Powerhouse Programs Penn State, Cornell co-champs at 2010 Southern Scuffle

2010 Southern Scuffle: Top 10 team scores (complete list below):
t1. Cornell – 151.5
t1. Penn State – 151.5
3. Oregon State – 132.5
4. Michigan – 132
5. Minnesota – 126.5
6. Kent State – 76
7. Edinboro – 72
8. Penn – 71.5
t9. Hofstra – 65.5
t9. Virginia – 65.5

Individual Finals Results
125: #4 James Nicholson (Old Dominion) W, 4-2 dec. #7 Zach Sanders (Minnesota)
133: #9 Rollie Peterkin (Penn) W, 6-0 dec. #4 Lou Ruggirello (Hofstra)
141: #1 Kellen Russell (Michigan) W, 6-2 dec. #2 Mike Thorn (Minnesota)
149: #1 Kyle Dake (Cornell) W, 1-0 dec. #6 Frank Molinaro (Penn State)
157: #3 David Taylor (Penn State) W, 18-2 tech. fall over #9 Paul Young (Indiana) (TF; 4:06)
165: #4 Justin Kerber (Cornell) W, 6-4 dec. #7 Cody Yohn (Minnesota)
174: #10 Ed Ruth (Penn State) W, 7-2 dec. #2 Chris Henrich (Virginia)
184: #2 Chris Honeycutt (Edinboro) W, 7-2 dec. #3 Steve Bosak (Cornell)
197: #2 Cam Simaz (Cornell) W, 5-4 (TB) dec. #6 Cayle Byers (George Mason)
285: #6 Cameron Wade (Penn State) W, 4-2 dec. #7 Ben Apland (Michigan)

Most Outstanding Wrestler:
Ed Ruth (Penn State)

Gorrarian Award (most pins in least amount of time):
Brice Arand (Oregon State)

Recap
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team continued its outstanding early season run, claiming the Co-Championships of the 2010 Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C. Penn State, ranked No. 4, tied No. 1 Cornell for the team crown. The Nittany Lions sent four wrestlers to the finals in front of a rowdy crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex and crowned three champions.

Red-shirt freshmen David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) (Read WIN Magazine feature article on David Taylor) and Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) won titles at 157 and 165 while junior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) forged the tie with a title winning decision in the tournament’s final bout at heavyweight. Ruth’s sizzling title-run at 174 earned him the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Two-time All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) almost made it four for four in the finals for Penn State with a one-point loss to the nation’s top-ranked wrestler in the nation at 149. The Nittany Lions sent 15 wrestlers into action at the two-day event and eight placed.

True freshman Frank Martellotti (Pittsburgh, Pa.) bounced back from a loss in his first bout yesterday to reel off six straight wins before a loss in the consolation semifinals. Martellotti, ranked No. 16 nationally at 125, would end the event with a 6-3 record and a sixth place finish and is 18-3 on the year. Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) had a solid return to the mat after missing the first semester with an injury. Pataky went 3-2 with a major and a tech fall. While not placing at 125, Pataky’s first action of the year should spur him on to more action at the Virginia Duals on Jan. 7-8.

Final team scores:
t1. Cornell – 151.5
t1. Penn State – 151.5
3. Oregon State – 132.5
4. Michigan – 132
5. Minnesota – 126.5
6. Kent State – 76
7. Edinboro – 72
8. Penn – 71.5
t9. Hofstra – 65.5
t9. Virginia – 65.5
11. Old Dominion – 60.5
12. Navy – 57.5
13. Indiana – 54.5
14. Ohio – 45.5
15. Air Force – 45
16. North Carolina – 42.5
17. Utah Valley – 38
18. UNCG – 36
19. The Citadel – 35.5
20. Army – 33.5
21. George Mason – 33
22. NC State – 32.5
23. Princeton – 29
24. Bloomsburg – 27
25. VMI – 25.5
26. Lock Haven – 22
27. Liberty – 20
28. Appalachian State – 18.5
t29. Gardner-Webb – 15
t29. Virginia Tech – 15
31. Duke – 13
32. Boston – 8.5
33. Campbell – 5
34. Columbia – 4.5