Grapplers seek redemption

Heading into last Sunday's match with No. 3 Minnesota, the Penn State wrestling team seemed to be where it had wanted to be at that point in the season. The Nittany Lions thumped Wisconsin, 31-10, last Saturday, after sweeping Pittsburgh and Indiana the weekend before.

Just as the Lions were starting to resemble a Big Ten and NCAA champion, the Golden Gophers waxed the Lions, 28-7, for their worst loss of the season.

"After Minnesota, we need to rebound," Lion coach John Fritz said. "(That) match was, hopefully, a wake-up call."

The Lions (12-4, 5-4 Big Ten), who are tied for No. 4 in the latest NWCA/AWN InterMat rankings, look to bounce back against Ohio State at 7:30 tonight in Rec Hall then at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Clarion.

While neither team is ranked or has a winning record, both can present problems.

Ohio State (7-10, 3-3) brings a pair of tough wrestlers to Happy Valley in No. 8 Mitch Clark at 177 pounds and heavyweight Nick Nutter, an All-American at 190 pounds last season. However, Buckeye coach Russ Hellickson believes his team may be overmatched against the Lions.

"We've got some holes in our lineup," Hellickson said. "Their lineup is a lot more solid than ours."

The most solid Buckeye to step on the mat is Clark, who Fritz thinks will provide a good test for Lion Frank Morici.

"It's real important for (Morici) to use his speed and explosiveness to take Clark down," Fritz said.

As Fritz said, there's no rest for the weary. The Lions will march into Clarion and take on two ranked wrestlers -- No. 1 Sheldon Thomas at 118 pounds and No. 4 Bryan Stout at heavyweight. Stout presents the second big match for Lion heavyweight Kerry McCoy in as many days.

"I look at it as two more steps in the way of a national title," McCoy said. "I said from day one that I want to go out and dominate everyone."

While McCoy seems to have overcome his nagging injuries, the Lions may be without 118-pounder Jeremy Hunter and 158-pounder John Lange. Both are listed as questionable.

Hunter injured his knee against Indiana, while Lange has been battling knee problems all year. Lange tore cartiage in his left knee early in the season against Fresno State and hurt the right knee at Wisconsin. Lange had an MRI earlier this week, and it failed to show any serious damage to the knee.

"(Ohio State) can be dangerous," Fritz said, "especially if we're without Hunter and Lange."

Clarion also can be dangerous with its best weapon -- Thomas. The All-American won a national title last year, and this season he looks to be on his way to another. He is 11-0 in dual meets, wrestling at both 118 and 126. He was the co-champion at 126 pounds in the Wilkes Open, along with his teammate Mark Angle, and took the title at the PSAC tournament.

Thomas has been one of Clarion's few consistent wrestlers. In the Golden Eagles' 13 dual meets, they have used a different lineup each time.

"We've had five starters out since day one," Clarion coach Jack Davis said. "We won't have our original starting lineup for the rest of the season."

Not having the best wrestlers or failing to compete at the top of the game could spell trouble for teams such as Clarion and Ohio State. They face a Lion team trying to get back to its winning ways and a team determined to get back into the national title hunt.