with :16 remaining and a late takedown attempt by Moss fell short. Moore gained a point for 2:37 of riding time for the 10-7 win.

"I had wrestled (Moss) before and knew the way he wrestles I can't get into position to take my shots," Moore said. "I basically bailed out on his two takedowns. I was just so frustrated I couldn't get my shots, but I didn't feel like I was in trouble at any time."

Moore's frustration continued Sunday in a 15-5 loss to Edinboro's Chad Caros. This time his trouble came on the mat.

Moore opened the bout with a takedown and a second-period escape gave him a 3-0 lead before he suffered a shoulder injury when Caros connected for a takedown. Four sets of near-fall points followed and he trailed 12-3.

Moore claimed he was his own worst enemy. "I just lost my head a little bit and did some stupid things which allowed him to score," Moore said. "I just have to learn from it."

And who said college athletics isn't about learning?